Beauty Therapist

Also known as:

Masseur/Masseuse
Beautician

Introduction

Beauty therapists carry out a range of beauty treatments for clients to improve their appearance and help them relax. These may include: cosmetic camouflage, massage, hair removal and facials.

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Work Activities

Beauty therapists aim to improve the appearance of their client's face and body, to make them look and feel better. They do manicures, pedicures, manual facials, waxing, makeovers and eye treatments.

The beauty therapist first talks to their client about what kind of treatment they want. The therapist uses this information from the client and their knowledge of the different types of treatment to decide on the best treatment.

Beauty therapists work on all parts of the body. They do facials, using a range of products such as cleansers and toners. Sometimes electrical equipment can be used.

They also do facial and full or part body massages. A full body massage includes the back, the legs and feet, the abdomen, the arms and hands, and the shoulders. They do massages using their hands or special equipment.

Electrical equipment can be used for doing non-surgical facelifts - electric currents are used to stimulate the face muscles. Sometimes a client will ask for unwanted hair to be removed. The beauty therapist can do this using warm wax or sugar, or electrolysis.

Waxing and sugaring consist of applying the warm substance to the area, allowing it to cool and then removing it, either by peeling or rubbing it away. Electrolysis is a way of removing hair permanently - the therapist inserts a fine needle into each hair follicle and switches on a low electric current. This destroys the hair root and stops further growth.

Beauty therapists also do electrical treatments for slimming and toning, and give advice on exercise. Some beauty therapists specialise in the advanced use of electrical treatments, which can remove thread veins and skin blemishes.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a beauty therapist you'll need to have plenty of stamina as you could be on your feet for most of the day. You should enjoy working with people on a one-to-one basis and have good interpersonal skills. You must be able to create a relaxing and stress-free environment. It's important to be able to put clients at their ease because they may feel nervous if you use electrical equipment or feel embarrassed if, for example, they have a lot of facial hair.

If you want to specialise, for example in electrolysis, you'll need to be very patient and able to pay attention to minute detail.

An outgoing and friendly personality helps to build up a good base of customers, who may recommend your service to their friends. A good business sense helps too. You must be willing to keep up to date with new products and techniques.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Beauty therapists earn in the range of £180 - £200 a week, rising to £240 - £290. Higher earners can make around £380 a week. Hourly rates range from minimum wage up to around £9 an hour.

Beauty therapists normally work a 35-hour week, which often includes Saturday working. Late finishes on one or two evenings a week may also be required. Opportunities for part-time work may be available.

Most beauty therapists work in high-street salons, which may be one-person businesses or employ several people. Some work in hairdressing establishments. Other employers are luxury hotels, health farms and cruise ships.

Some become self-employed, either as a 'mobile' beauty therapist - visiting clients in their homes - or by renting space in a large salon, or working from a room in their own home.

Experienced beauty therapists may progress into teaching beauty courses.

This is a popular occupation.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who don't meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

A large number of centres offer relevant courses in beauty at various levels, by distance learning.

• 51% of beauty therapists are self-employed.
• 45% work part-time.
• 6% have flexible hours
• 2% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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