According to government regulations gazetted on 29 April, hair salons and dry bars are now allowed to retail hair care products, with all treatment services still strictly prohibited until further notice.
Salons and dry bars that wish to retail during Level 4 of the national COVID-19 lockdown must obtain a CIPC permit. Sole proprietors cannot register with CIPC, but are able to get a letter and copy of the CIPC permit of the company that supplies their products, should they have one. These copies must include the ID number, tax number and tax compliance details. If you wish to obtain a CIPC permit click here
Salons and dry bars may choose to retail either online (and deliver the products directly to the client) or in the store. If the latter, the salon must comply with stringent government hygiene & sanitation regulations, and operate with a minimum staff complement. Those salons that are situated within shopping malls or office parks must also adhere to whatever hygiene & sanitation measures the property owners may implement.
To reiterate – no dry bar or salon, whether it be home-based or based elsewhere, may perform any treatment services during this stage of lockdown. If you do, you are breaking the law and you and the client are liable for heavy fines and possible imprisonment. Furthermore, your indemnity insurance will not kick in if you get caught doing something illegal.
This and other ‘Level 4 do’s and don’ts’ were discussed during an in-depth live webinar hosted by Professional Beauty on 30 April. Panelists included Twincare International CEO, Stav Dimitriadis, legal consultant Bronwyn Young, and Professional Beauty’s commercial director, Phil Woods.
What categories of products can be sold in salons?
According to the Government Gazette published on 29 April, only the following categories of products may be sold by salons during Level 4: ‘Personal toiletries, including hair care, body, face, hand and foot care products, roll-ons, deodorants, dental care.’
Said Young: “Our interpretation of this is that you while you can sell hair, skin, body, hand and foot care products, you cannot sell make-up (i.e. colour cosmetics) or fragrances as they are enhancement products rather than personal care products.
“If members of your staff are retailing in-store, they will each need a letter of authorisation, which must be carried on them at all times, along with their ID document. It is compulsory for employers to supply cloth masks for their staff. Also, it’s important to educate your staff – if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms, they must not come to work. There are fines and you can go to prison if you contravene government regulations.”
To access more information from the Professional Beauty webinar click here
(Report by Joanna Sterkowicz and Phil Woods)