Are you dreaming of a career as a professional hairstylist? Do your friends beg you to do their hair before a night out? If you’re interested in turning your hobby into a fulfilling career, there are several options at your fingertips!
Read on to discover everything you need to know about becoming a hairstylist, as well as some of the best careers for hairstylists.
Let’s get one thing straight first: a hairstylist is different from a hairdresser! A hairdresser changes a client’s hair itself through cutting, dyeing, and/or other more permanent changes.
A hairstylist, on the other hand, makes temporary changes to the look of a client’s hair. This can include things like:
- Intricate braiding
- Curling
- Straightening
- Any other temporary adjustment that changes the appearance of the hair
How do you become a hair stylist?
A hairstyling course is a great first step for anyone interested in pursuing this exciting career. It may come as a surprise that you can find a quality hair styling course available entirely online. But with the right tutors and dedication, it’s more than possible!
You should also try and build your experience and portfolio. Practice on yourself, as well as your friends and family. You can even volunteer for opportunities, such as community theater productions, to help improve your hairstyling skills!
Many hairstylists start their own businesses once they’ve become certified. That being said, there are also existing businesses that are often looking to take on apprentices or hair stylists. This is also a great option for new stylists who are looking to make their start in the industry.
The Best Jobs for Hair Stylists
Wedding Stylist
A wedding is always a day to remember! While this special day will forever live in memory, everything about it will be immortalized in countless photographs, too. So, clients want to make sure they’re looking their very best.
As a wedding stylist, you’ll be in charge of all things hair for:
- The bride
- The wedding party
- Family members
- And anyone else looking to put their best foot forward on the big day
This job could also include organizing day-of styling with the bride, completing “trial runs” so that everything runs smoothly, brainstorming with the couple so that the wedding party has a cohesive look, and anything else related to hairstyling that may be required on the day of the wedding.
Some couples even opt to have a “hair bar” at the reception, so that guests are always looking picture-perfect!
Media Stylist
From TV to movies, to theater productions – media hairstylists are there to transform actors into their characters and make sure TV personalities are ready for the spotlight.
Whether you need to take the audience back in time with 1800’s-style up-dos, get teen actors ready for prom, or simply touch up the hairstyles of a news anchor, a media hairstylist is a crucial part of any set’s team.
This is a great path to take if you have awesome people skills. Word of mouth is everything in the entertainment industry, so if you love to network and think you have what it takes to make actors shine on stage, this may be the role for you!
High Fashion Stylist
Do you ever see pictures hot off the runway of models with towering hair, massive curls, or other outlandish hairstyles? Designers are known for their high-concept ideas and big dreams. It takes a team of hairstylists to make that vision a reality!
As a high fashion hairstylist, you’ll be part of the hustle and bustle backstage at fashion shows. It’ll be your duty to be ready at a moment’s notice to whip out the hairspray, fashion a quick braid, or do whatever else it takes to create an incredible show.
If you’re dreaming of working in a fast-paced environment where your work literally becomes art before your very eyes, look no further!
Editorial Photography Stylist
Working on sets is a great way to move up in the fashion and beauty industry. Often, stylists begin as assistants and work their way up. This allows you to properly forge connections with fellow hairstylists, models, photographers, makeup artists, and other on-set professionals.
From glossy magazines to styled shoots, and everything in between, your job will be to maintain the look of models’ hairstyles throughout a busy shoot. If you’re great at thinking on your feet, and you love the challenge of solving problems as they crop up (surprise rainstorm during an outdoor shoot, anyone?), you’ll love a career as an editorial photography stylist!
Similar to high fashion styling, an editorial photography hairstylist is a key behind-the-scenes player during photoshoots.
Who knows: that assistant photographer could be shooting for Vogue one day soon!
The perfect career is the one you build for yourself!
While we’ve listed just a few of the many paths your career could take, it’s worth mentioning that many hairstylists work across different industries. So, don’t fret if you love the idea of working at fashion shows and weddings.
If you’re interested in the world of hairstyling, there are SO many avenues you can consider! Easily one of the best parts of this career is the fact that trends are always changing. There are new opportunities around every corner!
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