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Beauty and Barber education for dummies?
Image: Google
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Did you know, “Egyptians are typically regarded as being the first
“cosmetologists,” due to archeological discoveries of primitive make-up kits,
and, of course, the Egyptian art that shows us how and where they wore make-up.
They were known to neighboring cultures for “painting their eyes” using
eyeliner and primitive mascara – and in a style and manner that is still
replicated today whenever someone wants to emulate the Cleopatra look.
Egyptians used kohl for eyeliner, as well as a galena, which was a type of
lead. Red ochre was also used to redden the lips, which was crushed into a
powder. Then the Romans, the Greeks and others soon followed the precedent set
by the Egyptians?”
The history of beautification did not begin during the 1800’s. The
history of beauty began before Christ! In addition to history, there is much skill,
science, art and creativity in the disciplines of beauty and barbering. Unfortunately,
a few powers that be in the state of Ohio do not care. Currently, there are
three bills being introduced in the state of Ohio to lower the standards of
education in cosmetology and barbering. HB 399, SB 245 and SB 235. These bills
represent the belief that the science, skill and artistry are of little value;
not to mention history. Lowering cosmetology and barbering standards hurts in
three way. The first way is via education. The biggest impact to both
industries will be felt immediately when they lower educational standards/hours.
The second way are the standards to actually perform the services and the third
is the ability to address the diversity of our industry. Let us explore.
The benefits of education are to learn, do, resolve complex
problems and gain exposure. When educational requirement on any level are
lowered, the communities from which the people reside are at risk. Licensed
professionals will lower education will be limited in their abilities to learn,
do, problem solve and gain more exposure. The community will be at risk to lower
paying jobs. They will not have the ability to ask or fight for better pay.
They will be at the mercy of their employer to be trained and taught by what
the company gives. The exchange for training or apprenticeships, as we call it
in the beauty industry, is grid locked. That is correct. Lowering educational
standards by way of decreased hours, decreases the ability to leave Ohio and
work in surrounding or other states that require more. In exchange, those people
can come into Ohio, but licensed beauty and barber pros from Ohio can not enter
their markets.
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Education matters.
image: vivateachers.org
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Believe it or not, the beauty and barber industries do have
standards. The educational standards of cosmetology (hair, skin and nails) and
barbering are pretty much governed by the state and NACAS (National Accrediting
Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences. Yes, accredited beauty and barber
schools must meet certain academic and institutional requirements. If one does
not attend an accredited school in any discipline, their credibility is
compromised and questioned. Standards translates into what we do behind the
chair. When standards are lowered, the what we do becomes lowered. State and
government officials who have no knowledge of the intricacies of what it takes
to style, create and care for in the matters of hair, skin and nails have no
business suggesting or introducing bills to lower our education.
They do not understand how standards, coupled with quality
education, enables licensed beauty and barber professionals to open salons and
barbershops to meet the needs of the ever-changing scope of citizenship and
beauty in America. Lowering educational standards, changing the meaning of hair
styles, barbering and scientific terms in the name of favoring one’s way to expand
and control the industry over another is morally and economically wrong. Yes, I
am eluding to the reality that these types of changes impede, hurt and will in
some instances eliminate our ability to do what we do behind the chair. These
changes are often supported and even initiated by billion-dollar chain salons
such as Great Clips and product manufacturers, such as Paul Mitchell. In
addition, they typically persuade the very association created to support both
industries, such as the PBA (Professional Beauty Association) to come over to
their side of the fence. So, you see doing hair, skin and nails is at risk of
being a cookie cutter profession. A cookie cutter approach to hair, skin and
nails will only result in customers having the options to look like each other
as they purchase from a menu where everyone will have cookie cutter options. So,
to all the supporters of HB 399 and SB 245 such as the franchise Ohio owner,
Clara Osterhage of 70 Great Clips salon, Mr. Charles Penzone of Penzone Salons,
Nicole Cumberland, owner two Paul Mitchell Schools in Ohio and HR-Stephanie
Howse (D) and Sen. Sandra R. Williams creators of SB 235 to eliminate education
and regulation of natural hairstylists, I say, “Really?”
Chain and corporate salons and barbershops having control
over the employment pool and the employed is bad. Having control over the
industry compromises booth renting options. If those any or a combination of those
bills pass, chain salons and corporate salons will be competing with booth renters.
And that will be a sure shot to disaster. Hair, skin and nails have physical,
social, cultural, financial and physical ties to them. Creating an industry
that divides people according to their skin color and hair texture is sheer
madness to this sheer shot disaster. Consumers are demanding a more diverse,
creative, socially conscious, spiritual and price conscious beauty and barber
professional. They want access to these professionals. They want to know what
they use, who they get it from, where they get it, how they got, when can they
get it again and why. In addition, they must perform creatively exceptionally
well behind the chair. That is the pulse of the cosmetology and barber
industry. The future of the industry must grow in education, skill set,
technology, science, business, taxes, diversity and wholistic wellness in order
to meet the demands and survive.
Are we ready? Are the Ohio politicians creating another revolving
door to cycles of poverty, structural racism, new slums, ghettos and white
flighted suburbs? These are the same places inundated with chain salons, chain
barbershops and diverted filled grocery stores, pharmacies and discount outlets.
These places promote a distinct cookie cut climate of hair, nail and skin care
options. Those options continually read the “ethnic” aisle, beauty supply
stores, $10 cuts, fast cuts, hillites and JPMS. To make matters worse, the dividedness
and segregation will clump all people of color with textured hair into a
service setting of people who look like them; as if people of other ethnicities
and nationalities do not want or can perform those services. As if all
customers of associated races, ethnicities and nationalities are the same. They
are not.
The public, beauty and barber professionals have the
biggest voice. Show up to the Ohio State Board of Cosmetology meetings, committee
and senate hearing. We have might and power in us between our fingertips and
wrists; vote. The cosmetology and barbering education and profession requires
more education. The beauty and barber industry is not for dummies.
