Vanity woes amid virus scare: Delhiites inundate salons with requests for bookings

The rising Covid-19 cases in the city have sent things into a tizzy as people are trying to finish, sooner rather than later, everything that requires them to step out. And one such chore is going to the salon! Delhiites are frantically making calls to get appointments at beauty parlours and salons, worried that if an amber alert is announced, as per the Graded Response Action Plan, these shops will be asked to close.

“I called up three-four parlours and they were all packed with prior bookings. It’s next to impossible to get an early appointment. I even asked the lady at the parlour to come to my place, but she’s super busy,” rues Rohini-based Mahak Batra, an assistant manager in a travel company, adding, “I hope I find someone to come before it gets worse out there.”

Another Delhiite, Geeta Verma, who owns an eyewear business, says, “It’s possible that parlours might be asked to close, and for how long, we don’t know. So I need to get everything — from pedicure to facial — done now. Although we hope that the Covid-19 situation doesn’t worsen and parlours don’t have to close, but I don’t want to take a chance. Of course, I’ll only go if the parlour maintains hygiene and sanitisation.”

Making sure to not breach any Covid-19 protocols, beauty parlours in Delhi are mostly not allowing any walk-ins at this point in time. “We are turning back people and have closed walk-ins as we can’t afford a rush at the moment. We need to follow Covid-19 protocols so that everyone, including our patrons and staff, are safe,” says Suman Wani, from Sakshi Makeup Studio in Pitampura. And Negeena, from My Beauty Salon in Shalimar Bagh, adds: “We are getting a lot of enquires, especially for hair colouring and eyebrow threading. A lot of people feel that kara lete hain, kahin lockdown na ho jaye.” Jaishree Agarwal, who owns Venera Beauty Salon in Laxmi Nagar, shares that the focus for many has shifted from hair and makeup to grooming services “to feel happier iss time pe”.

And those who have finally got an appointment after struggling for a few days are breathing a sigh of relief. “I went to the parlour two-three days back. It was tough to get an appointment but I thought it’s better to go and pamper myself before things start to close. I’m happy that all my work at the parlour has been taken care of. Otherwise I’d have kept wondering how to go to a parlour when the cases have spiked or how to avail beauty services if the salons will be shut,” says Shruti Saraff, a homemaker from Patparganj.

Author tweets @anjuri

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