Salons come full circle as UK government gives go-ahead for close contact treatments

By Becky Bargh | Published: 14-Aug-2020

After plans to allow facial treatments were put on hold earlier this month, beauty salon owners can breathe a sigh of relief as they restart their ‘new normal’

After weeks of uncertainty and campaigning, the UK government has given salon owners the go-ahead to put close contact treatments back on the menu.

From 15 August, beauticians, tattoo studios, spas and barbers across England will be able to offer treatments such as eyebrow waxing and facials.

The announcement comes two weeks after the UK Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson backtracked on plans to ease lockdown restrictions due to fears of a second wave of Covid-19.

The salon industry has suffered a turbulent time during the lockdown after hairdressers and barbers were given the green light to reopen on 4 July, under strict guidelines, while other salon businesses were forced to remain closed.

In response, Dermalogica and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Beauty, Aesthetics & Wellbeing (APPG) wrote open letters to the PM pleading for more guidance and an opportunity to reopen.

High profile members of the industry have also stepped in to help struggling aestheticians, make-up artists and therapists.

Earlier this month, influencer and aesthetician Caroline Hirons launched her Beauty Backed campaign – in partnership with BABTAC and the British Beauty Council – which has raised almost £340,000 to help professionals who have been unable to work while restrictions have been in place.

The petition garnered almost 30,000 signatures.

"We cannot keep letting our industry be left behind when so many people have fallen through the cracks," she said via her IGTV channel.

"The aim is just to get beauty up and working again. I would hope that we can get rid of this campaign in a month. My fear is that they're not going to open and we are going into a second lockdown and, in which case, most of our industry is completely screwed."

In response to the news from the government, Hirons took to Instagram to share her enthusiasm.

She wrote: “WE ARE A GO! BEAUTY IS OPEN! ABOUT BLOODY TIME! Please please. BOOK IN WITH YOUR LOCAL SALON/CLINIC ASAP!”

However, the new guidance will not apply to areas where lockdown measures are in place.

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