As a hairstylist, they use a wide range of specialty equipment and products to treat the hair, scalp and related skin conditions. Part of their duties also includes developing a working knowledge of workplace health and safety as well as personal and public hygiene. Hairstyling is an art and is often associated with the world of fashion. As a hairstylist you achieve a sense of personal satisfaction as you redefine and enhance a customer’s appearance.

Hairstylists may work in hair salons, barber shops, schools, hair replacement clinics, health care establishments, spas and hotels along with the cruise, fashion and entertainment industries. In salons, hairstylists may be compensated through salary, commission, a combination of salary and commission or chair rental agreements. Some hairstylists work out of their residences where by-laws allow.

They also work with various tools and equipment including brushes, combs, shears, clippers, razors, hair dryers and irons. They own most of their tools and must keep them sanitized, disinfected and maintained.

Some hairstylists also specialize in areas such as cutting, hair extensions and chemical services.

Hairstylists work in clean environments, though the chemicals that they use may irritate their skin and produce strong odors and fumes. Some physical considerations of this trade are long periods of standing, posture fatigue and repetitive motion. This may result in repetitive strain injury, back and feet pain. 

 

Industry Changes

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Overall employment of hairstylists, barbers and cosmetologists is expected to grow throughout the future years, with most job openings that will result from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation.

Labor statistics believes that employment in the Hairstylist field will grow tremendously with new positions being available due to the large numbers retiring and lack of updated knowledge, trends and styles. To keep up with current trends and styles, hairstylists need to update their skills to sustain a good future career. They must also understand and implement public and personal hygiene procedures to maintain workplace health & safety.

The National Occupational analysis recognizes similarities or overlaps with the work of estheticians. With experience, Hairstylists may move into other positions such as salon managers, owners, fashion consultants, educators, platform artists and product sales representatives. Receiving your Inter-Provincial Red Seal license will help maintain a great future and career as a Hairstylist. 

 

Safety

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Safe working practices and accident prevention are the primary importance to the health and safety of all person(s) at any or all work place environments. All person(s) including employee, employer and government, share this responsibility in order to keep everyone free of any dangers or accidents that may cause an individual(s) serious bodily harm or death.

The Occupational Health and Safety Acts and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulations, should be consistently reviewed and enforced in every work place environment. Educating and understanding these regulations is everyone’s responsibility in order to keep a safe work place environment.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) has contributed to a safer work place environment. Health and safety has become a high priority in the workplace due to increased awareness of dangers and the identifications of hazardous materials.

Practicing health and safety is a tremendous contribution to a safe and accident free work place environment.

 

Education & Apprenticeship

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*** It is illegal to perform the duties of a Hairstylist if you don’t have a valid certificate. This certification is available through Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship offices of the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. ***

To become a registered apprentice, you must first be enrolled in, or have successfully completed, training at an accredited institution. You should have Grade 12 high school or equivalent academic standing. You can also enter the trade in high school through the High School Apprenticeship Program. You must be at least 16 years of age.

In the trade of hairstylist, apprenticeship training consists of two levels. Level one consists of a period of at least 12 months, during which the apprentice must complete 1500 (1400 hours of in-school technical training and 100 hours practical experience in a salon).

Level 2 consist of a period of at least 12 months, during which the apprentice must complete 1500 hours of practical experience only.

The next step is to find an employer who will agree to provide practical skills development and enter into an apprenticeship agreement with you. The agreement should be completed and submitted as soon as possible. After the Apprenticeship Board registers the Apprenticeship Application/Agreement, the apprentice must complete the required number of technical training hours (if they are still enrolled in an accredited training institution) and practical experience hours and pass any required examinations.

Apprentices receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship when they complete their training. Those wanting their apprenticeship recognized in most of Canada can apply for a Red Seal trade certification. When a hairstylist carries a Red Seal endorsement, his/her qualifications are recognized automatically by provinces and territories that also issue this certification.

You may also challenge the ministry exam by producing letters of employment from your past and or current employers proving that you have a substantial amount of years and experience worked in this field. You must present all documents to the ministry board for approval of eligibility to challenge the Red Seal exam. You then write a final exam. Your grade mark must be at least 70 per cent to receive an inter-provincial Red Seal certificate.

If you pass the examination, your Certificate of Qualification, which is valid for three years, will be mailed to you. The results sheet will detail the score as a percentage for each section of the examination, so if you fail you will know which areas you still need to improve. If you fail an examination you can re-write it after fifteen days.

