Salon in Palm Springs reacts to mask exemption

The City of Palm Springs amended its indoor face mask mandate to make an exemption for services that require the removal of face coverings.

The exemption is only for those services which need masks to be removed. Such as the dentist office, esthetician, or salon.

On August 5, the Palm Springs City Council approved new COVID-19 safety requirements for the entire city. This comes as the Delta variant continues to spread causing an increase in local COVID-19 cases.

Salons and barbershops were some of the hardest hit businesses during the pandemic. News Channel 3 reported about the reopening of salons in January of 2021. One salon owner said he was relieved to be back.

Many salons have since stayed open and hairstylist at Salon 119 Beauty & Spa, Saasha Jacobs, wants it to stay that way.

"So as long as we're allowed to work, I'll do whatever, honestly. Just let us work," she said. "For a lot of estheticians their bread and butter is facials and facial waxing. For a lot of barbers, I know their bread and butter is shaves. I think that if you had to take those services away, again, it wouldn't it would make a tremendous impact on our livelihood.”

Michele Gerber is the owner of Salon 119 Beauty & Spa. She said she will still require customers to wear their masks.

“When we do services, we cut around the ears, we just flip the loops off. I have my guests hold the mask on," said Gerber. “I know there's this delta variant. I know it's highly contagious. And I just, you know, the mask kept me safe.”

She said being so close to other people warrants keeping the mask on for salon services that don’t need it fully off.

“Being out of work for about nine months in 2020 was really hard. Mentally, financially, socially. And for a lot of people, a lot of our clients were affected by us not being here. So I am willing to wear masks," said Jacobs.

Both stylists said they will wear a mask to keep their clients safe. They will continue to do so even if their client needs their mask removed for a specific salon service.