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Carlos’s Massage School Idea Is Not Desperate

Published: October 29, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

If you happened to catch “Desperate Housewives” on Sunday, you heard Carlos mention possibly going to massage therapy school to become a massage therapist. Carlos had never had anything close to a cosmetology career but, having recently lost his vision, he concluded that massage was a good professional choice because the work is through the hands, not the

eyes. A blind man could perform just as effective a massage as a sighted person.

While his statement was played a bit for laughs, Carlos was actually spot-on. Massage therapists rely pretty exclusively on their hands. It’s their highly trained sense of touch that gives them the information they need about the client’s tightness and problem areas. Some professional massage therapists tell me that they close their eyes as they perform the massage.

Yet Carlos sorely missed the mark in another important way. He referred to becoming a “masseur.” Similarly, in TV’s “Friends” reruns, you’ll hear Phoebe refer to herself as a “masseuse.” Although these terms are still used in Europe, in the United States they’ve been outdated for at least 15 years. A “massage therapist” indicates that the person is a professional who has graduated from massage therapy school, whereas “masseur” and “masseuse” have taken on a connotation associated with escort services, if you get my drift. These terms are aptly addressed in an article at suite101.com. If Carlos ever does go for massage, he’ll love the profession, and I guarantee he’ll learn the proper term for what he does!

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Cosmetology School Serves Up Friendship for Krissy

Published: October 26, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

Picking up Krissy Simmons’ story of her days as a student at CHIC University of Cosmetology an Empire School in Portage, Michigan, we meet Nicci, her first beauty school friend. “We were inseparable,” Krissy says, “but she transferred to a different location of CHIC. That was pretty tough on me.”

However, January brought a new group of students, including Holly who, like Krissy, was in her 20s and had been in the work world before entering beauty school. “We hit it off instantly and became fast friends,” Krissy recalls. “We’re very much alike.” It was not instant with Jay. Krissy remembers, “I was intimidated by him, because all of the girls—and even the teachers!—thought Jay was the most amazing-looking guy they’d ever seen. It took a little bit before we started talking, but now we are the best of friends.” Another male student, Shane, was different from the others and kept to himself, so Krissy avoided him at the beginning. Once they struck up a few conversations, however, they discovered they were soul mates. “Shane is probably the best friend I’ve ever had,” Krissy writes now. “He’ll be my maid of honor in my wedding some day, I’m sure :).”

While Krissy says she didn’t go to beauty school to make friends, she’s grateful she has them. “I don’t think I would have made it through the rough patches without those friends,” she says. “I thank God every day for putting them in my path at CHIC.”

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Final Two Zodiac Signs Also Suited to Beauty School

Published: October 22, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

By now, you probably get it: no matter where your birthday falls, there’s a place for you at beauty school and personal fulfillment to be found in a cosmetology career. Stick with me for the remaining two astrological signs.

Aquarius: Beyond creative, you’re actually innovative, the first to enthusiastically welcome anything new to come along. Given ample opportunity, you’ll wow them in your cutting and coloring classes, so choose a school that encourages originality. The same goes for the salon you join—if everyone looks exactly alike you won’t be happy there. You want to express yourself! Your clients will love asking you to give them something a little different. Also, select a salon that gives back to the community. You have a big heart.

Pisces: Artistic and easygoing, you have a nature that will do well in hair, nails, skin care or massage. Not everyone is multi-talented enough to consider all of cosmetology’s professions, but you are! Similarly, you’ll be happy in pretty much any school and, later, working at any salon, as long as everyone there appreciates your talent. While you enjoy stability, you also need a structure that gives you some freedom to follow your intuition, plus at some point you may want to teach. Since money isn’t all the important to you, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the income you’ll generate just by being you.

That’s the whole Zodiac! A cosmetology career offers so many opportunities that every personality can find a rewarding path within it.

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The Astrology/Beauty School Saga, Part 4

Published: October 17, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

Going through the horoscope is taking me longer than I thought! But since I started this whimsical look at how your astrological sign lines up with success in beauty school and in a professional cosmetology career, I’d better finish.

Sagittarius: You’re such a free spirit and you love to travel, so beauty school could provide an opportunity to spend a year on an adventure in a new location. Impulsive and optimistic, you’ll tend to enroll in the first school you consider, but first make sure it offers a variety of academic options to accommodate your independent streak. After graduation, choose a salon that has zero tolerance for unethical behavior. You may not like tons of rules, but you are highly moral—and ambitious! Go for a clear career path with opportunities for you to teach others. Funny and a great conversationalist, you’ll keep your clients forever!

Capricorn: Focused and not afraid to work hard, you want to start making money ASAP, so a

one-year cosmetology program is perfect. Opt for a school with a structured program that includes business classes, since marketing yourself is a real talent of yours. The salon that hires you will be gaining a loyal, responsible and skilled employee. You’ll build your clientele quickly, because people trust your judgment. Since you like to be in charge, consider applying to be manager of the salon after a couple of years.

Almost finished! I’ll address how the last two signs fit with beauty school next time.

