The Colorful Life of a Professional Hairstylist from NY

Having been licensed as a hairstylist in New York State for the past 26 years, the experiences I have encountered have been so vast and varied; the list far exceeds anything that can be portrayed in just a few words, however, a wholehearted attempt will be made to articulate this fantastical moment of time in my life and hopefully enlighten and inspire a new generation to fall in love with the beauty industry.

I decided to take Beauty Culture in my junior year of high school as part of the three-year sequence of required courses, with the thought that I would be getting off easy. How can a two-year program replace the compulsory course program of electives? Cosmetology, a segment of BOCES, included a half-day of theory and practical education held in my home high school with students bussed in from the four surrounding schools, Monday-Friday, with Fridays being reserved as an optional workday for senior students only.

The course was anything but easy, but the two years of memories and friendships made have endured and will continue to do so until the day my scissors are retired, which I must add will be the day I am in a coffin. By the way, any of my girls reading this, please make sure my hair looks fabulous and I have no visible regrowth upon my demise, thank you.

Morbid? Maybe, but ask any hairstylist worth their shears and they will tell you, the first place the eyes wander when having a conversation with another helpless, unsuspecting, individual, is to the top of the head. Every single one of my poor friends will respond to my awkward gaze upon their hair, “Do my roots need to be done?” I apologize; it is a gift and a curse to be so aware of the craft and your desperate need of color.

My family was “disappointed” I chose the career path of hairdressing rather than attending college. The thought being I was wasting my “intelligence,” and I had it “in me” to be a doctor or a lawyer. I didn’t choose hairstyling; it selected me, becoming my vocation.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to hairstylists; men are feminine and women are stupid, both being the most ignorant of labels. While, yes there are many gay males in the beauty industry, there are also many straight ones and the same goes for females.

And stupid! Oh, Hell NO! Not only are hairstylists talented and gifted in the art of styling hair, a task not simple, especially when trying to make a client “look” like the picture they have brought in, more on this later, but we are educated in anatomy, biology, chemistry and dermatology, requirements to be licensed with the true and dedicated technicians continually learning in one of the fastest growing industries economically.

Being an admittedly vain woman, at the time teenager, I enveloped myself into the role, absorbing all of the beauty information for my own benefit; learning how to manage my unruly, thick, wavy, frizzy hair; becoming the blonde I was born to be; donning perfect nails; having glowing, hairless skin and learning to apply makeup for any occasion; all at my taking.

At the same time, to appease family and in my own fear of not excelling at my craft, I enrolled in the local community college, deciding to pass on taking the practical exam after acing the written portion. A dear friend was not accepting any excuses. She came to my house, helped me set my model’s hair, my mother, (at that time we used live, brave models, not mannequins to take the test), and dragged my backside to the state board exam. Even after combing out her damp hair into what was a decent do, and believing I failed miserably, I passed and became a licensed cosmetologist in the state of New York.

A piece of advice given by my cosmetology teacher, that I will always remember, was to never allow this license to expire, even if you aren’t practicing. That piece of paper is displayed proudly in my current hair salon and is an invaluable reflection of who I am, which I will never forget to renew.

Working as a hairstylist proved to be one of the greatest decisions I have ever made, especially today, amongst an economy in turmoil, as I always have some type of earnings. And when I am not working, I relish in the many benefits hairstyling, along with working as a freelance beauty writer affords such as: savings on beauty products, free samples, first glances at innovative hair care, free hairstyling for my large immediate family and best of all my indulgent “play date” once every four to six weeks with another graduate of the above program and longtime friend. We cut and color each other’s hair as we have done for the past 26 years. She is the only person outside of my husband and children who does not pay, because we barter each other’s services.

But, I digress, in the beginning of my hairstyling career, while still in school, working weekends as an assistant in an upscale section of Long Island afforded me to purchase a new car.

Hairstyling paid the bills during college and in the early years of my marriage. The trade enabled me to embark on a different career path, counseling, while still earning extra cash cutting hair. When my first son was born, all other endeavors ceased, except of course beauty.

The salon I worked at during the time my first child was born had been near to the home, enabled me to have a flexible work schedule and when he wouldn’t take a bottle, I was close enough for him to be brought to me to nurse, a fact I will forever be grateful for.

