For many people in Dunedin, life in Alert Level 2 is sweet.
After more than 14 weeks without having a haircut, lockdown nearly caused Tania Keane to commit a cardinal sin.
The Healthcare New Zealand support worker, who has been working throughout Alert Levels 3 and 4, said she did not know how, but somehow she managed to put the scissors down and resist the urge to trim her tresses.
That was until her last haircut, which was supposed to be the day after New Zealand went into lockdown.
So after 14 weeks without so much as a trim, she was getting pretty tempted to have a go herself.
"It felt like I was wearing a big heavy helmet - like this big thick mop. I just wanted to put the clippers through myself."
She held out until Thursday, when the country went into Alert Level 2.
"I was one of the first on the chair. It was wonderful to take some time for myself for a change."
Mrs Keane said her new "do" felt "absolutely amazing".
"I feel more lively now. I feel like myself again."
"I have had my nails done every three weeks for the past six years."
Her daughter had managed to give her a home pedicure, buying time until her appointment yesterday.
Liz Pine, of Laundromutt dog groomer, said she had seen some "interesting" hairstyles on customers’ pets since reopening.
"We call them ‘mum grooms’.
"We have had some children give their dogs haircuts and we have even had bubblegum[in the hair]."
Many dogs had left the groomer bald because a "shave off" was the only option to fix their overgrown coats. She said they had honoured their existing bookings and filled any gaps by prioritising which pet needed their attention the most.
"A lot of our customers came back to us and said ‘I did not realise what you guys actually did for us’."
The groomer was expecting to be flat out for at least the next four months.
