Everyone comes to beauty school with a different story, a different background, and a different perspective. Which also means that no two students ever come to beauty with exactly the same idea about what to expect. When you’ve been working with students as long as we have, though, you start to hear a lot of the same myths over and over. Since many of these myths made students feel nervous to pursue beauty, we wanted to clear up ten of the most common myths we’ve heard about beauty school!

Myth 1: BEAUTY SCHOOL IS only FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NATURALLY GIFTED AT COSMETOLOGY.

This couldn’t be further from the truth! Beauty school is where you go to learn about cosmetology. Whether you’ve been playing with and styling hair for years or are a novice interested in mastering hair, cosmetology school can be right for you. No matter your starting skill level, everyone has the opportunity to learn new things in beauty school.

Myth 2: BEAUTY SCHOOL IS Just FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

It is not uncommon to see young high school graduates making up the majority of beauty school students, but there are also many beauty professionals who have started their careers later in life. Some people even get a decade or two into their careers before deciding that they want to join the beauty industry. Just take a look at our director Anne’s beauty school journey. Beauty school is for people of all ages!

Myth 3: COSMETOLOGY IS “JUST FOR WOMEN” & BARBERING IS “JUST FOR MEN.”

While it is true that cosmetology classes are often mostly full of women and barbering classes are often mostly full of men, it’s definitely not a rule. Regardless of what your gender is, you should absolutely choose the career you are interested in. Don’t let anyone dictate what type of career is right for you, there are many talented male cosmetologists and female barbers in the world!

Myth 4: YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO BEAUTY SCHOOL TO BECOME A COSMETOLOGIST.

There once was a time when you became a cosmetologist by getting a job at a salon and learning on the job. That was a long time ago. These days, though the laws regarding cosmetology licensure can vary between states, usually you need to get your cosmetology license to practice as a professional cosmetologist. Getting that license typically requires going to beauty school and passing a licensing exam. If you think about it, it makes sense that you would need to go to beauty school now, because cosmetology and skincare products are much more sophisticated and advanced than they once were. It takes dedicated learning to be able to use these products right, which is why attending beauty school is a must.

Myth 5: COSMETOLOGY CAREER OPTIONS ARE LIMITED.

It’s common for people to think that all cosmetologists do is work behind the chair cutting hair after beauty school, but that’s not true at all! Many people do enjoy working behind the chair as a stylist or in the spa as an esthetician and they choose to stay there for their whole career. For those who want their careers to take them somewhere else, beauty school can still help. As a beauty school graduate, you could:

  • Work as a platform artist.
  • Develop new beauty products.
  • Represent a beauty brand.
  • Own or manage a salon.
  • Specialize in your favorite treatment or service.
  • So much more.

Your career as a beauty professional is what you make of it, so dream big and do what you are excited and passionate about!

Myth 6: IT DOESN’T MATTER WHICH COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL YOU ATTEND.

Most accredited cosmetology schools teach similar topics that are required by the state for preparation for the licensing exam, but that’s where the similarities end. Each school can use different product partners, a unique culture, offer other additional training, certifications, and more. Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes, for example, teach using the Aveda product line and being a part of the Aveda network can open opportunities a graduate from another school might not have. Be sure to tour the schools you are investigating to learn more about the culture and unique opportunities and courses from each.

Myth 7: BEAUTY SCHOOL IS EASIER/HARDER THAN TRADITIONAL SCHOOLING.

Here is the truth: Cosmetology school is different than traditional schooling. Most traditional schooling is all classroom learning. Beauty school is fairly unique because students begin in a classroom setting and transition into a hands-on environment. Many students who struggled in high school actually find that the hands-on approach in beauty school speaks more to their learning style, which makes the learning process easier for them. What is important to remember is that you really do get out of it what you put into it. If you want the most out of cosmetology school, be open to learning and trying new things.

Myth 8: BEAUTY SCHOOL IS TOO EXPENSIVE.

Cosmetology students come from many different backgrounds, and every school has different pricing, so “expensive” means different things for each student. This is why school accreditation is important. Accredited schools like ours can qualify for federal financial aid options for their students who qualify. That, and good schools generally have an admissions staff or advisor who can help make beauty school happen.

Myth 9: BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS DON’T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.

Similar to the myth about the limitation on career options, there are people who believe that beauty professionals don’t make much money. The truth is that cosmetologists have a great deal of freedom to control how much they earn. There are some people who want to become cosmetologists so they can work a few hours a week to help make ends meet, while others really hustle and spend most days working with clients from sun up until sun down. What you make is determined by how hard you’re willing to work and how well you can build your clients, as well as what you do with your education after beauty school. Attending different courses throughout beauty school will also open additional avenues of making money.

Myth 10: YOU HAVE TO BE CREATIVE TO GO TO BEAUTY SCHOOL.

Beauty school is home to all kinds of thinkers and personality types! Cosmetology allows people to choose things they are good at and specialize in them, which means that if you are a creative, colorful, and artistic individual, you can specialize in hair color and spend your career working creatively. You can also spend your time doing updos, working on the runway, or specializing in vibrant colors and trending hairstyles. If you’re more logical and structured, you could specialize in something like eyelash extensions or classic haircuts where creativity doesn’t play as much of a role. Beauty school offers so much to students, so you can find something that resonates with who you are! Wondering if your personality is fit for cosmetology? Take our quiz to find out!

DISCOVER YOURSELF AT INSPIRE GREATNESS AVEDA INSTITUTES

Don’t let anything hold you back, become the version of yourself you know you can be! Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes offer programs in cosmetology, esthetics, and more to help you pursue your passions. Contact us today to learn more about how you can change your life.