With the current changes recently announced by the CDC and the policy changes to Virginia mandates a lot of people have been asking about changes to the Health and Safety Protocol here at The Glass Menagerie. Let us be very clear: we are not making any changes. We have too much respect for our clients to put anyone at risk by relaxing too early.

The protocols currently in place for health and safety are non-negotiable, they protect our staff (Christine and her rockstar assistant, Celena) and the lives of our clients.

If you anticipate being unable to comply with these protocols PLEASE postpone your appointment. If you show up and refuse to comply, services will not be rendered and you will be charged 50% of your scheduled services.

The reason we are taking our protocols so seriously is because they work. Here’s a link to the CDC Case Study re: the Springfield MO stylists who DIDN’T infect any of their clients. What this study shows is that when masks are worn by everyone and cleaning is done properly the transmission risk is functionally zero. 2 stylists tested positive, 138 clients were potentially exposed, and NONE of the exposed clients tested positive. NONE. Salons are very safe when everyone is following the guidelines. That’s why we are confident in our ability to safely work with clients in our private space with full control over cleaning and safety procedures.

So, let’s break down our Health and Safety Protocols here at The Glass Menagerie…

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOL:

Do not bring anyone with you to your appointment. We currently only working with one client at a time. If you are bringing a child or you would like to come with someone from your same household please email at ChristineDoesHair@gmail.com to see if we can accommodate that.

The parking lot for the Sola Salon suites is the Hilltop Shopping Center. Parking in the lot next to Panda Express puts you closest to the stairs/elevator for coming up.

When you arrive please text Christine at 703.945.9289 to let us know you have arrived. Please include your name. Please wait in your car and stay comfortable. Do not come up to the front door, do not attempt to come in without our staff escorting you.

Christine will respond quickly if possible, and when we are able (done with the previous client AND done with sanitation and disinfection of the full studio space) she will text you that we are coming down to you. Christine or Celena will meet you at the bottom of the stairs next to the elevator.

We meet at the bottom of the stairs to avoid groups of people that may be congregating around the front door of the studio building. This helps us avoid being around potentially unmasked people, and lets us switch to a disposable mask without others around.

We will bring out hand sanitizer and a fresh tri-ply mask (always wrapped for cleanliness). You will sanitize your hands and put the mask on with its ear loops. That way your hands are clean before you touch your face while adjusting the mask.

If you are looking to speed up the process and be outside less time, wear your own disposable mask to your appointment. That way we will only need to hand sanitize before taking you up and you will still be given a replacement mask so you have a fresh one for after you leave the salon.

We will walk up to the Sola Salons door and we will escort you in. There is also an elevator for those who prefer it. (The building is currently transitioning to having the front door unlocked but we are still requiring clients to wait outside and be escorted in to maintain a controlled safe space for everyone by avoiding extra people congregating inside.)

Once inside we will go directly to the enclosed private studio space and I will wash my hands before we tape the mask on. Taping the mask on allows me to remove the ear loops so I can work freely and provide every service fully. The tape I am using is KT Tape (kinesiology tape), which is designed for long term wear on skin and is flexible and breathable. We will then be able to freely work as close as possible to normal for all services.

Only when services have been completed and you have left the building may the mask be removed. There is a waste bin at the base of the stairs that is easily accessible for disposing of your mask.

If you would like to bring your own mask please be aware that I still need to be able to tape the mask on and remove the ear loops from my workspace. We strongly suggest just letting us use our disposable masks or wearing a disposable mask upon arrival.

Masks must remain on the entire time you are in the building and I will not be able to accommodate smoke breaks for clients or myself during services. I currently have gum and hard candies as options to prevent dry mouth. If you would prefer nicotine gum or other accommodations please bring those for yourself. I will also be providing individually wrapped straws if you would like to bring a beverage for longer appointments, this allows drinking while still keeping the mask on at all times.

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to me via my direct email ChristineDoesHair@gmail.com

For video and photo updates please check out the “COVID-19 Prep” Highlighted Story on The Glass Menagerie’s Instagram. 

If you’re looking for more ways to protect yourself and your loved ones, check out the CDC website.

Thank you all for being team players and helping keep everyone safe right now! We look forward to continuing to support each other during these challenging times.