MILDURA make-up artist Lisa Hooper says the mandatory face mask rule continues to be a “huge” obstacle when it comes to the beauty industry.
She says the financial burden this year on her business has been “horrible” and hopes to be back in business soon without the need for clients to wear face coverings.
“What’s the point of getting your make-up done and putting your mask back on, only to have just wiped it all off?” Ms Hooper said.
Ms Hooper expressed her frustration on why services in the beauty industry were not deemed as “essential”.
She said while it seemed non-essential to others, her work was essential as well as her livelihood.
Bookings for Ms Hooper’s specialty were down 95 per cent this year, with 38 wedding cancellations and postponements for 2020 and into 2021 alone.
Events cancelled, which included debutante balls, milestone birthdays and graduations where Ms Hooper would be fully booked out months in advance, caused the ripple effect of cancelled make-up sessions.
“Everything has been cancelled,” she said. “That’s a lot of money down the drain and that mentally affects me.”
Ms Hooper, who stepped into the beauty industry 10 years ago, has owned her business in Mildura for eight years and now works from her in-home salon.
Before moving her salon to her home, Ms Hooper rented space in the Mildura CBD for six years.
She said it was a blessing in disguise to have been out of the commercial site following the financial burden the pandemic had brought to many businesses this year.
“If I didn’t move home two years ago I would have had to close my doors and they probably would have never opened again,” she said.
“It was one of the biggest decisions at the time, but in a way I’ve been blessed that I did move — this year has been horrid.”
Ms Hooper had become a mum earlier in the year and said while it was good timing to step into motherhood, she continued feeling the income stress, living only off her partner’s wage.
She said she had missed out on the business grants due to her maternity leave and had no further financial assistance as a small business owner.
But she said she was confident when restrictions eased and, finding that new normal, she expected to be fine.
“There’s always going to be weddings and a need for women to feel beautiful within themselves,” she said.
“I know that I’ll be fine — it’s just going to be a busy year next year trying to make-up for what I’ve lost this year.”
