How to Start a Career in Beauty
While the High Street has had a tumultuous few years, beauty has consistently been one of the best-performing retail sectors. Sales have reached £3.7 billion for some of the well-known beauty retailers in recent years, making it one of the most attractive industries to be part of right now.
It’s easy to see why it’s so popular. From the opportunity to work flexible hours to being able to be creative, there are many positives. If you have always wanted a career based on your love of makeup and fragrance, hair and body care, there are plenty of ways to get started. Here are some ideas to help you begin your beauty journey.
Experience is Key
Before you think about training up, arrange some work experience at your local spa or salon. Offer to help out for a week or two and observe as many stylists and beauty therapists as you can.
Getting some hand-on experience like this, even if you’re just sweeping the floor in your local hairdressers, is a good starting point as you can see the beauty industry in action. If you’re undecided on the area of beauty that you would like to train in, this shadowing time will also give you an idea of whether you can see yourself doing this every day.
Get Trained
Once you know what area you would like to specialize in, it’s time to look into training. Take the time to decide the path you want to take before you sign up for your course. Whether you have always wanted to be a masseuse, or you long to be a make-up artist, take some time to weigh up your options.
Research the opportunities available to you and look at the courses that are offered at universities and colleges that you would like to attend. Assessing the different qualifications and the type of training you’ll have to do it a great way to whittle down your options.
Make sure the course you opt for offers hands-on training too. You’ll need to practice the skills you’re learning, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting that real experience in.
Expect the Unexpected
That’s not to say that you have to work in the one area of beauty forever. While you might have trained to be a laser therapist, you might find that you enjoy giving holistic massages more. Perhaps you have qualifications as a nail technician but want to swap to being a hair stylist. You don’t have to limit your options and you can build your beauty skills and training throughout your career.
Also, you might decide to go freelance. If you want to offer pamper sessions or become a mobile hairdresser, be sure to know the key suppliers, such as massage oil stockists and hair dye specialists like Capital Hair & Beauty, so you can set up shop.
What path will you take? Do you think you know what type of beauty you’d like to specialise in?