As London’s first digital beauty concierge, Ruuby prepares themselves for 4 July opening, they have now shared their mobile guidelines with British Beauty Council.

Before diving into their guidelines, Ruuby highlights:

“Ruuby and other mobile beauty companies continue to work closely with government officials and continue to follow guidance with regards to the safe and effective relaunch of operations. Reopening will only occur when confidence levels are aligned in the safety to do so. These guidelines will be updated regularly in accordance with government advice so that they provide a consistent source of informed information to both therapists and clients.”

Read on for the full guidelines:

Background
The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Therefore, it’s important to minimise risk of infection when in close contact (less than 2 metres) with another person and to prevent transmission of the disease via respiratory droplets on hard surfaces such as door handles, tabletops, and mobile telephones. Whilst close contact is an essential part of beauty therapy, these guidelines have been drawn up to minimise risk wherever possible and must be followed carefully and methodically to ensure the safety of you and your client.

Ruuby and other mobile beauty companies continue to work closely with government officials and continue to follow guidance with regards to the safe and effective relaunch of operations. Reopening will only occur when confidence levels are aligned in the safety to do so. These guidelines will be updated regularly in accordance with government advice so that they provide a consistent source of informed information to both therapists and clients.

Whilst the challenges facing the beauty industry are significant; there are a number of elements unique to mobile beauty that make it easier to control the safety of the working environment. Visiting a client at home, an environment in which the individuals to whom the therapist is exposed is kept to a minimum, and where it’s possible to validate the health status of all individuals before an appointment, has significant benefits when compared to working from a salon. In addition, mobile technology platforms have the ability to track and trace all appointments and the flow of people any individual has been in contact with, allowing for the containment of any infection quickly and effectively.

Getting to an appointment may prove challenging where private transport is not available and in line with government guidelines, we do advise avoiding public transport where possible. Where this isn’t possible, we recommend therapists avoid travelling at peak times and take appointments accordingly, whilst maintaining best health and safety practice throughout the journey.

COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines
Health and safety of both clients and therapists is of key priority during the delivery of mobile beauty services. The following risk assessment both identifies and seeks to minimise possible risk factors that may arise during a mobile beauty treatment. The resulting guidelines set out recommendations to ensure that every measure is taken to ensure the treatment is carried out in the safest possible conditions.

Hygiene and Protective Guidelines for Clients

Should the client book an appointment?
If the client is considered to be clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable, or lives with, or has regular contact with someone who is; whether or not the client has been advised to shield, we highly recommend that they do not book an appointment of any kind until government guidelines state that it is safe to do so.

If the client, anyone living with the client, or anyone the client has come into contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold, regardless of whether you think it’s COVID-19) the client should follow government guidelines with regards to self-isolation, and refrain from booking an appointment until it is safe to do so.

Preparing for the appointment

• The client must be happy and willing to provide the therapist with assurance that no one in their household has had symptoms of Covid-19 for the last 7 days
• The client is asked to take their temperature at least two hours prior to their appointment. A healthy temperature range falls between 36.5 and 37.2 degrees centigrade. If the temperature falls outside of the normal range the client should be encouraged to seek medical advice before proceeding with an appointment. If symptoms of fever are evident, the appointment should be cancelled or postponed

• If the client, anyone living with the client, or anyone the client has come in contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold, regardless of whether they believe it’s COVID-19) the client should reschedule their appointment, heeding self-isolation guidelines
• The client should be advised that if they have allergies, that they take an antihistamine at least 4 hours prior to the appointment to minimise the risk of sneezing. If the client is suffering particularly badly and thinks that an antihistamine tablet won’t minimise the risk, the appointment should be rescheduled
• The client should be advised to clean any surfaces the therapist may need to touch thoroughly, with regular cleaning products, before the therapist arrives
• The client should remove all jewellery before the start of their appointment and put it in a safe place
• The client should supply all towels needed for the treatment, rather than using those supplied by the therapist.

During the appointment

• The client is asked to wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and hot water as soon as the therapist arrives
• All other members of the household are advised to maintain social distancing (at least 2 metres) from the therapist for the duration of the treatment, and preferably remain in a different room
• Both therapist and client should feel comfortable to stop the appointment at any time, if either feels the treatment is not being delivered safely
• Wear a mask or face covering, whether surgical, cloth or otherwise for as much of the appointment as possible (i.e. only taking it off when the face needs to be handled) and follow manufacturer’s instructions for washing, disposal and re-use
• Keep conversation to a minimum. Where it’s necessary to chat, avoid speaking directly, and if a mirror is available direct conversation through it (especially for hair appointments), otherwise face away from each other when speaking or ensure a 2-metre distance
• Avoid breathing directly near the other’s face in treatments such as makeup and facial appointments
• Keep windows open where possible to allow fresh circulation of air
• Please make sure hair is adequately pinned/held away from your face in order to limit the need to touch your face (not required for hair appointments).

