Singapore considers hair salons essential services so full hair salon services are open in Singapore again, along with almost nothing else. We're still only allowed to venture out alone for essentials.

I was able to get my hair cut and the stylist was polite enough to not even comment on how I obviously cut my own hair in Lock Down.

After entering the mall through the one basement entrance, I encountered a number of signs about the "new normal."

I was excited about my first childless afternoon in months and I like me new very short pixie cut. I meant for it to be a bit longer on top and through the bangs. But this is one of the better haircuts I've gotten in Singapore, so I am not complaining. My thanks to Fred at Team Salon in Vivocity Mall; I will be back. He obviously understood my Western, or as they call it here, my "Expat" Hair.

I love getting my hair cut by the male stylists. There is no social chit chat. It's so quiet and relaxing. They just look at the picture, ask a clarifying question or two, and then get on with it. You get what you get.

This process suits me just fine. I think my random directions just mess the stylists up here when I'm too chatty, so now I try to just keep my mouth.

This time I had to wear a mask, which was a little weird, but not bad until the end. Thankfully I wore a disposable mask, because I don't think I could have gotten all those tiny pieces of hair out of a cloth one. After showing the stylist a photo of the cut I was hoping for, he apologetically asked me to take off my mask for a moment so he could see my face. It's illegal to not wear a mask in Singapore right now unless you are exercising strenuously.

It felt a little naughty to take my mask off, like I was flashing him.

Mask safely back around my ears, I was sent to get my hair washed by the Wash and Blow girls. These girls bring you tea, wash your hair, do any blow drying of you, and clean up the stations. They basically do everything that's not a cut. It means the same hair stylist can cut 2 or more people at the same time.

Back in the chair for my haircut the stylish took the ear loops of my mask and attached them to a wide comb placed behind my neck to keep the mask below my hairline but still over my mouth and nose. I worked just fine until the end.  

At the end when my bangs were being cut the hair, all the cuttings fell into my mask. With each breath I could feel all the little pieces swirling around inside my mask. That was pretty awful, and sounds pretty standard. The stylist said he would be fast. He was! Then I got to take off my mask, put it into my purse, and was given a new clean mask. Lovely!

I'd heard that salons weren't allowed to serve any drinks. Even a complementary glass of wine isn't uncommon at many salons. Even still, I did get my usual tea. This time it was in a covered Take Away cup and just not in a nice china mug.

I left with my drink. I hadn't drank much due to having to lift my mask up over my mouth every time I stole a sip.

I think my cut looks especially great in a mask, which makes sense as it was cut with a mask on. It's the only way anyone can see me, other than my immediate household anyhow.

My haircut was actually cheaper than expected at $55, so I headed to the drug store to check out make up.

The drug store was about the only thing open, besides the grocery store and restaurants for Take Away. It was brutal to see all of the regular stores closed up and realize that these businesses have lost sales for more than 2 months now. Some of them had staff in them behind the closed doors that looked to be re-shelving inventory - maybe hoping that stores will open soon.

I hadn't really wandered through the mall since Christmas shopping. All the colours had changed from the winter clothes to what must be the spring/summer colours. I bet there are going to be gigantic clearance sales of the unsold stock when things open up. This is good because my clothes are a bit tight after so little exercise over the last months.

I figured new make up was in order seeing as it's kind of a different look when people can only see your eyes. I bought bright new eye shadow, 3 eyeliners (even a teal one), and makeup brushes. I also bought a lip stain, because a usual lip stick in a cotton mask would just be a disaster.

I tried out all the makeup when I got home. I hadn't worn make up in at least 2 months and before that my make up was very scarce. My little girls were so impressed and told me all night how pretty I was. It was very sweet. They were so thrilled, that they begged me to agree to I wear make up the next day too.

I'm particularly impressed with the lip stain. I didn't come off or smudge at all through the afternoon and evening, even through dinner and dessert. I think it will survive masks just fine.

Now I just need to find some fake eyelashes for my new look!!! The drug store seemed to be all sold out.