Looking up

BENGALURU: Men sporting beards and women more than enthusiastic to wear a mask to conceal that upper lip sprout. On the first day that salons were given permission to re-open, popular services included hair cuts for men and pedicures and waxing for women. With new rules in place, including no walk-ins, Krishma Lobo, director of Scent Salons, has been inundated with callers keen to know when the chain would re-open. When they did on Tuesday morning, the first couple, at the Lavelle Road branch, went in for a pedicure session, followed by a haircut for the man and a hair spa and waxing services for the woman. “Anticipating the demand, we got the seven salons cleaned starting last week. So we were ready to start as soon as we got the go-ahead,” she says. 

Lobo pointed out that families are coming together for several services at one time. “We actually prefer it that way since we allocate a complete floor just for one family. They are going in for many services -- hair colour, waxing, manicure and pedicure -- at one go, considering it’s been over two months since they visited a salon. Previously people would walk in for a single service but that didn’t happen this time,” she says.    

Some salons like Bodycraft Spa and Salon have come out with a detailed list of dos and dont’s, including instructions such as requesting clients to use elbows to open doors, and refraining from touching railings and walls while taking the stairs. No refreshments other than bottled water on request will be provided, and restrooms too will be opened on request.