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How Autumn Birthdays Fare at Beauty School

Published: October 13, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

On to more astrological signs and how they mesh with beauty school and a cosmetology career!

Virgo: Your combination of great communication skills and strong desire to help others will make you an ideal cosmetologist. You thrive on an intellectual environment, so find a school with instructors who encourage questions and then challenge you to think for yourself. Because you’re methodical and a bit of a perfectionist, you can become expert at working with hair color formulas; you’d do well in esthetics, too. Find a salon that’s high-class, refined and squeaky clean.

Libra: With your great smile and easy-going attitude, you’ll make people feel instantly comfortable in your care whether you do their hair, nails, skin care or massage, and your creative muscles will stretch and grow in cosmetology. Find a school with friendly students and staff, and interview at salons that treat everyone like one big family while valuing creative independence and rewarding hard work.

Scorpio: You have so much passion, focus and imagination—you’re a natural for a creative

career like cosmetology! With your self-direction and intense level of concentration, you’ll do well at a school that offers some independent study. Choose a salon that embraces your ambition and offers plenty of room to grow. At both school and at work, you’ll enjoy the opportunity to enter hair competitions and show what you’ve got!

If your sign hasn’t come up yet, check back soon to see how you’ll fit with a cosmetology career.

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More on Your Astrological Match for Beauty School

Published: October 09, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

Continuing with looking at beauty school and a cosmetology career through the astrological lens:

Gemini: Charming and intellectually curious, you’ll make a great cosmetologist because you like multi-tasking and constant change. You’re always flitting from one thing to another, so find a school with lots of activity and courses. To avoid frequently switching jobs, find a salon that gives you opportunities galore. As a natural teacher and performer, you may want to train other stylists, do platform work for a hair company or get into management.

Cancer: Your huge heart suits you perfectly for this field—you’ll love making people feel beautiful. As a natural nurturer, you may want to become an esthetician or massage therapist, so try a school that offers an esthetics program just in case. But you also enjoy making money, so find a salon that offers you a solid career path for high earnings. All you need is the right place, because clients will love you!

Leo: A bit of a drama queen with no problem taking risks, you like combining fun with creativity—that’s exactly a career in beauty. Visit several schools before choosing; you’ll be happy at a school that embraces your playfulness. When you interview at salons, you’ll know immediately whether it’s a good match because, when it’s right, you and the owner will instantly love each other! He or she will appreciate your sunny, generous nature and, in return, you’ll be loyal.

I’ll add to my astrology/beauty school matches next time.

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Does Your Astrological Sign Predict Success in Beauty School?

Published: October 05, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

Love astrology? If you’re wondering how your sign can be compatible with a cosmetology career or help you choose among beauty schools, I’ll slip into the role of an astrologer for my next few blog posts. Do I really believe that astrological signs mean anything? Not at all. Yet, born in early May, I am a Taurus through and through, so who knows? However, since I’m not a trained astrologer, take this for what it’s worth!

Aries: Confident, courageous and impulsive, you’re a natural leader, salesperson and self-promoter who aims to move up the career ladder. A bit of a hero, you love wearing a uniform. Select a school that will nurture your sales and leadership talents, and interview with mid-sized to large salons or salon chains that have a dress code; provide structured steps for advancement, pay increases and leadership opportunities; and offer commission on retail sales. You’ll feel like the hero that you are every time you transform a client from “why” to “wow.”

Taurus: Inspired by art but driven by success and money, you’re extremely loyal, dependable, disciplined, dedicated—and stubborn! Opt for a traditional school with a demanding program and top reputation. Choose your salon carefully, because you may spend your entire career there. You’ll fit perfectly with a high-end salon that charges top dollar, attracts the wealthier crowd, avoids rush and chaos and operates within sensible policies that still let you express your considerable creativity and give you a voice in your career path.

More signs matched to your beauty school destiny next time!

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Krissy’s Cosmetology School Instructors Encourage Her Talent

Published: October 01, 2008
by Rosanne Ullman

Among the impressions Krissy Simmons took with her from being a student at CHIC University of Cosmetology an Empire School in Portage, Michigan, were warm feelings toward the beauty school staff.

In an earlier post on this blog, Krissy recalled how helpful Chic’s enrollment director was in getting her financial resources. She also particularly connected with two instructors. Theresa Ward, her junior finals teacher, “always told me that she saw something really special in me,” Krissy says. “She knew that I would make it in this industry. She even told me that if she could, she would have no problem making me a salon manager immediately. That meant a lot coming from Mrs. Ward—she doesn’t just throw out compliments like that! I obviously used her as a reference.”

Terri Loucks, her pre-states instructor, offered Krissy personal nurturing. Krissy notes, “As I got close to graduating, I was becoming very emotional, just because I had made so many amazing friends and had gotten so close with my teachers. (It’s hard not to when you see people 9-5, Monday through Friday, for a year.) Ms. Loucks was there to pick me up every time I felt down or got emotional, every time I had a question about interviewing or getting a job, every time I had a problem with my personal life. She was a huge moral support for me toward the end of my studies. I’ll never forget her!!” Next time: the great same-age friends Krissy makes at beauty school.

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