The Beauty Denominator

I received a comment from a student in Oklahoma and I decided to turn it into a short post encase other students needed the same sort of information, but as I always tell people it is always best to contact your state board for the information you seek because regulations for the different states change constantly. Rules and regulations are not the same in all states.

Shannon: Hi, I attended a beauty school here in Lawton, Oklahoma and got half way done. It has been about a year since I quit and am now re-considering going back. I would rather apprentice with a hair stylist that I know and get my hours through working with her than going back to a school. I was wondering how many hours I would need being an apprentice to take my state board and if it would be easier to apprentice or go back to a school. Thanks!

My Reply: I personally think it would be easier and a lot faster to go back to school since you already have half of the 1500 hours. I can’t tell you for sure how that will be calculated, but apprenticeship hours are 3,000 for your state.

You do understand that you have to go through certain channels with the state board don’t you? This is what Oklahoma says:
Apprentice Requirements:

Has submitted evidence of need and been approved by the Board. ( You will have to show the board that you need to make money while training) Student/Apprentice registration - $5.00

Apprentice is required by law to obtain training under a licensed Oklahoma Cosmetology Instructor (An apprentice must train under the direct supervision of a current licensed master instructor or an instructor that is licensed in the particular field of practice that you want to learn).

Training to be conducted in an approved licensed establishment (salon). ( If her shop isn’t qualified by the board you can’t apprentice with her).

Complete 3000 hours of study. (It will take you a lot longer, but you will earn money and experience at the same time).

Since you were already in school the last 2 wouldn’t apply for you. I threw those in for other young people that are interested.

Is over the age of sixteen (16)

Has completed at least the eighth grade.

There is a natural shedding of the top layer of the scalp just like your skin and it is sometimes confused with dandruff. The scales usually fall off naturally and that is normal so don’t panic. The medical term for dandruff is pityriasis and is very contagious so you should never use anyone else’s grooming equipment. It is thought to be caused from a certain microbe and the medical consensus is that it is of infectious origin.

Dandruff can cause baldness if not treated and as far as I know there is no cure, but it can be kept under control with professional treatment and medicated shampoo. As taught in school the direct cause is from the excessive shedding of the epithelial surface cells and instead of growing to the surface and falling off naturally the horny scales accumulate on the scalp and hair.

The scalp doesn’t always have good circulation, that’s why manipulating or massage can get that blood pumping. The more loose your scalp is the better, slide your fingers and palm under your hair in the front and see how easily you can move your scalp, if it moves freely and feels loose then that’s great if it doesn’t have much movement and it’s tight then do yourself a favor and make an appointment for a scalp treatment. If you have a serious disorder then you may need to see a dermatologist for special treatments.

Other associated causes of dandruff along with the poor circulation that causes a sluggish scalp are infection, improper diet, injury, uncleanliness, and lack of nerve stimulation. Also avoid the use of strong shampoos and make sure that your hair is properly rinsed. There are 2 types of dandruff and they are Pityriasis capitis simplex which is the dry type and Pityriasis steatoides which is greasy and waxy.

With the simplex type the scalp is dry and itchy and the dry white scales attach to the scalp or in the hair and it’s recommended to have frequent scalp treatments, regular scalp massage, use mild shampoos, and daily use of antiseptic scalp lotions. In the salon I used Nexus products because I took a course from them and I loved their products.

They have several that I liked for this purpose and they are Dandarrest for dandruff control. It helps dissolve those dry and oily flakes and relieves itching while improving the strength and elasticity of your hair. Exxoil deep cleansing shampoo because of the astringent, antiseptic value and it helps control any excessive oil production and you can also use this as a facial cleanser. Pep ‘R’ Mint was also very effective and I had many clients after regular use swear by that particular product.

Steatoids is the greasy waxy type the horny flakes get mixed with excessive sebum and they stick to the scalp in patches and if the scalp itches and you scratch it you can tear them loose and cause bleeding and oozing so please seek medical attention. When you work in a salon you have to know and practise good sanitation procedures always, people go to get pampered and beautiful, not to contract a contagious disease.
                          

