Cosmetology

What Is Cosmetology?

The field of Cosmetology is all about hair, skin, cosmetics, and nails and the procedures to make them beautiful.  A license is generally needed to practice cosmetology and to own a salon.  You may also need to be at least 16 years old and have a high school diploma or a GED, unless cosmetology is part of your high school program.  You may already be good at styling your little sister’s hair or helping your grandma polish her nails, but official training is necessary to work in this field.  If you go to cosmetology school full-time, you can probably finish your training in about 8 months, or, if you go part-time, probably in 2 years.  And, there are shorter certificate programs for students who want to specialize and be licensed in only one area like electrologist or manicurist.

Cosmetology school is not just about how to style hair and polish nails.  Yes, that’s part of the training, but the program starts with science—yes, science:  the anatomy of the hair, skin, and nails and the chemistry of products that you’ll use with clients.  Then you’ll have units on the hands-on part of beautifying hair, skin, and nails.  So, your training will be comprehensive and important.  Are you looking for a career that will not take too long to prepare for?  Are you good at working with people—willing to work hard to listen to clients and help then make decisions about what’s best for them?  Jobs you could have are Licensed Cosmetologist, Esthetician/Cosmetologist, Hair Stylist, Cosmetology Educator, and Barber.