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How to Get the Most Out of Barber School or Cosmetology School

Posted on: September 18th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Greg Zorian is a third generation master barber. He is the co-owner of two successful barbershops in upstate New York. He is also the founder of www.HowToCutHair.tv which is a complete online resource available for barbering/men’s haircutting instruction. Greg has an easy-to-follow methodology that he has taught to thousands of students over the past 20 years. Greg shows how to capitalize on the growing men’s market segment of the beauty industry.

BE 15 MINUTES EARLY EVERY DAY

Plan on being 15 minutes early for school every day. This will give you time to put your things away, clean your tools, get a good seat in the classroom, finish up any last minute preparations for your first class, etc. By being early on a daily basis you will be developing one of the most important habits you can have for your future.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Every school has a dress code. Make sure to stick to it and show your teachers and classmates you take pride in your school. Go above and beyond just wearing your uniform. Come to school with your clothes ironed and your shoes freshly shined. This will make you feel better and more professional as well. Get in the habit early on of dressing for success.

TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT

This is a great topic for our business because as a barber or cosmetologist, you are communicating constantly. You have teachers, administrators, fellow students, and customers. Make sure to treat everyone the way you would like to be treated. Always try to keep a smile on your face. Smiles are contagious. If you are in an uncomfortable situation and it is possible to remove yourself, do so. The fastest way to success in any customer service related field is to treat people in a respectful and friendly manner.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR TEACHERS

Your teachers are teaching you for many reasons. They teach because they love it. They teach because they care about you. They teach because they love the business. They teach because they want to be a positive influence in your life. They also teach to earn a living, but it is last on their list. Please treat them with respect and pay attention to them. They are preparing you for your future. You may not always like what they have to say but they are saying it for a reason. You are going to benefit from everything they teach you.

ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR SCHOOL

The only way to get the most out of barber school or cosmetology school is to be prepared at all times. Being prepared at all times means always having your textbook with tools with you. You can’t learn theory if you don’t have your textbook with you. You can’t learn how to give a clipper cut if you don’t have your clipper or clipper combs with you.

Another suggestion is not to lend your tools and books to anyone. A number of things can happen if you do this. The day you need your textbook the student borrowing it could be out sick. The day you need your clippers that student might be out sick. The person borrowing your clippers might have dropped them by mistake and chipped the cutting blade. If they don’t tell you and you go to use them on a customer you might cut them. If any of these things happen you are the one who is going to look bad. Always keep tools cleaned and in good working condition.

PRACTICE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ON THE CLINIC FLOOR

The clinic floor is your chance to get as much experience as you can. You have the opportunity to get most of your mistakes out of the way. Grab all of the haircuts you can. Make sure you take the ones that are the most difficult for you. The only way to build your skill and confidence is by repetition. If the longer hairstyles are your weakness, be the first one to grab that type of haircut when they come in. If you are a master at fades leave that haircut for someone else. Take full advantage of the opportunity your school is giving you.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE BEST STUDENTS CLOSE TO GRADUATION

You can learn a lot from your fellow students if you keep an open mind. Keep an eye on the students close to graduation on the clinic floor. Watch their haircuts. Find the students who are giving the quality of haircuts that you would like to duplicate. Get close to them and watch. Ask questions. Take notes. In most cases they will be honored that you want to learn from them.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GUEST SPEAKERS

Every school has guest speakers come in to talk to their students and give demonstrations on a wide range of topics. Make sure to find out when these people are scheduled to come in and what they are going to be talking about or demonstrating. Do some research on them before they come in to speak. Find out who they are. Where they work. What their area of expertise is. It is a good idea to be prepared ahead of time so you are ready for their class. Most of the time these speakers come from a local barbershop, salon, or product distributor. Have some questions ready for them and try to get to know them a little if you have the opportunity to do so. The more connections you make and networking you do, the better your chances for achieving a higher level of success when you graduate. If you are absent you might miss a career or even life changing opportunity. You are paying for an education. It is your job to get the most out of it.

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Pinterest: A Secret Weapon for Marketing Your Beauty Business

Posted on: September 6th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

Jen Mathews is the President of Top Tier Media, a social media management and consulting for beauty, fashion, health and lifestyle brands. Jen is also the founder and Editor-in-Chief for award-winning beauty blog, My Beauty Bunny. Jen spends way too much time on Pinterest! If there is a support group for media addicts, send help immediately!

Pinterest is a haven for beauty professionals and salons trying to gain clientele or become more relevant in the beauty industry. Besides a personal or business website, social media platforms such as Pinterest have become a necessity when it comes to marketing your business or yourself as a beauty professional.

