What does a hairdresser do?

What does a hairdresser do? Hairdresser is one of the most popular service professions. Almost all of us have a hair salon in our neighborhood, and everyone visits a hairdresser from time to time. Even if we deal with arranging our own hairstyle on a daily basis, we prefer to put ourselves in the hands of a specialist before an important exit or celebration.

A hairdresser is part craftsman and part artist. In addition to the manual and technical skills acquired during vocational training, he must have a range of interpersonal skills. Effective communication is half the battle – after all, the hairstyle should correspond to the customer’s desires. What else does a barber do? What does his daily work look like?

What are the basic responsibilities of a hairdresser?

A hairdresser performs a service profession, so his primary task is to adjust the result of the services provided to the client’s expectations. The tasks usually carried out by a hairdresser include:

haircut (men’s, women’s or children’s, depending on the chosen specialization);
styling hair, pinning hairstyles, combing, modeling, using various devices and accessories (such as curling irons, rollers, brushes, etc.);
hair dyeing and bleaching;
permanent change in the structure of the hair (permanent waving, keratin straightening, etc.);
extension or thickening of hair through selected techniques of gluing artificial or natural strands;
hair washing and care (using specialized rinses, rubs, oils, conditioners and masks).

Some of these tasks are part of your daily routine, such as the simple ones men’s haircuts , for example . Sometimes, however, the implementation of the service takes much more time and requires more creativity. The most demanding orders include comprehensive preparation of the future bride’s wedding hairstyle, including extension, coloring and effective updo.

What additional services can you expect from a hairdresser?

However, the listed basic hairdressing activities do not exhaust the catalog of all services provided by good hairdressers. A properly prepared hairdresser is able to choose the right hairstyle , matching its style to the shape of the face or personality of the client. In real hairdressing salons, you can see the visualization of the expected effect even before the haircut. Thanks to this, the client makes a conscious decision, which helps to avoid possible disappointments.

A hairdresser is also someone who can assess the type and condition of hair and, depending on it, select and recommend appropriate hair care . Thanks to professional advice, the client is able to recreate the next steps of proper hair care at home. In addition, in many hairdressing salons you can buy specialized hair care products. The hairdresser is also the person who, after observing visible problems with the client’s scalp or hair, can recommend a visit to a dermatologist or trichologist.

The hairdresser as an entrepreneur

What else does a hairdresser do besides taking care of his clients’ hair? Many hairdressers use their professional experience and skills to run their own hair salon . In this case, he does more than cut or dye his hair – he runs his own business. So he has to deal with everything that other people who run a business do. Organize supplies for the salon, deal with official and tax issues, take care of the advertising of your establishment … If the hairdresser – the owner of the salon hires employees, he is also responsible for their professional development and acquisition of the correct skills.

A hairdresser-entrepreneur is also often a representative of selected brands of hair care or styling products. The sale of salon hairdressing cosmetics can be an additional source of income and a way to bind the client with your establishment. However, it must not be forgotten that this is an additional job that requires time and attention to quality, as in the case of other services provided in the salon.

The need for continuous improvement in the profession of a hairdresser

What else does a barber do? A good hairdresser never stops learning. Hairstyles change as often as clothing trends. New preparations for hair care and styling appear on the market. New techniques of coloring or permanent treatments changing the structure of the hair are being developed. The new products differ in composition, method of application, final effects of use…

All novelties require constant improvement from the hairdresser. To stay up to date, you should regularly browse catalogs and industry portals, invest in training and workshops. Also, taking part in hairdressing competitions – as a participant or even a spectator – can allow you to look at your craft from a new perspective.

The profession of a hairdresser continues to be very popular. No wonder – the demand for hairdressing services is not falling. Modern trends in the field of beauty make everyone, almost without exception, want to have healthy, well-groomed hair. This is a favorable prognosis for earning opportunities and career development in this industry. However, you must remember that working with clients’ hair is associated with great responsibility. A beautiful hairstyle that responds to the client’s expectations can improve the mood for a long time … An unsuccessful one will be a cause of frustration and poor advertising of the salon. Certainly, however, the work of a hairdresser performed with commitment can be a source of great satisfaction.