Now that permanent makeup artists are back in business, a lot of clients are getting in touch with questions about Covid-19 and how that impacts their plans for having their eyebrows microbladed or tattooed. They also want to know what measures I have in place and that they’re in safe hands.
You Can’t Cut Corners With Hygiene
The beauty industry as a whole has always had stringent requirements placed upon its practitioners in terms of cleanliness. Now more than ever, this is really important and you should only be having a procedure done in a sterile, licenced, and now, Covid-secure premises.
I still get requests from people wanting to know if I can visit them at home to do their brows. The answer has always been and remains “absolutely not!”. You should be wary of anyone who is offering to do so and whilst they might be cheaper, this may be because they are saving on training, licensing, insurance etc. As far as I am aware, in Milton Keynes (where I operate) it is not possible to get the required license from the council in order to do this, and harder to get insurance for that matter. There are strict regulations as to the kind of premises that these procedures can be carried out in and they are there for your safety and wellbeing.
In a time where close attention must be paid to cleanliness and potential sources of contamination, don’t be tempted to go for a cheap deal on brows where the savings have been made at the expense of your health!
Training and Equipment.
Life as a permanent makeup artist is full of learning, but I don’t think many of us anticipated having to learn about one particular virus over others. I personally undergo infection control training every year and most reputable permanent makeup artists will do too. In addition to this, I have also taken some Covid specific courses just to make sure I’m up to date with the latest best practices.
Fortunately, the permanent makeup industry has long been familiar with the requirement for PPE such as masks, gloves, gowns etc; all of this being mandatory, Covid or not. No matter, I have chosen to add disposable sleeve protectors and a visor to the previous items to help minimise any contamination.
Keeping Things Clean
As mentioned earlier, hygiene and cleanliness are no strangers to reputable permanent makeup artists. For the avoidance of doubt, you’ll be pleased to know that all my applicators and needles are single-use only. The same goes for any PPE I am wearing such as masks, gloves, aprons etc. All of these are disposed of via specialist ‘sharps’ or clinical waste collections.
The room I am working from is wiped down and disinfected thoroughly by me both before a client arrives for their appointment and after their procedure. I’m lucky to be working from a clinical room within The Appledoor Dental Clinic, so the cleaning regime there was robust even before the pandemic. None the less, efforts have been further increased and the place is even cleaner – it has also been recently refurbished, so a lot of the fixtures and fittings are actually brand new!
What Can You Do?
I’m sure we’re all getting used to doing things a little differently when we’re out and about. Many of the routines in place at my clinic are similar to those you’d find in similar settings like doctors and dentists surgeries. Here’ a handy, one-minute video on what to expect.
Before your appointment, I’ll send you a Covid questionnaire to complete. This basically is so that you and I can confirm the state of your health at the time of your appointment so we can flag anything necessary.
On the day of your appointment, I ask that you arrive as close to your scheduled time as possible. This is to ensure that there has been sufficient time to clean and sterilise everything before your procedure as well as to minimise the crossover of clients within the clinic. The waiting area is temporarily closed, so if you arrive too early, you may be asked to wait outside or come back later. We are only able to admit clients to the clinic, so it is advisable not to bring any companions with you to your appointment.
We ask that you wear a face covering whilst in the clinic and for the duration of your procedure. We also have hand sanitiser available for your use and you may feel free to help yourself to those facilities.
From 24th September 2020 we are required by law to request that visitors “check-in” using the NHS Track and Trace app. You can do this by scanning the barcode on the poster, which will be on display at the clinic.
I want to make sure that your time at my clinic is as comfortable and safe as possible. Everyone at the clinic is doing all that they can to make sure that the environment is cleaner than ever and just as welcoming!
If you have any concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me through this website or Facebook.