If you aren’t familiar with Pinterest, it’s the fastest growing social media platform that has about 20 million unique visitors every month. Pinterest encourages you to create virtual boards (think “vision boards”) and allows you to categorize and keep pictures of anything from clothes, decoration ideas to must-try recipes and unique DIY projects.

Since the beauty industry is all about creating something visual, Pinterest is an extraordinary marketing fit for beauty-related professions, businesses and products. Hairstylists can post pictures of their last hair show or clients with a new hairstyle or highlights. Makeup artists can post colorful new looks and spas and salons can feature pictures of the inside of their location as well as promote new products.

The best thing about Pinterest is the rapid rate in which your business or product can be shared with a number of users. Similar to Facebook, once a Pinterest user “pins” your image, it is then visible to that user’s own Pinterest followers. If one of their followers also “pins” the image, that user’s followers also see it. Even better, Pinterest is often used as a search engine for photos and a great source of inspiration for new looks. So, using relevant hashtags and thorough descriptions of each pin will increase the chances of others finding and following your boards.

The next best thing about using Pinterest for marketing your beauty business is that pins can all be directly linked to your personal website or blog. With one click, a potential client can be connected with your whole beauty portfolio. Potential new clients might pin a picture of the funky interior of your salon, and by clicking on the picture, can be connected to your business website.

One note of caution – always pin photos from the original source to avoid copyright issues. Never pin images from a Google search. Always start from the original website before pinning an image. Generally speaking, if a blog or website has a pin-it button next to a post, they are giving you permission to pin the images. And always give credit where credit is due.

Signing up for Pinterest is free and starting a page on Pinterest for your beauty business is incredibly easy. If you are unsure on how to get started, reach out to a social media manager and see how they can help you and your business gain some website traffic or potential new clients from Pinterest.

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How to Become an Expert in Cosmetology & Beauty

Posted on: August 27th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory 1 Comment

Erika Brown is worked hard and overcame all obstacles to become a proud graduate of Paul Mitchell School, an American Board Certified Haircolorist, and a Makeup Specialist. She works at a salon she loves and specializes in hair coloring and the art of special occasion styles. She runs her own cosmetology blog, Confessions of a Cosmetologist, and enjoys inspiring others in the cosmetology field. You can also keep up with Erika on Facebook.

Do you ever wonder why some people achieve great success in their careers and others don’t? Some of us spend our lives wondering what the secret is when it’s really quite simple. It doesn’t matter if you’re a barber, nail tech, hairstylist, esthetician, or even a shoe salesman… there are two main types of people in any career. They are leaders and there are followers. Do you want to be the one with happy clients and a full schedule? Or do you want to be the one getting nothing but complaints, bad tips, and a pink slip? Anyone can become an expert in their trade, but it’s all about how much you’re willing to work for it. Here are just a few benefits of becoming an expert in the cosmetology field:

Clients will trust you.
Your career/business will grow.
Clients will search for you by name instead of just your salon or spa.
You will set yourself apart from the rest.

Ask yourself if you want those things in your career. Even if you are just starting out in beauty school, deciding that you want to be the best now will only improve your learning experience. For those of you who are already well into your career always remember, it’s never too late to be the best! If you think you’ve reached your highest level of personal success, think again. Each milestone you achieve you should be asking yourself, “What’s next?” You may be wondering how all of this makes you an expert at what you do. It’s all about goals and providing the best services you can. You can do a great job every day, but if you don’t have goals to apply that energy to where will you be going? If you’re ready to go up instead of in circles ask yourself what type of career goals you want to reach and the “expert” part will come with ease!

When I decided to take my career to the next level I thought I had nowhere else to go. I was a standstill because I had stopped setting goals for myself and never thought about achieving more than working at a great salon. Then one day my manager announced an upcoming course for becoming an American Board Certified Haircolorist. My eyes lit up! Finally, there was something that I could strive for and improve my passion. When I found out how hard it was supposed to be, that was only more of a motivator. I knew that if I could call myself an expert of my craft I would have the confidence and skills I needed to succeed.

Becoming ABCH Certified was one of the most grueling learning experiences of my life and it was more than worth it. I am now more confident than I ever thought I would be in my cosmetology career and I picked up great skills along the way. ABCH was my window to new opportunities and all of us have a window somewhere… you just have to find it.

Everyone knows the obvious benefits of becoming an expert in your field. Making more money, having a larger clientele, and personal satisfaction are just a few great things that result from working hard and wanting to be the best you can be. But there are two benefits that are often overlooked. Knowledge will give you the power to achieve more success in your career than you can imagine. Knowledge creates confidence and confidence is the key that unlocks most doors in the beauty industry. Without knowledge and confidence who will want to be your client? Having confidence means knowing you give the best manicure, haircut, or massage in town. It’s knowing that your clients come to you for your skills and professionalism.

