With hair salons shut down for the foreseeable future because of social distancing guidelines, many hair stylists are struggling. Now customers are stepping up to try and help their hairdressers during this unprecedented time.
A relief fund has been set up to support hair stylists like Tanya Lange, a hairstylist at Saulino Smith in Santa Monica.
COVID-19 has left salon doors shuttered since March leaving Lange and her coworkers out of work. Lange is also is a part-time teacher at Hair Dreams and she can't teach while social distancing guidelines are in place.
"It’s just completely stopped for us," Lange said. "Even as an educator, I can’t even go in and teach a group of stylists right now either"
Many hair stylists work as independent contractors so they may not qualify for full unemployment benefits.
That’s why the Professional Beauty Association launched a relief fund to support hair stylists.
Hair Dreams is also offering vouchers for purchase now to pay for services ahead of time. Stylists can bank 25 percent of the voucher now, something clients like Andrea Montgomery fully support.
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Montgomery has a hair topper for her thinning hair and said she is more than willing to help support hair stylists.
"Let’s face it... people have mortgages, electricity, families," said Montgomery. "Anything I can do to support somebody close to me and provides a service- I’m all for it."
With relief funds and vouchers, it's much-needed relief for hairdressers as they continue to schedule services for the hopefully not so distant future. Lange said the love and support she received from her community is something she won't forget.
"When I go back into the salon, I am going to have a different outlook and a different feel towards not just the business side of it but to my clients and the community," said Lange. "The outreach has been incredible."