鈥淚f someone doesn鈥檛 have a COVID-19 cut, did they really live it through?鈥� a Vernon hairstylist asks.

Soleah DeJay of The Color Room said they have seen plenty of home haircuts since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic in March, but she said not all of them have been terrible, contrary to what one may surmise.

鈥淚鈥檝e got to give some credit to the husbands,鈥� DeJay said with a laugh.

But since the salon reopened its doors with COVID-19 protocols in place in the second phase of the province鈥檚 Restart Plan, DeJay said clients are grateful.

鈥淧eople certainly aren鈥檛 taking us for granted,鈥� she said, noting lessons were learned in quarantine, such as, 鈥淚t鈥檚 harder to cut a straight line with kitchen scissors.鈥�

鈥淣ever in a million years did I think we鈥檇 be facing a pandemic like the Spanish Flu,鈥� DeJay said. 鈥淧rofessionally, there was nothing we could do, it sucked. It鈥檚 unfortunate. But it鈥檚 more in our personal lives and mental health state.

鈥淭o overcome it, I was just holding onto the hope of coming back and seeing everyone,鈥� she said of her colleagues and clients.

Hairstylists, DeJay said, are more often than not 鈥減eople persons,鈥� so the mandated COVID-19 closures were a challenge.

鈥淩eally, being able to do what we love, because it鈥檚 not an easy job when you鈥檙e standing there for eight to 12 hours 鈥� sometimes with no lunch break 鈥� it鈥檚 a physically demanding job,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we love it. We love our clients

鈥淚t鈥檚 the people who come to the salon who keep us motivated.鈥�

Although relatively new to The Color Room, DeJay said the protocols outlined by the provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry weren鈥檛 all that different than cleanliness expectations already in place in salons.

鈥淪alons, certainly the ones I have worked at, have always been super cleanly places because we get a diversity of clientele, especially around cold and flu season, or clients with allergies,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s a hairdresser in the salon, you just try to make it the best you can.鈥�

Creating the ultimate salon experience for clients, whether in the midst of a pandemic or not, has always been the goal, DeJay said.

鈥淲e want everyone to have an excellent experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen they do, we sleep easy at night.鈥�

DeJay brings eight years of experience to The Color Room, with her also comes her expertise in product lines such as Kevin Murphy and Oligo 鈥� an ammonia-free Canadian brand.

Hard wax facial waxing will also be a welcome addition to the salon. DeJay said this no-strip method of waxing is great for eyebrows, lips, sideburns and more.

To book with DeJay, contact The Color Room at 250-541-4961, or reach her on or .

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Caitlin.clow@vernonmorningstar.com
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