COVID-19 Precautions All Makeup Artists and Beauty Professionals Should be Implementing

Quarantine has been over for quite some time now and, in the midst of this pandemic, we want to make sure that all of you are following the proper guidelines for the safety of you and your clients. 

Makeup/Hair Salon.

Makeup/Hair Salon.

Hair Stylists

Due to quarantine, many of us stopped putting in any effort to actually do our hair or take care of it. However, now that people are starting to leave their houses again, they want to know if there are ways to get their hair done as they used to, in a safe and efficient way. 

Safety Guidelines for Hair Stylists:

  • Make sure you wear a mask on your face, covering the nose and mouth throughout the whole process.

  • Wash your hands and sanitize them before each client.

  • Sanitize your work station by wiping everything down with Barbicide or 99% proof alcohol. Use this to clean the table, chair, and cape they are wearing.

  • Do not use the same brushes/combs on your clients. Make sure to use multiple tools. and sanitize them after each client, by wiping them down with alcohol and drying them.

  • After each client, make sure to wash each cape, brush, straighteners, curling irons, and other tools.

  • Your hands and nails must look clean when working with client’s hair so that they know they are in good hands.

  • Sanitize your entire toolkit at the end of each appointment.

Mask worn by both parties during appointment.

Mask worn by both parties during appointment.

Makeup Artists

Getting your makeup done requires a lot of prolonged, physical contact of the face. We know how cautious everyone is, nowadays, to keep their distance from strangers and people who are not close family or friends. Here are ways to make your clients feel comfortable and safe while getting their makeup done.

Safety Guidelines for Makeup Artists:

  • You and your clients are required to wear a face mask, covering the mouth and nose, at all times during the duration of the appointment.

  • Sanitize all of your makeup products and brushes/applicators with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Use it to spray lipstick and brushes, before wiping them clean. 

  • Brushes must be spot cleaned before touching each client by saturating the bristles in brush cleanser and spraying them with alcohol/Barbicide afterward.

  • Always take the time to deep clean your brushes, as well, by soaking them in tea tree oil and baking soda after they are properly spot cleaned.

  • Keep a separate pouch for your clean brushes and another one for your dirty/used brushes.

  • Always use disposable applicators, because “double-dipping” is unsanitary and contaminates the entire product. 

  • For mascara, pencils, or lipsticks clients are free to bring their own. However, if you provide these products always use a disposable mascara wand and do not double-dip the wand.

  • Lipstick/Gloss should be placed on a palette, using a spatula, and applied with a brush. If applied from the lipstick tube, you must sanitize it and remove the top layer of the lipstick.

  • Remember to never cross-contaminate your makeup products/brushes and keep your workstation clean, as well as, wash your hands before each client.

  • Show your client how clean and cautious you are to ensure they are getting their makeup done in a sanitary environment.

Makeup artist is wearing a mask.

Makeup artist is wearing a mask.

Nail Salons

Many ladies have been dying to get their nails done during quarantine but, unfortunately, had to wait months for nail salons to finally open again. Now that salons are back in business, there has been a flood of clients trying to book for manicures and pedicures. 

Safety Guidelines for Nail Salons:

  • You and your clients are required to wear a face mask, covering the mouth and nose, at all times during the duration of the appointment.

  • Have every client wash their hands and sanitize at the start of their appointment.

  • You must wear gloves while with the client and wash your hands as soon as you remove them. Make sure to replace your gloves between each client.

  • Make sure your clients are sitting in every other chair, rather than right next to each other, to maintain a good amount of distance between them. 

  • Install a clear/glass cover, shielding your face from the client’s and leave an opening at the bottom to give them a manicure.

  • Make sure the surfaces, tables, and chairs are cleaned/disinfected before each client, using soap or an EPA registered disinfectant. 

  • Pedicure spa bowls must be disinfected before every client to avoid the risk of cross-contaminating germs.

  • Sanitize and disinfect every tool that touches the client.

  • If applying nail polish, dip powders, or topcoats, pour the products into a separate, disposable container and use a disposable applicator to apply the product. If you fail to do this, double-dipping the brush may contaminate the entire product and must be thrown away.

  • Wipe down all nail polish bottles and products after using them and discard disposable applicators and containers when finished.

Glass shield between client and employee.

Glass shield between client and employee.

If you follow these guidelines when conducting business with your clients, you will be successful at staying safe during this pandemic, as well as, keeping your clients protected from COVID-19.