Working in the beauty industry is a rewarding career that many need to embrace. But before you become one there are certain qualifications that one needs to acquire before being recognized and employed in a salon or spa. While studying beauty therapy there are a variety of treatments applied to the body and the skin that you must train for. Before becoming a qualified beauty therapist there are certain courses curated to shape the trainee into becoming a qualified beauty therapist and you can aspire to choose one area of specialization to improve your demand.
What a beauty therapist does on a day-to-day basis
Beauty therapy is a wide term as stated earlier that covers quite several treatments applied to the skin and hair. Beauty therapy is devoid of facial fillers and other medical procedures. What beauty therapy entail include the following:
- Skincare and facial treatments
- Hair removal and treatments
- Body massages
- Application of makeups
- Brow and lash treatments (i.e tinting and shaping)
- Pedicures and manicures
As a beauty therapist, you will be required to apply different treatments for clients and appropriately because not all clients have the same skin types and not all of them react to the treatments the same. Apart from treatments and applications, there are other special training sessions where you are taught about safety procedures and protocols so that you can handle any emergency at the workplace.
Other protocols that are fundamental and part of training include; how to handle clients, how to maintain hygiene, and how to build and maintain healthy relationships with clients and co-workers. As a beauty therapist, you can also learn how to convince and advise clients to undertake treatments that will give them maximum benefits especially now that many products exist and marketers often take advantage of innocent users. As a beauty specialist, clients will trust your word hence you must build trust in them.
The beauty therapy industry is revolutionizing at a supersonic speed hence you must keep clients up to date with current market trends by constantly learning and developing your skills on the job and through research.
What are the entry requirements to becoming a beauty therapist?
Are there some of the qualifications you need before tipping into the beauty and therapy field? Yes, there are, but some people get into this industry with passion and without any minimum entry requirements and they perform exemplary in their line of duty. But for most folks, there are entry requirements that one must meet before enrolling in a beauty and therapy course.
Before becoming a beauty therapist, you must complete NVQ level one or level two. Some people complete level two and then seek employment before they enrol to complete level three and that is acceptable in the industry. Other salons and spas require their staff to have completed all the levels before employment.
Where to study beauty therapy course
Most colleges today offer full-time or part-time courses in beauty therapy. However, if going to school is not your thing, you can opt to learn on the job or in a beauty therapy school. Beauty schools are preferable only that you must ensure you get recognized certification after completion. Apprenticeship programs are also available and are good for those not willing to go for a conventional class but gain experience right on the job. Beauty therapy courses combine the best-practice of existing beauty companies with that of theory.