It is so much easier when you work in someone else’s salon and you know what your duties are and the owner has to worry about all the other stuff. Of course there is pressure to make sure your appearance is in sync with all the new styles and colors, but you don’t have to worry about maintaining the appearance and upkeep of the outside of the shop or worry about any major problems.

If you are planning on opening your own shop then everything falls on you and you have to make sure all the sanitation rules and maintenance is kept up on everything and in good shape. Besides following all rules and regulations about setting up your shop with the right amount of space, signs, entrances, and equipment and everything else necessary in order to pass the state inspection to even open. You always need to keep a few things in mind.

The exterior of your salon should be lit well and always maintained well. Your windows and drapes should be cleaned weekly and spot cleaned if needed. Doors should be kept clean and easy to open. Your wall displays should be easy to clean and easy to acess so they can be changed regularly. Your reception area should always be neat and well organized and make sure the walls in the styling area is kept clean and either covered or freshly painted.

Restrooms, mirrors, floors, and counter space around work areas should always be kept clean and everything should be sanitized as you go, don’t let things build up. Your floors should be made of some type of nonporous materials that are long wearing and easy to  clean. Remember the appearance of your shop is going to be a big selling point for you, so it has to look well kept.

Believe me the layperson doesn’t always understand how scrupulously clean you may be with your instruments and your own cleanliness and everything that is required by state laws if they see dirty floors and any type of uncleanliness as mentioned with curtains, windows, bathrooms and other spots then they may thing you’re not sanitary.

You have to make sure it is sparkling clean and believe me if someone doesn’t bother to keep their yard mowed I certainly don’t trust them with my hair.

In school you will learn the chemistry of shampoos, conditioners, perms, relaxers, haircoloring, and cosmetics. You’ll learn about peptides and polypeptide chains, about sulfur bonds, hydrogen bonds, and disulfide bonds. It wont be in depth, but it will be enough to make you pay attention so you will understand what happens to the hair when chemicals are used.

Peptide bonds are chemical bonds that form a chain as long as your hair and these are the strongest bonds in the cortex, the amino acids join together end to end to form this chain and that is what gives hair it’s strength. When a few bonds are broken the hair becomes weak and damaged and when the hair starts breaking off that means that a lot of those bonds were broken.

That brings me back to the subject I was posting about yesterday and the protein-silicone copolymer Keravis which is a trademark of Croda Inc. (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) or the INCI name is (Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol) and since the molecular level is low it makes it easy to penetrate the cortex and the larger molecules then coat the cuticle thus giving hair fibers more strength to resist breakage.

Croda is a large supplier of specialty chemicals to pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies to name a couple and they are noted for their contributions to the ethnic hair care ingredients that have furthered relaxer technology. I did a lot of relaxers in school and I hated all the damage I saw so I really appreciate these efforts. I really enjoyed checking out all of their products and the uses for each one.

There was a flexabrasion test performed between Keravis and D-Panthenol (Provitamin B5) which is widely used in shampoos to help strengthen the hair and combat split-ends and it has been proven less effective than Keravis as a hair strengthener. The hair gets really weak when exposed to humidity so it was also tested under increasing levels and once again it was proven to have strengthened the hair whereas D-Panthenol did not.

The flexabrasion tests were designed to assess the fatigue lifetime of a strand of hair through bending, straightening and abrasion (like rubbing the hair against each other) using special equipment the tests were performed using bleached hair and it was shown Keravis actually tripled the strength. This is very exciting because I simply can’t tell you how many people totally destroy their hair and then they seek help, but sometimes it’s just too late.

Keravis is highly recommended for reducing the damaging effects of chemical stress especially bleaching, but also coloring and perms and environmental stress that we incur on a daily bases. I saw today that Elizabeth Arden has a mascara out that incorporates Keravis in the formulation now that might be worth a try because my eyelashes definitely need some strengthening.

