Hair and Beauty

The sector in a snapshot

The Hair and Beauty sector is one that hires over 250,000 people (in roles under managerial), with 54-57% of these being self employed (stats from 2019). Roles include positions in hairdressing, makeup, beauty and sometimes consultancy and sales, and can be found on the high street, in hospitals or prisons, to the stage, screen and catwalk. It's a highly client focused industry with lots of variety and a steady eye on the trends in popular media.

Between £5.6 billion and £6.6 billion was the total gross value added generated by the UK hair and beauty sector in 2017.

Although the number of apprenticeships available in the sector has fallen, the survival rates of hair and beauty based businesses is 10% more than other new businesses.

What could the sector offer you?

Jobs in this industry are likely to:

Have opportunities to use your skills in lots of different environment and with different clients- think hospitals, prisons, homeless shelter, hospices, and more!
Lots of ways to progress up the ladder- you could get more qualifications or become management.
The chance to pick up new skills on the way- learning new skills as fashions and demands change.
No two days are the same- creating a relationships with clients and meeting new people is part of the job.
Self-employment is very common- lots of people go freelance or open their own businesses.

Reality Check

Typical routes in the Hair and Beauty industry involve employment or apprenticeships, but for some roles you might need to train to a higher level to be more suitable. The roles in this sector can be physically demanding with long hours on your feet and little breaks. You may need to work your way up the ladder through experience. It isn't just doing hair and makeup and it can actually be a challenge in its own right to listen to clients who may share their worries or concerns with you.

You will likely need to have skills in...
Creativity, customer service, attention to detail, listening and people skills, time keeping, organisation, workplace safety

Some roles in the sector

HAIRDRESSER/BARBER (Typical wage approx £17,680 per annum)

The work a hairdresser or barber will do is highly dependent on your clients. Day to day tasks will involve you styling peoples’ hair with cuts and colours. At a lower grade you may be involved in preparing clients for the lead stylist or helping to take off colours, and at higher grades you will be helping a client create a look to their specifications. Stylists can also be involved in events, such as creating fancier looks for weddings or parties or styling for the runway or screen. Some stylists will go on to open their own branch, and could even work remotely in clients homes or venues such as prisons and hospices. You may work with challenging people, and the service you provide can often be more than just a quick trim!

How to become a hairdresser: Jasmine's storyAre you interested in becoming a hairdresser? Meet Jasmine and find out how she started her job as an apprentice hairdresser. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.

BEAUTICIAN (Average wage £18,720 per annum)

A beautician may be involved in many types of tasks to deliver beauty therapy, including but not limited to massage and consultancy. You may be delivering a service (nails, waxing, tinting, facials etc.) or advising clients on the best products/services for them to get their desired results. Just like a hair stylist, you may be self-employed or work out of unusual places; you may not always be in a traditional salon! You may also be involved with alternative therapies such as acupuncture or aromatherapy.