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COVID-19 shook up the world and will no doubt have its lingering effects on hygiene consciousness. “The new normal” includes things that were previously unthinkable; face masks in public places, hand sanitiser in every shop front, even QR codes made a come-back with the mandatory check-ins. Besides effectively preventing the spread of Coronavirus, these measures have had an effect on the spread of other diseases. Effects like these have made a lot of people re-evaluate the importance of good hygiene. It’s very likely that increased hygiene will remain in place post-COVID, after all; double-dipping and filtering your wax was perfectly acceptable not too long ago too. It’s time to evaluate and embrace the best practices that are here to stay.

Why is hygiene crucial in a beauty salon?

Firstly, it’s vital to understand the importance of hygiene in a beauty salon. Even pre-COVID, owning a salon meant you were responsible for your client’s health and wellbeing while they are in your care. The services we provide as therapists, can put both yourself and your client at risk if your hygiene isn’t impeccable. Between waxing brazilians, performing extractions and even doing pedicures, the risk of cross-contamination of all kinds of diseases and infections is high. I truly believe that the reason the beauty industry was able to adapt so well to the rules for operating a COVID-safe business is because it’s not that different from our regular hygiene practices.

Talking the talk

Pre, during or post-COVID; in our industry hygiene should always be the top priority. 2020 has not only cemented that, but also highlighted it for our clients. Speaking for our own salon Smooth & Tan, outstanding hygiene has become one of the reasons why clients come back to our salon. It’s been mentioned in more than one 5-star review and we regularly get complimented on it during treatments. We believe it’s important to not only walk the walk, but also talk the talk – this puts your client’s mind at ease from the moment they walk through the door. In our salon, we have put up posters with what we do to keep people safe, we offer hand sanitiser in every room and clients see us sanitising contact surfaces throughout the day. There are some key steps before, during and after the treatment that you can do to set yourself apart from the rest.

Before the treatment

Total salon protection begins the moment your client enters your salon. It is important to demonstrate that your client’s health and safety is a priority, and this all starts with the first interaction. Even after the pandemic is over, it is good practice to keep a bottle of hand sanitiser available on your countertop and to encourage your client to sanitise their hands upon entering your salon. This will not only reduce the risk of germs spreading, it will also show them that everyone that came through the salon previously sanitised their hands. Alcohol-based sanitisers, such as Micro Defence Sanitising Gel, will work best as they are made following the WHO recommended formula and will kill nearly all bacteria and germs within 20 seconds of contact.

In that same vein, we have gotten so used to physical distancing that sitting right next to someone you don’t know has started to feel wrong. You might like to rearrange your waiting room set up permanently to allow for physical distancing, especially if you regularly have more than one client waiting for a treatment.