Originally published 20/05/2020: When will nails salons reopen? It’s okay if you’ve thought about this question at some point during lockdown.

Back in March, as life was slowly beginning to change around Covid-19, we reported on whether it was actually safe to still visit the nail salon. A week later, salons across the UK were ordered to close and now, almost 12 weeks after that, they continue to remain firmly shut. However, despite the fact hairdressers are officially allowed to open from 4 July, it’s not the same story for nail salons.

While we’ve begun to accept and settle into a new way of living, there will be times where we all miss the everyday slices of our old normal lives. For some, this may be taking the time for yourself and visiting a nail salon. But when you think about the close proximity of a nail appointment – sitting face-to-face and hands touching – getting back to the salon isn’t so straight forward, but with the slow easing up of lockdown we can hope that nail appointments will be able to happen in the near future.

“Nail salons, as with all beauty and hair salons, is a contact business and as such social distancing simply cannot be adhered to,” explains Lesley Blair, chair of BABTAC (British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology).

“The responsibility of minimising risk is as important for clients as it is for the salon. They themselves need to adhere to current government guidelines, be understanding of any changes and adhere to additional protocols that have been put into place by the salons for the protection of all.”

Once these important steps are put in place, the intention is for you to be informed by your nail salon on what to expect ahead of your appointment. “Nail salons should communicate clearly with their clients in writing whether it’s via email, text, website or social media on what is required from the customer before and at the time of the appointment,” says Daisy Kalnina, founder of The GelBottle Inc. and Peacći. “They should also make sure the customer acknowledges and understands these measures put in place before they enter the salon.”

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