Mumbai salons reopen - the new normal of getting a haircut

Yesterday, 28th June, the salons in Mumbai were allowed to reopen followed by the news of lockdown extension until 31st July, so where is it that we stand in these contradictory decisions? 

"It is directed that the movement of persons for the purpose of non-essential activities like shopping and outdoor exercises, shall be restricted within the neighbourhood area limits with all necessary prescribed mandatory precautions of wearing masks, social distancing and personal hygiene and that unrestricted movement will be permitted only for attending place of work and bonafide humanitarian requirement including medical reason."

With the salon news in perspective, this means that you can access the ones only in your vicinity. 

When all malls, theatres, salons and spas has completely shut, I'd made a mental note to not pounce back on them immediately after they reopen, to at least give it a week's time. But when I received a bombardment of messages from salons about the news, I found myself visiting one on the first day itself and this is what my experience was like...

At first I called Enrich Salon to book an appointment, after negotiating on the preferred time slot, I was informed that only their senior stylist was available, to which I agreed and moved forward with the booking, but then I was informed that I am required to have the Arogya Setu App and that I will have to pay the PPE kit charges of Rs. 177 for my stylist from my pocket in addition to the post tax charges of service offered. Everything in reverse just sounded too much for a haircut so I gave up and cancelled my appointment. Having said that I still vouch for their services. 

After briefly giving up the thought of haircut, I stepped out after 3 months and went to a nearby salon called Turquoise in Goregaon West. They were open and welcoming. Or more like the new normal welcoming. First I had to sanitise my hands with a no touch dispenser installed in almost every society now-a-days, then my temperature was noted, then my oxygen levels were noted through the pulse oximeter, then I covered my face and I was sterilised from top to toe by a device that looked like a vacuum cleaner, then my chair and equipments were sterilised, then my hairstylist again sanitised his hands and then we began the conversation of, "so what are you looking for". 

For the first few seconds I was too baffled to speak, but then I lowered my mask and answered him, "I haven't had a haircut in 2 years, so please just do some chop chop for a healthy growth". He sanitised every equipment before and after every use. While my hair was being tended to, I asked them about the do's and don'ts of the reopening and they informed me that not all services are being offered. Services that involve physical contact like spa, facial, skin treatments are not in the menu. All the other services will be offered with gloves on, even head massage, manicure and pedicure. All the salon employees were given Covid 19 cards to commute and were required to go through the same process that I had gone through on a daily basis. What I realised was that they were as baffled as I was, but they were happy to be back at work. They genuinely were. Not in a "this is a salon so we will always smile" kind of way but right from the heart. I guess this is the case with all of us, we are thankful for our homes and digitisation of jobs, but we also want to go to work.

The new normal of haircut at Turquoise Unisex Salon and Spa, Goregaon West

After I was satisfied with the way my hair looked I felt stupid, because I was tying my hair again in a tight bun, covering it with a cap and then covering my face, and this is how life is going to be for a long long time. What was the point of all that effort. Then I thought how narcissistic I am and how much I love the mirror and I was better. 

When I moved to the counter to pay, the counter boy sanitised the coins for me. That was extra but sweet.

P.S - The only place where I can really be seen is web, otherwise I am invisible, just another person walking around packed in plastic.