If you’ve never heard of any certifications for your field, don’t sweat it! I didn’t know about ABCH until I had been doing hair for several years. Even if you’re not ready to take that leap towards a big certification, everything you do to improve your talents will be one step towards becoming an expert. Imagine yourself as a master esthetician, celebrity makeup artist, or certified haircolorist…clients will seek you and trust you over others in your field. Nothing is unreachable, and the sooner you have your heart set on it the better! Here are a few steps to becoming an expert:

Recognize your weaknesses and take classes to improve them
Focus on what your clients want and do your best all the time
Improve your professionalism
Remember that you can learn from anyone, anytime
Set goals and go for it

Thousands of students enter the beauty industry every year, but only few strive to become the best. Becoming an American Board Certified Haircolorist gave me the confidence and knowledge to never second guess myself or my skills. I had my heart set on being recognized as a master colorist and having the paper to prove it, but I got so much more. That’s why it’s important to set goals in your life and your career. Do you want to be the leader, an “expert” in your field? Or are you okay with being a follower and always settling for second best? No one becomes an expert overnight, but if you never try you’ll never know!

I always knew that I wanted to pursue a career in cosmetology but I never knew how hard I would work for it. After struggling through a few semesters in college I decided to enroll in cosmetology school and get going on the career I had my heart set on. To my surprise, it was both an exciting and stressful experience. I worked full-time and took night classes, I was doing one or the other seven days a week. I thought I would never finish, and doing my passion to make a living seemed painfully far away. Now I work at a great salon, have a cosmetology blog, and I’m an American Board Certified Haircolorist. I specialize in hair coloring and the art of special occasion styles. I love doing hair and inspiring others in the cosmetology field!

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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?

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The Beauty of Success

Posted on: August 13th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Sapphire Kharyzma is a beauty, fashion and life(style) writer, beauty and lifestyle ambassador and creative goddess who scripts the pages of her future, while passionately living her dreams to the fullest. Her fascination with bliss has led her to embark on a creative mission to empower, educate and entertain her fellow mavens about how to “unleash the bliss or inner goddess within.” She is the CEO and Editor-in-Chic at Empress Media, the home of Media Maven and Elite Socialistas Blogazines, and a beauty contributor for Daily Glow News, as well as a lifestyle contributor for Yahoo!

Not to long ago, I was exactly where you are. A student, about to embark on an exciting and beautiful venture, all in hopes of achieving my passion and living my dreams to the fullest. My fascination, if not fixation, with the beauty and fashion industries has led me to walk through some very amazing doors and blessed me with some great opportunities. I saw beauty even in rejections – and believe me, you will have your fair share of these! But, instead, try to see the positive in every experience, good and bad, because they allow you to see yourself as you need to be seen! Your strengths and weaknesses will compete, to make you more determined to meet your goals. As a beauty writer and editor, my path has crossed with so many beauty professionals and beauty enthusiasts alike. I still consider myself a student, and I hope to receive a Masters of Creative Aesthetic at Life University. I know that dreams can and do come true, and if you will let me, I would like to show you how to achieve yours!

Time Management, A Beauty Maven’s Key to Success

No matter what your passion, what makes success successful is proper time management. As a beauty brand ambassador and “mom-preneur” running two online magazines and contributing to top publications, my life can often get hectic. As a woman I am expected to wear these many hats with a flawless appeal and style. What helps me keep it all together? I invested in some invaluable tools, like my planners and journals. They have kept me focused and organized, allowing me to stay on top of my game! I actually go everywhere with my “dream team” (pen included). You never know what you might have to schedule or jot down for future reference!

Write It All Down

Yes, I know. This was just mentioned above, but I can’t stress this enough. Writing is not only my bread and butter, it is also a vital component of my success that keeps me grounded. Every idea, creative epiphany, draft, plan, photo shoot storyboard all make their debuts when pen takes to paper! This discipline has kept my most brilliant and creative concepts a reality by keeping it from getting lost among the clutter, like all the deadlines, interviews, reviews, motherhood, etc. in my head. And out of sight will always be out of mind!

Get Social and Network

My career is deeply rooted in social engagement. Networking and meeting new people has greatly improved not only my reach and online reputation, it has changed my outlook on life. I am able to connect to some awesome people, brands, groups, the works. Often, you can find yourself feeling lonely and lost with lots of questions. Joining beauty and other interest related groups (either online or in-person) is an absolute must, as you will be amazed by the tons of valuable information you walk away with.