After the appointment

• The therapist will place any waste from the treatment into a rubbish bag. The client should be prepared to dispose of it in an airtight bin (as opposed to a wastepaper basket). The therapist is advised not to touch your rubbish bin to avoid cross-contamination
• The client should wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and hot water after the therapist leaves, and before others re-enter the space. The exception is after a tanning appointment, in this case, avoid touching any surfaces until your tan has developed and it has been washed off, at which point hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and hot water, for at least 20 seconds
• Client is advised to wash clothes, towels, pillowcases and other linen used during the appointment as soon as possible at 60ºC (or higher)
• The client is advised to clean any surfaces the therapist may have touched (using ordinary cleaning products). This must be done before other members of the household enter the room.

Important Side Note
Please do not rely on antibody testing as proof of immunity. As of May 2020, there is not enough evidence to guarantee that those who have tested positive to antibody tests are immune (for reasons including false positives, lack of data in terms of the levels of antibodies required to create immunity etc.)

Hygiene and Protective Guidelines for Therapists

Should I go back to work?
If you’re considered to be clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable, or you live, or have regular contact with someone who is; we highly recommend that you do not return to work in any capacity until government guidelines state that it is safe for you to do so.

If you, anyone you are living with, or anyone you have come in contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold), regardless of whether you think it’s COVID-19, please follow government guidelines regarding self-isolation and do not book an appointment of any kind until it is safe for you to do so.

Preparing for an appointment

• Take your temperature at least two hours prior to your appointment. A healthy temperature range falls between 36.5 and 37.2 degrees centigrade. If your temperature falls outside of the normal range please seek medical advice before proceeding with an appointment. If symptoms of fever are evident please postpone your appointment, heeding self-isolation guidelines
• If you, anyone you are living with, or anyone you have come in contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold), regardless of whether you think it’s COVID-19, reschedule your appointment, heeding self-isolation guidelines
• If you have allergies, please ensure that you take an antihistamine at least 4 hours before your appointment to minimise your risk of sneezing and a runny nose. If you are suffering particularly badly and think that an antihistamine tablet won’t minimise the risk, please reschedule your appointment
• Wear short sleeves to ensure that you can thoroughly wash and sanitise your upper arms when washing your hands
• As per government guidelines, please avoid using public transport wherever possible. It is recommended to reduce your traditional areas of operation to a smaller radius, manageable by foot where possible.

On arrival

• Ascertain that no one in the household has had any symptoms for the past 7 days
• Make sure to remove your shoes before entering the client’s house, placing them on disposable plastic sheets near the door or use disposable shoe covers
• Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and hot water as soon as you arrive at the client’s house, using your own towel to dry your hands. Make sure that you carry your own hand soap and hand sanitiser (60% alcohol or more).

During an appointment

• Should you become concerned at any point that you are unable to carry out the treatment in a safe environment, we recommend that you leave, politely letting the client know that you feel uncomfortable
• Wear a mask or face covering, whether surgical, cloth or otherwise for the duration of your appointment and follow manufacturer’s instructions for washing, disposal and re-use
• Disinfect your kit and equipment (thoroughly) in front of the client, according to manufacturer’s guidelines, using sterilised, sealed packaged kit where possible
• Wear disposable gloves, disposing of them before you wash your hands at the end of the treatment
• As added protection, where possible please wear a visor or goggles to shield your eyes
• Please use the client’s towels, pillows and any other linen required, as opposed to your own

• Avoid touching your face and the client’s face as much as possible
• Bring a small bottle of water and do not accept any offers of food or beverage during the treatment to avoid using the client’s kitchenware
• Keep conversation to a minimum. Where it’s necessary to speak, avoid talking directly to the client. Where possible speak to a client via a mirror, otherwise face away from them when speaking or ensure a 2-metre distance
• Avoid breathing directly near the client’s face
• Please make sure your hair is adequately pinned/held away from your face in order to limit your need to touch your face
• Ensure short nails and remove acrylics.

 

After an appointment

• Ensure to carry a stock of disposable rubbish bags. Place any rubbish from a treatment into the bag and seal it carefully at the end of the treatment. Give the bag to the client and politely ask that they dispose of it in an airtight bin (rather than a wastepaper basket). Please avoid touching the client’s rubbish bin yourself

• Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and hot water just before you leave the client’s house, using your own towel to dry your hands. Please also carry your own hand soap and hand sanitiser over 60% alcohol
• Disinfect your kit and equipment (thoroughly), according to manufacturer’s guidelines, whilst wearing gloves, using sterilised, sealed packaged kit where available
• Wipe down your treatment table between each booking with disinfectant wipes or spray, paying special attention to the facial area
• If you drive, disinfect your car between bookings, paying close attention to areas your hands have most contact with (steering wheel, door handle, etc.)
• Wash your clothes and uniform at 60ºC (or more) as often as possible (in between every booking is best practice) to limit contaminants from one client’s house to another

• PPE equipment must be removed (safely in accordance with HSE guidance) after each treatment, and disposed of in line with HSE requirements, washing hands thoroughly before and after.

