The study of beauty therapy involves various practices and requires many different skill sets.  There are many opportunities available for a trained beauty therapist and the demand for qualified therapists is increasing all the time.  There are more beauty salons opening in hotels and health spas than ever and the variety of treatments being offered leads to more positions becoming available.

Beauty Therapy careers are one of the fastest growing industries and the diversity of treatments means there are many specialist areas that you can choose from.  One of the major benefits of a career in beauty therapy is that you can work anywhere in the world, you can even work from your own home or as a mobile therapist if you so choose.

A basic beauty course will give you the skills you need to begin working but it is preferable for most employers to have a therapist on hand who has a qualification in a specialist area such as massage or makeup.  Hiring a diverse group of therapists means that the beauty salon can offer a much wider range of treatments to clients and you may find work in this field allows you the opportunity to work in various places on a by booking basis.

Most beauty therapy courses will offer the basic foundations for work in this industry, such as the more common facial and body treatments and it is often later on that a therapist will progress to other more advanced areas of therapy, this can often be in house training, where your employer sponsors your further education.

Where to Find Work as a Beauty Therapist

A beauty therapist can work in a variety of settings, health farms and spas offer many beauty treatments and will often have a few beauty therapists employed to cover the varying treatments.  Hotels and leisure centers are opening beauty salons to provide more services to their guests and clients.  A qualified beauty therapist may even find work that involves regular travel such as on a cruise ship or an airline, a bonus of having a trade you can take anywhere.

The make up industry is also one of the bigger employers and a trained makeup artist can find work in a variety of related industries such as television and film, model agencies, photographers studios and theaters.

Beauty therapy work can also be found in the teaching area, skin care consultants, stage school and courses are often looking to employ professional beauty therapists for a teaching position.

It is advisable to gain some experience working in a few different areas before you decide which would be more appealing, or before you decide to work for yourself and set up your own beauty business.

Beauty therapy courses will provide you with all the training you need to not only practice your trade but will also teach you how to eventually work for yourself or manage a salon.  Customer service is one of the most important parts of any beauty course as a beauty therapist will need excellent communication skills as a successful beauty therapy business will rely heavily on the relationship building skills of its therapists who will be required to work closely with clients each day.

A good therapist can build up a customer base of their own, even while employed for a salon and it is not uncommon for clients to follow a therapist when they leave one job for another.  This is also why employers strive to create good working conditions for their employees, as they know that clients will often request a particular therapist for every session they book.

A good therapist needs to be friendly and approachable, and not only do they need great communication skills, they also need to be skilled listeners, often a client will book a treatment for the social interaction as well as the treatment itself.

Another requirement in beauty therapy is a high standard of hygiene and appearance.  A therapist should look their best and be well presented to inspire confidence in the client.  Most beauty salons will have a code of appearance as well as conduct.

The field of beauty therapy is a large one and attending a beauty school is only the first step in a therapists training.  There are many possibilities and opportunities making beauty therapy an excellent career choice for many.