The past few months have been unsettling for so many. In times of upheaval, we look for trusted partners to come through for us, to be steady and reliable in a world that is anything but. Cosmo Prof, the salon professional’s resource for beauty essentials, helped stylists find ways to stay engaged and productive during COVID-19 restrictions, while also creating easy access to the tools, trends, training, and protection they needed to reopen and rebound their business, safely.

Shopping Smart

Jon Carlos de la Cruz (@joncarlosdelacruz) and Daisy Henson (@curlyhairdaze), are members of the 2020 Cosmo Prof Artistic Team, an elite squad of beauty professionals. They are also busy working hairstylists. They have the same concerns as other stylists when it comes to operation in the salon during a pandemic but want to help share their knowledge through Cosmo Prof digital training and Facebook live events to make their fellow stylists feel more at ease.

Jon Carlos is a third-generation hairdresser. “Both my grandmother and my mother were stylists. I grew up in the salon.” A native of Rhode Island, he travels between that state and his home in Los Angeles, where he works at Brighton Salon in Beverly Hills, helping his clients celebrate their natural texture. His local Cosmo Prof is where he picks up his must-have-always-grab products: Sebastian Shaper Plus HairSpray, It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In and Body Drench Quick Tan Spray.

“I am horrible at shopping online because I get so distracted and I jump from one thing to the other,” Jon Carlos says. “I’m an in-store type of person. I like that it’s personal, that I can see how things are laid out, and I can talk to the store consultants. Inside Cosmo Prof, they are following all the protocol and the experience feels very safe but still relaxed, even fun.”

Daisy is a San Diego-based stylist who says she loves teaching other hairdressers about working with texture and curly hair. “I want stylists to feel that they don’t have to be afraid of it,” she says. “I help them develop the skills they need to give people a positive experience when they come in the salon. That’s why people come to see us, after all, for that confidence boost.”

Pre-COVID, Daisy says she would mix up her shopping; a little bit online (at CosmoProfBeauty.com), a little bit in the store. “It can be hard to get to the store after a long day at work, so I like being able to order my staple items online. With COVID,  I’ve been doing curbside pickup. It’s been a great experience because the Cosmo Prof associates are all geared up and they respect the social distancing guidelines. I either call in or email my order and they pick it for me. In my area, I can also get same day delivery for just $5.00. That’s less than I pay to have food delivered!”

Top Shelf

At the outset of the COVID-19 crisis, people felt pressure to panic-buy at the sight of empty shelves. First, it was the toilet paper. Then it was difficult to find other basics.  The feeling of scarcity was a little nerve-wracking. But with Cosmo Prof customers were able to stock up on product essentials and be prepared and ready to return to work. Cosmo Prof also supplied stylists with the information they needed—the guidelines, the list of PPE-required—so they knew what to put in those virtual or physical shopping carts.

“Cosmo Prof was really good about providing the COVID protocol that we needed to follow,” says Jon Carlos. “They were so helpful, reminding us what was available and what we needed to reopen safely. They also shared so many online and virtual classes. We were all stuck at home, but we still needed to get motivated and do some online shopping, too, so they provided communication and inspiration to make the time easier for us.”

Now that masks have become fashion accessories, Jon Carlos recommends that salons and stylists always offer an inexpensive disposable mask to their client, even if they brought their own. “This keeps their nicer mask clean and gives you less to think about when you’re doing your work. You don’t have to worry about ruining their vibe!”

In California, salons could reopen but then were forced to close again in mid-July. “But I never reopened,” says Daisy. “I have a lot of high-risk people in my family. So I had the stress of worrying about them, plus stressing about finding all the hand sanitizers and masks to be stocked up. But Cosmo Prof had what I needed. It’s been great being able to get what I want—PPE, products, everything—directly from them.”

With the uncertainty of what lay ahead, the overnight shipping and curbside pick-up meant stylists could purchase what they knew they would use in the short term without buying too much and carrying an overstock of inventory. Daisy’s shopping list always includes Olaplex Treatments and take-home products, Maria Nila hair masks, Cricket Picks, and Malibu C clarifying treatments.

“Cosmo Prof has shared resources, online training and many free classes from brand partners and other stylists. I’m so grateful to feel supported through all this. And the other members of the Artistic Team have been amazing. I can’t wait until we’re all together, again!”

Shop safely in store, enjoy curbside pick-up and same day delivery options in select areas, or shop 24/7 at CosmoProfBeauty.com.

Salon consultants available by request at CosmoProfBeauty.com/salonconsultant