Is Beauty a Good Career?

The Beauty Industry in the UK is worth billions of pounds. If you are someone who takes a keen interest in making people look and feel their best, then you should not hesitate before choosing beauty as your career path. The beauty industry is many things and is not just restricted to makeup and stuff. As a beautician, your job will be to improve your client’s appearance through skincare, hair care, nail, massage, and other beauty techniques. It doesn’t mean you have to master all the techniques. There are dedicated services like hair colour, nail art, hair stylist, etc. that you can pursue.

Here are the top reasons why beauty is a good career choice.

  1. First things first, you get variety. Boring is not part of being a beauty therapist. You won’t be doing the same things over and over again. At one point you will be creating bespoke nail art for your client’s prom night, and the next moment you will be helping a bride design her makeup for the big day. The higher the skills you have, the more variety you can explore.
  2. You may not know but beauticians play a significant role in encouraging people to feel comfortable in their own skin. Your little words and some beauty tips can have a huge impact on their confidence.
  3. The best part about being a beauty therapist is that you can choose to work at a salon, spa, or health club, or start your own business. In both cases, you get to grow.

The beauty industry in the UK will continue to grow no matter the obstacles. You have the ‘job security’ if that’s what bugging you from making a decision.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their beauty therapy learners. We also offer free beauty therapy courses and funded level 3 beauty courses with work placements.

Is It Legal To Do Nails at Home?

If you are just starting as a nail tech you should consider working from your home. It is profitable, way easier to do, as well as recommended if you wish to get your steady customers.

Did you know that approximately 54.9 percent of nail technicians have been working in the nail industry for longer than 9 years? This means that almost all of their customers are already their regulars who admire their work, and who are not planning on seeking for someone else.

This means that you may struggle at first to get your steady customers. This is why it is also not recommended to start a business on your own and all of a sudden if you haven’t had any experience beforehand, and if others do not know of you and your service.

If you are thinking about providing your services from home, make sure that you invest a significant amount of time and money into ads and when doing your promotions. Let the word out on the street!

Home-based salons and at-home treatments are allowed in most countries, as well as cities. However, you should look into this with your city hall and read into any new regulations since things have been changing in the last couple of months due to the impact of COVID 19.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their nail technician learners. They also offer free  nail courses and work placement

Is Being a Makeup Artist Hard?

An average makeup artist in the United Kingdom works 38-40 hours a week. The days are full of intense teamwork and creative collaboration. As a makeup artist, you will get to work with the best designers, models, publications, editors, and hairstylists. Once you become a little renowned, you will be attending celebrities. So, given the fact that it is really a tough job and can be a lot stressful, the daily grinding will reap many benefits and open doors to new opportunities.

How stressful is it?

To be honest, being a makeup artist is one of the most stressful jobs. Thus, it is important for a professional to have a pleasant, outgoing personality and a great attitude if you want to be successful in the industry. Some projects are so tedious that it can mentally exhaust you. But you will have to be an inventive, spontaneous, and creative individual who is OK and willing to cope with last-minute, ever-changing schedules, which may require early call times and long hours.

Nevertheless, you cannot take any job for granted. Each job role has its perks and flaws.

What about the pay?

For a senior makeup artist in the UK, it is not unusual to achieve a six-figure income. But in the early stages, a lot of dedication and hard work is required because there will be a lot of assisting and volunteering.

All in all, being a makeup artist can be hard if you don’t love what you are doing. But meeting new people every day, new projects, and expectations, pose as a challenge that should get you going.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their beauty therapy learners. We also offer free make up courses and funded level 3 make up courses with work placements.

What Qualifications Do You Need to Teach Hairdressing?

Perhaps you have made the decision or are interested in the idea of teaching hairdressing. It’s a wonderful line of work within the beauty industry that is highly rewarding.

Why should you think about teaching hairdressing?

If you’re thinking of teaching hairdressing then you’ll need to get salon experience under your belt. The more practise you have, the higher standard of your teaching. You want to be able to answer all the questions to the best of your abilities and also be able to spot a student’s strengths and weaknesses in order to guide them.

