Career
Say “Yes” to Your Future
How well you can do hair, nails, and skin care may be at the bottom of the list of importance for potential employers. They want to know if you’re willing to say “yes.” When they ask you to come in on your day off to clean up the dispensary, or stay late to help with the models for a fashion show, or participate in a salon fundraising event, will you say “yes?”
Eco-Friendly Colorist
How many strips of aluminum foil do you use per client? How about every day ... or every month? Before you know it, the amount you’re counting up in your head right now probably will all end up in a landfill. If you want to practice being more eco-friendly, consider Biolights Color, it creates dimensional highlights by using 100-percent biodegradable cotton pads in place of conventional aluminum. According to Rick Wellman, co-owner of Patrick Melville Salon Spa in New York City, the pads allow for fast and easy application, no swelling or bleeding and they reduce the risk of over processing. Your color application will stay in place while the material conforms and bends to your client’s head. For more info, visit biolightscolor.com.
Salon Apprenticeship Programs
When you’re ready to start applying to salons, consider those with apprentice programs. These programs can be beneficial to your career for many reasons. Not only will you learn new techniques, get hands-on experience, and learn directly from professionals working in the salon, you will also get a feel for that particular salon’s culture. Apprenticeships also allow you to earn some extra money while learning, and they can help you transition from school life to the workforce.
How to Stay Connected to Your Clients
In the clients’ eyes, what sets you apart from another hairdresser is more than just the quality of the cut you give them. How you connect with them personally and on a business level also come into a customer’s consideration whether or not they will want your services again.
Phone Blouze
At Dario Salon in La Jolla, California, color pro Jessica Barrett couldn’t keep clients off the phone when color was processing. “They either put the phone on speaker and the whole salon could hear their conversation or they would answer their calls and then wipe their phones on our capes and towels—permanently damaging them,” she says. Then, she discovered Phone Blouze, a clear, disposable sleeve that fits most cell phones. Just offer one to your client, so she can slip it on and tell everyone where she is. For the client who prefers to read while revving up her red, Eyeglass Saverz slide onto the temples, to keep color from staining them.
Different Color for Different Face Shapes
Color Chameleon. We talked about face shape on page 16 and what hair designs complement certain features, but what about hair color? Color placement plays a key role in the hair’s movement and balance, and determines which features are accentuated and which are camouflaged, explains Redken’s Art of Consultation guide to color placement. Redken’s tips to follow:
Shampoo Selection
As a salon professional, retail sales not only help your client maintain the look you created, but they are one of the easiest ways to increase your tickets and grow your profitability. But, with the abundance of shampoo variations available for retail, it can be challenging to recommend the proper shampoo to clients. If you’re familiar with the different types of shampoo, it can be easier to ensure which will bring the best results to your individual clients. Familiarize yourself with the chart below, courtesy of Pivot Point International, to understand the differences.
Healthcare/Cosmetology Parallel
Remember: No matter how busy you are, or how late you’re running, a clean, disinfected salon station is a necessity. Medical professionals touch, on average, five strangers a day—and are required to wear personal protective equipment or at the very least gloves. Plus, they always ask about the patient’s medical history. Yet, as a hair stylist, you may touch up to 15-20 strangers a day, and it’s not appropriate to ask about medical history and you don’t always wear gloves or protective equipment.
Razor Cutting
Many professional stylists will tell you that cutting with a razor is a creative way to achieve multi-textured looks— but the razor can be very intimidating for a newbie. Washi Scissor offers up tips for new professionals on how to make your razor work for you. For more tips and tricks, visit washiscissor.com.
Student Day at America's Beauty Show in Chicago, March 14! See you there!
As an editor in the beauty industry, I very much believe in, support and acknowledge the power of the future generation of hairdressers—the students. As an actual cosmetology student, I crave, need and very much want information that will help future professionals to succeed in this booming industry!America’s Beauty Show, produced and owned by Cosmetologists Chicago, gets it too. That’s why Monday, March 14, of America’s Beauty Show is dedicated to students—full of education, seminars, panels and assemblies specifically for future hairdressers!
Slide Cutting
“Slide cutting can reduce weight, soften a shape or line, and increase movement and separation to the hair,” says Carole Protat, P&G Salon Professionals Education Director. Remember, Protat says, the hair must be dry in order to see and feel the weight of the hair to best judge when to slide. “To achieve a seamless slide cut, make sure shears are sharp enough to easily slide along the cuticle and avoid potential pull on the hair and pain to the client,” Protat says.
How They Made It Big: Nicholas French
A true master in cutting, finishing, long hair design and avant garde, Nicholas French also hails from a world-famous British hairdressing family. In addition to owning multiple salons throughout the UK, French has traveled the world producing more than 1,500 high-energy educational shows for the professional beauty industry. Not only is he the Artistic Director for Matrix, he has created stunning magazine covers and editorials, appeared on TV, and has been nominated multiple times for the North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA)—winning Hairstylist of the Year in 2010. Learn more about him at nicholasfrench.com.
How They Made It Big: Antoinette Beenders
In 1979, Antoinette Beenders saw the movie 10, and was so inspired by Bo Derek’s braided locks that she repeatedly recreated the look on her friends until she perfected it. As a result, she unlocked her true passion for hair design. Three decades later, she now serves as Senior Vice President of Creative & Global Creative Director of Aveda and is responsible for the company’s advertising campaigns, as well as education collections. A true visionary with a passion for creating arresting visuals and unique style, her work has appeared in Vogue, Glamour, Modern Salon, among many others, and she has worked on fashion shows with Prada, Miu Miu, Dolce and Gabbana, Hussein Chalayan and Clements Ribeiro. Learn more about Beenders at antoinettebeenders.com and follow her on Twitter @aveda_beenders.
An Insiders View of NY Fashion Week 2011
Read firsthand about soon-to-be cosmetology student Kaley Wittnik's experience at New York Fashion Week 2011. She shares with us some of her favorite shows and styles—plus photos! Check out her blog now.
Modern Salon Media’s Excellence In Education Recognition Program
Most salon owners would say a great salon begins with great salon professionals, and the best professionals begin with the best education. But where does the best education start, and what are the cutting-edge schools using? To uncover the answer, MODERN SALON Media launched the “Excellence in Education” recognition program honoring cosmetology schools. The first class of recipients was named during the annual AACS (American Association of Cosmetology Schools) conference in October 2010. Nearly 100 schools submitted 374 entries in eight categories. Finalists and honorable mentions were determined in four classes based on school size or number of locations, with one overall honoree from all applicants named for each category.
Some Beauty Reading
Are you interested in owning your own salon one day? If so, Tabatha Coffey, star of hit Bravo show Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, has a new book called: It’s Not Really About the Hair: The Honest Truth About Life, Love, and the Business of Beauty. Part memoir, part business manual, and part coaching guide, readers will get in touch with their own inner and outer beauty, and understand the importance of embracing their individuality.
Beacon Educational Program
Hurry up and apply‚ the deadline for t he Beacon Educational Program is March 2, 2011! Held during the Professional Beauty Association’s Beauty Week in Las Vegas, this program gives cosmetology and esthetic students a jump-start and competitive advantage for a career in the professional beauty industry.