WINTER PARK, Fla. – Nonessential businesses have been closed for weeks now, which has left many without services they typically use.
Sorry everybody, but this means your hair probably needs a trim, your roots are probably showing and your eyebrows are likely a little bushy.
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Rachel Snyder is a hairstylist based in Winter Park and is no stranger to the effects the coronavirus pandemic has had on small businesses. She closed her salon on March 21 and has been home with her family since.
“It’s been a strange experience not being able to go into work,” Snyder said. “I really miss the hands-on, creative part and seeing my guests but I have been finding ways to adapt."
The scissors and boxed hair dye might be looking more appealing the longer we stay safe at home and the longer our bangs get, but Snyder said not to give into temptation. It might seem easy to give yourself a trim, but she said it’s actually a whole lot harder than it looks.
“As far as home haircuts go, my first tip is to just wait, don’t do it yourself,” Snyder said. “The thing is that bad haircuts can be hard to fix. It took me a long time to learn how to do a good haircut as a professional and I don’t think it’s something many untrained people can successfully do at home, especially when you can’t see the back. I won’t even cut my own hair.”
However, if some split ends and uneven sideburns are driving you insane, your best bet is to trim slowly and carefully.
“I understand some people may feel desperate for a bang trim, so my advice is to only take a very small amount off and point cut into the hair to avoid taking out a big chunk.”
Still, Snyder said your best bet might be to break out some butterfly clips and barrettes and just pin your bangs back until you can see a professional.
If your roots are starting to stare right back at you in the mirror, take a deep breath and step away from the drugstore boxed hair dye. Snyder said it’s simply not worth it to risk a botched color job, and will likely end up costing you far more than the price of the box to correct.
“I would completely avoid box dye. It’s generic and not formulated specifically for your hair so results can vary dramatically,” Snyder said. “Please, please, please avoid highlighting caps and products like lemon juice and peroxide.”
One surefire way to know your boxed dye failed you? Something stylists call “hot roots.” Snyder said box dye will sometimes leave the root of the hair looking very warm in color, especially for brunettes trying to go blond.
Thankfully, Snyder said she doesn’t expect to do many color corrections once her studio opens again, and that’s all thanks to proper client education. Some salons won’t be so lucky, though.
“I probably won’t see very many [color corrections] because I’ve made sure my guests have options and information available to ensure they don’t mess up their hair, but I will have a lot of long overdue clients who need more than a basic touch-up,” Snyder said. “I’m sure many other stylists will see plenty of corrections, though, because I think a lot of people will experiment with their hair during this time.”
Some services Snyder offers, like extensions, require regular maintenance to prevent damage to the hair, and she said she would rather have her clients carefully remove their overdue extensions at home than risk damage waiting to see her at the studio.
“It’s imperative that extension guests keep up with their maintenance to avoid damage or excessive shedding,” Snyder said. “It’s okay to be a week or two overdue, but with salons being closed for over a month, people wearing extensions will have significant regrowth. This creates extra weight and tension on the hair, which can put too much stress on the scalp and hair follicle causing hair to shed prematurely.”
Snyder even took to Instagram to walk her guests through the hair extension removal process.
Snyder’s video below shows how to remove sew-in volume weft extensions, but she posted removal technique videos for other types of extension on her Instagram page as well.
So if you’re not ready to risk the at-home DIY color method but you’re desperate for a hair color fix, what’s your best option? Snyder said you’re best off looking for solutions that are less permanent.
“Some powders or root sprays [or] dry shampoos can definitely help because the powder will make the root look less dark, but nothing will look like an actual highlight touch-up,” Snyder said. “Also, blond permanent colors and box dyes won’t help either because those are for one-dimensional looks and won’t lift the hair light enough, which can look brassy.”
She’s also offering touch-up kits for clients who have a little more time to dedicate to their hair.
“Many stylists are offering root touch-up and/or glossing and toning kits with professional color, so check with your stylist about that. I have touch-up kits available for my guests as well as temporary root touch-up spray,” Snyder said. “The root spray is the safest option. Since it washes out, there’s no way it can mess up your color.”
Snyder said she plans to reopen her studio on May 2 if all goes according to plan and the mandated closure of nonessential businesses isn’t extended by local or federal government officials. Once Snyder does reopen her studio, she already has a plan to keep herself and her clients safe and healthy moving forward.
“I have already been planning some new policies for myself and my guests to keep everyone healthy,” Snyder said. “I will only be allowing one person in the studio at a time, so no friends or family tagging along. Everything will be sanitized and I will wash hands between each client (per usual). All guests will be sent to wash hands before entering the studio and I will have clean masks available for them if they need it. Lastly, I won’t accept any guests with symptoms and request that if a guest doesn’t feel well they stay home. I will only be going to work and straight home to limit any risk of exposure. My purpose is to always serve my guests in the best way possible. Keeping them safe and healthy is a top priority and I will do whatever is best for them.”
In the meantime, Snyder is taking time to rest and has even incorporated education into her safer-at-home routine. Snyder said she’s already fully booked until the last week in May, with appointment requests coming in daily.
“I have added one extra day a week to my schedule in May to accommodate everyone. I’ve also been taking some online classes to learn new techniques that can expedite service times."
For more on all of the services Snyder offers, to make an appointment with her or to learn more about the touch-up kits she’s offering that might help hold your hair over until salons reopen, visit her website here.