So you’re qualified in hairdressing and have experience, why else would you teach?

Teaching brings the perfect opportunity for you to share your skills and talents. It is highly rewarding because you support students onto the first step of their career ladder. Jobs are hugely important and the role of a good teacher is insurmountable in the influence on a student’s life.

What qualifications do you need to teach hairdressing?

To be able to teach, you will need a level 2 + 3 in all the technical aspects of hairdressing as well as experience in a salon. After this, you would go on to study for qualifications in education and training at level 3 and there are also teaching courses to complete at level 4 + 5 depending on the level of hairdressing you want to teach.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their women’s hairdressing learners. We also offer free women’s hairdressing courses and work placements.

How Do I Start a Career in Makeup?

A career in makeup is a dream for many. It is a fast-paced industry that provides you with endless opportunities if you know the skill. If you are influenced by people over the social media channels and follow their beauty blogs, and think that you have the learning attitude to become a successful makeup artist, so why not start building up your resume now?

Starting a career in makeup in the UK can be a little overwhelming, particularly when you don’t know where to look.

Enrol for the Right Course

You will have to start everything from scratch. There are lots of makeup courses available all over the United Kingdom offered by beauty academies, creative arts schools, and colleges. So, it is essential to compare the options thoroughly and choose a course carefully.

Always opt for government-accredited courses. Some of the most popular makeup qualifications you can go for including an ITEC Level 3 Diploma, Makeup Standards Authority (MASA) diploma, City and Guilds Diploma, a VTCT Level 3 Diploma, and a BTEC Level 3 Diploma. You can opt for any of these diploma courses to start a career in makeup.

Once you get certified, it is up to you how you pursue further.

  • Look for retail jobs to learn about makeup
  • Assist as much as possible
  • Stay professional
  • Stock up your favourite high-street brands to build up your kit bag
  • Do your research about the industry you are getting in
  • Always stay humble and respect privacy

The role of a makeup artist is not just to apply cosmetics on people’s faces. The clients you are working with would also want you to keep certain things confidential. In short, you can build a robust client base by gaining trust.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their beauty therapy learners. We also offer free make up courses and funded level 3 make up courses with work placements.

How Do I Start My Own Acrylic Nail Business?

You would be surprised to know that nail art marketing is continuously blooming. If you are interested in nail art and want to take it to the next level, you can think of starting your own acrylic nail business. It is not necessary to set up a fancy salon to launch a business; all you need is the right set of skills to get started as an acrylic nail professional from your home.

Check out what you need to get started as a nail art professional from the comforts of your home.

Understand the Industry

Start your research by getting deep into the industry and, understand what is trending like fibreglass nail extensions, gel extension, acrylic extension and many more.

Get The Right Training

Once you have found your preferred field in the nail art industry, you need to get yourself trained in that vertical. Today there are online nail technology classes available that can give you the right assistance.

Get License and Permits

Even if you want to start a business at home, you need a license and permit to tag yourself as a professional. It will also help you in landing elite clients in the market.

Invest in Quality Products

If you wish to emerge as a successful entrepreneur, you must invest in good products to drive customers. Tie up with premium manufacturers for supply.

There you go, with the least investment and efforts, you can start your own business. All you need is skills and a practical business plan to steer your home nail art business towards success.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their acrylic nail learners. We also offer free acrylic and manicure courses and funded level 3 nail courses with work placements.

 

How Do I Get Certified in Makeup?

If you are a pro with the lip liner, a wizard with a pair of scissors, and extremely wise with a blusher brush, the makeup industry just might be for you. A makeup artist uses his/her artistic skills along with cosmetics to enhance a person’s appearance, highlighting their natural beauty and hiding any imperfections that they are embarrassed about. The first thing that one might ask is how do I get certified in makeup. Well, there are plenty of certification programmes across the United Kingdom, from diplomas to makeup schools, and beauty academies.

Makeup Artist Courses

While you don’t need a degree to become a makeup artist, a recognised certification will do the trick.

