Nail salons and spas react to not being allowed to reopen yet

Unlike hair salons and barbers, nail saloins and spas are still not allowed to reopen yet in the state of California.

News Channel 3’s Caitlin Thropay met with some professionals in the beauty industry who share their frustration as their businesses are forced to stay closed.

Studio M Salon and Spa in Palm Springs is split down the middle when it comes to reopening.

“It’s frustrating," Justine Selz said, the manager at Studio M Salon and Spa.

"We have been able to open up the hair side of our business safely and successfully,” she added.

However, on the other side, they still can’t reopen their nail salon.

“We’re just really willing to follow whatever they want,” Selz added.

While they wait, they’re putting safety measures in place.

“We do have plexiglass glass where the nail technician would be sitting," Selz said. "We have hand sanitizer on every station. We also have disinfectant wipes and barbicide which is a hospital-grade disinfectant,” Selz said.

Owner of Chakra Esthetics Spa in Palm Desert and esthetician, Angela Rafferty is also ready to reopen but shares her frustration while she waits.

“And our frustration with the government right now is that these are constitutional questions right now as far as our freedoms are concerned and we feel like they’re starting to be impeded,” Rafferty said.

Both say the demand for these services is extremely high.

“About 90 percent of our phone calls and Yelp requests are asking for nails,” Selz said.

Rafferty feels her services are essential.

“A lot of our consumers find their mental health is well addressed when they come in for massage therapy,” Rafferty said.

They both believe many estheticians and nail salons feel they’re being forgotten.

“We’re touching the hair and the client almost just as much as we would in a nail service,” Selz said.

They say it’s taking a toll on their industry.

“This industry as a whole is really taking a huge hit and luckily we are an employee-based salon and day spa so our employees were able to and are still able to collect unemployment but they’re artists and they want to be working and they want to be here taking care of their clients so it’s not the same here having our hairstylists and not our nail techs in the spa,” Selz said.

Editor’s Note: The original version of this story says nail salons and spas have been pushed back to phase four; this has been corrected.