I often get to talking with hairdressers about what drove them to get a
cosmetologist license to begin with. Typically, they respond easily:
I have always loved to do hair. Their dolls, moms and dogs endured years of scrunchie-
and-barrette makeovers. Whether that describes you or not, the reason you keep renewing your
hair styling certification probably is two-fold:
1.
The creative drive. Hair design is an artform. Other artists have paint, clay, stone, beads, fabric or whatever, while you have hair. They have a brush, chisel or sewing machine; you have scissors, rollers, irons, combs, brushes, color, dryers and finishing products. You fill your craving for creative satisfaction through
styling hair. You enjoy monitoring the fashion runways, learning new techniques and sampling the latest products. It all keeps you engaged in your job year after year.
2.
Helping people. This is where you part company with many artists, who tend to be introverts and work alone. You, on the other hand, welcome every client to sit in your chair. Figuring out what
hair style will make each client feel fabulous just speeds up the flow of your creative juices. Clients are the ones who wear your artwork every day. That
cosmetologist license means that the world gets to see your talent, and you don’t even have to hold an art show. I think that’s really cool.
(Photo is courtesy of Michelle Kimme, owner of Hedonism Salon and Day Spa, Santa Monica, CA.)