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Beauty Professionals Should Be Licensed, According to U.S. Voters

Posted on: May 16th, 2013 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Regulation and licensure of beauty professionals is a vital component to keeping the field professional, as well as safe and protected for the consumer. Many states are pushing for deregulation of industries, and the cosmetology professions are no exception. The stated goal of deregulation is to increase employment in the field and competition among providers. However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a growth rate of at least 14-18% in the cosmetology professions by the year 2020.

In an effort to determine the mood of consumers regarding regulation and licensing of the beauty professions, the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) conducted a national poll in December 2012. The study was completed online immediately following the election of November 2012, and involved 1202 Americans who voted in the 2012 presidential election. The margin of error for the study was +/- 2.83%, which places the confidence level in the results at 95% or more.

The results of the poll were overwhelming: 94% of U.S. voters studied supported requiring beauty professional licensing and regulation. The main reason cited for this support was the need to protect the public from health issues, and to improve the quality and safety of the beauty industries.

The respondents generally did not understand the connection between public health issues and beauty licensing prior to the poll. However, when informed of the issues, 67% agreed the connection was important. 80% of voters studied knew beauty professionals attend a school to receive their license. They were less likely to know this training includes preventing disease and identifying health issues. Eighty-two percent (82%) of the respondents felt deregulation would negatively affect safety and quality in the beauty industry. Education, licensing, regulation and continuing professional education give standards and accountability to practitioners and businesses for cleanliness, sanitation and safety.

The study is highly valuable in that it identifies what messages are important to convey to beauty professionals and consumers. The most compelling message in favor of continued licensure and regulation is that of sanitation and public health. This message showed consensus among voters of all ages and political affiliations.

The PBA has launched a campaign among its members to increase pride in the profession and to reinforce the need for licensing and regulation. Called the “I Am” campaign, it encourages beauty professionals to share their pride in their profession. Beauty professionals should share the message of what licensing means and why it is important. They receive information and resources about the effects deregulation would have on the supply chain within the beauty industry. Manufacturers, distributors, salon business owners and the licensed beauty professionals would all be affected.

However, the consumers would be the ones carrying the most risk if beauty professionals were no longer required to be accountable to a licensing board. The state boards regulating cosmetology and other beauty professions have a consumer complaint resolution process, salon and business inspectors, professional testing requirements and oversight of operators within the professions. These all help protect consumers from negligent and unsanitary practices, untrained operators and shady business practices. Without regulation and licensure, beauty operators would no longer be required to attend a beauty school or pass exams to prove their skills. Obtaining beauty services would be completely at the risk of the consumer.

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Paul Mitchell & UNL Team Up for Anti-Bullying Program

Posted on: February 26th, 2013 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Bullying is a huge problem in schools nowadays, even contributing to youth suicide. And no school is immune to the issue, including post-secondary educational facilities. Thus, Paul Mitchell cosmetology schools are teaming up with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) to develop a program known as N-Lighten, which has the sole purpose of raising awareness regarding the issue, and creating an anti-bullying curriculum that teaches self-empowerment as well as intervention and prevention. Winn Claybaugh is the co-founder and dean of Paul Mitchell cosmetology schools, and he will be working with Dr. Susan Swearer, an expert on preventing and intervening bullying. Their goal is to form a life-long relationship that focuses on building healthy relationships, teaching healthy thinking, building self-esteem and preventing bullying.

“Every parent wants the absolute best for his or her children,” Claybaugh says. “When prospective students step into a Paul Mitchell School, their parents are entrusting us with the safety and security of their son or daughter. We take that responsibility very seriously. Our partnership with Susan Swearer, who has spent her professional career studying these behaviors, puts the world on notice that Paul Mitchell Schools are committed to not just teaching the skills of cosmetology but also the skills of life, leadership, and happiness. This is an opportunity for Paul Mitchell Schools to raise awareness that bullying and harassing behaviors cannot be tolerated in the society we live in.”