Also I saw that Italy is actually using Keravis + Titan in cookware to make a hardened PTFE, which is a versatile polymer, polytetrafluoroethylene and it actually allows the inside and outside to become exceptionally tough and will keep the non-stick on longer. It amazes me the uses for this product and I’m sure if I look a little harder I will find a lot more. Well, I think I have probably strained your eyes enough if you made it this far so I’ll shut this down.

To learn more about Keravis you can visit www.crodausa.com/datasheets/FeatureArchive/PCFeatureKeravis.htm

I was doing some reading today about conditioners, protein in particular which are polymers and are composed of any combination of 23 different amino acids that have different molecular weights. Hydrolysis and chemical modifications are used to change the natural protein form into a product we can use to recondition damaged hair. You actually learn about all of these things in beauty school, but it never hurts to  refresh our memory.

A concentrated protein conditioner is used to increase tensile strength of the hair and close split ends . Hydrolyzed protein is used in the concentrated conditioner which are designed to pass through to the cuticle and penetrate the cortex and it will replace the keratin that has been lost from your hair due to damage. It helps increase the elasticity, improve texture, and equalize porosity.

You wouldn’t want to use a concentrated protein conditioner after any chemical process because it could change the protein bonds that you just changed and rearranged in a perm, relaxer, or hair color session. It’s really fascinating to learn about these things. I was reading today about a new hair strengthening complex called Keravis™   trademark of Croda Inc. and they have been doing studies that show  by adding Keravis to shampoo it can improve hair strength by 36%. More about this tomorrow.

In order to check more state sites for myself, I need more questions to inspire me. Since I live in PA then of course those questions would be the ones that interest me more and after seeing someone openly advertise with a sign outside their shop advertising a rental chair it led me to investigate a bit further because I was always told that it was illegal in PA to rent a chair, even though they continue to use this practise. I want to know if it’s legal now, so I shall investigate and report my updated information.

This is what I found:

RENTAL OF BOOTH SPACE: The rental of booth space (i.e., chair leasing,
subcontracting, independent contractor)within a licensed cosmetology shop
is prohibited. A licensee must be em-ployed by the shop and is considered an employee only if taxes are collected by the employer. An employer who does not collect taxes is renting booth space.

The following information is from State Board of Barber Examiners shop licensure application.

BOARD POLICIES/INTERPRETATIONS
Prohibited vs. Permitted Shop Activities

ADVERTISING: Advertising by any medium is permissible as long as the advertising is not misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent on its face, by inference or by actual effect.
CHAIR RENTAL: The Barber Board takes no position on the renting of chairs within a licensed barber shop. It is the consensus of the board that a shop owner could rent chairs as long as the shop owner has a contract with those renting. It should be noted that the shop owner is ALWAYS responsible for any violation in the shop regardless if they occur in the chair rental area.

The requirements of a shop license concerning supervision and control of a shop mandate that the shop owner or shop manager must have the ability to control and supervise all aspects of the operation of a shop. Any agreement for the rental of a chair must reserve to the shop owner the right to supervise and control the services rendered in the shop in accordance with the Barber Law and Rules and Regulations of the Board.

The agreement should be made in writing and should clearly state that it is the intent and understanding of the involved parties that nothing in the rental agreement should be construed to prohibit or limit the owner from operating the shop in accordance with the Barber Law and Board regulations/requirements. The shop owner must make arrangements for employer/employee business affairs. The board cannot advise the owner regarding business affairs.

MANICURING: Manicuring is permitted within barber shops if the services are performed by a licensed manicurist or cosmetologist.
NAIL ENHANCEMENT PRODUCTS (METHYL METHACRYLATE): For barber shops that offer manicuring services performed by licensed cosmetologists or manicurists: Licensee use or possession of nail enhancement products containing methyl methacrylate or similar like harmful chemicals is prohibited. Any such use or possession will be considered gross incompetence and/or unethical practice subject to prosecution.
PETS IN SHOPS: Nothing in the Barber Law or Rules of the Board prohibit pets from being in shops provided they are kept in a clean, sanitary condition.

