Cosmetologists are the people that have studied and have experience applying beauty treatments. There are several different branches that cosmetology is split into, and into which cosmetologists can work in any of these fields. These include, but are not limited to, skin care, electrology, hair styling, cosmetics, and manicures/pedicures.
Within the stated categories above, a cosmetologist can then choose one of these specific fields:
• Shampoo technician
• Manicurist/pedicurist
• Esthetician
• Electrologist
• Nail technician
Now let us talk more in depth about these specific fields of cosmetology. First off, we have a shampoo technician. This is the person that shampoos and conditions a person’s hair before it is to get styled by the hair stylist. This person can also serve as a helper with perm rinses, shampooing color, and chemical relaxers with the hair.
The manicurist is the person that performs the cosmetic treatment for the fingernails. Oppositely, a pedicurist performs these duties on the toenails. This process starts off with a soak in a softening liquid and then the body part is covered in lotion. Most times the nails are shaped and finished off with a nail polish, whatever color the client chooses. Also artificial nails can be used to add length to the nails. For an added bonus, jewels, decals, patterns, designs, and different colors can be put on the nails as well.
An esthetician is the person you would go to get hair removed, to get a massage, or a body wrap. These are the people that do waxing of unwanted hair whether for the eyebrows or some place more personal. This specialist may undergo special training to equip them with the knowledge of how to perform electrolysis and hair removal, but that is more of a job for an electrologist.
As I said before, an electrologist is the one that deals with electrolysis. They do not do waxing, but do laser hair removal instead. This is a cosmetologist that has schooling beyond beauty school because of the use of the electrolysis machine.
The nail technician really takes care of the nails. This person is somewhat similar to a manicurist/pedicurist. They do all of the same jobs as the other field but are also trained to identify nail and skin diseases and irregularities. They do not treat these problems, but just identify the problem. The problem should still be looked at by a physician.
To become a cosmetologist, a person has to go to beauty school. This usually takes around one year to complete. Certain fields may take longer or may be shorter than a year, depending on the difficulty and extent of the field.
With a background in cosmetology, the jobs are pretty much endless. This is definitely the job to get into if someone enjoys working with beauty aspects. There will always be a need for these people because people in society are so fixated on beauty, especially on the outside. This is a great field to get into because the opportunities are endless and it does not take long to complete.