The importance of this program is significant considering that Dr. Swearer states that bullying affects three out four students during the course of their education, and it can lead to psychological consequences ranging from depression, antisocial behavior and anxiety to feelings of helplessness and suicidal thoughts. In a school environment, bullying has the ability to create a negative learning environment, which oftentimes leads to lower academic performance and eventually dropping out.

Although the long-term goal of this program is to reach out to high school students across the country, it will start being taught at UNL, and a distance learning program will be implemented for those unable to travel to the Nebraska beauty schools. The program will be taught to more than 100 Paul Mitchell schools. N-Lighten will include messages from Claybaugh’s book Be Nice (Or Else!) combined with evidence-based methods to prevent bullying, create healthy relationships and help with self-empowerment. As part of the new UNL Empowerment Initiative, which was created by Dr. Swearer, the N-Lighten program will be the speech portion of the program. The N-Lighten Program will educate on a personal level in regards to bullying, and it will focus on the issue on a much larger scale in relation to the world. Once staff members finish the training, they will become Certified N-Lighten Trainers, meaning that you will be able to encourage and empower others not only in the schools, but in the local communities as well.

A few important facts about bullying from the National Education Association:

An estimated 160,000 children miss school each day due to fear of attack or intimidation by fellow students.
An estimated 6 out of 10 American teenagers witness bullying in school once per day.
83% of girls and 79% of boys report experiencing harassment at some point.
Students who are targets of bullying tend to fear going to school and have a diminished ability to learn.
An estimated 15 percent of all school absenteeism may be related to fears of being bullied at school.

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INFOGRAPHIC: Chemicals in Beauty Products

Posted on: February 12th, 2013 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

More companies than ever are trying to go green or organic to meet the rising demands of beauty product customers. Organic beauty products with fewer chemicals continue to increase and flood the market, and we think more natural beauty products is a great trend to take hold. However, the number of chemicals still used in many beauty products today is eye-popping and a little disturbing. Granted, not all chemicals are harmful or dangerous, but shouldn’t we all take steps to move back toward our roots and create the best cosmetic options possible? Don’t we have an obligation to make make up and beauty products healthy and safe to use for all consumers? Check out these alarming facts about the chemicals used in today’s beauty products, and how many chemicals the average person puts on their skin each day.

Facts About Chemicals in Beauty Products

There are more than 10,500 different ingredients used in personal care products.
Global, plant-based pharmaceutical market valued at $19.5 billion in 2008
Global beauty industry valued at $50 billion in 2010.
Women use on average 12 products containing 168 ingredients and 515 chemicals every day.
Men use on average 6 products containing 85 ingredients every day.
Children are exposed to 61 ingredients every day.

Average Number of Chemicals in Beauty Products

Hairspray – 11
Blush – 16
Foundation – 24
Deodorant – 15
Shampoo – 15
Eye Shadow – 26
Nail Polish – 31
Perfume – 250
Body Lotion – 32
Fake Tan – 22
Lipstick – 33

Chemicals in Makeup

In a Campaign for Safe Cosmetics test of 33 popular lipstick brands, they found that 61% of lipsticks contained lead, with levels up to 0.65 parts per million. The FDA did a follow-up study and found levels up to 7.19 parts per million. 5 of the 10 most contaminated brands are made by L’Oreal. There is no safe level of lead exposure.

Regulation (Or Lack Thereof) of Chemicals in Beauty Products

FDA has no authority to require companies to test products for safety. FDA does not review or approve the vast majority of products or ingredients before they go on the market.
FDA has no authority to require recalls of harmful cosmetics. Manufacturers are not required to report cosmetics-related injuries to the agency – they’re supposed to do so voluntarily.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) safety panel has assessed fewer than 20% of cosmetics ingredients, and found only 11 ingredients or chemicals to be unsafe.
Products labeled “Natural” or “Organic” often contain synthetic chemicals – “organic” products are only required to contain as little as 10% organic ingredients by weight or volume.
Federal law allows companies to leave many chemicals off the label – nanomaterials, ingredients considered trade secrets, components of fragrance (fragrance may include any of 3,163 different chemicals).