#1 VTCT NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Beauty Therapy Makeup

This is the ideal way to start your journey in makeup and get certified. It is a beginners’ course or certification programme designed for those who have zero experience in makeup. VTCT NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Beauty Therapy Makeup is a government-funded beauty course that teaches techniques and procedures that will help you set foot in the beauty industry.

#2 VTCT NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Makeup Artistry

While the NVQ Level 2 Diploma prepares students for employment as a junior or assistant makeup artist, NVQ Level 3 Diploma teaches technical level skills that open the doorway to a lot of opportunities.

These courses are offered by beauty academies, creative arts schools, and colleges across the UK. Just make sure that the certification programme you choose is accredited by the government as well as other regulatory bodies.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their beauty therapy learners. We also offer free make up courses and funded level 3 make up courses with work placements.

Which Beauty Treatments Make the Most Money?

People are getting savvier over things they spend their money, especially when it comes to beauty treatments. Gone are the days when the ladies just visited the salon for a quality facial. Today, people are seeking out more specific and complicated services that surprisingly are quite expensive.

Surprisingly, in the UK, semi-permanent makeup treatments are on the rise and they are whoppingly expensive. And average semi-permanent treatment can easily cost around £400. So, if you are an aspiring beautician or a beauty expert, we have brought you some of the trendiest and profitable beauty treatments that you would want to learn.

#1 Microshading

Microshading is a brow treatment that fills in the eyebrows with tiny dots. An average treatment costs £260. If you master the art, and bring in new techniques to perform microshading, you can easily increase the rate. Nevertheless, this is still high and you can earn £2,600 a week with just microshading clients.

#2 Ombre Brows

Ombre brows is a soft-shading technique that is quite expensive. A single appointment costs around £300, which means you can make £3000 per week. It is a complicated procedure and requires high focus.

#3 Semi-Permanent Eyeliner

A single semi-permanent eyeliner treatment can cost up to £330. However, its training cost is way higher. But if you master the art, it can turn out to be quite profitable.

#4 Semi-Permanent Lip Liner

A semi-permanent lip liner treatment brings in £3,600 per week given that you are experienced.

#5 Semi-Permanent Brows

Including semi-permanent brows in your service would bring you £4,420 per week if you treat 10 clients.

These are the most popular and expensive beauty treatments that are quite profitable.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their beauty therapy learners. We also offer free beauty therapy courses and funded level 3 beauty courses with work placements.

How Do I Become a Nail Technician in the UK?

There are a lot of nail techs nowadays worldwide due to the massive increase in social media, as well as because of beauty YouTubers.

Nowadays, everyone is trying to look presentable, and almost every woman loves to do some sort of a manicure every month.

If you wish to become a nail tech in the UK just know that you will profit from this profession. Here is how you can become a nail tech in the UK:

Level one is the most basic and beginner qualification. You can gain the needed knowledge for manicures and pedicures with this course. You can finish this course online as well as in some salons.

NVQ Level 2 is a nail course that allows you to work on your own with clients. You will also learn how to do gel manicures and nail extensions. NVQ Level 2 can be taught in school, through courses, as well as in some colleges.

NVQ Level 3 is a complete course that allows you to work unsupervised. You will learn how to do acrylic nails as well as nail art. After finishing this course, you can also open up your salon and run your business.

All of these qualifications can be achieved through online classes, beauty classes, and in school.

Each course is different in price, as well as in its length. At CPBA, however, you can finish your nail tech course in less than 4 months!

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their nail technician learners. They also offer free  nail courses and work placement

How Much Do Hairdressers Earn in the UK?

It’s a great question because, let’s be honest, money makes the world go round! Hairdresser salaries can vary a lot.

What type of hairdresser do you want to be?

It is worth looking into this before and while you are training. When you have a clear goal in sight, it is easier to work towards a successful career.

So what influences a hairdresser’s salary?

  1. Skill set (senior stylists earn more than juniors).
  2. Hours worked.
  3. The area you live (working in London will pay more than a seaside town up North, but then you need to consider cost of living).
  4. Whether you work for yourself or someone else.
  5. Environment (i.e. high street salon, fashion, stage, film and TV, cruise liners, teaching).