Promote Promote Promote

My grandmother always said “sharing is caring,” and before the social media revolution, I would have called her corny! But I think the ole’ girl was on to something, may she rest in peace! Sharing my masterpieces on my social media feeds has been a completely priceless experience. Word-of-mouth will always be by far your best promoter. If you don’t have a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Google+ presence, then you’re missing out on meeting your biggest and most faithful fans.

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History of the Bob Hairstyle

Posted on: June 28th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Aleya is the owner of Spontaneous Chick, a beauty blog that also features fashion, health and décor tips. The blog started a little over a year ago, and now a new Facebook page has just been launched! Thank you Beauty School Directory for allowing me to share this information with your readers.

Before the 1920s, women generally preferred to wear their hair on the longer side to show femininity and beauty. Women with short hair were actually considered to be rebellious and undesirable. People would shun them and men wouldn’t date them. Even if she wanted to cut her hair, a girl would normally stop herself as to not offend the men in her life, be it her father, brother, husband or boss. It really was only a matter of time before women decided to take a stand and cut their strands to show that they are their own person and have minds of their own.

Around 1918 and in the early ’20s, there were two things that caused millions of women worldwide to adopt a very short hairstyle called the “bob” and cause panic to their male friends. The first was that during World War II many women had to work in factories and the medical area. This made long hair difficult to maintain and as far as the medical jobs go, it was also considered to be unhygienic. The other force was a ballroom dancer and actress named Irene Castle, who chose to cut her hair for convenience and to show how modern she was by cutting her locks short. This cut became so popular that it was named the ‘Castle Bob.’ Soon other celebrities such as Coco Chanel followed in her footsteps and before long the bob became a highly popular cut among the mainstream.

Bob Hairstyle - Photo by Jae Michie

Although countless newspapers, magazines and men tried to say that the style was not appealing and not fashionable, the desire for hairstyles that were not so difficult to achieve and easy to maintain made the bob thrive. The first style developed by Irene Castle was on the longer side and the hair swept down to the ears. Women had the choice of showing off the cut with bangs or simply brushing all of the hair off of their foreheads. Although the cut is considered to be feminine today, back in 1915 it caused quite an uproar. Couples got divorced, women lost their jobs and even the media went into a frenzy. It was the ultimate act of rebellion against tradition. As far as the beauty industry goes, hairstylists who originally refused to give their clients the bob cut soon found that they were forced to do so if they wanted to keep their clients because many women were leaving the beauty parlors for barber shops.

Soon the Castle Bob was left behind in favor of the Shingle Bob which was a little shorter. This version included a V shape at the nape of the neck while the rest of the hair was flat and covered the ears. In addition to shorter haircuts, women also found themselves trying out new hair colors and even getting perms. Beauty parlors around the world were flourishing and increasing in number as women flooded in to keep their short locks fashionably short. Just as the media was finally giving up and accepting a woman’s right to choose short hair, the 1930s rolled in and long hair became stylish again.

We didn’t see the bob very often until 1963 when Vidal Sassoon gave fashion designer Mary Quant a modern bob with an English twist. The style looked sleek and captured the spirit, fashion sense and rock sound of the ’60s perfectly. Once again, women all over the world headed to beauty salons to cut their hair, but this time they had the support of their stylists and the media. In fact, several new versions of the bob came out including the Pillbox bob which was a favorite of Jackie Kennedy’s, a super short cut favored by Twiggie and numerous longer versions. Hairstylists were truly free to get creative and innovative during this period.

During the 1970s the bob was still very much in style but it was softer. Styles included flipped layers and the inverted bob which basically means that the hair went inwards. The length was generally worn to the chin however longer styles were also flaunted. The styles truly captured the sexy feel of the seventies.

During the 1980s the bob was given a New Wave feel. This was done by growing out the bangs, straightening the hair and brushing the front to one side for an asymmetric look. Many women were also seen with crimped or permed bobs which fed into the big hair look that was popular the time. The more daring fashionistas also opted to dye their hair bright unnatural colors such as hot pink. They captured the youth and easy going feel of the eighties.

During the ’90s the “Jennifer” was the sought after do, but not far behind was the pixie cut favored by Winona Ryder. The style brought out the angles of the face because it was cropped so closely to the head, included various lengths and was very choppy. It wasn’t an easy style to wear so it wasn’t as popular as some of the longer styles but you’d be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t love the style done right.

