Did you know that the beauty industry in BC is de-regulated? What does that mean? In 2003 the BC Provincial Government de-regulated the personal services industry. That means that your hairdresser and/or esthetician may not be “licensed”. In fact, there is no longer any licensing requirements and it is solely up the the salon/spa owner to ensure their staff is properly trained in performing hair and esthetic services. There are no regulations on apprenticeships or the length/curriculum of any cosmetology school program.
Most employers will demand a certificate of completion from a recognized cosmetology school and there is the BeautyCouncil (a voluntary membership organization working towards self regulation) that offers an examination process by which the hairdresser/esthetician can achieve a “Certified Cosmetology Professional” status, however this doesn’t mean much when most consumers are completely unaware that their hairdresser, esthetician or laser technician is not licensed and their competency is not regulated by the government in any way.
As for cleanliness, we get frequent visits from Fraser Health (the office is across the street and we are in a market that is food service primary so this is expected), but I have worked in salons that were never visited by the health authorities. Think about how many salons and spas could be practicing in unsanitary conditions. We, at JOY, are certified BeautySafe (a program that mimics Food Safe but for the Beauty Industry, facilitated through the BeautyCouncil)
At JOY we do not put a new talent (recent graduate) stylist on the floor servicing guests until they have completed an advanced apprenticeship (education and working alongside our seasoned stylists) for a minimum of 3 months. We pride ourselves on hiring new talent, coaching and mentoring them personally and professionally. It’s a privilege to be able to provide a platform in which these budding artists can grow and it is integral to our industry that established stylists are giving these opportunities.
