Fine Art Beauty COVID-19 Risk Reduction & Prevention 

Policies and Procedures

I wanted to take a moment and talk to you about something on everyone’s mind: COVID-19. 

We can’t avoid talking about it. There’s plenty of reports (which I read) of case counts and death numbers. While my beloved NYC was experiencing their peak of COVID-19 numbers, I lost a lot of sleep as I was deeply worried for friends and loved ones in the city as well as their own friends and neighbors. 

Eventually, those same peaking numbers and alerts landed in my hometown and I watched our city struggle under similar quarantine and lockdown measures. Until a cure and/or a vaccine is delivered, COVID-19 risk reduction and prevention is going to be the subject of pretty much any and all conversations relating to gatherings, public appearances, and getting back to work. 

As we learn more about the transmission of COVID-19, we’re also learning how to gather safely and get back to work with risk reduction and prevention in mind. We’re slowly returning to “a new normal”, and I fully intend to do so with the safety and wellbeing of my community and clients as a priority. 

I research COVID-19 like it’s my job.... because it’s actually my job. In addition to doing beautiful makeup and hair and providing an amazing experience, it’s also my job to deliver that same experience safely and hygienically. Even “Pre-Rona” I’ve made it a point to frequently wash and sanitize my hands, use clean/freshly washed brushes, sanitized tools, and implements along with regularly cleaning my kit and all of its contents. Afterall, dirty kits and tools are a breeding ground for things like Conjunctivitis (pink eye), Herpes, MRSA, E.Coli, and now, COVID-19. A honeymoon ain’t cute when you have a gnarly case of pink eye or find yourself having to spend your first married days in quarantine or the hospital. The health and safety of my community, my team, and my clients continues to remain a priority. 

Always has been. Always will be. 

Many of the processes I employ to prevent transmission of the aforementioned icky things are also used during my processes in risk reduction and prevention of COVID-19. However, there are a few extra measures I’m taking before, during, and after each booking to further reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. These measures include but aren’t limited to: 

• PPE (Personal Protective Equipment): During your booking, my team and I will wear PPE including masks, eye protection, and/or a face shield. Whether it be 3-ply surgical, KN-95, or a double layered fabric mask, my team and I gladly follow the guidelines set forth by the CDC, WHO, OSHA, and the SC LLR Board Guidelines. In addition, I also ask that any vendors (this includes photographers, videographers, florists, planners, etc.) who plan to be within 6 feet of myself, my team, or our kits also wear their masks. If fellow vendors opt to not wear masks, that’s their personal choice which I respect. However, I will ask that they refrain from sharing space with us until my team and I leave the space. 

• Frequent washing and sanitizing of hands: I was a huge supporter of hand washing before and after clients prior to this pandemic, so my team and I will be practicing even more diligence on this now. Before the first client sits, my team and I will wash our hands thoroughly with a medical grade, surgical cleanser. Between each new client, my team and I will wash our hands again. While performing the service itself, sanitizer will be used frequently. We also will ask clients to wash their hands before they sit for their service. When choosing where to get ready on the morning of your event, please consider access to a sink/bathroom for my team and I as we will need frequent access for handwashing. 

• Squeaky clean kits: As mentioned before, using thoroughly cleaned and sanitized tools, brushes, and implements are a regular part of makeup and hair services. In addition to our standard hygiene practices, all stations, tools, and implements will be sanitized and disinfected with EPA-N grade cleaners and disinfectants between every client. Chair handles will be sprayed and wiped down as well. Essentially, anything that comes in contact with the client will be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected before/after each service. 

In addition to keeping up to date on the latest COVID-19 prevention practices per the CDC, WHO, and OSHA, I’m also a Certified COVID-19 Compliance Officer for Non-Union Film and Production Sets. In other words, I am hired to be the authority on Non-Union Film and Production Sets in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of film crews and talent. In 2017, I completed my hours with the SC Board of Barber Examiners in Natural Hair Braiding. This certification course focused on the prevention of blood borne pathogens and infections. I’m also a volunteer street medic for which I had to undergo several hours of training overseen by a medic mentor and nurse. I also carry my BBP and First Aid certifications in addition to several other Health and Safety COVID-19 Prevention focused certifications. 

Even prior to COVID-19, I didn’t play around when it came to the health and safety of my clients and I certainly won’t start now. I am so grateful for your compliance with my policies and procedures to reduce the risk and spread of COVID-19 while my team and I work in such close proximity to you and your closest family, friends, and loved ones. In an effort to make all of this easily digestible, I touched on the main points of prevention and safety that my team and I will use. If you’d like additional information on specific steps in our makeup and hair styling process, feel free to ask! 

 Here’s how you can help reduce the risk and spread of COVID-19 during your booking

Just as I believe makeup and hair styling is a collaborative effort between the artist and client, so is keeping everyone safe during the booking! Here are a few things that I’ll be asking of you as well as any additional clients that will be present during your booking:

• Social and Professional Distancing during Makeup + Hair Services (Print + Motion OR Fine Art Beauty): For the safety of everyone on site at the booking including myself, my team, all clients, and guests present I will be asking for a space that allows for 6 feet of distance between each artist and any clients or guests that may be present while we get ready. An easy way to determine whether we’ll have enough space is if an artist can work at each end of a 6 foot banquet table with another table’s distance between them. If possible, a window or door that can be opened to allow for ventilation is requested. To aid with airflow, I also bring my own HEPA filter but a cracked window is ideal. So that we can wash hands between clients, we’ll also need easy access to a bathroom with a sink.

