Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “Honestly, if I hear the expression ‘the new normal’ one more time”...but here we are, so let’s dive in. I think I speak for all hair stylists when I say that going back into the salon brought on a wave of mixed emotions. While I was so exponentially excited to be back to work, doing what I love instead of playing Animal Crossing for hours on end and developing a compulsive exercise disorder, I also felt the most anxiety I have in a long time --and especially the most I have ever felt surrounding my career. Think first day of school jitters meets existential dread. I had so many questions running through my mind in the weeks leading to our reopening. What would being back in the salon mean for my health? Will my clients return? Will I be able to bring in enough income with the added expense of even MORE new sanitation criteria and the limited amount of clients I can book in a day? How many clients am I even allowed to book?
In the capital region of New York, we are now going into our fourth week back behind the chair. At this point I have finally gotten back into my groove, and honestly some days I forget that we ever even left. Now that I am constantly wearing a mask, I am developing the lung capacity of an Olympic swimmer and the clogged pores of a teenage boy. Do you realize how much money we are all saving on lip color? Praise be. I am so far from complaining about these new obstacles, but I really do hope I stop smashing my face into the clear dividers between our salon sinks sometime soon. I appreciate each and every one of my clients that has been so willing to be patient and comply with all of the new regulations put before us, and my salon owner that made sure we were all coming back to a clean and safe environment.
For me, there is no greater feeling than the accomplishment that comes from making my clients feel confident and beautiful. Being back in the salon has made me feel purposeful again after months of dark uncertainty. If in order to feel this way we have to cover our nose and mouth and frantically scrub and sanitize every inch of our space every minute on the minute, so be it. And finally, if Florida decides to ruin this for us all and we have to shut down once again...I demand they secede from the country. Catch me in the streets, Floridians.
LET'S DO SOME HAIR
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