In some cases, hair stylists make a huge amount of money. In 2006, Forbes magazine reported that the hairdresser who styled Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow charged $800 for a new hair-do! Don’t get too excited, though, this is an exceptional circumstance, not all clients can afford an $800 hair-cut and in hairdressing you have to work hard and really prove your talents with the scissors and hair dye.

What is the average salary for hairdressers in the UK?

If you’re willing to put the time and effort in, hairdressing can bring great financial rewards. According to nationalcareers.service.gov.uk, the average salary for a hairdresser ranges from £14,000-£30,000.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their women’s hairdressing learners. We also offer free women’s hairdressing courses and work placements.

What Qualifications Do I Need to Do Acrylic Nails?

If you are a nail tech or you wish to become one you should master different nail courses. In the last 2-3 years, acrylic nails have been the most loved & asked-for nails at beauty salons. This is because they have an amazing lifespan, they are quite durable, as well as easy to maintain.

Here’s how you can get qualified to do them on other clients:

There are three different nail tech diplomas that you can get. Level 1 is the most basic kind that only covers the basics of manicures.

However, Level 2 & 3 certificates will help you understand how acrylic nails are applied. These classes are usually quite detail-oriented, and they can take up to 4 months to complete.

Some beauty salons & online courses also offer faster teaching-classes for the application of acrylics. In fact, you could gain a VTCT Level 2 diploma in nail technology in one day only! There are no requirements and you do not have to have the Level 1 qualification for this training program. However, a manicure experience would be beneficial and it would help you master the acrylics in no time.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their nail technician learners. They also offer free  nail courses and work placement

How Much Can a Barber Make in a Year?

Barbers in the UK can make a decent living, along with hairdressers & nail technicians.

Nowadays thanks to social media these professions have skyrocketed, and their salaries have increased massively over the years.

Here’s how much you can make as a barber in the UK:

Barbers in the UK can make, roughly, around £24,025 per year.

However, some key factors will play a major rule in determining your salary, and those are:

  • Your training level
  • Your skills
  • How many years you’ve worked in this field
  • Your reputation

The higher the education level, the pricier your services can be!

Usually, junior barbers can make around £40-£60 per day. You will also get £20 in tips. However, a professional barber can earn up to £1000 per week!

Barbers can also profit from selling hair products that are available at a salon. If you are a salon owner you can probably work under your own rules. On the other hand, freelancing barbers will have to make a deal with their superior if they wish to be paid per hour, or per commission.

In the end, you should work 5-6 days a week anywhere from 6-10 hours. With this schedule, you can easily earn £18,000 to £24,000 in a year!

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their barbering learners. They also offer free   barbering courses and work placement

Can You Make a Living as a Barber?

Worried if you’ll be able to make a decent living as a barber? Well, stop worrying! Barbers make an impressive amount of money, and it seems like this is going to be one of the most asked-for occupations in the following time!

How to make a living as a barber?

 Stay persistent

If you’ve just graduated and you are not too sure where to turn, make sure you take it slow. Finding your first job does take time, but staying persistent will get you hired. You should also consider doing an apprenticeship in order to get noticed.

Find your regulars

Once hired, or even if you end up opening your own salon, make sure to stay loyal to your clients. Build bonds with others, and let them see how well you can cut & style hair! The better you transform someone’s image, the higher the chances that they’ll be back!

Invest in yourself & your courses

Every here & there, a true professional will consider stepping up their game & gaining even more knowledge. This means that you should invest in your courses and always build your portfolio. More knowledge + more working hours means higher prices = better salary.

Stay chatty

Lastly, it is important to stay chatty & friendly with others around you! Why? Clients love to talk with their hairdressers. If they end up feeling comfortable they might leave you a tip. This is just one more way of how you can profit at a salon.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their barbering learners. They also offer free   barbering courses and work placement

How Do You Become a MUA?

Makeup artist or MUA is a dream job for many. With the thriving fashion industry in the UK, the need for qualified makeup artists has surged. This is the perfect time to step foot in the industry and establish yourself as a knowledgeable professional for any kind of makeup artistry. The role of a makeup artist is quite unique. A makeup artist is a specialist in cosmetics, who has all the knowledge and expertise of different products and tools and uses his/her artistic skills to enhance the overall appearance of an individual—people who want to look at their best avail the services of a makeup artist.