• If you’re getting ready in a hotel this may be as simple as arranging a conference room or larger suite for us. If you’re unable to secure or find a larger space, let me know! Thanks to all of my nifty training, there’s a few creative solutions that we can collaborate to find. 

A junior suite where there is just a bed and desk will not suffice. We’re going to need more space to work safely. A suite with a living room/dining room space and separate sleeping quarters would work fine provided we can maintain 6 feet of distance between the artists and the rest of the guests who may be in the common area. Furthermore, any vendors, visitors, guests, or clients that opt to hang out with us will be asked to wear a mask and/or maintain 6 feet or more distance from the artists and their stations. 

If you’re getting ready in a private home, a separate dining room or sunroom may work great. As long as there is access to power and a table to set up on, my team and I can take care of the rest. On a recent booking with a large group (14 bridesmaids), our hosts had two artists from my team set up in the dining room upstairs and the other two artists set up downstairs, in the den. Both spaces allowed for 6 feet of space between the artists and had a window that could be cracked for ventilation. 

This distancing also limited distractions so that the Bride could really relax during her own prep time, which she LOVED. As with getting ready in hotels, any vendors, visitors, guests, or clients that opt to hang out with us will be asked to wear a mask and/or maintain 6 feet or more distance from the artists and their stations. 

• Keeping an eye out for COVID-19 symptoms for you and your guests/fellow clients is the FIRST step in risk reduction and preventing the spread of COVID-19. Especially during a lively celebration such as a wedding, it’s easy to confuse the symptoms of a hangover or a sinus infection obtained while traveling for those of COVID-19. I do ask that anyone with ANY of the following symptoms not only refrain from sitting for services but also not be in the shared space where makeup and hair services are being performed:

  • Fever of 100.4 or higher

  • Chills & Repeated Shaking/Shivering 

  • Frequent Cough 

  • Sore throat, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

  • Sudden loss of taste and/or smell 

  • Feeling weak or unusually fatigued

  • Muscle pains or aches 

  • Headache 

  • Runny nose 

  • Congestion

  • Nausea

  • Diarrhea

• Extended service times, additional artists, and Curated Fine Art Beauty Schedules will all be considered when scheduling your booking. I like to create a Curated Fine Art Beauty Schedule to ensure each service is accounted for, but I’ll also be using this same schedule to help limit the number of people in the space so that we can continue to practice safe distancing. There may be some flexibility depending on the size of the space that we’re getting you ready in. 

In other words, if you want company while you’re getting ready, you’ll want to consider a pretty large space for us to get everyone ready in. In addition, with all of the added precautions mentioned above, more time per service and between services will be needed to ensure that your artist not only has time to style beautiful makeup and/or hair but to do it safely and hygienically as well. Many disinfectants and cleansers need a specific amount of contact time to be effective. My team and I will also need time to wash our hands and clean/disinfect our stations and prep for the next client. Despite COVID-19, you and your guests STILL deserve our very best artistic efforts, too! So in a nutshell, I’ll be scheduling more time for us to arrive, set up, work with each client, pack up, and do another cleaning before we leave. 

I’ll do my best to avoid issuing additional fees and charges. However, the cost and time invested in additional training, sourcing, and purchasing of PPE is extensive and costly. Clients that have opted to change their contracted date for a second (or more) time will be issued a COVID-19 fee. In addition, rates will be increased for new clients inquiring for the rest of 2021 and 2022 wedding seasons. This fee and increase will cover the costs of PPE, additional health & safety training, adding additional artists to your booking to ensure the highest of hygienic and artistic standards, and continue to provide you with a top tier, luxury experience. Per usual, I’ll never add any fees to your invoice without discussing with you first and trying to find solutions to avoid such fees and charges. Albeit, the COVID-19 fee itself is not something that can be waived. 

To ensure we’re all on the same page about reducing the risk and spread of COVID-19 and ensure that I have effectively made you aware of the risks, policies, and procedures, I’ll also be sending you a COVID-19 Health and Safety Acknowledgement Form. This form will require your signature and states that I’ve notified you of my requests for distancing, additional time, symptom awareness, and the potential for additional fees. You’ve already signed a Waiver of Liability when you signed your initial contract with me.

Again, if you have ANY questions about my COVID-19 Policies and Procedures or specific questions to request, please feel free to email me or give me a call! Planning a wedding is already challenging enough, but planning a wedding in the middle of a global pandemic is even more difficult. My goal isn’t to overwhelm you or make you nervous but instead empower you with the knowledge that my team and I are taking every precaution possible to ensure the safety of your closest friends and family. While you’re here, take a peek at a few of the Health and Safety focused certifications I’ve included below. Currently, I’m in the middle of two more infection and disease control training sessions specifically for Makeup Artists. Upon completion, I’ll include those certificates as well.

For more info on how to reduce the risk and prevent COVID-19, please visit the websites for the CDC, WHO, and SC DHEC.