At the turn of the millennium, the bob continued to be strong and as the years passed it became more and more popular. We’ve seen celebrities as young as Emma Watson and Halle Berry adopt the pixie cut. Victoria Beckham made a bob with super long bangs and a shorter back incredibly popular, and people are constantly bringing pictures of Victoria into their stylists. Still others preferred a bob that was wavy and casual. Today the bob’s popularity shows no sign of slowing down. Women still love how easy it is to maintain the look and stylists have given us new ways to make them look sexy and sophisticated. We’re looking forward to seeing the new versions that the future will bring.

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5 Questions About Black Hair that White Girls are Afraid to Ask

Posted on: June 25th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

Ms. Pretty L Things is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger from the UK. She is a self-professed beauty product junkie and a weave-aholic with no intention of going into rehab. When not guest posting here on Beauty Schools Directory, she can be found on her own site, PrettyLusciousThings.com, or on Twitter @MsPrettyLThings.

Is it real?

Lots of black women wear weaves and extensions, but whether it’s grown from our own head or purchased we still consider it our own hair. This means “No, you cannot touch it or pull it to see if it moves.” Why some women like to do this is beyond me. I’ve never desired to touch a random women’s hair outside of the professional realm no matter how fantastic or different it looks. Any attempts to touch a black women’s hair without permission will immediately result in a look that would wither Medusa.

Why do black women wear weaves, extensions or full-lace wigs?

Lots of women wear hair extensions, but for some reason it seems that the press focus on black women. Black women wear hair extensions for the same reason other women wear hair extensions – to look different, try out other textures and sometimes to protect our own hair from chemical treatments. Wearing weaves or extensions that are a different texture, colour or length to our own hair doesn’t mean that we want to be Caucasian – we just like to mix it up! Haven’t you sometimes wanted to be a ravishing redhead or have big voluminous hair?

Why don’t you grow your own hair?

The structure of Black hair grows in a helix (spiral) pattern, rather than a straight pattern like Caucasian and Asian hair. This can make it difficult for black hair to grow, as the hair shaft is prone to breakage. Whilst the hair shaft can be prone to breakage it is not impossible for black women to grow their hair long. Keeping the hair moisturized, limiting use of damaging chemicals, and using methods like Ayurvedic can help stimulate hair growth. I know several black women who have naturally long hair. But for some black women our hair just “peaks” and won’t grow any further. We then have a choice to accept it or to wear extensions. I choose extensions every time!

Why do you buy so many hair products?

Now this is a question akin to “Why do women buy so many shoes?” There is no explicable answer to this question! Most women are the same when it comes to taking care of our hair. Sometimes we need colour protection shampoo, shampoo with extra moisturizer, leave-in-conditioner, mousse or maybe hot oil treatments. So if you’re wearing hair extensions then you may need to buy double the amount of products for your own hair texture and the texture of the hair extensions. Boy, that’s a lot of products! I spend about £75 ($117 U.S. Dollars) a month on hair products, excluding the initial cost of the hair extensions. And like all the shoes that I’ve ever bought, I need every single one of those hair products!

Does your boyfriend know/care about you wearing hair extensions or your hair routine?

If you date a black man, then unless he was adopted by a non-black family or had no female relatives then he knows all about weaves, extensions and the black hair routine. And you know what? He doesn’t care. All of his life he has come home to his sisters or mum having their hair done. He knows its very important to black women to take pride in their hair and he understands it costs money and time. And if you date inter-racially, what then? Personally, my hair routine stays the same whomever I date. My hair takes time, my money and you don’t get to see my hair until I’m ready. (Am I right, ladies?) Yeah, that’s right. Unless me and my man have been together a very long time he does not see me with my hair “undone.” So off you go to the pub for the day or out with your mates until my hair is gorgeous again and I give you the all clear to come home. I’m not embarrassed about my real hair, I just like to leave a little mystery to the whole thing!

So there you have it! Hopefully this has answered some of the questions that you always wanted to ask your black friend (or classmates if you’re becoming a hairstylist) about black hair but were afraid to ask.

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What a Salon Owner Looks for in an Employee

Posted on: June 22nd, 2012 by NinoDeAngelis No Comments

A native of Toronto, Nino DeAngelis has worked in Canada, Europe and the U.S. for renowned salons including Toni & Guy, Vidal Sassoon, Christophe of Beverly Hills and Mario Russo. He has been a master stylist for more than 20 years and a successful salon owner for over a decade. His talent, business philosophies and two product lines (Runway New York & Runway Milan) have been featured in publications including Elle, Salon Today, Vogue and broadcast on TLC’s A Makeover Story. He shares his time between his award-winning East Coast salon (Runway Salon, Newburyport, MA, 978-463-0006) and his West Coast clientele (Los Angeles, CA 310-909-9770). Visit RunwaySalon.com for more information, or visit the Facebook pages for each salon: West Coast Clients and East Coast Clients.

