The reaction to new COVID-19 restrictions putting more Australians out of work was disbelief in the Illawarra on Wednesday.
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Many could not understand why beauty salons and tattoo and massage parlours were being forced to close while hair salons remain open.
But hairdresser Roza Rojano, of Total Bliss Hair and Body Spa, said it won't make much difference because it is impossible to do a colour and style in the time specified. And she expects the next set of restrictions will see salons close.
"I am frustrated they are only allocating us 30 minutes to do someone's hair. I can't believe how uneducated people are about our profession if they think we can do a full service in 30 minutes," Mrs Rojano said.
"We can't even do a proper man's haircut in that time. Even though we are allowed to stay open I don't know what we are going to do. And what is going happen when a client wants a hair colour.
"I am waiting for what they are going to announce tomorrow. We might have to shut down all together".
Mrs Rojano has a beauty therapist who can no longer see clients.
And thinks the government must be allowing hairdressers to continue to work while she can't because beauticians have skin-to-skin contact while hair a stylist touches hair that has no living cells.
"I will keep in contact with her and all my staff if we have to close because I guarantee that their jobs will be waiting when we reopen".
Skin Correctives proprietor Karen Meiring de Gonzalez saw the writing on the wall ahead of the new raft of COVID-19 restrictions.
Mrs de Gonzalez said it was heart-wrenching telling her nine staff the Wollongong and Shellharbour salons were going to have to close for no-one knows how long.
"They have been incredible and amazing and were willing to do everything they could to keep the business open".
Ironically both salons were busier than they were in January this week from clients still wanting to look and feel good at this time.
Mrs de Gonzalez has always preferred to employ people full time and provide constant training.
"From my understanding we need to pay out all their leave and dismiss them to be able to give them a separation certificate. I don't know because I have never had to do this before," she said.
"It is hard. My clients are a big priority for me and my team are like family. I am feeling pretty numb at the moment"
Mrs de Gonzalez will do Zoom app consultations and then send products out to clients during the coronavirus lockdown.
Crown Ink Tattoo's Sue Maffullo was also consoling her eight staff and sole traders who use her facilities in Wollongong and Narellan on Wednesday while taking countless phone calls from people wanting to get in before the doors close. The plan was to work right up until midnight in to accommodate as many clients as possible.
Ms Maffullo said everyone she works with has been amazing.
She expected businesses like hers would eventually need to close with the COVID-19 pandemic but can't understand why she can't trade when hair salons can.
"We knew this would eventually happen but we didn't think hairdressers would be allowed to stay open when we are not," she said.
"I think that is a little bit harsh to be honest. The health inspector has always given us 100 per cent approval. And we are used to dealing with viruses and other health issues.
"People tell me our studios are one of the cleanest places to be at the moment. We have always taken precautionary measures. We use single use equipment and needles. Everything is above board in here".
Ms Maffullo said with major ink work people sometimes had more than one appointment to get it all done.
And closing at midnight on Wednesday meant some clients would be walking around with incomplete tattoos and will have no idea when it can be finished.
"We are just trying to do as much as we can today," she said.
"One of my artists is just doing two major pieces. They are both six hour jobs. We are doing as much as we can get done. Then people are just going to have to wait to get it finished".
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