How the beauty industry has responded to COVID-19

This post has been written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind by Maggie Hammond, proud mama to two little people, and has one too many furry friends. Passionate about alternative medicine, education, the great outdoors and animal welfare.

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The Coronavirus has had a dramatic impact on most industries but perhaps none more so than the beauty and cosmetics sector. With the distancing requirements enforced by lockdowns, the personal care that is a common part of the beauty market has been turned on its head with various new steps being taken by beauty practitioners to continue working with their customers. 

Here are just a few ways the sector is responding to the virus in an attempt to stay open and keep servicing the needs of clients.

Handwashing and sanitizers

Just as with all other areas of our lives, good hygiene has become paramount through Coronavirus with regular handwashing and sanitizing becoming a part of everyone’s general daily routine. The beauty sector is no exception, and beauty practitioners have been expected to sanitize frequently – most certainly between appointments. Likewise, clients have been expected to clean their hands when entering and leaving premises thoroughly.

Facemasks, gloves, shoe-coverings and facial visors 

We’re all already au fait with mask-wearing in public spaces, but the proximity of beauty and cosmetic treatments has also increased the need for additional protection. As a general rule, practitioners have been advised to protect themselves from the potential problems of personal contact by using disposable gloves and face visors. Additionally, clients have often been expected to wear shoe-coverings to avoid the possibility of carrying infection into premises unwittingly.  

Disinfecting communal areas between sessions

Cleanliness was already a prime consideration in many sectors of the beauty industry, e.g. dermatology practices like mariehayagmd.com – however, the virus has caused even more stringent hygiene practices. Practice rooms have generally been expected to be vacated for a period of half an hour between sessions while chairs and other associated equipment have been thoroughly cleaned between uses. 

Client declarations and health questions

Before gaining access to a practice, clients have been screened to minimize the risks of cross-infection. Typical questions include whether the client is suffering from any flu-like symptoms (e.g. sore throat, headaches, muscle pain, frequent coughing, fever, loss of taste/smell or shortness of breath) as well as whether they have been near any confirmed COVID-19 sufferers in the last 14 days. Clients are also expected to cancel appointments if they feel any symptoms in the run-up to appointments. 

Temperature scanning

As has become common with most public establishments, clients are temperature-scanned on arrival, before gaining entry to the establishment. 

Contactless payments

Again, like most other sectors, contactless payments have been encouraged to further minimize the risks of cross-contamination through bank notes or touch. 

The beauty industry has moved increasingly online

Webinars and online advice sessions have become more common through the virus as companies strived to remain engaged with their customer base without the need for personal contact. Also, online consultations to determine suitable treatments before physical consultations has increased in an attempt to reduce the face-to-face time needed between client and practitioner. 

The future

With the recent announcement of three working vaccines arriving imminently, there is a glimmer of hope that our previous normality could return soon. Nonetheless, many of the current requirements will likely be with us for some time to come as vaccines are finally rolled out across populations around the world.