Support | Coronavirus Advice

Coronavirus Advice for Nail Professionals

As reports of Coronavirus grow and sanitisers are selling out everywhere, we wanted to reiterate guidelines issued by the NHS and to touch on how your client’s nails may be affected. At the time of writing, risk in the UK is moderate, but as a nail technician or beauty professional you are exposed to many different people and spend time in close proximity to your clients and you may wish to take precautions. 

How to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus?

The best advice for nail professionals is to ensure you and your clients are washing your hands regularly. As the NHS guidelines states use soap and water and wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. Using a sanitiser gel is only recommended when soap and water are not available.

• wash your hands when you arrive at work or return home
• if you cough or sneeze, use a tissue & dispose of it immediately in a bin before washing your hands thoroughly
• if you don't have a tissue, use your sleeves and not your hands
• avoid close contact with anyone that may be unwell
• if you feel unwell, visit the NHS website for guidance

You can read more advice directly from the NHS website here:

Wash Well

Ensure you wash the back of your hands, between your fingers and under your nail. Rinse. For extra precaution, you can offer disposable hand towels in the salon instead of towels. Ask your clients to do this as soon as they arrive for their appointment before they sit down or touch anything.  Wash your hands and wear new gloves for every appointment.

Read more about salon hygiene practices from Katie Barnes for Scratch Magazine.

You can download a Poster from the World Health Organisation to display in your salon or nail room:

How to Hand Wash Poster

Do you have clients that are feeling unwell?

Even with moderate risk in the UK, you may wish to ask clients who are feeling unwell to reschedule their appointment for a time when they are better, especially if they are coughing or sneezing or have travelled recently. If you feel unwell, you may wish to advise your clients ahead of their appointments and give them the option to attend their appointment or reschedule for when you are feeling better. 

Will nail gels be affected if clients are washing their hands a lot or using sanitiser gels?

Yes, they may be. We have had cases reported of gels lifting on clients (and nail techs) who have spent time visiting people in hospital and using hospital sanitiser gels regularly. Although this isn’t a theory we have tested, it may be worth advising your clients if using sanitiser throughout the day, their gel nails may start lifting.  As mentioned above, handwashing with soap should be prioritised first and only use sanitiser when water and soap are not available.

Further resources can be found at the bottom of this blog post. 

Save the image below to share with your clients

 

Recommended Products

Peppermint Hand Gel

We do sell a non-medically certified triclosan-free alcohol hand gel that you may wish to offer or retail to clients if they are struggling to find sanitisers in the shops. Alcohol is widely known to be effective in killing bacteria on contact. As our formula is not certified as an anti-bacterial sanitiser, it should not replace regular hand washing, but does contain many of the same key ingredients found in certified hand sanitisers.

Our Hand Gel is only available in 250ml salon size bottles but can be pumped into small empty containers for your clients to pop in their handbags. Read more...

Tea Tree Hand Wash

Our hand wash is also fully compatible with all our gel nail systems and is gentle enough to be used as a normal hand wash, not just for pre-treatment hand washing. Washing hands regularly can lead to dry hands & skin so ensure your clients are keeping their hands protected by using hand creams and cuticle oil between hand washing.

Our Hand Wash is only available in 250ml bottle. Read more... 

Lotus Blossom Hand Cream

Using very thick and heavy creams may also cause lifting. Although we can’t definitively say which creams can cause lifting, over the years we have had reports of creams containing high levels of tea tree oil and shea butter have caused some problems.

If your clients do use hand creams from other brands or companies, you can advise them to apply to their hands and fingers only and not over the surface of their gels to minimise the risk of lifting. You can recommend our cuticle oil to help hydrate the skin surrounding and underneath the free edge.

Our Hand Cream is currently only available in a 50ml size and compatible with all our gels, so you may wish to recommend these to your clients if they don’t already have hand cream. Read more...

Tropical Cuticle Oil

Our Cuticle Oil is a hydrating blend of almond, avocado, argan and rosehip oil with a tropical coconut scent. Available in 6ml and 14ml and fully compatible with all our gels. As it does contain almond oil, please check with your clients for allergies before recommending or using.

Don't Panic!

The key thing is not to panic, remember risk is moderate and keep updated with all government advice to protect yourself, your clients, your staff and your business.

Further Resources

Scratch Magazine | Coronavirus Fears Review of Salon Hygiene Practices

Gov. UK | Guidance to Employers and Business About Covid-19

Health & Safety Executive | Questions Answered

World Health Organisation | Coronavirus Protect Yourself

Disclaimer | All information provided in this blog is for guidance only and not to be relied upon solely. Government-issued advice and NHS guidelines should be followed at all times.

Date of publication 6 March 2020.