Eyebrow authority Kristin Fisher, of Kristin Fisher Eyebrows in Double Bay, is leading the charge for the NSW Government to lift restrictions placed on beauty salons.
While it was announced earlier in the week that salons would be permitted to open for the purpose of selling vouchers and retail products, Kristin has taken issue with the fact that beauty salons have been forced to suspend all in-house treatments since the lockdown was announced in March, while hair salons have been permitted to trade.
“I’ve got no problem at all with hair salons being open,” Kristin said, explaining that after six weeks of lockdown, the government’s eased social restrictions allowing beauty workers to make house calls while still not being allowed to open her salon, is absurd. “Every hair salon in Double Bay is pumping and has been since this all started. My salon is probably three times the size of the biggest hair salon in Double Bay. [We have] eight private rooms, an enormous waiting area, [it is very] sterile. We penetrate the skin, therefore we have to hold extremely high hygiene standards, in line with medical clinics.”
After sharing a series of posts on her business’s Instagram account, fellow salon owners joined voiced their solidarity with the trailblazing eyebrow expert.
“I am tempted to open my doors,” said Stephanie Moore, of MooreBeauty by Stephanie in Sydney’s Panania. “I take one client at a time in my entire salon, yet going to someone’s home who could potentially have seven children in a studio apartment is ok?”
Tagan Natoli, owner of Bump Day Spa, was equally incensed about the apparent discrimination. “Hairdressers [can] open but not salons? It does not make sense! Allow everyone to implement the same infection control standards to get small business back up and running!”
However, the Minister for Health and Medical Research Brad Hazzard has stood firm, insisting that beauty salons are only to open for retail purposes at this point. “In-store activity will be restricted to retail sales only, including collecting goods brought online or over the phone, with customers urged to spend minimal time collecting their purchase. Services like waxing, manicures and tanning are not permitted. We know this is a very small concession for these businesses but hopefully if COVID-19 cases remain low, further allowances can be made in the future.”
But with six weeks of lost income, lost staff and mounting debt under her belt, the lack of a distinct opening date doesn’t sit well with Kristin. “Hair and beauty come under the exact same classification with the ATO. As an industry that generates seven billion dollars per year and employs 120,000 workers, we are not stupid. We know how to keep our environments clean; far cleaner than any supermarket, that’s for sure. We will happily ask all clients to download the COVID app, have their temperatures checked, wear masks and gloves for every client,” said Kirsten, who raised thousands of dollars for bushfire victims through a beauty sale in January.
At the time of publishing, Kristin Fisher Eyebrows’ online booking page was open.
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