Sources

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/myths-on-cosmetics-safety/
http://safecosmetics.org/
http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/chemicals-linked-to-breast-cancer/cosmetics/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/beauty/article-1229275/Revealed–515-chemicals-women-bodies-day.html
http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice

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Indiana Cosmetology Licensing on the Chopping Block Again

Posted on: February 7th, 2013 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Once again, another state is catching on to the ugly trend of deregulating the cosmetology industry, and the state of Indiana is actually doing it for the second time. As a professional in this industry, you are probably thinking to yourself just how dangerous a proposal like this can be. However, the state of Indiana is proposing a bill known as Indiana Senate Bill 520 that would place licensure and regulations of barbers, estheticians, nail technicians and cosmetologists on the chopping block once again. The bill creates ERASER – this is a bit of a play on words, since they are trying to erase the regulations and licensure needed for the field of cosmetology– however, this committee is actually known as the Eliminate, Reduce, and Streamline Employee Regulation committee. This particular bill is focused on a five-year plan that after implemented would reverse the requirement currently in place for regulations, licensing and certification for professionals in the state of Indiana. For those currently in cosmetology or barbering, it would make their certifications, hard work and educational background useless. That doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what this means for consumers.

Ultimately, those who have certifications and who have worked hard to obtain a professional license in Indiana could lose the respect and reputation they worked so hard to earn by being well-trained and offering high-quality, safe beauty services, since just anyone would be allowed to work in the field with or without certification and training. For those of you who currently work in the field, you know just what an insult that this bill is to hard-working beauticians who have invested their time and money into professional training and certification only to be smacked in the face with the fact that their devotion to the industry and excellence in their craft no longer matter. Indiana Senate Bill 520 could also negatively affect the local economy. Beauty schools in Indiana and salons are valuable contributors to the local economy, and by eliminating the need for an education in the field many of these cosmetology programs could ultimately be shut down.

Most importantly, this proposal will make clients susceptible to risks that result from untrained and unlicensed individuals. The lesser of the risks include bad haircuts, potentially orange hair as a result of a poor dye job and the humiliation associated with poor-quality cosmetology work. But there are more serious consequences that stem from individuals practicing who have never been trained in safety and sanitation, or the proper use of chemicals used in hair, nail and skin care services. This could lead to an increase in cases of infection and disease from administering beauty services, which poses a hazard to the health and safety of clients, and would be a stain on the beauty industry as a whole. Plus, instruments like scissors, razors and chemicals in the wrong, untrained hands pose risks to clients that must be taken seriously. For instance chemical burns, permanent scars and total hair loss are just some of the consequences that someone with little to no experience in the field can do to client. It’s not just hair or just skin. These are people we’re talking about.

After being presented with the risks, you may be curious as to why the state of Indiana would consider deregulating the beauty industry. Senator Randy Head of Logansport, the man responsible for introducing this legislation, and other supporters of the bill state that it is the consumer’s responsibility to find a skilled professional. Supporters of the bill say that once a customer experiences bad service, he or she can always find a new stylist “without any risk of serious harm.” The logic behind the measure is to reduce spending on both the state and federal levels.

The fields of esthetics, nail technology, cosmetology and barbering need to have set standards that regulate the industry, along with licensure that indicates that a person demonstrates the necessary skills, training and knowledge to safely administer beauty services at a high level of quality for customers. The proper training from Indiana beauty education programs needs to be required to protect clients and the beauty industry as a whole. To help support the cause, we encourage you to sign to the petition at Change.org because your voice needs to be heard in this matter!

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Beauty Industry Events Calendar

Posted on: February 6th, 2013 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Below is our frequently updated Beauty Industry Events Calendar. If you are attending or organizing an event in the beauty business that appeals to students, teachers, schools or working professionals and don’t see your event on this calendar, contact us and we’d be happy to add your beauty industry event to the calendar! Please include the beauty industry event title, venue, city/state, date range and website. This calendar can include conferences, association gatherings, conventions, hair shows, cosmetology competitions and more.

