Would you enjoy helping people to look and feel good? Are you interested in developing your practical and creative skills? If so, this career area may be what you’re looking for.
Fashion trends and the development of new cosmetic, beauty and hair care products are important factors for change in the industry. The use of barber shops has been growing due to the trend for male grooming with beard grooming being very popular.
In 2022, there were around 222,500 people working in hairdressing, barbering and beauty in the UK (excluding salon owners/managers), a decrease of 18,900 on 2021 figures.
What areas can I work in?
This career area includes: hairdressing, barbering, salon management, beauty therapy, nail therapy, spa therapy, aromatherapy, reflexology, make-up artistry and body art (tattooing and piercing).
Related work is also available in other areas such as: reception (although online booking is growing in popularity in larger salons and salon chains), sales, marketing, and hospitality and tourism (in health spas and holiday resorts).
To see the routes to getting into each of these sectors, take a look at our Career Pathway.
What kind of companies can I work for?
Possible employers include:
- hairdressing salons (some also offer beauty treatments)
- barber shops
- beauty therapy salons
- nail bars
- health and beauty spas and centres
- tanning salons
- beauty therapy salons or related services in other businesses (such as large department stores, hotels, cruise ships, airlines, leisure centres, wedding consultants, film/TV studios and theatre companies)
- colleges and training centres (for well qualified tutors and lecturers)
- tattoo and piercing studios.
What’s the job market like?
Despite the decline in the number of people working in hairdressing, barbering and beauty, the number of hair and beauty businesses in the UK rose by 5% in 2022, to around 48,000.
The National Hair and Beauty Federation’s (NHBF) latest State of the Industry survey (May 2023) showed that more businesses reported making a small or good profit (48%), breaking even (38%) and fewer businesses reporting a loss (19%), which is an improvement on the survey from the first quarter of 2023.
From the same survey, there was also an increase in the percentage of respondents (21%) who were definitely or likely to take on new staff in the next three months (compared to 15% in January 2023).
Due to the nature of this work, average salaries are low and levels of self employment are high. 62.5% of people working in the hair and beauty sector are self-employed. More than 75% of hair and beauty businesses employ fewer than five people and 95% fewer than ten.
Facts and figures
- The hair and beauty industry generated £4.6 billion in turnover in 2020-2021.
- In Scotland in 2022, there were around 15,400 people working in hairdressing, barbering and beauty (excluding salon owners/managers).
- Over 87% of the hairdressing and beauty workforce is female.
- Beauty services are expected to account for 44.5% of industry revenue in 2022-23.
Want to find out more?
You will find useful information on careers and qualifications in the industry on the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority (Habia) website.Habia is now part of the SkillsActive Group.
SkillsActive is the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being.
Sources
Video
Courtesy of Lumia Spa Stirling
Career Pathway
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FAQs
Creativity: As a hairstylist, you have the opportunity to be creative every day. Whether you're giving someone a new haircut, colouring their hair, or styling it for a special occasion, there is always room for creativity in this field. 2. Variety: No two days as a hairstylist are the same.
What are the career pathways within a hairdressing salon and within the industry? ›
Common career paths in hairdressing
You would need to begin as a trainee or apprentice before becoming a junior stylist. After gaining experience working as a junior stylist, you would then be able to move up to the senior stylist level.
Is hair and beauty a good career? ›
For starters, a cosmetology career could provide the perfect opportunity to enhance your creative horizons while also boosting people's image. With the many possibilities for stylists and beauty experts to explore their creativity and career options, a cosmetology career could be a good choice!
What are the key responsibilities of hair stylist? ›
A Hair Stylist, also known as a Hairdresser, is a professional who colours, cuts, treats and styles hair. Their main duties include consulting with and advising clients, delivering a good-looking, successful end results that the client specified during the consultation process.
What is your greatest strength as a hairdresser? ›
Sample Answer: My strengths are my attention to detail and my ability to listen to customers. I'm working on improving my ability to work quickly and efficiently.
What is the main purpose of hairdressing? ›
The Hairdresser will provide a variety of beauty and grooming services such as cutting, styling, and coloring hair to the customers satisfaction.
What do you love most about the hair and beauty industry? ›
A career in hair, beauty and make-up lets you be on your feet, work with your hands and get absorbed in practical work that makes use of a combination of skills and ways of thinking. You'll also get the satisfaction of starting and finishing multiple jobs each day.
What is hairdressing and beauty therapy? ›
Cosmetology is the professional skill or practice of beautifying the face, hair, nails, and skin. It's the most marketable course as it offers a combination of both hairdressing and beauty therapy courses. This program prepares you for an exciting career in skin care and as a hairdresser.
What does hair and beauty involve? ›
This career area includes: hairdressing, barbering, salon management, beauty therapy, nail therapy, spa therapy, aromatherapy, reflexology, make-up artistry and body art (tattooing and piercing).
What is the hair and beauty industry? ›
What is Hair and Beauty? The hair and beauty industry offers many opportunities for people who are passionate about making others look and feel good. It includes a variety of services for the face, hair and body such as make-up, hair cutting, colouring, threading and styling, as well as shaving and waxing.
According to Investopedia, a generally healthy profit margin for small service businesses, such as salons, is around 8.2%. We can draw parallels from these numbers and assume the following: The average annual profit for salon businesses in the US is $20,000.
What are soft skills for hair stylist? ›
Time management, communication, adaptability, integrity, customer service, networking, social skills, problem-solving, and active listening are all examples of soft skills essential for beauty professionals.
What skills do you need to be a hair salon owner? ›
Have Good Organization Skills. As a salon owner, you are required to juggle personal life, clients, employees, finances, and more. There are many services in a hair salon, but being organized helps you focus on the task at hand and still have time for some fun.
What personality do you need to be a hairdresser? ›
Being a Good Listener
There is an intricate bond between our appearance and self-confidence. A good hairdresser will know how to 'read between the lines' and work out what type of look will suit their client, as well as make them happy. A client may express that they are tired of the same old style, for instance.
What do you have to learn to be a hairdresser? ›
Aside from official qualifications, a good hairdresser will possess additional key skills, which include a willingness to stay on top of industry trends and learn new techniques, awareness of the ever-changing fashion trends, great customer service and social skills and perhaps above all, creativity.
