COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines


COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines
At Ruuby the health and safety of our clients and therapists is our number one priority, we’ve therefore conducted a thorough risk assessment to identify and minimise all possible risk factors that may arise during a treatment. The resulting guidelines set-out our recommendations to ensure that every measure is taken to ensure your treatment is carried out in the safest possible environment. Please read them carefully before your treatment and make every effort to follow them as closely as possible. 


Hygiene and Protective Guidelines for RUUBY clients:


Should I book an appointment?

  • If you’re considered to be clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable, or you live, or have regular contact with someone who is; whether or not you have been advised to shield, we highly recommend that you do not book an appointment of any kind until government guidelines state that it is safe for you to do so. 
  • If you, anyone you are living with, or anyone you have come into contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold, regardless of whether you think it’s COVID-19) please follow government guidelines with regards to self-isolation and do not book an appointment until it is safe for you to do so. 

Preparing for your appointment

  • Take your temperature at least two hours prior to your appointment. A healthy temperature range falls between 36.5 and 37.2 degrees centigrade. If your temperature falls outside of the normal range please seek medical advice before proceeding with an appointment. If symptoms of fever are evident please contact concierge@ruuby.com as soon as possible to cancel or postpone your appointment
  • If you, anyone you are living with, or anyone you have come in contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold, regardless of whether you think it’s COVID-19) please contact concierge@ruuby.com to reschedule your appointment, heeding self-isolation guidelines. 
  • If you have allergies, please ensure that you take an antihistamine at least 4 hours before your appointment to minimise your risk of sneezing and a runny nose. If you are suffering particularly badly and think that an antihistamine tablet won’t minimise the risk, please contact concierge@ruuby.com to reschedule your appointment
  • Before your therapist arrives please clean any surfaces they may need to touch thoroughly, with regular cleaning products 
  • Please remove all jewelry before the start of your appointment and put it in a safe place
  • We ask where necessary that you provide towels and pillows for your treatment

During your appointment

    • You must be happy and willing to provide your therapist with assurance that no one in your household has had symptoms of COVID-19 for the last 7 days. You may also be asked to sign a disclaimer at the start of your appointment
    • Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and warm water as soon as your therapist arrives
    • Make sure that all other members of the household maintain social distancing (at least 2 metres) from the therapist for the duration of the treatment and where possible ask them to go elsewhere
    • Please note that if at any point during your appointment your therapist feels that they are not able to carry out your treatment in a safe environment then they may choose to leave
    • Reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue, or if you don’t have a tissue, your sleeve (not your hands), and throw the tissue in a bin immediately, then wash your hands with soap and hot water, for at least 20 seconds
    • Wear a mask or face covering, whether surgical, cloth or otherwise for as much of the appointment as possible (i.e. only taking it off when the face needs to be handled) and follow manufacturer’s instructions for washing, disposal and reuse
  • Keep conversation to a minimum. Where it’s necessary to chat, avoid speaking directly to the therapist, if a mirror is available speak to them via that (especially for hair appointments), otherwise face away from the therapist when speaking or ensure a 2-metre distance
  • Avoid breathing directly near the therapist’s face in treatments such as makeup and facial appointments
    • Avoid touching your face 
    • Keep windows open where possible to allow fresh circulation of air
    • Please make sure your hair is adequately pinned/held away from your face in order to limit your need to touch your face (not required for hair appointments)

    After your appointment

    • Your therapist will place any waste from your treatment into a rubbish bag. Please be prepared to dispose of it in an airtight bin (as opposed to a waste paper basket). Your therapist has been advised not to touch your rubbish bin to avoid cross-contamination
    • Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and hot water after your therapist leaves, and before others enter the space. The exception is after a tanning appointment, in this case, avoid touching any surfaces until your tan has developed and you have washed it off, at which point thoroughly wash your hands with soap and hot water, for at least 20 seconds
    • Wash your clothes, towels, pillow cases and other linen used during your appointment as soon as possible at 60ºC (or higher)
    • Clean any surfaces the therapist may have touched (using ordinary cleaning products). This must be done before other members of the household enter the room

    Important Side Note: 

  • Please do not rely on antibody testing as proof of immunity as there is not enough research yet to 100% confirm that those who have tested positive to antibody tests are immune for various reasons (false positives, lack of data in terms of the levels of antibodies required to create immunity etc.)



