You can get your nails done, have your hair cut and get in a workout at the gym, but in Phase One of reopening the state some personal care business owners are surprised that they wouldn't open along with the others.
"We had been buying additional PPE gear, disinfection products, having excess of everything we needed that way we could be fully prepared," says Megan Leger, who owns Southern Lash Company, an eyelash extension business.
It wasn't until late Thursday night that aestheticians, like Megan, found out they didn't need to prepare at all. They would not be reopening in Phase One.
Leger says she's not even sure her business was intentionally left out.
"I feel like we just got slipped under the radar and no one thought fully what would happen to our chapter of the industry," she added.
Many aestheticians do provide skincare treatments, facial waxing and services that can't be done without a mask, but there are also many whose services never come close to the clients mouth or nose.
"We can do full body waxing, we can do lash and brow services and those things for some aestheticians are their sole source of income," says Leger.
Because her clients could wear masks through an entire lash appointment and would be separated in private rooms away from each other Leger says her phone has been ringing off the hook.
"They want to know when they can come back and new clients are asking if we are offering waxing and lashing services because they are not understanding that as a whole aesthetics is not allowed," she says.
Leger says she and other aestheticians don't understand why their businesses aren't allowed to open and safely operate, so she has continued to call elected officials for some answers.
"We have reached out to the governors office, we've reached out to the cosmetology board, I've reached out to state representatives, local representatives. there's only so much they can do because the proclamation is up to the governor. We're all trying to fight for our right to work because we can work. If a nail salon can work, we can work," says Leger.
The governor's guidelines state that all aestheticians must remain closed. Leger says she and her peers hope phase two will include some clarification or safe guidelines that will allow them to go back to work.
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