It is said that Cleopatra bathed in rose petals steeped in asses' milk to make her soften her skin. Today, we achieve the same result by applying a body lotion or skin formula straight out of a jar. Instead of crushed berries and walnut bark we use a high-gloss lipstick to colour and moisturise our lips; instead of homemade kajal, which our grandmother painstakingly collected overnight in tiny iron containers, we now pick up a convenient kohl pencil straight off-the-shelf to highlight our eyes.
Today beautycare is a global multi-billion dollar industry that employs millions of people - from scientists and production engineers right up to your neighborhood pedicurist and mehndiwalli.
If you have an eye for beauty, enjoy interacting with people and delight in transforming a plain Jane into a stunning sophisticate, beautycare is a field you could excel in. Although tastes and trends keep changing, the basic job of beautycare professionals remains the same: to help people look their best!
- The Work
As a Beautician you have a whole range of specialisations to choose from: beauty therapy, hair styling, make-up, massage, facials, manicure, pedicure, electrolysis, herbal beautycare, etc. There are other closely related jobs like those of a beauty lab assistant, health club instructor, cosmetic sales person, consultant, yoga and naturecure practioner, etc. While it is possible to practice more than one of these simultaneously, you can choose to specialise in any one - hair, skin or makeup - if that's where your interest lies.
If you are specialising in hair, the work would involve cutting, colouring and styling hair. To achieve professionalism and a good reputation you must blend your technical skills with a dash of creativity and imagination. Barbara, an expert hairdresser who runs her own South Delhi salon, says, ''Shaping and styling hair gives me the greatest thrill... Making my clients look good gives me tremendous job satisfaction, besides the opportunity to expand my practise. Financially too, hairdressing is highly paying. Today I can afford all the luxuries of life."
The makeup artiste's job is to make the face look attractive by using complementary shades of colour to highlight the features while camouflaging and down-playing the flaws. It is fascinating to watch an expert create several faces on a single individual with a few deft strokes. This is a highly specialised field and a well paying one to boot. Besides bridal and party make-up, these makeup artistes are in great demand in the fashion, advertising, film, television and theatre industry. Screen make-up is a specialisation in itself.
The facial expert's main work is concerned with skin problems like acne, dark patches or premature wrinkles and providing appropriate facial treatment depending on the client's skin type and overall condition. An electrologist is a specialist trained in the permanent removal of superfluous hair and needs to be technically adept at handling the laser equipment.
A cosmetic salesperson requires excellent knowledge of grooming, skin, hair and nail care in addition to detailed knowledge of the products they promote across the counter. The ability to make each customer feel like a queen without being overly pushy is an art you must learn. With international cosmetic brands and perfumes, being increasingly marketed in the country, companies hire smart young women (and men) to man their counters at large departmental stores, shopping malls, dutyfree shops and star-rated hotels.
Companies like Amway, Aviance, Avon, Oriflame recruit a large and growing network of women for direct selling of their line of popular cosmetics and beauty aids on a part-time basis. They conduct short orientation courses to familiarise you with their product line and sales techniques. Attractive commission on sales can fetch you a tidy extra income - without being tied down to a nine-to-five office routine. - Employment Opportunities
Thanks to the growing fashion, fitness and beauty consciousness coupled with rising incomes and beauty culture, cosmetology has emerged as a major occupational avenue with tremendous commercial potential. Spurred by new scientific developments, techniques, products and media hype, the Indian beauty industry has truly come of age, generating mega revenues.
In 2003, the cosmetic industry recorded a revenue of Rs.3000 crore while the skincare segment alone constituted Rs.1000 crore. The herbal segment, presently worth Rs.300 crore and growing at the rate of 40 per cent is perhaps the fastest growing.
With an average growth rate of 12 per cent, this industry is bound to generate a high employment potential along with the need for related services in the years ahead.
After gaining some hands-on experience, you could open your own beauty parlour or hairdressing salon or a combination of both and provide all beauty services - under one roof. To open your own parlour you need thorough professional knowledge of beauty culture, sufficient funds, an accessible location, quality equipment and materials and dollops of business sense. - What it takes?
