Do you have a passion for beauty products? How about flair in giving massages and skills in makeup application? Then maybe it’s time to consider a career in beauty therapy. Here we’ve shared some information about the role of a beauty therapist to help you decide if it’s the right career choice for you.
Beauty therapists administer a wide range of treatments from manicures and pedicures to tanning, waxing and eyelash tinting!
What does a beauty therapist do?
Beauty therapists are required to provide a range of treatments to clients, which can include (but isn’t limited to) waxing, manicures and pedicures, massages, tanning and eyebrow threading. If you work in a salon you will also have to perform front of house duties and may also be tasked with selling beauty products to your clients.
There are full time (37 – 40 hours per week), part time and flexible positions available. You will usually work in shifts and should be prepared to work weekends.
Where do beauty therapists work?
As a beauty therapist, you can either choose to work in a salon or you can work for yourself as a mobile beauty therapist. There are pros and cons of each but it will all depend on whether you want the freedom and empowerment of working for yourself (there are of course more risks involved here) or would prefer to build up your experience and benefit from stability by working with other beauty therapists in a salon.
You will need a Level 3 NVQ in Beauty Therapy (or the equivalent) to work as a beauty therapist in the UK.
Beauty therapy education
In order to work as a beauty therapist you will need to complete a Beauty Therapy or an equivalent qualification. After you have got this compulsory qualification, you can choose to specialise in an area of beauty therapy if you wish to, such as nail technology, spray tanning and spa therapy.
Once you have some experience under your belt, you can also do management training courses that will give you a clear advantage when it comes to applying for a salon or spa management position.
What skills do you need to be a beauty therapist?
Aside from skills in administering beauty therapy treatments, you will also need good people skills. This means you need to be a good team player, a great communicator and a good listener.
If you plan on working for yourself as a mobile beauty therapist you will also need to be able to motivate yourself and have good time management skills.
What’s great about working as a beauty therapist?
One of the great things about working in this industry is that it is very fast paced. There are always new products and treatments being developed, meaning there will always be something new for you to learn about and ways for you to advance your skill set.
Another benefit of being a beauty therapist is that you get to meet new people, from all walks of life, every day. If you are a ‘people person’ then you are likely to really enjoy working as a beauty therapist.
Beauty treatments are all about making people feel better and there will be nothing more satisfying that seeing how happy clients are with the treatments you have provided!
Kick-starting your beauty therapy career
If after reading this article you are still really interested in becoming a beauty therapist then we highly recommend signing up for hair and beauty courses. Learning the theory behind beauty treatments, perfecting your skills and gaining the necessary qualifications are the first steps to kick-starting your career as a beauty therapist.