‘Under the mask’ services cleared to resume with restrictions

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Late Thursday afternoon, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office released updated guidelines for “under the mask” personal care services, allowing them to resume.

Services that require a client to remove their mask—like facials, makeup, beard trims, waxing, or piercing—are now allowed if the employee wears a face shield in addition to their face mask. The employee also need a negative coronavirus test dated September 3 or later.

Previously, they were prohibited under June’s Phase 3 guidance. Now, an updated section reads:

Personal care services that require customers to remove face coverings (e.g. face massage, facials, face waxing around lip or nose areas, face tattoos, facial makeup, cosmetic lip tattooing, lip/nose piercings, beard trimmings, or shaves) are prohibited, unless the employee is wearing a face shield or similar barrier in addition to their face covering. Additionally, any employee performing such services must be tested, at least once on or after September 3, 2020, for COVID-19 through a diagnostic test and receive a negative result prior to the employee performing such services that require removal of a customer’s face covering.

Todd Garofano, Executive Director of the Salon & Spa Professionals of NYS, said, “We are beyond excited at the news that estheticians and makeup artists in New York can get back to work!” He said the group worked with the Governor’s Office by providing safe examples of these services being performed with masks.

Salon & Spa Professionals of NYS counts over 30,000 estheticians, barbers, makeup artists, and other “under the mask” workers who can now head back to work.

Take a look at the most recent guidance below:

County-by-county Coronavirus Tracker
COVID-19 Resources
Reopening New York
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