An interesting aspect of this field is that it does not demand high academic qualifications although a flair for the job is definitely an asset. Also the training period is generally brief and can even be taken up at a somewhat later stage in life. Even at the age of thirty or forty you can opt for a course in cosmetology or hairdressing or the myriad other specialisations - after the gates for most other career opportunities have closed.
Personal qualities include a pleasing, well-groomed personality, gentleness, dexterity, an eye for fashion, readyness to work with your hands, loads of stamina and a strong back (you may have to stand for long hours at a stretch), conversational ease and the knack of making your clients feel special and comfortable. You must create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere while maintaining high standards of efficiency, cleanliness and hygeine - nothing can be more off-putting to a client than a hurried, slap-dash or sloppy job. Also make sure you don't suffer from an allergic or asthmatic condition (the fumes, dyes and chemicals you'll inhale and handle could trigger off an attack). - What you'll make?
Starting out as fresh trainee or understudy don't expect to be paid handsomely. Just concentrate on perfecting your skills and picking up the tricks of the trade. Be glad if you're paid Rs.3,000 or thereabouts to begin with. Once you've mastered the practical aspects of the job, clients will ask for you by name and that's when you can demand your price. Reasonably good hairdressers and makeup artistes earn upwards of Rs.25,000, tips extra. A make-up artiste charges anywhere from Rs.500 to Rs.4,000 to do a bridal or photographic make-up. Multiply that during the rushed wedding season - and you've made a tidy pile! - Where to train?
There are countless courses on offer for fees ranging from Rs.5,000 to Rs.25,000. However, Don't go for fancy-sounding crash courses that drill a hole in your pocket and leave you none the wiser. Training in cosmetology typically takes six to 12 months, with theory, demonstration and practicals being part of the course. Training is imparted by various vocational institutions like polytechnics as well as by reputed professionals in the field. Nagpur University's BTech in Cosmetic Technology, perhaps the only one of its kind, enjoys a good reputation. - Where to study?
There are countless courses on offer at fees ranging from Rs.5,000-40,000. However, don't go for fancy-sounding crash courses that drill a hole in your pocket and leave you none the wiser.
Training in cosmetology typically takes 6-12 months comprising theory, demonstration and 'practicals'. Training is imparted by various vocational institutions like women's polytechnics as well as by reputed professionals in the field e.g. Shahnaz Hussain, Habib, Blossom Kochar, Bharti Taneja, Miriam Zaveri, Vandana Luthra, Ambika Pillai, etc.), many of whom operate through their franchisees in various cities. Check around in your city for similar privately run courses (VLCC, Berkowits, Alps, Biotique, Pivot Point, Shahnaz Herbal, Women's World, etc.) which enjoy good word-of-mouth reputation.
Nagpur University (www.nagpur-university.com) offers a BTech in Cosmetic Technology, perhaps the only one of its kind.
National & Regional Vocational Training Institutes for Women (M/o Labour, GoI) offer recognised courses in beautycare/cosmetology (Delhi, Noida, Allahabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Vadodra, Hissar, Indore, Trivandrum, Tura). Some reputed cosmetic manufacturers also offer courses in various aspects of makeup and hairstyling from time to time, often inviting foreign experts to conduct the workshops.
Pearl Academy of Fashion, A-21/13, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase II, New Delhi 110028 (www.pearlacademy.com) offers a Diploma in Fashion Media Make-up (1-yr).
YWCA (www.worldywca.org) centres in major cities also offer courses in beautycare of a reasonable standard However, you could even train as an understudy with a professional makeup artist to learn hands-on
Even at the age of thirty or forty you can opt for a course in cosmetology or hairdressing or the myriad other specialisations - after the gates for most other career opportunities have closed
To open your own parlour you need thorough professional knowledge of beauty culture, sufficient funds, an accessible location, quality equipment and materials and dollops of business sense
To open your own parlour you need thorough professional knowledge of beauty culture, sufficient funds, an accessible location, quality equipment and materials and dollops of business sense
(The above article has been taken from "Times Book of New Age CAREERS" authored by "Pervin Malhotra", a widely read career columnist.)
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