Career library · Beauty, fitness and wellbeing

Beauty therapist

Skin, nail and beauty treatments people come back for

What people in this work actually do

Advise clients, carry out facial, skin, nail and hair-removal treatments, maintain strict hygiene and sterilisation, manage products and stock, and build a regular clientele.

This may suit you if…

You are good with your hands, you make people feel comfortable, and you are interested in doing the treatment properly rather than quickly.

The hard parts

Standing all day and repetitive hand work. Chemicals can cause skin reactions. Weekend and festival work is when demand peaks. Building a client base takes time and income is slow at first.

We show these because nobody else will.

What people get wrong about this

That it is frivolous work. It is a skilled service trade with recognised qualifications, strong self-employment potential, and real demand in towns of every size.

What this looks like in a smaller town

Can be started from home with modest equipment, which makes it one of the most practical self-employment routes for someone who cannot travel far. Bridal work in the wedding season is a significant earner.

Ways into this work

There is almost always more than one route, and the cheapest is often perfectly respected.

Short beauty therapy course

Short skill course · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10

A three to twelve month beauty therapy course.

How long
1 year
What it costs
Not yet verified
Available near you?
In most districts

How to do it
Find the free beauty and wellness courses running in your district, and cost out basic starting equipment.

Open a home salon

Working for yourself · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10

Offer beauty services from home after training.

How long
1 year
What it costs
Not yet verified
Available near you?
In most districts

How to do it
List ten people you could offer a first service to, and work out what equipment those services would need.

Beauty and wellness as a school skill subject

Skill subject at school · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10

Take Beauty and Wellness as the skill subject in Classes 9 and 10.

How long
2 years
What it costs
Not yet verified
Available near you?
In most districts

How to do it
Ask whether Beauty and Wellness is among the school's approved skill subjects.

Skills that matter here

Essential

Working safely

Spotting a hazard before it hurts somebody.

Essential

Serving people

Being patient and helpful with someone who is not.

Essential

Making things by hand

Turning materials into a finished object.

Useful

Looking after a customer

Dealing with people so they come back and tell others.

See whether this fits your family

School is one of five parts of growing up. See how your child is doing across all five, what to try next at their age, and what it would honestly cost in your area.

Start free

Sources

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