As a beauty therapist, nail technician or make-up artist your skills will always be in demand. This security can be highly beneficial during recessions and times of economic turmoil. In addition, with the rising popularity of beauty salons and spas, employment opportunities are set to increase by roughly 20% within just a few short years, meaning entry-level jobs will be in abundance. Beauty therapy is a fast-moving industry and there are always new treatments and products being developed.
Opening up your own salon is without a doubt the most costly and risky option. As a self-employed beauty therapist, nail technician or make-up artist you will be responsible for hiring staff, making appointments, and ensuring all the legal regulations are being followed. Opening a salon comes with great responsibility and is only recommended for experienced professionals. If this is your goal consider taking a more conventional approach to begin with.
Working as a beauty therapist is not always glamorous. Days can be long and tiring, especially if you’re moving around hauling equipment from house to house. If you rather stand on a less risky ground, renting a chair in a beauty salon is almost always a good option. By working this way you would be responsible for your own organisation, accounting and promotion.
Mobile beauty therapy is generally not as expensive as the other options as you won’t need to pay rental fees or mortgage payments. However, you may need to pay for permits, licenses and insurance. When working in other people’s homes, you should also be aware that the space will be very different – kids running around, little space, etc. Focusing on specific niches could be more beneficial if you don’t feel comfortable in certain situations, so before you start it’s good to think about what kind environment you want to work in, – nursing homes, family homes, and corporate offices, etc. – your options are numerous and sometimes going niche can actually help you acquire more business.
Working from home may require substantial overheads. You will need to set up a specific space for providing beauty treatments (which includes suitable décor) and will have to invest in all of the necessary equipment and supplies. In addition you will require public liability insurance to cover your clients if there’s an accident. That said, it’s definitely the most versatile freelancing option and can lead to a very rewarding way of life.
As a freelance beauty therapist, nail technician or make-up artist, there are four main ways to conduct business, so it’s important to consider what would work best for you before you take the plunge. These options are as follows:
The latter two options are more appropriate if you want complete flexibility.
When it comes to fashion make-up the fashion industry is probably the most competitive. As a professional make-up artist you could find yourself preparing models for photo shoots, working with magazines and photographers, styling the rich and famous and potentially working on many different projects around the world.
The UK is one of the world’s most popular filming destinations, especially in and around London. Getting work in media make-up in film and television isn’t as competitive as you might think, especially on productions that require large amounts of extras. If you have training in theatrical makeup or another related field your chances of securing work will increase tenfold. While films don’t offer steady employment, – stints usually last for around three months – once you’re in it’s fairly easy to start networking and lining up your next job.
The travel and leisure industry has the widest selection of available jobs. Hotels, spas, resorts and cruises often contain in-house salons and struggle to acquire full-time staff. Working in this sector can be highly satisfying as you’ll meet people from all sorts of diverse backgrounds and ways of life. You might even get the opportunity to travel yourself at no personal expense.
Work in beauty salons and spas is almost always available. While competition in upmarket establishments can be fierce, if you have the skills and qualifications you’ll never find yourself short of interviews or work.