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Cosmetology Students Practice Skills on Homeless Customers

Posted on: October 19th, 2012 by Heather No Comments

Cosmetology students around the country can now put their skills to use by helping homeless customers. A cosmetology student can give back to the community in so many ways. He or she may participate in a project like Project Homeless Connect. Project Homeless Connect provides health and human services to individuals in need nationwide. Current hairstylists at salons or future hairstylists studying at cosmetology schools can get in touch with this group and provide their hair cutting services at no cost to those who are less fortunate and need a little boost.

Homeless veterans are just one group of individuals who could benefit from the assistance of cosmetology students. Many veterans never anticipate being homeless or requiring any sort of free help. TheTownTalk.com recently posted an article on the Internet about all of the veterans in Louisiana suffering in the difficult economy. The article cited the case of one veteran, Jesse Jacobs. Jacobs never anticipated having to depend on the help of family and friends to get through his life struggles. Cosmetology students have been volunteering their time with the local VA charity in order to help veterans cut down on their monthly costs.

College students are helping struggling individuals throughout the nation. In Desert Manna, California, cosmetology students are providing free haircuts to individuals who live in the local homeless shelter. The students enjoy providing free haircuts to people as a boost for their self-confidence. The students also believe that their work helps individuals get the jobs that they have always wanted.

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13-Year-Old YouTube Makeup Artist & Cancer Survivor Becomes Honorary CoverGirl on Ellen Show

Posted on: October 17th, 2012 by Heather No Comments

Talia Castellano is one of those rare individuals who truly inspires the world with her presence and optimistic attitude. As a 13-year-old cancer patient fighting multiple forms of cancer, Talia Castellano creates makeup tutorials on YouTube in order to inspire audiences and help others battling rare forms of cancer. She is the epitome of strength, courage and an unwavering attitude in the face of hardship.

Just recently, Talia Castellano made a special appearance on the Ellen show. There she discussed the passion that she has for applying makeup as a way to express her feelings and show her dynamic personality. She has more than 200,000 YouTube subscribers, and she has become a huge success on the Internet. In one of her YouTube videos, Talia discusses that makeup is her version of a “wig.” Her makeup is what gives her the confidence to go out to the grocery store without an actual wig. She is nothing but optimistic, perhaps revealing her immense courage and ability to stand out. She has an incredible sense of self-awareness for a person of such a young age.

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U.S. Spa Revenue Grows 4.5%, Outpaces U.S. Economic Growth

Posted on: September 10th, 2012 by Heather No Comments

The beauty industry is forever changing and growing. From the types of procedures offered to diversity with employment, this field is expanding, and spas are no different. For those looking for a new career in the beauty industry, the job openings at salons and spas are increasing, and the revenue generated from this field is rising steadily. In fact, even in a tough economy, spa revenue in the U.S. is growing, and at a speed that tops overall U.S. economic growth.

According to the International Spa Association (ISPA), there was revenue of $12.8 billion dollars for the spa industry in 2010. In the following year, the revenue improved. The yearly study that is conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) indicated that $13.4 billion were earned by spa; this is an increase of 4.5 percent of total revenue.The International Spa Association notes that the number of visits to a spa increased as well. In fact, the study shows that there were 156 million visits in 2011. In the previous year, spa visits measured by the PwC’s survey were at 150 million. The statistics revealed that the number of visits to a spa were up by 4.1 percent.

The number of full-time employees who work in spas increased as well. The PwC’s study shows that there were 149,200 full-time employees in the spa industry, in 2011. In just a year’s time, the amount of full-timeworkers rose to 163,100. This means that there was an increase of 9.3 percent, which surpasses the total percentage of economic growth in the U.S. The total number of employees, including full-time and part-time, increased, too. This number went from 338,600 in May of 2011 to 339,400 in May of 2012. While the change may only be 0.2 percent, this proves that the number of opportunities in the spa industry is growing steadily. The data from the survey also revealed that the number of contracted and part-time employees decreased, but this means that the industry is growing so rapidly that full-time employees may be needed to meet with the demand of spa services.

