So instead of going to college, I decided very early on that I wanted to be a cosmetologist, the fancy word for a hairdresser or beautician. I started school one month ago and have already learned way more than I thought I would, but in ways you wouldn't necessarily expect; so here are 10 things I've learned from being in beauty school for one month.
1. Always tip the shampoo girl/guy.
If the person washing your hair isn't the person who is cutting or coloring your hair, then you should tip them. If you think about it, they're probably a student who doesn't have a lot of money coming in anyway, and they are doing their own service for you: making sure the water isn't scalding or freezing, shampooing your hair, possibly/probably giving you some kind of massage, conditioning your hair, and making sure that water doesn't go down your back or get on your face (or at least trying to). So tip them five dollars, two dollars, even one dollar is something.
2. Never touch the handles of an escalator
One of the first things you learn in cosmetology school is sanitation; meaning you get to learn about some really gross stuff. One really gross thing I got to learn is that some unmentionable bacteria is more often than not left on escalator handles. So unless you have a Clorox wipe attached to your hand in the mall, or can get to a bathroom to wash your hands the moment you step off the escalator, I'd advise you not to touch the handles. Just don't do it!
3. Cutting hair is not as easy as you may think.
The first graduated cut I ever did took
over an hour to do correctly, and I didn't even do it 100 percent right.
Either my hand wasn't facing the right way, I was clipping too
close to the web between my fingers, or I accidentally cut too much.
Everything comes down to a science. From the way the stylist parts
the hair, to what comb and shears they use. On that note:
4. The shears used to cut hair are shears not scissors.
They may look the same, but trust me, they aren't.
5. The stereotype that cosmetologists are total airheads isn't necessarily true.
We don't just study how to cut and color hair or do crazy braids and do homecoming hairstyles, we study human anatomy, physiology, histology, human relations, what an EPA approved hospital disinfectant is, different kinds of skin conditions, how to properly mix 40 grams of one color and 20 of another, and what level developer to mix with the two combined to get the desired effect. In a sense, we are not only hairdressers, but we're confidants, chemists, and mostly ambidextrous.
6. Coffee is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
If I were honest with myself about how much I have spent on coffee over the last month... nope I don't even want to think about it. I have had more coffee in the past month than I have in the past two years. My instructor always says goodbye to me the same way now: “see you tomorrow,” or next Tuesday if it's Friday, “bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and caffeinated!”
7. The discounts are so worth it.
Going to Sally Beauty Supply, Cosmoprof, and Salon Centric is so much fun, especially with the student card. It's basically a temporary Pro card (at least for Sally Beauty), so you get the Net price for everything as long as you are in school at certain stores that offer the cosmetology student discount.
8. The world is smaller than you'd think.
When your school is down the street from your old high school, you'll meet people and have mutual acquaintances. I've met people who knew my old teachers, who went to school with my family members, who have seen my ex-boyfriends, and even friends from a youth program I did. It's crazy sometimes who you'll meet, but every time it is always so fun to get to know people.
9. The mannequin heads really aren't that creepy.
Meet Helen (Aka Jennifer Grey), Debra (Renamed Beatrice, AKA Trixie, AKA Bea, AKA The Beast), and Synthetic Blondie (name in progress); they are just a few of the heads I practice on daily. Fun fact: they were made in China and after they were finished being made, they were boiled to kill any bacteria and diseases before they were shipped to America.
10. Weekend doesn't mean Saturday and Sunday anymore.
A cosmetologist's week is Tuesday to Saturday, not Monday to Friday. So I still dislike Mondays, just in a different way than most of the world. So while you're sleeping in, mowing the lawn, or getting over a hangover on Saturday morning, I am getting up at the same time as I did the day before to go to work.
There is no where I'd rather be and nothing I'd rather be doing.
My school has become like a second family, and I am growing and learning in more ways than I ever could have hoped for. Yes, some things are gross and some things are a bit daunting. But, nothing makes me happier than doing what I love, helping people be creative and confident, inside and out.
