There are many possibilities available when it comes to cosmetology. If you’re thinking about becoming a cosmetologist, you might decide to go into all sorts of fields, but one potential option is hairstyling. Though it might seem like a very specific field, hairstyling is actually pretty broad, lending itself well to a variety of specialties within it. If you’re in the initial processes of considering hairstyling, here’s what you need to know about it.

1. What Is Hairstyling?

First and foremost, what even is hairstyling? Especially if you’ve never really looked much into it, you might not know what does and doesn’t fall in the realm of “hairstyling.” In simple terms, hairstyling is really anything you do to make someone’s hair look exactly the way they want, up to and including using hair styling tools.

A hairstylist will often do things like haircuts, elaborate styles, and often even coloring, especially in salons that aren’t big enough to have a dedicated colorist. Don’t let the name fool you—it’s not just about styling. Hairstylists need to know how to manage hair from start to finish, and that can include things far beyond just the final styling touches.

2. Is Hairstyling Really That Difficult?

Some people question whether hairstyling is difficult at all. Especially if they’re somewhat of an amateur hairstylist, they might wonder whether they could learn to do hairstyling on their own. As someone who’s looking into the career of hairstyling, chances are you know this isn’t the case, especially because hairstyling is actually very complicated and probably more difficult than you think.

There’s a reason hairstyling and cosmetology courses require hundreds of hours of study and training before you can graduate. You need that amount of study to understand hairstyling and cosmetology. Hairstyling training goes much more in-depth than just watching a few videos and practicing on your friends.

3. Is Hairstyling a Good Career Path?

Truthfully, hairstyling is one of the most beneficial career paths you can take. That’s because hairstyling is a trade. It’s also an artistic trade, which means it’s something you can’t really automate and something other people will always need. Plus, cosmetology jobs are growing even faster than other comparable jobs in the same fields.

Cosmetology jobs, including hairstyling, have been around for centuries and even millennia. There will always be a demand for things that the general public can’t do. Even if you think you’re pretty good at styling hair without an education, you’re not as good as a trained hairstylist, and you’ll seek one out when you have certain hairstyling needs for sure.

Conclusion

As you can see, hairstyling is a complicated profession that really needs thought and intention to work out. If you’re going to become a hairstylist, you should definitely think about your choices leading up to your eventual career. Where are you going to train? Where are you going to work? How are you going to get there? Talk to a team member at Ogle School to learn more about your options and figure out how you’ll become a hairstylist.