Early last week, Governor Newsom made the decision to close some of California's indoor businesses in an effort to combat rising COVID numbers. Salons and barbershops in 30 counties throughout the state were some of those that were ordered to close. As a result, some salon owners petitioned to the California State Board to allow personal-care businesses to move their shops outdoors and offer curbside services.
Now, a week later, Newsom is giving those businesses the green light and permitting hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, massage parlors and other beauty services to move their services outdoors.
The guidelines for outdoor hair salons and barbershops include:
- Employees and customers have to wear masks the entire time
- Create an outdoor reception area where guests can check in
- No chemical services or shampooing
- No handshakes, hugs or similar greetings
Nail salons can offer manicures and pedicures outside. Other services like massages, body waxing and threading are also now allowed outdoors. Those personal-care services have to follow the above guidelines, as well as:
- Workers should wear a face shield with a face covering when doing services on the face/neck that don't allow clients to wear a mask
- Disposable gloves should be worn during the entire service
- Use single-use applicators instead of reusable ones (where necessary)
- Ask manicure clients to use hand sanitizer first
- Allow only one manicurist to work at a single station
- Offer color palettes instead of nail polish color displays
The governor said new guidelines have been in the works a while, but it was more complex than other outdoor business operations because of the use of chemicals in some beauty services.