Stylists at Bratt Pak fit in last minute clients before closing down on May 9 (photo courtesy Colton McKee)

By Teagan Rasche

open for 4 more days

‘It’s heartbreaking’: Beauty industry upset, concerned with new restrictions

May 5, 2021 | 4:54 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It’s been more than a year of chaos for those in the beauty industry with the constant opening and closing of businesses.

“This is my happy place, I love being here,” said Missie Blyth, a hairstylist at Rootz Hair Salon. “I’m providing for my family, I work hard and then it’s just taken away from us again for the third time.”

New COVID-19 restrictions were announced last night. Personal and wellness services must shut down at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 9.

Once again, salons and spas will close their doors.

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“Now we get shut down, we can’t see our clients who become like a family to us and we already can’t see our family,” Blythe said. “It just makes it so hard. All of this is just hard, it’s heartbreaking.”

Blythe isn’t alone.

Cindy Oulettes, owner of Beautiful You Laser and Spa, is worried about her emotional and financial well-being during this next shutdown. She’s a single grandmother and works out of her home.

For Oulettes, losing her job again impacts her whole family

“This is very hard on me having to close down my business again and wondering how I’m going to raise, or not raise, feed the three children, by myself and have an income,” Oulettes said.

Oulettes is frustrated that other places can stay open when she can’t.

She says working benefits her mental health, as well as that of her clients.

“For mental health, people should be able to get a facial, I don’t see any reason why they can’t, a one-on-one,” Oulettes said.

But she will close for business.

As time is ticking before restrictions fall into place, other salons say they are swamped with last-minute appointments.

Stylists say they will work 12-hour days and won’t be seeing family until Sunday.

Julie Tracey, a partner and stylist at Bratt Pak, says as a small business she doesn’t want to be closed.

But she’s looking at the bigger picture.

“We’ve had a lot of people ask if we’re going to stay open in violation of the order and our thought process is this: This is that moment that what’s more important is we need to come together and that humanity needs to support one another,” Tracy said. “We as a business have chosen to abide by the request to close.”

The new restrictions will be in effect for at least three weeks.

READ MORE: A year of ups and downs for the restaurant industry