A makeup artist style hair and apply makeup for people appearing in front of a live audience or on camera.

So, how do you become a MUA?

You can get into this job through:

  • An apprenticeship
  • A college course
  • A university course
  • Specialist course offered by beauty schools

An apprenticeship is a good option if you already have your basics cleared. The entry requirements are some GCSEs, usually including maths and English, for an intermediate apprenticeship.

 

You can also pursue a qualification in makeup therapy like VTCT NVQ Level 2 Diploma and VTCT NVQ Level 3 Diploma. The entry requirements are two or more GCSEs at grades A* to D for Level 2 Diploma, and four GCSEs at grades A* to C for Level 3 Diploma.

 

Once you have completed the necessary certifications:

  • You can start out as a trainee to a makeup team
  • Find casual work
  • Volunteer behind the scenes in amateur dramatic societies or theatres
  • Opt for specialist makeup and beauty courses

 

The more practical knowledge you gain, the better your portfolio will become.

 

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their beauty therapy learners. We also offer free make up courses and funded level 3 make up courses with work placements.

 

 

Can I Be a Hairdresser Without Qualifications?

To become a specialist in any area, you need a variety of skills, knowledge and practise. Hair is incredibly important to people. When you scroll through social media, it’s fascinating to check out all the styles different celebrities have. As a society, we care about our appearance. People want to look amazing!

You wouldn’t let anybody cut your hair. Some people can’t even plait neatly!

I can plait, what’s so hard about hairdressing?

Not many people understand what it takes to create an even cut, how hair dye works, which hair shades match which skin tones, how to perm hair, how to condition frazzled hair. To be able to learn these skills, you will have to love hair, or the idea of working with hair, and will need to be ready to put the time into study and practise.

Can I be a hairdresser without qualifications?

People train in hairdressing through:

  1. Completing hairdressing courses at college.
  2. Completing in-house salon apprenticeships where you learn on the job.

You will need to evidence that you are able to work towards a level 2 in hairdressing. This is why entry requirements usually include at least two GCSEs at grades 9-3 (A*-D).

To apply for the CPBA Level 2 in Hairdressing, you will need a previous level 1 qualification in hairdressing or a successful skills test and interview. Please call us for a chat about your individual situation on 020 8004 8835.

If you have called CPBA for a chat and don’t have the entry requirements to join our level 2 Women’s Hairdressing course, it is worth contacting local salons about apprenticeships.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their women’s hairdressing learners. We also offer free women’s hairdressing courses and work placements.

Do I Need Insurance to Do Nails?

A self-employed nail tech should have their insurance policy. A policy will have your back if you face a compensation claim, and it can cover other things such as your equipment, tools, and inventory

These insurance are not too expensive and you can pay around £5-15 per month. The price can vary because of the size of your salon, income, as well as the policy that you end up choosing.

Nail technicians and manicurists who don’t have any employees are not legally obliged to have business insurance. However, you could use it if you face an expensive hurdle.

There are also some insurances for mobile freelancers.

There is public liability insurance, as well as a tailored policy that you can tailor per your needs and preferences.

These are the top three most important insurances:

Employer’s liability insurance that covers compensation claims that were made against you by other employees from the salon. This is perfect if you wish to protect yourself.

Public liability insurance covers compensation claims made against you by people who are not your employees. These can be members of the public or even your clients.

Product liability insurance will cover your tools as well as products. If you stumble upon any defects, this insurance will cover your loss and its irregularities.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their nail technician learners. They also offer free  nail courses and work placement

How Can I Start a Salon With No Money

Thinking about opening up your own salon in the UK? Wondering if a beauty salon or a barbershop is the right call for you? Here’s what you should know:

  1. Get a license – you should register your new business with the environmental health section of your local authority. You will need to have at least the level 2 NVQ license to become a salon owner.
  2. Write a business plan – this will help you focus on your main objectives and your pricing, as well as the likely costs of all the tools.
  3. Ask your government for help – if you can’t save up the needed money for your barbershop, you should look into some government grants since these are available each year for the right business. Gov.UK business finance is the right place to start and see if you’re eligible for free funding!
  4. Go to the bank – if you are not eligible for a grant you can ask your bank for help. This funding option is the best if nothing else works out for you. You should consider a bank loan, but talk the details through with your business manager or with someone who has paid off their debt before you begin this journey.

