The fear of contracting COVID, the dread of getting stuck in quarantine, the lack of social events and a reduction of income are causing many to “let themselves go” and ditch their regular hairdresser and beautician appointments.

Things are definitely not back to normal in the beauty industry.

“Last year, a lot of regular clients, who previously used to come and do their hair weekly, were not turning up as often because of fears to do with the pandemic,” said Marica Gauci, president of the Hair and Beauty Federation.

“Some said they could no longer afford regular hairdresser appointments. Then there were the elderly clients who were afraid to come to the salon for fear of contracting the virus.”

In recent weeks, salon owners have also been getting many last-minute cancellations from clients who tested positive, had virus symptoms or came into close contact with a COVIDpositive person, she said.

This is all contributing to further loss of business, over and above what had already been lost due to earlier space restrictions imposed on salons.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit the island in March 2020, hundreds of hair and beauty salons were forced to close down for about two months amidst a range of measures seeking to control the spread.

When they were allowed to reopen in May 2020, they could only do so in conformity with a range of measures that included a limit on the number of customers allowed in.

These restrictions still apply.

The rise in COVID-positive patients in December and January, and the increase in the number of people in quarantine, has dealt another blow to the beauty industry.

Like Gauci, Ramon Vella has seen a drop in clients at his Sliema salon since November, as people became more wary of attending social events or travelling.

“People had nowhere to go.

Everything went online. So unless they had an important webinar, they didn’t bother,” said Vella, a member of the federation who also represents local hairdressers on Coiffure EU, the European association of employers’ organisations in hairdressing.

“If I previously had 20 regular weekly clients, they are down to seven.”

In his experience, while there have been fewer people coming in for their weekly blow-dry, hair-dye appointments have generally been kept, even though some clients stretched out the time between appointments.

Vella said his clients have spoken of their fear of contracting the virus or passing it on to vulnerable loved ones. Others say they don’t want to spend money on their looks if they are not going out anywhere.

“At the moment we are seeing a decline in clients either because they are afraid of having to go into quarantine or because they’re already stuck there,” he said.

Ramona Bonello, who also owns a hair salon in Sliema, agrees. Last Christmas was the worst for her business in 22 years due to the increase in infection numbers just before the festive season.

But the situation had been going downhill well before that.

“People have mellowed down.

Many let themselves go and even put on weight.

“I have clients come to cut their hair but they then don’t bother with a blow-dry because they say no one is going to see them.

“I tell them they should do it for themselves and not for others. Looking good helps you feel good.

“You see this even when you go out to a restaurant.

“There are the two extremes: those who don’t care and go out in a tracksuit, and those who go over the top because they have had enough and want to wear their best clothes and heels,” she says.

Even nails are being neglected.

Karolina Dreliszak-Aquilina, who provides training and support to nail technicians, said the business had not yet recovered to pre-pandemic times.

Some customers, who had to stop doing their nails during the lockdown, had not resumed their previous habit either because of the frequent appointments needed to maintain their nails or due to the expense, she said.