Fond of dreadlocks and bangs, and know how to make them? Wow, you should be a hair stylist! This article throws light on the steps involved in framing a career as a hair stylist, and help people get rid of their bad hair days!
So, who do you give credit to for turning your hair from good to great? Your hair for being the kind it is? Yourself for having drop-dead-gorgeous locks that can make hearts melt? Or your shampoo for being your savior on those bad hair days? To me, it’s my hair stylist who is one of the most important persons in the world, for it’s a result of his years of expertise and skills that women like me can wake up in the morning knowing they won’t have a bad hair day.
He knows how hair can instill within the feeling of confidence, appeal, and youth, and has the knack of making my life easier, and well, carefree. If you’ve thought of becoming the next Ken Peeves or Mary Ann Valdes, the road to this career has everything you need to end up styling the hair of some of the most famous celebrities in the world. So, if you find yourself asking, how to become a hair stylist in the easiest way, all I’d say is, the ultimate secret lies in getting the hang of the basics.
Becoming a Hair Stylist: Steps
Hair Stylists – Who are They?
They know how to work with scissors such that it transforms your look entirely, and this, ain’t no exaggeration. They’re professionally trained individuals who are licensed in the art of cutting, styling, coloring, and polishing the hair of their clients. They’re well aware of the latest cutting and styling techniques, and are learned professionals who have a flair for fashion and appearances which they enhance through the creativity they have.
There is no extensive study required to shape a hair styling career – all one needs to complete is high school, enroll in a training program, and begin hunting for a job, or open a private salon. The following segment talks about the procedure of becoming a hair stylist in detail.
To become a hair stylist, before embarking upon the essentials, research as much as you can about hair styling. What would you tell your trainer during your course, if he asks you about your know-how on hair styling? Therefore, after finishing high school, you can research hair styles, techniques, haircuts, hair coloring, and hair care. Think of your own hair stylist, and the job he does. It would then be easy for you to figure out what all do you need to understand ab initio, before entering the field of hair styling. What follows below are the steps involved in becoming a professional hair stylist:
Enroll for a Training Program
Ensuring that you are above 16 years of age, and adhering to the rules your state has set for obtaining a license, you need to enroll in a training program from a cosmetology or a community college which usually lasts from 9 months to 2 years. Training schools get you acquainted with practical know-how about hair cutting, hair styling, hair bleaching and coloring, the use of scissors, razors, and other electronic equipment required during hair styling.
Many training programs also offer knowledge about hair care, both professional and natural, and it is recommended you choose only those courses which have hair care as an area of study as it will help you in the long run. What follows below is a list of top cosmetology and hair styling schools in the United States of America that you can choose to study in:
- Aveda Institutes
- Empire Education Group
- Ogle Beauty Schools
- Paul Mitchell Schools
- Regency Beauty Institute
Obtain On-the-job Training
Before taking an exam to obtain a license, it is highly recommended you obtain on-the-job training for a couple of years where you will efficiently understand the procedures involved in salon management, building a clientele, business practices, use and care of instruments, hair coloring and bleaching, and hygiene. This training or apprenticeship will groom you, and get you acquainted with the universe of cosmetology, hair styling in particular, so that after obtaining your license, you can choose confidently between working as an individual hair stylist or working under the name of a brand.
Obtain a License
The local state licensing board gives comprehensive information with regards to obtaining a license in cosmetology. In order to begin working as a hair stylist, you need to pass an exam conducted by your state cosmetology board. This test is written and practical, wherein, you will be marked on the basis of your styling skills and expertise.
If you pass with flying colors, you get your license to practice hair styling, and that’s when you can begin hunting for a job. However, if you don’t want to work under someone else, you can always establish your own salon, and practice hair styling. Tell you the truth, the salaries of hair stylists who work on an individual basis are much higher than those for the ones who work under a particular brand name.
Professional hair stylists keep working on their clientele list, and leave no stone unturned in getting noticed. You can work as a hair stylist under a brand name, open your own salon, or become a representative for product lines. There isn’t a scarceness of career opportunities in the field of hair styling, and the more you expand your horizons, the better your lifestyle becomes. So, now create infinite glamorous moments with your scissors and blow dryers. The world of beauteousness awaits you to add your creativity to it.