PS: In the UK, it’s possible to apply for a government-backed Start Up Loan of between £500 and £25,000, which includes free guidance to help write your business plan and free mentoring.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their barbering learners. They also offer free   barbering courses and work placement

What Should I Study to Become a Makeup Artist?

If you think your brain drenches with creativity and you find happiness in making people look good, then it is worth becoming a makeup artist. But, it is easier said than done. Watching a few YouTube videos and following some of the most popular makeup artists on Instagram will not make you a makeup artist. Yes, they will help you in understanding how they use their creativity to make a client look good.

A makeup artist uses his/her skills in cosmetics, products, and tools to improve someone’s natural features or completely change how they look. There are two different fields in which a makeup artist can work – fashion and editorial and film and theatre.

If you have an artistic flair and love cosmetics, it should not be difficult for you to complete your certification programme and build a portfolio in the UK.

Makeup Artist Courses

Before you start as a makeup artist, a recognised qualification from an accredited institution is good to have in hand. This further improves your credibility and helps you land more gigs.

The most popular courses for a makeup artist include VTCT NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Beauty Therapy Makeup and VTCT NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Makeup Artistry.

First, you will have to complete the NVQ Level 2 Diploma before you can pursue the level 3.

Apart from these, there are other popular courses like an ITEC Level 3 Diploma, BTEC Level 3 Diploma, Makeup Standards Authority diploma, and more.

Choose the right course with proper counselling. This will make things clear for you.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their beauty therapy learners. We also offer free make up courses and funded level 3 make up courses with work placements.

How Do You Get Certified to Do Nails?

There are several different ways and qualifications that one can get to become a nail tech.

However, in the UK, nail technicians do not need any formal qualifications to get a job. On the other end, you do need a Level 3 diploma to start your own nail tech business.

If you end up taking a nail technician course you will improve your chances of landing a well-paying position in a nail studio.

You can get certified in several ways, such as:

You can begin by taking a nail treatment course at your local college. These are offered in levels 1 and 2.

You can finish different courses in-salons or even online! Due to Covid-19, a lot of beauty schools offer amazing nail courses through Zoom and other streaming platforms.

You can get your nail diploma in:

  • Sculpting nails
  • Doing acrylics
  • Doing gel extensions
  • Manicures and pedicures
  • Doing nail art

As long as you can invest anywhere from one day and up to four months to master a class (or classes) you can become a certified nail tech.

You could also do a nail service technician intermediate apprenticeship. Usually, requirements are some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their nail technician learners. They also offer free  nail courses and work placement

Is it Illegal to Cut Hair at Home?

If you are a hairdresser who is thinking about working at home, make sure you look into it before proceeding further! Here’s all that you should know about freelancing.

  1. You might need permission

If you want to run a business from your home, you may need permission from your landlord where they state that they are fine with you turning your property to a commercial place. Although there is nothing illegal about cutting hair at home, you may want to read some rules & guidelines on how to do it correctly.

  1. Each city is different

Regulations vary from country to country, and they can also vary from city to city. Ask around to get the information that applies specifically to your area. Your town hall is a good place to start.

  1. You might not profit from working from home

Although it may sound intriguing and practical, doing haircuts from your home is not the smartest move. Also, you won’t make a lot of money (at the beginning for sure). Why is that so? Well, you are inviting someone to your personal space and where they’ve never been. Would you feel comfortable walking around in someone else’s home or apartment?

Cutting hair from home may be a good temporary idea (if all else fails) but it isn’t a good solution in the long run.

CPBA offers free employment advice and guidance to their barbering learners. They also offer free   barbering courses and work placement