If you fail the examination twice, you will be required to either take a refresher course to upgrade your training or get more work experience before you can try the examination again. There is a $100 fee every time you write the examination. Hairstylists must renew their certificates once every three years.

 

Job Tasks

The main duty of a hairstylist is to cut, style or dye hair according to the client's instructions. A hairstylist may also suggest a hairstyle based on the client's physical features, give advice on proper scalp and hair treatments, or administer those basic treatments himself. He/she can also train or supervise other hairstylists or apprentices. In some cases, a hairstylist may be assigned by his/her employer to book appointments or perform the duties of a receptionist or a cashier.

• an interest in keeping up-to-date on new trends and styles, supplies and technology

• beautification treatment on the face, neck and scalp

• hair and scalp analysis and suggested treatments

• heat and chemical preparations for hair including colour, permanents, straightening, bleaching and conditioning

• men’s, women’s and children's shampooing, hair cutting and hair styling

• other services related to makeup application, eyebrows or eyelash treatments and manicuring on natural nails only

• physical stamina required to stand, sometimes for long periods without breaks

• servicing of wigs and hairpieces

• trimming and shaping of beards and moustaches

• well-groomed, professional appearance 

 

Skills

• Colour vision and depth perception

• Computer Knowledge

• Coordination and manual dexterity

• Critical Thinking

• Decision Making

• Discretion and creativity

• Good customer relations

• Oral Communication

• Problem Solving

• Professionalism

• Respect

• Stamina

• Team work

• Writing

 

General Wages

• Average -   $16.50/hr

• Minimum -  $11.50/hr

• Maximum - $24.20/hr

*This does NOT include Tips, Commission or Bonuses*

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Sample Q&A

 

1. The term foil technique is best described as which of the following?

a. requiring two separate procedures in which the hair is pre-lightened before the depositing color is applied to the hair

b. involves coloring selected strands of hair by slicing or weaving out sections, placing them on foil or plastic wrap, applying lightener or permanent hair color, and then sealing them in the foil or plastic wrap

c. coloring strands of hair darker than the natural color

d. involves pulling clean, dry strands of hair through a perforated cap with a thin plastic or metal hook, and then combing them to remove tangles

Ans. B

 

2. The term texturizing technique is best described as which of the following?

a. creates a chunky effect

b. holding the hair in place with the comb while using the tips of the shears to remove length

c. process of thinning the hair to graduated lengths using shears

d. removing excess bulk without shortening the length

Ans. D

 

3. A semi-hand-tied wig is best described as which of the following?

a. made with an elasticized, mesh-fiber base to which the hair is attached

b. made with a combination of synthetic hair and hand-tied human hair

c. made by inserting individual strands of hair into mesh foundations and knotting them with a needle

d. made with rows of wefts sewn to elastic strips in a circular pattern to fit the head shape

Ans. B

 

4. The term acid-balanced waves are best described from which of the following?

a. permanent waves that have a 7.0 or neutral pH

b. use ATG as the reducing agent, and process at room temperature without the addition of heat

c. create an exothermic chemical reaction that heats the waving solution and speeds up the processing

d. activated by an outside heat source, usually a conventional hood-type hair dryer

Ans. A

 

5. The term bricklay permanent wrap are best described from which of the following?

a. a wrapping pattern in which all the rods within a panel move in the same direction and are positioned on equal-sized basis

b. a wrapping pattern in which the partings and bases radiate throughout the panels to follow the curvature of the head

c. a wrapping pattern in which the base sections are offset from each other row by row, to prevent noticeable splits

d. a wrapping pattern that uses zigzag partings to divide the base areas

Ans. C

 

6. The term for croquignole perm wrap method is best described from which of the following?

a. wrapped from the scalp to the ends in overlapping concentric layers

b. wrapped at a perpendicular angle to the length of the rod

c. wrapped at an angle other than perpendicular to the length of the rod

d. wrapped from the ends to the scalp in overlapping concentric layers

Ans. D

 

7. The term fusion bonding is best described as which of the following?

a. you use a hook to pick up a small amount of hair off a parting

b. hair extensions are secured to the client's own hair by sewing braids or a weft onto an on-the-scalp braid or cornrow

c. attaching extensions, extension hair is bonded to the client's own hair with a bonding material that is activated by the heat from a special tool

d. attaching hair extensions, hair wefts or single strands are attached with an adhesive or bonding agent

Ans. C