Below is the complete list of Cosmetology State Board websites except for North Dakota and Puerto Rico where you can get information about licensing, rules, regulations, requirements, and reciprocity. I hope you can find what you need, but if you have any problems don’t hesitate to ask and I will do my best to help. I have made sure that all links work properly.

Alaska
Division of Occupational Licensing
ARIZONA
Arizona Board of Cosmetology
ARKANSAS
Arkansas State Board of Cosmetology
CALIFORNIA
California State Board
COLORADO
Barbers_Cosmetologists
CONNECTICUT
CONNECTICUT EXAMINING BOARD FOR BARBERS, HAIRDRESSERS& COSMETICIANS
DELAWARE
Delaware Professional Regulation - Board of Cosmetology and Barbering
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
District of Columbia: Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs: Information
FLORIDA
Division of Professions - Board of Cosmetology
GEORGIA
Georgia State Board of Cosmetology
HAWAII
Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs
IDAHO
Idaho State Board of Cosmetology
ILLINOIS
Illinois Cosmetology Professions Licensed by DPR
INDIANA
State Board of Cosmetology Examiners
IOWA
IDPH - Bureau of Professional Licensure
KANSAS
Kansas Board of Cosmetology
KENTUCKY
KENTUCKY STATE BOARD OF HAIRDRESSERS & COSMETOLOGISTS
LOUISIANA
Louisiana State Boards - Cosmetology
MAINE
OLR - Barber And Cosmetology
MARYLAND
State Board of Barbers
State Board of Cosmetologists
MASSACHUSETTS
Board of Registration - Board of Cosmetology
MICHIGAN
Cosmetology
MINNESOTA
Minnesota Board of Barber and Cosmetology Examiners > Home
MISSISSIPPI
MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY
MISSOURI
Missouri Division of Professional Registration Barbers-Cosmetology
MONTANA
Montana DLI - Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
NEBRASKA
Nebraska HHS System: Credentialing: Cosmetology
NEVADA
State Board of Cosmetology
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology, and Esthetics
NEW JERSEY
Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling
NEW MEXICO
Regulation & Licensing
NEW YORK
Licensing, Appearance Enhancement
NORTH CAROLINA
Board of Cosmetic Arts
NORTH DAKOTA
Website N/A when doing a search you can find information in PDF form.
OHIO
Ohio Board of Cosmetology
OKLAHOMA
State of Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology
OREGON
Oregon Board of Cosmetology
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania - Cosmetology
BPOA: Mission Statement - Pennsylvania - Barber
PUERTO RICO
PUERTO RICO BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF BEAUTY SPECIALISTS
P.O. Box 9023271
Old San Juan, PR 00902-3271
(787) 722-2122 Website N/A
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Licensed Occupations
SOUTH CAROLINA
Professional and Occupational Licensing Boards
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota Cosmetology Commission-Homepage
TENNESSEE
Department of Commerce & Insurance » Board of Cosmetology
TEXAS
Texas Cosmetology Commission
UTAH
Cosmetology/Barbering, Esthetics, Electrology and Nail Technology Licensing Board
VERMONT
BARBERS AND COSMETOLOGISTS
VIRGINIA
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
WASHINGTON
Cosmetology
WEST VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA STATE BOARD OF BARBERS & COSMETOLOGISTS
Website
WISCONSIN
DRL - Barbering and Cosmetology Apprentice
Wisconsin Department of Regulation & Licensing
WYOMING
Wyoming State Government Directory - Cosmetology

I am sorry if anyone tried to leave a comment and was told that they had been blacklisted. There was a problem with the bad behavior plugin and it is now updated, it was also keeping me from doing certain things to my blog. It is now fixed and I am very sorry for any inconvenience.

I guess it depends where you live and where you work as a cosmetologist that you would earn the most money and if you go to school thinking you are going to get rich overnight then think again because like I said depending on which line you get into and the type of establishment, it could take years before you earn decent money.

If you do it because you love making people look beautiful then you’ll be much better off. If you develop a good technique with people then you will get a lot of word of mouth business and be able to build up your following and believe me no matter where you go or even if you start your own business those people will follow you.