Building the right team is essential to a successful salon. Any experienced salon owner knows that filling a position with the wrong candidate is far worse for a business than being short-staffed for a period of time until the right candidate comes along – so here is some helpful insight as to how YOU can be the successful candidate who lands the job and excels in your career as an assistant, stylist or salon coordinator.

YOUR RESUME SHOULD BE FLAWLESS

Right from the get-go, think of your resume as a paper version of yourself. A salon owner can receive dozens of resumes a week for any one particular job posting. A resume that does not look professional (grammar, punctuation or spelling errors) is not going to compare to the resumes that have been well-prepared. If your resume is sloppy, an owner or hiring manager will wonder if your professional appearance and/or work are just as careless.

If you do not have a lot of job experience to list, spend more time including an ambitious objective on your resume. Always keep your resume to one page and remember to have a list of references available to bring to your interview. References (names and phone numbers) from former employers are best, and if you don’t have a lot of previous industry experience, recommendations (written letters) from your cosmetology school instructors are the next best option. If you need help with a resume, ask someone you know who excels in writing/grammar or works as a hiring manager.

PREPARE YOUR OWN QUESTIONS TO ASK AT THE INTERVIEW

The best business relationships are ones that are mutually beneficial for both the employer and the employee. Owners are not the only ones who should be proactive in deciding what factors are important to them before entering the interview process. Applicants should consider asking questions such as: What type of continuing education will the salon provide? What expertise/mentoring can the owner and/or manager provide me? Is there room for growth in the company? Make a list of a few well thought out questions to bring with you to your interview. Wait until the interviewer has finished asking you his/her questions and then ask yours. Be careful not to ask questions you could have found out by doing a little research on the company, or that have no relevance to you getting the job, like: What year were you established? Remember that this is not you just asking questions for the sake of asking questions; this is you expressing your sincere interest in a position by asking relevant and intelligent questions pertaining directly to the job you are applying for.

ASSISTANTS: WORKING YOUR WAY TO THE TOP

Assistants usually learn about their million and one responsibilities fairly quickly in this industry: the importance of portraying a professional appearance, being punctual, checking personal baggage at the door, paying attention to the ever-changing schedule, proactively prepping the color trays, sweeping floors, changing the Barbicide® and giving the most amazing shampoos. The one thing most assistants have in common is ‘the itch’ to get their own chair on the salon floor as a stylist – but have patience. This is an industry in which you work your way up; you don’t become the best in the business overnight and feeling ‘entitled’ will get you nowhere fast. Take your time to learn the ropes and build a solid career foundation. Listen to your mentors and others who are willing to teach you. If you take the best of what they’ve learned, and learn from your own mistakes along the way (because everybody will make them), you have enabled yourself to have the potential to leave your own legacy someday. Don’t rush it.

STYLISTS: AVOID THESE FOUR BIG CAREER MISTAKES

If you want to excel in your career as a stylist, here is some advice to help you avoid common career pitfalls:

PERFECTING THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE

Building a rapport with your clients keeps them coming back. Sounds simple, right? No matter how long you’ve been styling a particular client, his or her appointment should never be about you… and especially not about your problems! Listen to your clients and what they want. Focus on want your clients to leave saying to other people about their experience with you as a stylist (remember that every client’s friends and family are potential referrals). Do you want them loving their hair because you did a precision job, or do you want them leaving knowing all of your personal drama? When you’re the client, are you paying for a phenomenal haircut or your stylist’s latest gossip? So pay attention, stay on schedule for your clients and keep accurate and consistent records. Chances are, if they love their hair, you’ve earned the trust of a new client for life.

GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH RETAIL SALES

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you are not in the business of product sales. Selling products is absolutely part of your business. You need to think of products as tools – just like a blow-dryer or flat-iron. How can you expect your client to achieve the same look at home you created at the salon without giving them the same tools you used? You can’t! If they don’t get their products from you, they may end up choosing all the wrong products for themselves at the local store.

If you work in a salon with many product lines, break it down for yourself and take the time to learn one complete line (or even a single product) at a time. Educating yourself is key to understanding the products, the ingredients, how to use them and ultimately recommend them to your clients. And be careful not to get in the habit of selling your favorite products…always recommend what is best for your client’s hair. You can usually pick up great pointers by watching the top-selling stylists in your salon to see how and why their recommendations are effective. Learn from the best.

CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION

This industry changes so fast. Stylists that were trained thirty-years ago were trained completely differently than stylists that are trained today. Organized in-salon classes where co-workers can share their individual expertise are highly beneficial. The seasoned stylists tend to know the tricks of the trade and the recent graduates often bring the newest techniques and the hippest trends to the table. Everyone can learn from each other and expand their talents. It’s a win/win. (BSD Note: Many schools also offer cosmetology continuing education.)

DON’T HAVE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT GRATUITY OR WHAT IT MEANS

Always remember that gratuity is a gesture, not an entitlement. Not receiving a tip is not always a reflection of poor service; sometimes it’s a reflection of a person’s financial hardship. Be respectful of clients, regardless of how they tip.

SALON COORDINATORS: MULTI-TASKING MASTERS

Salon coordinators project the in-person image and the over-the-phone voice that represent the identity of a business. Being accurate with booking, keeping the stylists on schedule by letting them know their clients have arrived, having impeccable manners and providing cheerful and professional customer service are all important to being a great receptionist. Thinking like a client and providing the type of service you would want to receive is the type of service you should strive to provide every day. You only get one chance to make a first impression. And if it’s a good one, clients will expect the same treatment upon their return visits so you have to bring your ‘A-game’ at all times.

Because salon coordinators are often more interested in the business aspect of the operation, this frequently makes them ideal candidates to move up to assistant manager and general manager positions. Increasing sales, generating new client leads through effective marketing campaigns, improving productivity and being able to effectively manage a variety of personalities are four of the most important responsibilities in a management role. Mastering your role of being able to handle all that is thrown at you as a salon coordinator means it may be a good time to talk to your owner about taking on more responsibility.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

In conclusion, the absolute worst quality any employee can have is treating work like a job. “If you find what you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Find what you are passionate about and continue to work hard every day towards a successful future. Even when you think you’ve reached the top, keep striving for new success because the possibilities are endless.

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How to Bring Green to Your Beauty Business: Grow Strong Roots

Posted on: June 8th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Terry Ruvo is the author of TerrysEyeOnGreenMag, which publishes a new issue every month exposing readers to green and organics in the beauty industry. Contact Terry directly at terry@eyeonbeauty.info.

Are you graduating from cosmetology school, setting up your own shop in town, or selling beauty products on the web? Are you wondering what will be the next trend or beauty breakthrough? Have you thought about what will set your business apart from the rest? And of course, what will bring you the most ROI (return on Investment)? How about having the client finesse skills that retain and bring future clientele? Overwhelmed? I don’t blame you.

First, let’s talk about the beauty market. The customer dictates the new “flavor” for beauty. Since I have been keeping my eye on beauty, including color trends, fashion, style and hair care, I can identify that the customer is looking for the science of the natural beauty cosmetic. So what does this mean to you as a hairstylist, colorist or makeup artist? As an artist myself, I can safely say that colors will come and go, trends and fads will be buried and resurrected forever, but one thing is for sure – the new beauty customer is looking for safer, non-toxic, high quality home-grown beauty products from botanicals, not from the bottle. I am passionately engrossed on educating young women and men on researching and buying safer products for home and professional use. This is not just a passing trend. Bringing Green to Beauty is now becoming a “Lifestyle” for many. This idea is based on health and well-being for the betterment of society to live a “richer” “greener” life. If you take your health seriously then take your beauty seriously…and go green.

How can you bring green to your beauty business? I have now created resources of professionals that do just that. They bring natural green and organic beauty to makeup artists, hairstylists, cosmetologists and skincare professionals. There is a huge network of people that no one seems to know about. They hide in their labs, intoxicating themselves with the goodness of beauty in nature and bringing pleasure to all who seek natural ways to exfoliate skin, clear acne scars, or envelope their body in organic essential oils. I call it the NBU, the Natural Beauty Underground.

Want to make green connections? Gotta grow strong roots. My recommendation to pull forward in the green organic cosmetics industry is to form connections with members of the organic and green beauty community – especially those in the Natural Beauty Underground. There are so many great green resources out there. Get on LinkedIn! Join Salons Going Green, Organic Beauty, Cosmetic Storm and the countless other groups on LinkedIn you can find. Many professionals are happy to give you a wealth of info and advice. Or Tweet me at @terry6106 and ask me to connect you other professionals in the same organic and green beauty game.

Also, check out my newsletter. I write a new issue every month exposing readers to green issues and organic beauty products in the beauty industry. All vendors in the magazine donate to green beauty and get a free listing in the magazine and on my personal website directory list. The can supply any large or small start-up business with the green beauty products you need to get started. They will meet and exceed all green beauty requirements for your spa or salon. Another source of green beauty products is Eye on Beauty, an online Natural Beauty Boutique showcasing paraben-free and cruelty-free beauty products. All cosmetics are non-toxic and are available to purchase in large quantities for your shop.

