Breaking into the Industry: How to Launch Your Career as a Hair Stylist

Do you want to be the next Jawed Habib? Are you fond of styling your hair often and love the different looks that a new hairstyle can give to a person? Are you not very fond of studying conventional subjects in school and rather be involved in some hands-on activities out of school? Do you want to start earning as soon as possible after secondary school or even after finishing Class 8? A career as a Hair Stylist could be a good option for you.

Hairstylists are involved in styling and grooming the hair of the clients, like applying color to the client’s hair, providing trendy haircuts, giving volume to the hair by various techniques, etc. They have been involved in all the hairstyling-related activities in a salon.

Why become a hairstylist? 

As a Hairstylist, you will be cutting, trimming, dressing, coloring, and providing various other hair care and hairstyling services to customers, typically at a salon or similar establishments in hotels, spas, etc.

You will be shampooing, washing, conditioning, and blow-drying customers’ hair. You will offer scalp massage and hair spa services. You will create and style various looks for your customers using different cutting and trimming techniques.

You will create stylists and fashionable looks in your customers as per their desire using various styling and finishing techniques. You will be coloring customers’ hair using different types of colors.

Popular Specialization in Hair Styling Career

1. Hair Colorists: Hair Colorists are specialized in coloring and tinting customers’ hair. They also specialize in bleaching or lightening hair as well as applying various types of hair dyes.
2. Hair Extension Technician: Hair Extension Technicians are experts who add artificial length and volume to hairstyles. They use various types of hair extensions and techniques such as wigs, bundle weaving, cold fusion install, etc. They are often called Wig Stylists. 
3. Braid Stylist: Braid Stylists are specialized in creating different types of braids in customers’ hair as per their choice and preference.

What does a hair stylist do?

As a Hairstylist, you will have the following roles and responsibilities:

• You will ensure that workstations are clean and proper hygiene is maintained. 
• You will keep various tools such as scissors, razors, etc. sterilized and safe. 
• You will shampoo and condition customers’ hair using different types of shampoos and conditioners. 
• You will blow dry customers’ hair using various techniques such as blow waving, blow combing, blow stretching, etc. You will offer hair straightening services.
• You will perform scalp massage and massage of the head and neck on customers. You will provide hair spa services.
• You will cut and trim hair as well as create various patterns using different techniques such as club cutting, notching, slicing, point cutting, thinning, feathering, and perming. 
• You will perform hairstyling and hairdressing using various techniques and materials such as hair gel, creams, lotion, oils, etc.
• You will perform hair coloring using different types of hair colors which are temporary and semi-permanent; you will also perform bleaching or tinting of hair. 
• You will schedule customers’ appointments. Suggest hairstyles to customers. 
• You will advise and educate customers about hair care and various hair care and styling products.
• You will collect and maintain customers’ feedback.

How to become a Hair Stylist – Eligibility Criteria 

After Class 8 in school, you can do an NSQF Level 3 training program in Assistant Hair Stylist.

If you have completed class 10 in school, you can enroll for an ITI Training program in Hair Dresser / Hair and Skin Care / Barber / Hair Cutter / Beauty Culture & Hair Dressing / Hair & Beauty Care or a similar trade. You can do a similar program from other vocational training institutes as well.

Some private institutes and reputed beauty and personal care services companies offer Diploma programs in Hair Styling / Hair Spa / Hair Dressing/ similar programs.

Educational Fees

The educational fees to become a hairstylist are somewhere around Rs. 1500 to 50,000. 

Job Opportunities 

After your training and certification, you can get a job in a salon or a similar establishment as a:

1. Assistant Hair Stylist
2. Barber
3. Hair Dresser
4. Coloring Technician

Some salon centers where you can get a job: –

• Looks Salon
• Lakme Salon
• Be U Salons
• Geetanjali Salon
• VLCC
• Naturals Salon
• Jawed Habib
• L’Oréal Salon
• Amour Unisex Salon
• Cut & Style Salon

Salary of Hair Stylist 

As an apprentice or trainee, you will be earning about Rs. 3000-5000 a month.

After 1-3 years of experience, you will be earning about Rs. 8,000-10,000 a month.

After 5-10 years of experience, you will be earning about Rs. 12,000-25,000 or more a month. Besides, many salons allow you to accept tips from customers.

However, if you become reputed among your customers, salons may want to retain your services at a much higher salary, in the range of Rs. 50,000-70,000 or more a month.

If you open your own salon, you may be earning quite a lot over time. There are famous hairstylists who earn in crores every year. Hairstylists for celebrity clients also earn millions every year.

Career Progression in Hair Stylist Career

As a Hairstylist, you can grow in your workplace from a trainee to Assistant Hairstylist and then to a Hair Stylist in 1-2 years. With 4-5 years of experience, you will be a Senior Hairstylist. You may also open your own salon or serve customers independently at their homes. If you work well and your work becomes popular, you can grow very fast.

What do industry trends say – Future Prospects

Prospects of hairstylists are quite encouraging. Wellness Industry is growing tremendously nowadays. People are very much into hairstyling and grooming. As per FICCI and EY, suggestions, the Wellness Industry will grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 12% for the next 5 years, and also will reach an estimated high of Rs. 1.5 trillion by 2020. These figures show a bright future for people in this career.

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