I loved cutting hair because it was always a challenge to fit a new design to someones facial features and personality. Many people have such high expectations when they decide on a new cut and bring you a picture of the style they want. They don’t take into consideration that the type of hair they have will just not hold up to the type of design they crave for themselves.

It’s up to you to explain what they want achieved may not be possible after your consultation and you should be able to suggest another cut that would suit them much better and explain why, like maybe the texture of their hair isn’t the same so it isn’t going to fall the same way. I have known many professionals that just do whatever the client wants instead of trying to educate and give the client knowledge that could possible help them make a better decision.

Then if they still insist on that cut and you do it in spite of knowing how hard it will be for them to maintain they will appreciate that you actually tried to stop them or they will blame you regardless because you are the professional. Also if you give someone a chemical service when you know you shouldn’t, which I would never do, but I have seen many double processes and it’s not a good idea.

Always make sure they have filled out a customer card and signed a release before doing any chemical service for everyone’s protection. That’s simple procedure, but believe me sometimes especially with new graduates they can forget and just like hospitals if you don’t have a release signed after having everything explained to you ( the client) then you ( the professional) and the establishment you work for can be sued for damages.

Accidents happen on a daily bases and even with a signed release your not always protected, but at least you have a better chance in court. It’s a good practice to keep up with the constantly changing rules and regulations for your state because ignorance of the laws will not keep you out of trouble.

Where I live it is illegal to rent a booth, but it happens on a regular bases. You are responsible for having your own insurance unless you work for an establishment and sometimes reliability insurance can be very expensive, but you have to have it. It’s not cheap starting your own place of business with equipment and the proper space needed and insurance and licensing fees. I have seen many places go out of business within a year and it can be very disheartening.

Someone asked for help in finding information in Kansas about becoming a Permanent Cosmetic Makeup Technician and it seems they are having a difficult time with the board in getting any real feedback. I have sent them an email, but I haven’t received an answer yet. I have been trying to retrieve information about schools there that may offer a course, but have been unsuccessful.

Update: I received a very prompt email from the Kansas state board and this was the reply.

Please forward your mailing address and a packet of information regarding tattoo/permanent cosmetic licensure will be sent as soon as possible.

There are no schools in Kansasfor tattoo/permanent cosmetic training. Individuals must obtain training through an apprenticeship in a licensed facility with a licensed tattoo/permanent cosmetic trainer.

The listing of approved trainers will be included in the packet of information.If we can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact this office.”

So for anyone interested in learning more and getting training in this field send your state board an email and ask for a list of trainers in your area that you can contact. Since I really don’t need this list and I live in another state and am not intending to move to Kansas I don’t have the urge to send my physical address for the list. So I urge the person who does live there to simply use the email address cherie.daniels@kboc.state.ks.us and ask for the list.

The Society Of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals is an excellent place to get information about this career. It would be easy for me to go take a week long course and get certified because I already have my cosmetology license, but it’s actually not something I would be interested in doing.

I know it’s a very lucrative business because I called to see about getting permanent eyeliner which would have been around $800 or so. I also wanted to find out the persons qualifications and experience and was told that they were a registered cosmetician. I would never go to anyone that only took a week training course because you would definitely want someone that has passed stringent sanitation classes along with knowing about the care of skin and facial structure.

Aesthetician or Cosmeticians have to go through an accepted curriculum and pass state boards and most usually go for more in depth training later to learn how to do different processes like micro-abrasion or Microdermabrasion plus many go for the training course to learn the permanent makeup techniques because it has become a booming business.

If your simply curious about tattoo and piercing laws for any state or country and what is acceptable you can check tattojoy.com for a list. Depending on the state you live in some tattoo places also offer permanent makeup and offer apprenticeship courses, but you would need to find out the laws and regulations that govern each state.

I am thinking about getting a tattoo on my arm, but I want to read up on it first. I decided against the permanent eyeliner and will stick with my liquid. Those little needles scare me especially around my poor old eyes. If any Permanent Cosmetic Makeup Technicians drop by give me a shout and let others know where you got your training and if you have any advice please feel free to leave it.