In the latest survey conducted by the PwC in May of 2012, data showed that spas are increasing their services and make changes to stimulate business. Eighty-three percent of all spas made some form of change, if not several changes. These improvements in salon and spa businesses could have been among the reasons that salons and spas seeing more visits. Another possibility may be the desire for people to get away and relax, but instead of taking expensive vacations, they instead opt for “stay-cations” and enjoy a luxurious day at the salon or spa.

Unlike many products out there today (gas prices, anyone?) the price of spa services have remained fairly stable in recent years. Statically speaking, the spa industry is improving and growing for both customers and employees. Along with the International Spa Association, we’re optimistic that the spa industry will continue to grow at a healthy rate and prospective employment in the industry will increase as well.So what does this mean for people trained in the beauty services? Good things, of course! Recent graduates of cosmetology schools and esthetics schools can hopefully look forward to more available jobs to begin their careers, and more demand for the kinds of beauty and luxury services they have to offer.

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Kansas City Fashion Week 2012 – September 5-9

Posted on: September 5th, 2012 by Heather No Comments

Beauty Schools Directory will be covering Kansas City Fashion Week 2012 from September 5 to 9. We got a chance to speak with Executive Director Teisha Barber about the upcoming events!

Beauty Schools Directory: What exactly is your role in Kansas City Fashion Week?

Teisha Barber: I am the Executive Director of Kansas City Fashion Week. I plan, oversee, and coordinate all fashion shows, parties, castings, etc for each Spring and Fall show, all with the help of my wonderful committee of course

BSD: For those who aren’t familiar, please explain what exactly KCFW is and what it features.

Barber: KCFW is 5 days full of fashion events featuring local, regional, and national designer’s newest collections in several high-quality runway shows. Local models, hair stylists, make-up artists, photographers, and boutiques are also featured in several runway shows throughout the event. Kansas City has so many talented fashion industry professionals. We are striving to make that more known to the larger cities and across the country.

BSD: How many Kansas City Fashion Weeks have happened in the past?

Barber: This will be Kansas City Fashion Week LLC’s third event.

BSD: How is this year’s the same or different from past years?

Barber: September’s show is different from our show in February for several reasons. We’ve added several events including a Boutique Sponsor Showcase, a Bride Day Event, and a Designer Trunk Show. We not only have regional designers in September, but we also have a national and international presence. February was regional. We have several new performances throughout the week from recording artist Kristen May and Quixotic. Finally, this is our first show partnering with a charity, and we could not be happier with our partnership with Wayside Waifs Animal Shelter.

BSD: What should people attend this show over other cities they may have to choose from?

Barber: We have 8 to 9 designers per show, and each show is a mixture of different types of fashion. We want the audience to be able to see a variety of styles each night, just in case they aren’t able to attend every show. We partner with performing arts groups to bring the audience not only a fashion show, but a performance as well.

BSD: How do you find and choose hairstylists, makeup artists and other cosmetology-related staff for the event?

Barber: Some designers do have their own stylists that they book themselves. Kansas City Fashion Week has an application process for hairstylists and makeup artists and our selection committee then chooses salons and individuals to participate, based on their availability, experience, and portfolios.

BSD: What are you hoping to achieve with KCFW?

Barber: We ultimately want to give Kansas City a new fashion outlet and make us a more prominent city in the fashion industry. Many people don’t get a chance to travel to one of the larger cities for Fashion Week, so we would like to bring it closer to home. It also allows local and national designers a way of making their brand known to a new audience whether it be the consumers or buyers for boutiques and stores. Not only do we want to showcase our designers, but also the variety of talent we have here in Kansas City from models, hairstylists, makeup artists, and photographers. KCFW allows each of these areas of fashion to become involved and gain exposure for themselves, their brands and businesses.

