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Just because hair salons are finally open doesn't mean everyone's ready to return to the chair.
New York's Phase 2 finally began on June 22, allowing people to get their hair cut and colored, so long as their stylists abide by state-mandated health and safety protocols.
But since the pandemic is still a reality, and there's no guarantee of protection against the virus at NYC's beauty salons, some businesses are now offering ways to reach clients who are more hesitant to leave home.
One of these is Glamsquad, which just launched a new service offering in-home professional haircuts. The company previously provided at-home hair styling and makeup services, but cutting hair has been a big request as of late.
For many, in-home services can provide peace of mind and less exposure to big groups than would be possible going to the salon, the company says.
"Glamsquad has built an unrivaled track record of safety and security over the course of nearly one million in-home appointments and services," said Jason Perri, the founder and chairman of Glamsquad. "We are excited to leverage this trust and experience to serve both new and existing clients during this unique moment, with the rigorous attention to safety and comfort that has defined Glamsquad since 2013."
When a hairstylist comes to your home, both the client and the stylist must wear face coverings. The stylist will arrive with their own PPE, including multiple pairs of gloves and a disposable apron. They'll remove their gloves and sanitize and wash their hands before they set up. (They'll also have disinfected their tools.) At the end of the session, they'll take their trash with them. An at-home haircut run about $100.
Another company called Primp, also offers at-home haircutting services for $195. Shortcut is another service that starts at-home haircuts at $35 with safety protocols in place as well.
Nail salons don't officially reopen until Phase 3, on course to begin July 6, along with other non-hair-related personal care services, including tattoo and piercing facilities, appearance enhancement practitioners, massage therapy, spas, cosmetology, UV and non-UV tanning, and waxing.
Once nail salons are back up, Glamsquad will offer an at-home manicure and pedicure for $105.
Meanwhile, GLOSSLAB is changing how nail services are done with hygiene in mind. The membership-only service only has an allotted amount of clients coming into its Flatiron and West Village locations. (There's a third slated to open in NoHo this fall.) The company promises health and safety first by scrubbing and sterilizing all its tools to "hospital-grade requirements." Its nail files and buffers are for individual use and all the high-touch areas (the nail station, polish wall and front desk) are "extensively" cleaned with a hospital-grade cleaner. All manicures and pedicures are waterless for a more hygienic and efficient process.
"I recognized a real lack of consistency in service quality and, even more importantly, hygiene standards," founder Rachel Apfel Glass said about getting her nails done in NYC. "As part of my due diligence, I went to nail technician training, and was shocked that sterilization or sanitization guidelines weren’t part of the curriculum!"
Online booking, cashless payment, and contactless check-in and checkout were already the standard at GLOSSLAB, but even more protocols will be in use when Phase 3 hits and nail salons are allowed to re-open.
If you want insight into what hair salons are like right now under Phase 2, check out what Warren Tricomi and Natura Spa are doing.
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