How many of you out there did independant training courses ie waxing, tanning, lashes, facials etc and now offer them without going to college to train in beauty therapy first. Can you do training this way and does it mean you have the same knolwedge in the treatments?

Anyone.

I am thinking about doing an Independent course with Salon System. I have requested some info from them with regards to the Facial and Waxing courses that they have to offer.

I have been told aswell that I can be insured as the courses they run have the same criteria as the college courses but are held over a few days which is alot of intensive training.

I have been told by another company that I can use there facial and waxing products.

HTH's

Hi, yes i have done some independant training. You will have a very basic knowledge of the treatment and therefore have to do some research of your own to gain the best knowledge possible (you can never have to much!)

Check before you enroll on a course that it is accredited for your insurance.

There are some great books available on anatomy and physiology, these should be a great starting point for you and then you could progress to more specific information that relates to your course. Do'nt forget there are alot of very experienced individuals on this site that can support your growing knowledge.

Thanks that's good advice, I asked this question because I was not sure if you had to be a qualified beauty therapist to be able to take independant courses in different treatments. I'm 32 with a full time family as so many and living in another country trying to learn learn learn everything to do with nails and run a busy home, so it would be near impossible for me to do an NVQ at the moment or at least until my son is at school full time. So any help on this topic is sooooo welcome.

All my nail training was through an independant company. All their courses are babtac approved and you can be insured after completion. I agree that I did a lot of home study and research myself but I found that this actually was more beneficial as you question so many things. Anything I can't find an answer too is usually answered by a super duper geek!!!

Hi,

I have done most of the salon systems training at my local beauty suppliers, facials, warm waxing, eye treatments etc, you can get insurence for all of their courses, through Beautydirect or The guild of Professional Beauty Therapists, you just send them your certificate.

The training is basic, and is more practical based, and not much theory, but it gives you a good starting point, I have had no further beauty training and I have LOTS of clients, who are all very happy with the work I do, and are willing guinea pigs whenever I train to do something else!

Thanks you guys it really is a big help, I'm going to start researching different companies and treatments and if any of you have suggestions let me know. Hopefully from Sept this year I should be free enough from family stuff to start.

I agree you can never know too much!

But as for independent training providing you with less knowledge, I would say that very much depended on the length of the course and who your tutor is.

My mum has been practicing artificial nails since 1985 when she began in LA, and she's been a VTCT and City & Guilds lecturer and assessor for 12 years. She runs her own independent Artificial Nail Techniques courses and all her students come out with more expertise than those being spawned out of the local college!
My mum used to teach at said college, which, like much of the education system, got took over with excessive admin & office politics. So she left to branch out on her own, and the college got a 22 year old with 18 months experience to fill her place!

What a shame they didn't see what a gem they had, sounds though like it worked out better for your mum.

Yes my mum is a gem! (I have to say that coz she still does my washing )

It's worked out loads better for her, and she's in the process of VTCT registering the salon, so she'll be able to offer both NVQ and non-NVQ courses.

What type of courses are you doing to do DWF? Full beauty therapy or just certain units?