  • Hygiene and Protective Guidelines for Ruuby Professionals:


    Should I go back to work?

    • If you’re considered to be clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable, or you live, or have regular contact with someone who is; we highly recommend that you do not return to work in any capacity until government guidelines state that it is safe for you to do so. 
    • If you, anyone you are living with, or anyone you have come in contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold), regardless of whether you think it’s COVID-19, please follow government guidelines regarding self-isolation and do not book an appointment of any kind until it is safe for you to do so. 

    Preparing for an appointment

    • Take your temperature at least two hours prior to your appointment. A healthy temperature range falls between 36.5 and 37.2 degrees centigrade. If your temperature falls outside of the normal range please seek medical advice before proceeding with an appointment. If symptoms of fever are evident please contact concierge@ruuby.com as soon as possible to cancel or postpone your appointment
    • If you, anyone you are living with, or anyone you have come in contact with are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness (a raised temperature, a new, persistent cough or cold), regardless of whether you think it’s COVID-19, please contact concierge@ruuby.com to reschedule your appointment, heeding self-isolation guidelines. 

    • If you have allergies, please ensure that you take an antihistamine at least 4 hours before your appointment to minimise your risk of sneezing and a runny nose. If you are suffering particularly badly and think that an antihistamine tablet won’t minimise the risk, please contact concierge@ruuby.com to reschedule your appointment
    • Please wear short-sleeves to ensure that you can thoroughly wash your upper arms when washing your hands
    • As per government guidelines, please avoid using public transport wherever possible

    On arrival: 

    • Ascertain that no one in the household has had any symptoms for the past 7 days
    • Make sure to remove your shoes before entering the client’s house, placing them on disposable plastic sheets near the door or use disposable shoe covers 
    • Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and hot water as soon as you arrive at the client’s house, using your own (Ruuby) towel to dry your hands. Make sure that you carry your own hand soap and hand sanitizer (60% alcohol or more)

    During an appointment: 

    • Should you become concerned at any point that you are unable to carry out the treatment in a safe environment, we recommend that you leave, politely letting the client know that you feel uncomfortable. Please contact concierge@ruuby.com to let them know as soon as possible
    • Reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue and throw the tissue in a bin immediately, then wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
    • Wear a mask or face covering, whether surgical, cloth or otherwise for the duration of your appointment and follow manufacturer’s instructions for washing, disposal and reuse
    • Disinfect your kit and equipment (thoroughly) in front of the client, according to manufacturer’s guidelines, using sterilised, sealed packaged kit where possible
    • Wear disposable gloves, disposing of them before you wash your hands at the end of the treatment
    • As added protection, where possible please wear a visor or goggles to shield your eyes
    • Please use the client’s towels, pillows and any other linen required, as opposed to your own 
    • Avoid touching your face and the client’s face as much as possible 
    • Bring a small bottle of water and do not accept any offers of snacks during the treatment to avoid using the client’s kitchenware 
    • Keep conversation to a minimum. Where it’s necessary to chat, avoid speaking directly to the client. Where possible speak to a client via a mirror, otherwise face away from them when speaking or ensure a 2-metre distance
    • Avoid breathing directly near the client’s face 
    • Please make sure your hair is adequately pinned/held away from your face in order to limit your need to touch your face

    After an appointment: 

    • Please make sure that you carry around a stock of disposable rubbish bags. Place any rubbish from a treatment into the bag and seal it carefully at the end of the treatment. Give the bag to the client and politely ask that they dispose of it in an airtight bin (rather than a wastepaper basket). Please avoid touching the client’s rubbish bin yourself
    • Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and hot water just before you leave the client’s house, using your own Ruuby towel to dry your hands. Please also carry your own hand soap and hand sanitizer over 60% alcohol
    • Disinfect your kit and equipment (thoroughly), according to manufacturer’s guidelines, whilst wearing gloves, using sterilised, sealed packaged kit where available 
    • Wipe down your massage table between each booking with disinfectant wipes or spray, paying special attention to the facial area
    • Disinfect your car between bookings, paying close attention to areas your hands have most contact with (steering wheel, door handle, etc.)
    • Wash your clothes and uniform at 60ºC (or more) as often as possible (in between every booking is best practice) to limit contaminants from one client’s house to another. 
    • PPE equipment must be removed (safely in accordance with HSE guidance) after each treatment, and disposed of in line with HSE requirements, washing hands thoroughly before and after

