Experts talks about beauty regime in times of COVID-19

Social distancing, wearing a face mask and carrying a hand sanitiser have become the new normal – an evident shift from what our daily routine pre-COVID was. Even as malls, restaurants and offices reopen, people are continuing to avoid spaces that pose high-risk possibilities of community transmission. Beauty salons being one such space.

With many resorting to DIY (Do It Yourself) haircuts and professional at-home beauty services, there is bound to be a fall in the number of salon appointments.

Going digital, contactless

Sameer Sharma, owner of JD Salon, Rampul, Lajpat Nagar, opened his salon on June 2, but the footfall has been low. “Only 20-30 per cent people are coming, with men being the primary customers,” says Sharma, who has taken all the required safetly measures, from placing a sanitiser dispenser with a foot pedal at the entrance to staff members wearing PPE kits, gloves and masks.

Mini Sood Banerjee, Assistant Director & Head of Marketing at Innisfree India agrees that the beauty industry is bound to change. “People will continue adopting skincare practices at home to avoid maximum contact. They will either indulge in DIYs or shop for products online to keep up with their skin, body and health,” says Banerjee, who believes that e-commerce is set to rise amidst the pandemic. “Even though our stores are taking legitimate safety precautions, we might not witness the footfall we had earlier. People are also hesitating to use public transport. Therefore, we are expecting a predominant increase in our online business,” adds Banerjee.

Consumers are becoming inclined towards brands that are also selling experiences along with products, observes Ritika Jayaswal, CEO & Founder-Nourish Mantra. “Due to the pandemic, conversations around immunity and inner wellness have peaked. It’ll be interesting to see consumers preferring lasting wellness over instant gratification. At-home experiences like home facials, home hair colour, etc are on the rise. Brands would also do tutorials to create a salon-like feel at home using the same products available at a salon or a spa,” says Jayaswal.

“There will be more clamour for buying cosmetic products online. Also, DIY treatments will become trendy as they can be managed at home,” notes Shahnaz Husain, Founder, Chairperson and MD of The Shahnaz Husain Group. Husain’s group is set to launch their new range of herbal sanitisers soon. “It is especially being made keeping in mind the prevailing situation. The common man will benefit immensely from this range that will help them to keep infections at bay,” she adds.

With the boom in e-commerce for beauty products, many companies have geared up for the challenge. Karan Gupta, Director of Qraa Men, is delighted that with the ease in the restrictions, they can deliver their premium male grooming products. “Men can now indulge in the much-needed self-care during these stressful times. We look forward to reaching our consumers through safe contactless deliveries with the help of our delivery partners,” says Gupta.Saurabh Gupta, CMO of Vanesa Care, that also home delivers beauty products, adds, “We aim at managing customer expectations by delivering sanitised packages on time.”

A new wave

A good two months of staying at home and the pollution level of Delhi drastically low have added to an advantage for the skin. “When you step out of your home to resume work again, it is very important to cleanse the skin properly. Adopt the habit of cleaning the face twice a day. As wearing the mask regularly will lead to a mark on around the nose and mouth, this must be thoroughly scrubbed with an exfoliator once in a week. Those with oily skin must scrub every alternate day to avoid breaking out,” advises Dr Blossom Kochhar, Founder of Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic and Chairperson of Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies.Dr Kochhar suggests applying a toner since the weather is very dry and dusty. “The toner will add a bit of hydration to the skin. A light toner, like a rosewater mist, is a good pick for the summer months,” she adds.

Having been indoors with bare minimum pollution and UV rays and thus, applying sunscreen is a must, suggests Ritika Jayaswal. “Be careful with your skin because the pollution and UV rays will hit differently than what you were exposed to in the last couple of months. We recommend incorporating Hyaluronic acid in your skincare routine as it protects the skin from environmental aggressors and harmful UVA/UVB radiations. This smart ingredient can be found in our Urban Rani Facial Serum, among other vital ingredients. And of course, SPF,” says Jayaswal.

For those still working from home, Shahnaz Husain suggests applying foundation to avoid mask-lines.