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SEARCHInspired by a witty column in The New Yorker, we put our heads together with some salon owners and created a list of things that are still bad ideas for stylists, even if they are fully vaccinated.
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
As vaccines roll out across the country, the inoculated are embracing their new superhero abilities, such as gathering indoors with others, eating in restaurants and even boarding crowded airplanes.
These emboldened activities encouraged columnist Eli Grober to pen a few tongue-in-cheek warnings in his article, “Things Fully Vaccinated People Are Still Not Allowed To Do” for the March edition of The New Yorker. For example, Grober cautioned the vaccinated they still needed to stay mute during Group Zoom calls, that it’s still rude to not order fries but then eat your friend’s off their plate, and that it’s still wrong to hog both armrests on a plane.
The editors at SALON TODAY and MODERN SALON admired this piece of journalistic wit so much, we put our heads together with a few salon owners for a brainstorming session and created a version for the professional beauty industry.
So, for all the fully vaccinated stylists out there, here is a list of 10 things you still can’t do:
5-Second Rules
Your salon may have put in sophisticated new air purifying system, but you still can’t drop your comb then claim it’s safe because of the ‘5-Second Rule.’ That dirty comb needs to take a swim in a bath of disinfectant.
Cover Thy Nose and Mouth
It always was considered rude to cough or sneeze on top of your client’s head. You might be COVID-free, as well as masked, but it’s still rude. Step away, cover your nose and mouth, then wash your hands.
Pixabay
Jingling the Bells
Your 2020 holiday season may have been slower than normal (or if you work in a salon in California or Canada, non-existent), and you missed the ka-ching that comes along with that holiday soundtrack. Resist the temptation to play your favorite festive tunes in the salon---April is still way too early.
Black Coffee for All
Those split shifts that help your salon accommodate more clients during capacity restrictions may have you coming in earlier than normal, but that’s no excuse to use almost all of the creamer and put the nearly empty carton back in the fridge, fooling your coworkers into believing there still is creamer. P.S. Munching on your colleagues munches or snacks also is still a no-no.
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
Dirty and Neglected
You might be slammed with back-to-back corrective color appointments with clients who practiced a little home art over the past several months, but that does not mean you can let your dirty color bowls accumulate in the sink. Who do you think is going to wash all those bowls?
Social Beware
Now that you’re fully vaccinated and restaurants are opening up, it’s mighty tempting to call in sick and meet some good friends for lunch. But it’s still a bad idea for your career to post a picture of your reunion for everyone to see.
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
The Color Police
While you might think using an entire tube of color per client makes it more sanitary, it’s still a huge waste—both economically and environmentally. Mix your color safely, and return your tubes back to the dispensary.
Time for a Load
If you grab one of the last towels out of the cubby after a shampoo, you can’t act like you didn’t notice. When you get a few moments, throw in a new load, fold some fresh towels from the dryer, and help your team keep those services chugging along.
Image created by the team at Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, OH.
No Fur Babies
It might be entertaining to see if you can turn your round brush into a modern-day version of a Furby, but no client wants a brush with someone else’s hair touching their head. Clean your brushes in between clients.
Feeding Clients a Line
We all make mistakes, but you need to own up to them. It might be tempting to tell your client whose color result turned out too dark to “Just wash it a few times and it’ll be fine.” Or inform your client whose hair you cut seven layers in that’s it’s the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ special. But you’re more likely to keep their loyalty if you apologize and issue them a complimentary re-do.
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