7th July 2020 | Day 17 Post-Lockdown
I’m writing this on 7th July, currently day 17 of the ‘Nueva Normalidad’ in Spain or the New Normality. Lockdown ended on the 21st June 2020, tourists have started to arrive and some people on the island are going back to work.
When I first thought of getting my haircut during a pandemic, it sounded silly and unnecessary to take such a risk. Even though the active Coronavirus cases are very low here and there have been no COVID-19 deaths in 26 days, it still concerned me to be doing something that used to be so normal when we endured such a strict lockdown.
The last time I had my hair cut was early September 2019! Luckily I didn’t have any roots as my hair is dark blonde and I only usually have the ends of my hair dyed anyway aka California Highlights.
But! The heat this week has been unbearable around 40ºC degrees. I haven’t been able to do much with my hair at all and it was making me hot and miserable it had gotten that long.
The hairdressers in Spain started opening up from 4th May so the big rush of appointments and urgency to fix quarantine hair experiments has come and gone. There aren’t many tourists here at the moment either so most places are still quiet.
My Fiancé and I went for a stroll round an open air shopping mall and noticed that the hair salon was open. I had a quick look at the prices outside and saw from outside that the place was spotless and the stylists were wearing masks and cleaning.
On the spur of the moment (which is how I like most of my interactions LOL) I asked if there were any appointments or spaces for that day. I told them that I wanted a wash and trim but no styling.
They were taking walk-in appointments and there were no other customers in so they first took my temperature at the entrance, which was good. We must wear masks in public here anyway, even walking round the open air shopping center, so I was already wearing my Star Wars mask.
Then they pointed the hydrogel out to me to sanitize my hands. I used a bit too much so ended up with sticky hands for about 5 minutes until it evaporated haha.
I was taken over to the sink chair where they put a disposable towel, I had a lovely hair wash and then they used another disposable towel on my head to pat it dry. They sat me down at the cutting chair, while the other stylist disinfected the sink chair where I had just been.
The stylist used a tangle teezer on my hair and brushed it all out so we could see how much damage there was to chop off. Years ago I would have been scared to have so much chopped off but having a shorter than usual hairstyle is like the least of my worries right now. She asked me about when I’d last had it cut and or coloured, it was WAY before my trip to La Gomera last year!
At this point another customer had come in and was taken to the opposite cutting chair behind a mirror so we were distanced correctly.
My stylist wasn’t Edward Scissorhands but she also didn’t partake in too much small talk, keeping it professional and efficient, knowing not to keep me in there any longer than necessary.
After the cut was done and she asked if I was happy with it, she double checked if wanted it dried and styled. I said no but if she could rough dry it for 5 mins and I’d leave with it wet, with the heat I was going to throw it in a bobble anyway. I also wasn’t keen on the hairdryer blowing air about or the idea of them using a round brush to dry it as the hairs NEVER seem to come out of those. She gave it another brush with the plastic tangle teezer and I was done.
In and out in 40 minutes!
I sanitized my hands before and after exchanging money with them, it came to 13€ so I gave them a tip. She told me to come back in about 2 months for a trim so we can keep the dead ends at bay and to wait until after the Summer to get any more Cali Highlights. It’s so hot here the constant hair washing, sun and salt water doesn’t do hair colours any favours.
That’s why the bright fun hair colours aren’t very popular here and many people stick to their natural hair colour along with chemically straightening it as very curly hair is quite common here on the islands and can also be hard to manage in the heat and humidity.
I went outside to meet my Fiancé (the waiting areas are not in use in salons here) and we went to grab a coffee outside where my hair was almost dried.
When we got home my hair had dried into its natural waves, which were more enhanced because of the layers and the 4 inches length I’d had chopped off.
I’m really pleased with it and will definitely try this salon again but knowing me it won’t be for a few months.
Have you been to a salon for hair or beauty treatments yet? How did it go?