Cosmetology Careers and Cosmetology Education Information

Where can I locate, compare, and contact cosmetology schools?

What is cosmetology?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines cosmetology as "the study or art in cosmetics and their use". They define cosmetics as "serving to beautify the body and improve the appearance of a physical feature".

Cosmetology is a broad term that is used to encompass a wide range of beauty mediums, including hair, skin, nails, and makeup. Schools that offer cosmetology degrees have crafted their curricula to address all of these categories. However, when you are obtaining a cosmetology education from a cosmetology school, chances are you will concentrate your studies in a particular area, such as nail health, manicures and pedicures, or hair styling.

When a school offers cosmetology careers or curriculums in cosmetology, it generally refers to the study of hair styling, skin-care, nail care, and make-up. It's not always limited to these topics and often varies from school to school. To be sure, simply ask a school what their cosmetology program consists of.

What are some challenges for people pursuing cosmetology careers?

The ability to adapt your new found skills to different people. Every person will present a unique challenge to the cosmetologist as each individual will have a different combination of hair type, face type, nail type, etc. This is one of the greatest challenges in cosmetology careers. For instance, the kind of blush work a makeup artist performs will depend on the shape of the client's face: a round face will require a fair amount of contouring while someone with well-defined cheekbones will only need to highlight this feature.

When it comes to cosmetology education, is there a difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools?

The terms "beauty school" and "cosmetology school" are often used in the same context and essentially mean the same thing regarding cosmetology education. It's similar to the way some institutions are called "cosmetology schools", while others may be referred to as "cosmetology colleges" or "cosmetology academies".

Isn't it spelled cosmotology schools?