Hairdressers have been offering virtual appointments to help people style their hair at home.
Stylists are using apps including FaceTime, Zoom, and YouTube to provide customers live one-to-one advice and tutorials.
While salons have already reopened in France and Germany, hairdressers in the UK expect to remain closed until July.
An industry report estimated the hair and beauty sector contributed £6.6bn to the country’s economy last year..
Paul Phillips owns Chopp Hair salon in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, which shut in March when the coronavirus lockdown began.
He provides a service called Chopp Drops, in which he delivers hair products to customers’ doorsteps and then demonstrates via video call how to apply the treatment.
“Most hairdressers say you should never colour your hair at home, and in normal times I’d agree,” he says.
“But lots of clients’ mental health has been affected by the current situation, so sorting out grey roots and split ends makes them feel better.”
Paul says he serves up to 26 clients a day, but adds that he is cautious to only offer advice that is achievable at home.
“It’s too technical to dye blonde hair, so those clients sadly have to sit tight and wait for the lockdown to be over,” he explains.
“You don’t want somebody to mess up and then have to live with it for another seven weeks.”
Hairdressers have been offering virtual appointments to help people style their hair at home