Treatment Specific Guidelines
These guidelines are specific to individual treatment categories and should be adhered to in addition to those recommendations outlined earlier in the document.

Massage

• Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table

• Gloves may limit the quality of the treatment so we recommend extra careful handwashing (for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water, and up the length of your arms) when you arrive at the client’s house, just before you start the treatment and at the end of the appointment

• We strongly recommend that you double check the client’s temperature with a radar thermometer before commencing the appointment. Massage may promote the circulation of virus particles through the body and is therefore a contraindication.

Facials 

• Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table

• Decant your facial products into individual pots for a single treatment to avoid cross contamination and make sure these are disinfected thoroughly between treatments

• As you will be close to the client’s face while completing your treatment, we recommend for extra protection that you use N95 masks

• Use disposable facial mitts and sponges
• Reduce the need to touch the client’s face wherever you can, if possible, use tools to carry out facial massage, rather than your hands.

Hair 

• Try your best to avoid dry blow drying, as well as making sure the room is properly ventilated before blow drying (the suction properties of a hairdryer mean that the cleaner the air, the safer)

• Make sure to disinfect all equipment, according to manufacturer’s guidelines between appointments

• Items laid out during a treatment must be kept to a minimum.

Makeup 

• Ask the client if they’d be comfortable for you to use their makeup brushes, if so disinfect them in front of the client

• If you use your own brushes, make sure that they’re thoroughly washed and disinfected between each appointment, paying close attention to eyeliner and lip brushes

• Use disposable mascara wands
• Note that brushes are more hygienic than sponges and are easier to clean. If sponges are preferable, ensure to use the disposable kind
• Reduce the need to touch your client’s face wherever possible, blend using brushes rather than your hands and fingers if you can

• Items laid out during a treatment must be kept to a minimum.

Nails 

• Make sure that you have adequate brushes to allow a fresh set for each client

• Used brushes should be placed into a sealed container clearly marked ‘used equipment’

• Brushes and your ‘used equipment’ container should be thoroughly disinfected after each client

• Your tools must be thoroughly sterilised and disinfected after each use, according to manufacturer’s guidelines

• Once your brushes are clean, they must be immediately placed in a sealed, sterile container

• Wherever possible use single-use tools (files, buffers, etc) making sure that they are disposed of safely

• Clean tools must be stored in a sealed, sterile container until they are required (do not lay them out for the duration of the treatment)

• All UV gel and art brushes should be disinfected. Nail polish and UV gel polish brushes from an individual bottle do not need cleaning as they are from an hygienic environment that does not support any pathogens

• You should not touch the client’s hands or feet until they have been thoroughly soaked

• Items laid out during a treatment must be kept to a minimum.

Waxing

• Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table

• After each appointment empty and disinfect your wax pot

• Do not reuse disposable spatulas during an appointment

• Take special care not to put a spatula back into the waxing pot once it has been in contact with the client. A new spatula should be used for each application

• At the end of the treatment please place waste into a sealed disposable rubbish bag and politely ask your client to dispose of it in their bin (you must advise them to place the waste into an airtight bin, rather than a waste-paper basket)

• Items laid out during a treatment must be kept to a minimum.

Tanning 

• Make sure to thoroughly clean your spray-gun between bookings, according to manufacturer guidelines

• Make sure not to breathe, cough or sneeze into your solutions when filling your gun

• Make sure to thoroughly disinfect your tent between bookings, according to manufacturer’s guidelines

• Request that the client applies the barrier cream themselves.

Eye Treatments 

• Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table
• As you will be close to the client’s face while completing your treatment, we recommend for extra protection that you use N95 masks.

Disclaimer
These guidelines are advisory only. They do not constitute legal requirement, have not been agreed with Government and do not imply or incur any liability to Ruuby. These guidelines are written with a view of protecting Ruuby therapists and clientele.  Mobile beauty professionals should continue to check local government websites and guidelines for the most up to date recommendations.

The British Beauty Council Disclaimers
These suggested guidelines reflect an industry that wants to return to work safely and have been created with experts in each industry field and are advisory only. They are also suggested in order to give the consumer confidence to buy our services and goods. If you require more information or have any questions please get in touch by emailing British Beauty Council at joinme@britishbeautycouncil.com. The British Beauty Council will review and update these suggested guidelines regularly and accordingly based on government guidelines and a review of our partners specific guidelines.

These guidelines do not constitute legal requirement, have not been agreed with the UK Government and do not imply or incur any liability to the British Beauty Council. These guidelines are written with a view of protecting our partners, their staff and customers with their health & safety being the number one priority and are based on expert and public knowledge as of 03.06.20. Businesses should continue to check local government websites and guidelines for the most up to date recommendations.

Subject to the permitted date of 4 July for reopening staying in place, Ruuby are now taking bookings from this date onwards. For more information on these guidelines email concierge@ruuby.com.

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