My greatest green comrades can all be found in Eye on Green Magazine. They are green front-runners in the cosmetics industry. Their passion for green beauty science is making history. They are the driving force behind my business as a green beauty cosmetics professional, writer, and industry resource point person. Connect with all these invaluable members of the green beauty community, and bring green to your business for the future. Green beauty is here to stay.

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My Future as a Makeup Artist

Posted on: June 6th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory 1 Comment

Nicole Briertyis the creator and author of HelloMissNiki.com, a blog that provides product reviews, explores makeup tips and tricks, and much more. Although she has no prior cosmetology experience or education, she has learned from a variety of beauty gurus and makeup artists throughout the internet. The New Jersey based blogger has recently embarked on a career in freelance work and hopes to be a successful beauty blogger, as well as enhancing her presence on the web. Follow Nicole on Twitter @HelloMissNiki or visit her Facebook Fan Page.

There are many things in my life that I cannot remember, yet one thing I can never forget is my passion for makeup. Sometimes when I talk to people about it, I don’t think they truly understand. Sometimes I look into their eyes and I can see them thinking “just another girl who likes playing with makeup.” Well it’s more than that.

I remember being a child in Bayonne, New Jersey and eyeballing my mother’s lipstick on her dresser. From that moment I was determined to get my hands on some cosmetics. At that point in time, I obviously had no idea about the concept of makeup, except I was drawn to the colors. I must say that part of my youth fascination still lives within me. For the remainder of my childhood, I had to settle for Tinker Bell makeup, which at the time was just peachy to me!

Seventh grade is when it all began and it has been downhill from there… I got hooked! One weekend, my mother took me to CVS and bought me my first cosmetic products, from foundation and powder to eye shadows and that hideous white eyeliner that I used to wear extremely thick on my eyelids (a fad I would rather forget). I remember going to school that weekend and feeling hot. I thought all the girls envied my awesome makeup and all the boys were checking me out. Now I realize, “Eh…not so much!” I look back at photos and I really had no idea what I was doing when it came to makeup application and I certainly didn’t look as good as I thought! Those pictures are part of what inspired me today… to practice.

I loved makeup, but I became lazy for years and stuck with the same old looks, wearing the same lipstick and gloss everyday and never being adventurous. That includes not going to cosmetology school. I became so wrapped up in school, life and relationships that I figured I would never go. I would say, “Where is it going to take me?” The economy was bad and I figured I needed to be somewhere that ensured job security. Nevertheless, I passed on schooling and went to college for Arts & Graphic Design.

Years have gone by, and although I was happy, something was still missing from my life. While using StumbleUpon one night, I came across a beauty guru who changed everything for me. Julia from Miss Chievous, a Switzerland-based makeup artist who had the most incredible makeup tutorials. I watched her videos for hours on end; buying the products she used to build up my collection and eventually started doing a different look that she instructed every single morning! Granted, at times, I ran late for work, but I enjoyed waking up and experimenting with something new, no matter how wild it was. After getting to know Julia more through her videos and her blog, I learned that she never had any prior cosmetic training and that she was self-taught. Now, do not get me wrong, I am not saying you shouldn’t go to school. In fact, if I could to go tomorrow, I would jump on the opportunity! However, her lack of cosmetology education and extreme success is what inspired me to do more, to take the next step, to bring my passion to life. In late January of 2012, I became a beauty blogger and with a lot of time and practice, began taking on some freelance makeup jobs.

Everything happened so fast, and although I am not quite where I want to be yet, I feel I have become quite successful. I have met many amazing people, both with and without prior experience. We all share the same passion for cosmetics and see more than just “playing with makeup.” We see art. We see our faces as canvases and express ourselves with different techniques and colors that define who we are.

So what do I see for my future as a makeup artist? I want to be heard. I want women and men who are interested in makeup to come to me and visit my blog for advice and direction and not mind that I am educationally inexperienced. Do I still want to go to cosmetology school? Absolutely; but because I have taken my cosmetics obsession to the next step, I am not kicking myself as much for not going. I want to build up my portfolio, expand my collection and experiment more with different looks and techniques.

Without sounding too cheesy, if you are a young person who is questioning taking their passion to the next step, just go for it! For some, that might mean attending makeup artist training or cosmetology school. You only live once and you never know where it will take you! You may even win an Oscar someday or you could be the one doing celebrities makeup for Vogue magazine. You just never know!