Facts about Hairdressers
The term ‘hairdresser' is a universal one that refers to professionals or skilled practitioners whose job is to style or cut the hair of a particular customer. This is done so to preserve, maintain, improve, or change that customer's image. This feat is achieved by utilizing several techniques: haircutting, hair colouring, hair texturing, and others.
Some hairdressers prefer to be considered as hairstylists. It is commonly misbelieved that hairdressers only perform hair cutting service, and the other services like applying perm and colour are provided by cosmetologists. As a matter of fact, hairdressers are truly experts in cutting hair, trimming beards, applying colour and perm, giving facials and shaves. They are also licensed to apply and work with toupees and other hair replacement supplements and products.
There is also some professional rivalry between cosmetologists and hairdressers, both of which can be regulated and licensed. At one instance, both of the professional groups were permitted to cut and style hair, but only hairdressers were permitted to trim or shave beards, for this task entailed mastery of the dificult skill of using straight razors.
These days, hair dressers and barbers can be found working together in male salons and beauty parlours. Today, hairdressers or hairstylists strive to accommodate the contemporary hairstyle trends through applying traditional styling and straight razor shaving with modern techniques, like hair colouring and hair texturing.
In some countries like the United Kingdom , the fields of hair styling and Cosmetology are regulated by government accrediting bodies. There is virtually no difference between cosmetologists and hairdressers anymore. Both of these groups are issued similar licences and both of them can practice the art of hair colouring, straight razor shaving, various chemical work, and of course haircutting whenever they choose.
The Hairdressers' Opus: The Hairstyle
A haircut, hairdo, or hairstyle refers to a way of styling a head of hair. The fashioning and styling of hair is considered a facet of personal grooming, cosmetics, and fashion; however practical concerns influence hairstyles as well. Hairstyles can also be affected and influenced by different subcultures.
The aesthetic considerations and concerns can be determined and influenced by many aspects and factors, like the subject's desired image and physical attributes or hairdressers' artistic inclinations.
The physical factors affecting hairstyles may include the hair's growth pattern and natural type, the subject's head and face shape from different angles, and overall proportions of the body. The subject's medical aspects and considerations might also apply.
One's self image might be directed toward conformity to conventional and mainstream values (crew cuts in the military or modern hairstyle fads like the Dido flip), identification with distinctively-attired and groomed subgroups (e.g. Mohawks and dreadlocks), or obedience to religious standards (e.g. kesh practice of Sikhs or the Payot of Orthodox Jews); however, this is quite dependent on context and a mainstream attire or look in one place might be limited to a particular subgroup in another.
Hairdressers may also include the service of adding certain accessories to hold the hair in place, augment its appearance ornamentally, or sometimes fully or partially conceal the hair with certain coverings like hijab, kippa, or a turban.
Hairdressing can also include cuts, extensions, colouring, perms, curling, permanent relaxers, and other forms of texturing or styling.
Hairdressers in History
The hairdresser's profession is quite an ancient one. Among the ruins of Egypt 's Bronze Age (around 3500 BCE), some razor relics were found.
In England sometime in the past, shaving of the face or head was not a voluntary practice because it was enforced by laws. Thus it can be considered that vanity and cleanliness were not the only reasons behind the perennial ‘clean shave' of modern times; its roots go far deeper.
In ancient Rome , hairdressing was introduced to the city by the Sicilian Greek colonies around 300 BCE. At that time, hair salons became popular establishments for everyday gossip and news. The Latin term for the place is called a ‘tonsor', and it had become a regular part of the daily life in Rome , and about equal to importance to Roman public baths. A young Roman's ‘tonsura', or first shave, was a vital part of the ceremony surrounding his coming of age.
What Makes Hair Styling Enjoyable: The Advantages of the Profession
Fact is, many people pursue this profession because of the advantages that comes with the job. One advantage is the work flexibility of hairdressers. Hairdressers can choose to work for a salon or for their own salon business. They can choose to work eight hours or longer for any client who chooses to walk into the salon, or they can take on work by appointment only.
Hairdressers can also offer a variety of services. Today, salons also offer services other than hair styling. These include nail care, facial services and even massage. Hairdressers working for a salon that offers a variety of services can also increase their income by offering services other than hair styling or hair trimming.
Another advantage is that one can become a hairdresser by choosing to attend a training course at a technical school or by becoming an apprentice in a salon. Either way, one can become a hairdresser at no or very low cost.
The salon industry is actually a lucrative industry in any part of the world, and this is another advantage of choosing to pursue this profession. Hairdressers known for their superb expertise in hairstyling and other beauty-enhancing services earn good money from celebrities, such as movie stars and models.