Top 8 Reasons Why Beauty School Training Is Essential For Skin, Nail and Hair Care Professionals

It’s time to take your career in the beauty industry to the next level.

There will always be inspirational stories about individuals who opt out of formal education and achieve incredible success. But let’s face facts – most of us need all the help we can get when it comes to career success, especially in the beauty industry where certification and/or a license is often required for any chosen specialty. Not every business owner has an MBA, and some industries consider real-life experience and street smarts proof enough of competency. But if you’re looking to have more than a job and want to be respected in your field, education will always be more help than hindrance.

1. Building a Strong Foundation 

As appealing as it may seem to simply pave their own way without pursuing professional education, many self-taught beauty professionals ultimately find themselves going to school to excel further in their fields. Although you may be able to work without a license in some capacities, you’re not doing yourself any long-term favors by forgoing education. Beauty programs aim to give students a full foundational understanding of their prospective careers. 

Makeup programs, like the one at Make-Up Designory, for example, teach more than just application techniques and color theory. Professionals learn how to recognize skin tones and analyze facial structures in order to do corrective makeup. Cheekbones, jawlines and noses aren’t identical. In fact, they’re not even the same on both sides of an individual face! You may be able to replicate results you’ve seen on social media, but gaining a full understanding of everything involved in the process will ensure you don’t limit yourself in the long run. And if your goal is to work in print photography, film, or  HDTV, you’ll acquire those specific skills, so you can work in niche markets.

2. Certifications and Safety Go Hand in Hand 

No matter which specialty area you choose for your beauty career trajectory, understanding and practicing advanced sanitation procedures will always be a necessity. Properly cleaning and sanitizing everything - from your tools and your workstation to your kit is non-negotiable, especially during (and after) a pandemic. 

3. Education Helps You Market Yourself

Even if you’re looking to work independently, beauty courses help you build your portfolio as well as offer detailed instructions on marketing and web design that prepare professionals to become business savvy when selling their skills. Hands-on, real-life practical sessions with live models are often photographed, so you can immediately put your education to work for you. Learning about business development and gaining retail knowledge while honing your skills equates to better potential post-graduation placements and a leg up on the competition.

4. Big Picture Goals Require Licensing 

If you don’t have a license, you may be limiting your employment options and even your ability to open your own business. Insurance companies are meticulous about the businesses they insure. No license, no coverage. No coverage, no business. If you want to be the boss and to have others work for you, that piece of paper is worth more than its weight in gold.

5. Artistry + Science = Success 

No disrespect to the world’s vast array of self-taught individuals, but some doors will remain forever closed without a deep understanding of the science behind the procedures, therapies, and treatments that are in highest demand. Learning about the skin’s anatomy at the microscopic level prepares students to safely and effectively perform procedures using chemicals and acids. And if you want to work in a well-known salon and reap the financial benefits that come with it, you’d be wise to remember that competition is often fierce. Only the best, brightest, and most experienced beauty professionals are considered for employment. The more specific your skillset, the better your chances for landing a high-paying position. 

6. An In-Person Program Ensures Proficiency 

There was a running joke in my high school about what differentiated a “real” school from the rest of the pack. When students called a teacher’s credentials into question, someone always said, “So and so got his degree from a correspondence school.” What was initially deemed as humorous was, in fact, the realization that professionals in any industry must emphatically demonstrate excellence from a respected institution.

Many Instagrammers have credentials, but you’ll still need ample hands-on training to fine-tune your skills, and that doesn’t happen simply by watching videos. Reputable cosmetology schools marry academic learning with in-person training. When it comes to hair, skin, and nails, practice makes perfect, and the better and more respected the school, the more practice you’ll get, so you can be closer to perfect when you strike out on your own. Plus, state board exams include a practical exam, and proficiency cannot simply be proven via the theory (or written) test.

7. A Sustainable Career Requires Lifelong Learning 

Staying current on trends may sound simple, but if you’re relying on someone else’s social media posts, you may be losing customers without even realizing it. In an interview with “American Salon,” Hairbrained.me co-founder and industry educator Gerard Scarpaci said, “Every hairdresser should be doing outside education once every six months and in-house education on a weekly basis.” In addition to keeping your current skills sharp, you can test drive a new technique in private instead of on a paying client. Plus, the camaraderie, connection and exhilaration can recharge your creativity. 

8. Complex Skills Are Hard to Master Virtually 

Simple tasks, like learning how to change a furnace filter or sanitize your washing machine, can be picked up in a few minutes simply by passively watching a YouTube video and then replicating the actions. But you can’t learn complex concepts without professional guidance. Microdermabrasion, for example, is so popular because it’s non-invasive. However, in some states, you’ll need advanced education in skin physiology and analysis beyond your esthetician license in order to perform the procedure. And as for microblading, no person in their right mind would allow an uncertified, unlicensed, so-called “beauty professional” to do their brows (we hope).