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.

To see the routes to getting into each of these sectors, take a look at our Career Areas.

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).

What kind of companies can I work for?

Possible employers include:

• hairdressing salons (some also offer beauty treatments)
• barbershops
• 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.