    Important Side Note: 

  • Please do not rely on antibody testing as proof of immunity as there is not enough research yet to 100% confirm that those who have tested positive to antibody tests are immune for various reasons (false positives, lack of data in terms of the levels of antibodies required to create immunity etc.)






  • Treatment Specific Guidelines

    These guidelines are specific to individual treatment categories and should be adhered to in addition to those recommendations outlined earlier in the document. 


    Massage: 


    • Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table
    • Gloves may limit the quality of the treatment so we recommend extra careful handwashing (for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water) when you arrive at the client’s house, just before you start the treatment and at the end of the appointment
    • We strongly recommend that you double check the client’s temperature with a radar thermometer before commencing the appointment. Massage may promote the circulation of virus particles through the body and is therefore a contraindication

    Facials: 


    • Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table
    • Decant your facial products into individual pots for a single treatment to avoid cross contamination and make sure these are disinfected thoroughly between treatments
    • As you will be close to the client’s face while completing your treatment, we recommend for extra protection that you use N95 masks
    • Use disposable facial mitts and sponges
    • Reduce the need to touch the client’s face wherever you can, if possible use tools to carry out facial massage, rather than your hands

    Hair: 


    • Try your best to avoid dry blow drying, as well as making sure the room is properly ventilated before blow drying (the suction properties of a hairdryer mean that the cleaner the air, the safer)
    • Make sure to disinfect all equipment, according to manufacturer’s guidelines between appointments

    Makeup: 


    • Ask the client if they’d be comfortable for you to use their makeup brushes, if so disinfect them in front of the client. 
    • If you use your own brushes, make sure that they’re thoroughly washed and disinfected between each appointment, paying close attention to eyeliner and lip brushes
    • Use disposable mascara wands
    • Note that brushes are more hygienic than sponges and are easier to clean
    • Reduce the need to touch your client’s face wherever possible, blend using brushes rather than your hands and fingers if you can

    Nails: 


    • Make sure that you have adequate brushes to allow a fresh set for each client.
    • Used brushes should be placed into a sealed container clearly marked ‘used equipment’
    • Brushes and your ‘used equipment’ container should be thoroughly disinfected after each client  
    • Your tools must be thoroughly sterilised and disinfected after each use, according to manufacturer’s guidelines
    • Once your brushes are clean, they must be immediately placed in a sealed, sterile container. 
    • Wherever possible use single-use tools (files, buffers, etc) making sure that they are disposed of safely
    • Clean tools must be stored in a sealed, sterile container until they are required (do not lay them out for the duration of the treatment)
    • Nail polish brushes must be thoroughly disinfected after every appointment in which they are used. 
    • You should not touch the client’s hands or feet until they have been thoroughly soaked
    • Items laid out during a treatment must be kept to a minimum

    Waxing: 


    • Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table
    • After each appointment empty and disinfect your wax pot
    • Do not reuse disposable spatulas during an appointment 
    • Take special care not to put a spatula back into the waxing pot once it’s been in contact with the client. 
    • At the end of the treatment please place waste into a sealed disposable rubbish bag and politely ask your client to dispose of it in their bin (you must advise them to place the waste into an airtight bin, rather than a waste-paper basket) 

    Tanning: 


    • Make sure to thoroughly clean your gun between bookings, according to manufacturer guidelines
    • Make sure not to breathe, cough or sneeze into your solutions when filling your gun 
    • Make sure to thoroughly disinfect your tent between bookings, according to manufacturer’s guidelines

    Eye treatments: 


    • Use couch roll or the client’s towels on your massage table
    • As you will be close to the client’s face while completing your treatment, we recommend for extra protection that you use N95 masks

    Please see some links below for PPE. Ruuby is currently sourcing stock which will be available on our store in the next week. 


    Face masks

    Disposable gowns

    Protective visors