Immediately upon purchasing our new house, the first home restorations were done to the basement, where a hair sink, station, shelves, mirror and hydraulic chair was installed adjacent to the open playroom where I could always watch my children. I never wanted my children in day care, to have a nanny or sitters, if I bore them, only I would raise them, however, I am an independent woman, who was compelled to work, both mentally and financially, so I prepared a life to have the best of both worlds.

When I met the “ultimate bridesmaid,” a hairstylist and makeup artist who did both my hair and makeup for my wedding, another career shift occurred. She had such an overflow of business she asked me to pick up her slack. The idea was simple, have a consultation, then for a base price, travel to the bride’s home the day of the wedding, do her hair and makeup, follow her to the church and photo opportunities to apply touch ups and then finally to the reception to help bustle her gown prior to the first dance. Yes, the idea was simple, the money was amazing, until the 90’s gave birth to “BRIDEZILLAS”.

Son number two was born, dear husband was in his own career flux and a new animal was born, the modern bride who believed she was entitled to be spoiled rotten. My priorities had shifted and a stunt pulled by a family of a bride I worked on set me over the edge and I hung up my makeup belt. The mother and subsequent family members insisted I carry the envelopes filled with money to pay the vendors. I respectfully declined, not wanting the responsibility of carrying that much cash. As I said my goodbyes at the reception, the mother asked me to wait because she put something in my bag, she reached in and took out the envelopes she had hidden while I wasn’t looking.

When son number three graced the world, my husband and I embarked on another career endeavor, opening a business together (note to self-never do that again). Party Planet was a children’s birthday party facility that led to my husband’s baby, FM Entertainment, a mobile disc jockey company at the same time I was giving birth to baby number four, yes a son.

Party Planet held fun dance parties for kids, with a variety of themes including, you guessed it, hair and makeup parties. Yours truly coiffed the little brats, I mean princesses at the glamour parties still keeping my hands busy while monitoring my own children at the same time. Owning a business for ten years, especially this particular storefront, returned myself to the love I had for writing, a passion that began in college. As a hands-on owner/operator, I developed and created all of the advertising and marketing tools including brochures, websites, price sheets etc., unknowingly preparing me for the my newest endeavor; beauty writing.

Blogging and eventually freelance writing began with my first love, topics all inclusive of beauty. It opened up paths that I thought closed after the business ended, which have since turned into avenues.

Still practicing my skills and always learning, what will never cease to amaze me is the lack of understanding among clients who want to “look” like a picture of a celebrity. The amount of factors and minute details that are missing are the job of professional to fill in and help the ill informed understand; it is our job, we are trained. Yet, there are many, especially teenagers, who believe they know better. The antiquated cliché, “I’m a beautician, not a magician,” came about for these specific reasons and still rings true today.

Yes, the customer is always right, ten years, as a business owner has taught me this principal, however, it is the beautician’s job to make the client look their best.

If a pale person, with milky white skin, whose natural hair color is a dark blonde to light brown asks for medium to dark ash brown to add warmth to her face, I can make it happen, but is making her look like a zombie really in the best interest of the client?

In Kindergarten, we are taught the only way to remove dark crayon color is with an eraser, a special eraser. The basic principles of coloring are taught in our earliest of years. So why then, would intelligent people ask to go from dark to light or vibrant reds to blonde and think it is an easy, inexpensive process that occurs without stripping the hair?

When a client asks for a trim, is not the entire circumference of the head of hair cut, even if it is an eighth of an inch as compared to three inches? There is no difference between a cut and a trim, only the amount taken off, so why should we charge less for a trim?

Frustrating, perhaps, but hairstyling is and will always be my vocation and my first love. A few tips for the up and coming hairstylist:

Watch Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, Ms. Coffey is as professional as they come and she is someone all hairstylists should aspire to be.
Education doesn’t stop when you receive your license; never stop learning.
Communication is key. Have thorough consultations. Be sure of what your client wants and don’t be afraid to tell them it may be against their better interests to do what they are asking for. Make sure they understand the direction you want to take so that you may hold on to the integrity of the client’s hair. It is your reputation at stake.

Happy Styling!