In order to curb the coronavirus outbreak, the Indonesian government has since March banned wedding receptions and other gatherings of more than 30. Couples, unfortunately, have to postpone their wedding.

For Sylvara (@sylvara.makeup), a certified make-up artist for the Sunda Siger look, the change before and after the pandemic is significant. Normally, she would have eight to twenty clients monthly, but since the implementation of the large-scale social restriction policy, the figure plunged to zero.

Many couples postponed their wedding until the situation returns to normal. Others decided to cancel make-up services and chose to do their own make-up for solemnisation at religious affairs office.

However, since June 2020, couples are able to hold wedding ceremony at home using make-up, attire, decoration and documentation from wedding vendors.

The Indonesia Wedding Organizer Association recently issued health and safety protocol for the new normal wedding reception for wedding vendors, including make-up artists, in Indonesia.

With the new health and safety procedure for weddings, freelance make-up artists can reopen their business with additional requirements as follows:

1. Make-up artists are required to use mask and face shield,

2. Use hand sanitiser before and after doing a client’s make-up,

3. Clean each make-up tool with alcohol/disinfectant,

4. Using disposable brush and sponge,

5. Avoid using lipstick and eyelash glue straight from the container,

6. Minimise the number of people in the dressing room, and

7. Use daily brush cleanser after every make-up session.

According to Sylvara, even before the pandemic broke out, make-up artists have been constantly maintaining the hygiene of their tools. “Even before the pandemic we have always prioritised cleanliness, because those [tools] come into contact directly with the client. So cleanliness is the priority. Clean the make-up after each use, wear a mask, use hand sanitiser and always wash our hands.”

Also, even before the pandemic, Sylvara has always been limiting the number of people in the make-up room so that she can concentrate on doing the make-up. The difference is that now that practice is done to keep a safe distance from one another.

The use of disposable make-up tools for clients, such as sponge, lip brush, mascara brush and mask, also worries Sylvara because the waste will be multiplied. ”For one client, three to five brushes are needed,” she said. “The result of the make-up is not different when using an ordinary brush.”

Since the pandemic, she also helps prevent cross-contamination by using different masks, gloves and face shields for different clients. This extra care is deemed important to prevent the spread of COVID-19, considering that make-up artists have direct physical contact with clients.

The new normal regulation does not immediately make freelance make-up artists safer in doing their job, especially since the number of COVID-19 cases have been rising lately. On Wednesday (10 June), Indonesia recorded 1,204 new cases, the highest daily rise in the country.

Although new normal is made for the sake of economic stability, the health - even more so the life- of freelance workers is at stake.