BSD: What do you hope that attendees will walk away with?

Barber: We hope that each attendee walks away feeling as though they saw some amazing pieces from our designers. We definitely want to hear people saying, “I have to have that!”

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Building Blocks of a Successful Salon Client Consultation

Posted on: August 21st, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Emily Hudspeth’s journey into the world of beauty has been a lifelong stroll with some interesting twists and turns. Coming from a long line of women in the beauty industry, 3 aunts and 3 cousins are stylists, Emily grew up in a beauty shop in central Louisiana. Emily is also addicted to education and learning everything she possibly can. While studying Public Relations and Business at Louisiana State University, Emily worked at an Aveda Salon in the mall. Immediately after graduating, she enrolled at Aveda Institute to study cosmetology. With cosmetology license in hand, Emily ran to the West Coast to work as an apprentice in a Santa Monica salon with some of the best stylists in Los Angeles and became an official stylist herself. From there Emily started working as a freelance artist, doing hair and makeup for special events and commercial film and print advertising. The foundation of great education provided a solid base for building a successful freelance career. Right now, Emily has created a program to help others who are working to build a profitable career as a freelance artist. View Emily’s videos on YouTube or visit her site, EmilyHudspeth.com, to get in touch.

Hairstylist Consulting with Salon Client

Emily Consulting with Client

It seems like everyone has a horror story (or 10!) about a salon experience gone terribly wrong. Most of these situations that I hear about seem to come from a breakdown in communication. I feel compelled to share my insight, since I have been both behind the chair and in it.

As a stylist, it is your job to lead the conversation and make sure that 100% understand what the client is trying to tell you. That is a tough job because sometimes the client isn’t sure what they are trying to tell you or even what they really want. How do you strip down what they are saying and really get it? Start by asking questions. You may want to ask the same question in a different way a few times to make sure they are giving you a consistent answer. That confirms they understand what you are asking, and you understand what they are saying.

You will be surprised what they think an inch is, when you ask them to hold up their fingers to show you. Show them where the end result of the length would be. If taking off 2 inches will have the end result sit at their collar bone, show them where that is. If they actually wanted it above the shoulders, that would be more length. Save yourself from doing the haircut twice or having them be upset that you can’t put the hair back on once it’s been cut off.

If this is the first time that you are meeting the client and have never touched their hair before, sit down with them to have a thorough consultation before going to the shampoo bowl. Find out if the texture that you are seeing is the natural texture. Just because it is board straight when they come in, doesn’t mean that it is the hair’s natural state. If it has been flat ironed, find out if they do that every day or once a week.

I like to cover some very specific topics to insure the experience is a success for both myself and the client. Do not get up to go to the shampoo bowl unless you are 100% on the same page. Here are a few questions to ask the client during your consultation:

What do you like about your hair at the moment? For example, do you like the length? The natural texture?
What do you dislike about your hair at the moment? What challenges are you having with styling it?
Are you looking to try something new? For example, would you like to add a fringe? Would you like for your stylist to educate you on a new way to style your hair?
Talk about your maintenance schedule. How often will you return to the salon for cut and color? What is your daily routine? How much time or money do you plan to invest in your daily look.

The consultation doesn’t end before you start the cut. When the cut is complete, educate your client on what she will need – products, tools and how to use them – to recreate this look at home. Recommend how many weeks later the client should return to maintain the cut and color. Walk your client to the front desk to help her checkout and schedule the follow up appointment based on the maintenance plan that you discussed. You want to make sure it is easy and that she does not have to struggle to fit into your busy schedule.Once you have asked these questions, repeat back to the client what you have heard them say. When you are both in agreement, then you can go to the shampoo bowl. Now your client can relax because she is confident that you took the time to listen and understand her needs.

This process will get easier and become a fluid part of your routine. You could be booked solid, retain your clients and attract new ones because you take the time to understand their needs. It wouldn’t be so bad to be booked out for months in advance, would it?