Over the last year of the pandemic, salon owners have been forced to make a number of tough decisions regarding their business — most notably, should I stay open or close? Now, thanks to a recent guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they find themselves dealing with yet another hard choice — this time pertaining to whether or not to wear a mask.
According to new CDC guidance, fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks in most settings. To find a vaccine near you go to https://t.co/S2DQV6MlBv. pic.twitter.com/gN6GL5YJ3t
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 13, 2021
Last month, the CDC released new guidelines which says that it’s now safe for fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks indoors or outdoors, unless they are required to by rules set locally or by a business. Since then, mask mandates have loosened throughout the country and many salon owners have been left asking the same question: should I still require masks in my salon or not?
To get a better idea of how the salon industry is adjusting to the CDC’s lifting of the mask mandate, The Tease spoke to three salon owners about their feelings towards the new guidance as well as about thow they are making their own mask policy for their employees and clients.
Liz Fanopoulos, @BlondedbyLiz
Owner of Jet Studio Salon
Location: Idaho
What was your response when the CDC announced on May 13th that masks were no longer required for fully vaccinated people, indoors or outdoors?
HECK YES! So sick of being required to wear those things and can’t wait to be back to normal.
Do you have any concerns about the CDC’s decision to lift the mask mandate and how it could potentially affect the salon industry in the future?
No. I think that people want their hair done regardless. I couldn’t tell you how many people/potential clients reached out even during the height of the pandemic still truly wanting their hair done. When the world is in that much chaos, people still want to look and feel good. I feel our industry is thriving. I haven’t heard of one person near my town blaming a salon for getting infected with the coronavirus. We are pretty sanitary to begin with.
What was your policy on mask-wearing prior to the most recent guidance?
As Idaho is less strict than most states, and my salon has independent contractors, I feel it is up to them to make the decision best fit for their business and I don’t feel the need to force anything on them.
Following the most recent guidance, will you be requiring masks to be worn at your salon? Why or why not?
Not at all. If we chose to listen to the people in the first place who told us to wear them, why wouldn’t we trust in them now that they’re saying it’s okay not to wear them? I believe in personal choice, responsibility, and freedom. If you’d like to wear a mask as it makes you feel more comfortable, you’re free to do so, if you’d like to breathe air freely throughout my salon while we remain sanitary with state board guidelines, you should feel comfortable to do so as well.
How are you navigating whether potential clients are vaccinated or not vaccinated at your salon?
It’s truly none of my business. I do not ask for anyone’s health information. You’re free to come to the salon whether you’re vaccinated, unvaccinated, masked, or unmasked.
How have your clients responded to your salon’s mask policy?
They absolutely love that they can breathe freely without wearing a mask! Those that are still uncomfortable make a personal choice to not book a luxury service that’s not a requirement, or wear a mask for their own comfort.
Claudia Molinar, @hairbyclaudiaj
Owner of Claude & Co Salon
Location: Arizona
What was your response when the CDC announced on May 13th that masks were no longer required for fully vaccinated people, indoors or outdoors?
My initial response to the CDC announcing that masks were no longer required for fully vaccinated people was that I was super excited! I was excited to know I would finally see my clients faces and beautiful smiles after so many months of wearing masks. It also gave me hope going forward, knowing there would be a sense of normalcy in our industry and in the world. I was a little worried about a handful of clients that were not comfortable not wearing masks yet, but as a salon, we have been able to accommodate our more at-risk clients accordingly.
Do you have any concerns about the CDC’s decision to lift the mask mandate and how it could potentially affect the salon industry in the future?
I have full trust in the CDC and I think they wouldn’t have lifted the mask mandate unless they felt absolutely ready to do so. I think the salon industry is only going to grow.
What was your policy on mask-wearing prior to the most recent guidance?
Prior to the most recent guidance, everyone was required to wear face masks in the salon.
Following the most recent guidance, will you be requiring masks to be worn at your salon? Why or why not?
Since the recent guidance, masks are optional for all of our staff and clients. I feel it is up to the client at this point and if they feel comfortable or not. If our client wants to wear their mask, our stylists will ask their client if they want them to wear one during their service too.
How are you navigating whether potential clients are vaccinated or not vaccinated at your salon?
There is no way to know if everybody is vaccinated unless they bring their vaccination card to their appointment, which is unlikely, so we are having to stay diligent about cleaning the salon and following all the precautions we can to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable.
How have your clients responded to your salon’s mask policy?
All of our clients have been thrilled to not have to wear a face mask anymore and we are excited to come in and have some normalcy again. We haven’t had any complaints so far about the mask policy, but we accommodated some of our older or at-risk clients at their request.
Katie Alm, @katieealm
Owner of The Storm Salon
Location: California
What was your response when the CDC announced on May 13th that masks were no longer required for fully vaccinated people, indoors or outdoors?
I’m happy to see some normalcy coming back into our lives finally! I hope people continue to stay safe and wear a mask if they want to.
Do you have any concerns about the CDC’s decision to lift the mask mandate and how it could potentially affect the salon industry in the future?
I do not have concerns about the mask mandate being lifted. I plan to continue to wear a mask at my salon. I personally think there is no harm in wearing one a little longer. I think most stylists will migrate to salon suites, if they haven’t already. They are small, safe and affordable. I’m seeing more conventional salons close down and more salon suites open. This is exactly what I plan to do after June 30th. I will close my 6 chair salon and head to a suite!
What was your policy on mask wearing prior to the most recent guidance?
At my salon, it’s always been that we both wear masks, vaccinated or not. The mask truly does not bother me.
Following the most recent guidance, will you be requiring masks to be worn at your salon? Why or why not?
After June 15th, I will leave it up to my clients to decide if they would like to wear the mask or not. I will not require them to prove to me they got the vaccine either. But as I stated before, I will continue to wear my mask regardless of the CDC’s mandates and if my guests feel more comfortable in theirs, they are more than welcome to keep it on. Or take it off.
How are you navigating whether potential clients are vaccinated or not vaccinated at your salon?
I currently am at a point in my career where I stopped taking on any new clients. I’ve been lucky enough to have a wonderful and understanding clientele, who have supported my salon for many years and are just happy to see me keep going. I won’t require them to prove to me they are vaccinated but I do know which are and aren’t, after all this time. I feel comfortable with my cleaning procedures and my mask. And I hope my clients feel the same!
How have your clients responded to your salon’s mask policy?
I would say 99.9% of them have been wonderful and understanding. We all know that no one loves a face mask but we understand the importance and want to keep everyone safe! They have worn them this whole time alongside me. They signed the waivers and sanitized their hands. They did everything they could to help keep me open and I could never thank them enough!
How do you feel about the CDC’s mask mandate being lifted? Share with us below!
