Level 2 beauty therapy training

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Stefm80

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Jul 30, 2018
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I am about to start my L2 Beauty Therapy training at college. I'm 38 and have decided in a career change after having my little boy 3 years ago. What advice would you give to someone who is about to start the course and any tips once qualified, i.e. Salon work, spa or self employed. Thanks x
 
Hi I trained in beauty therapy almost 20 years ago at the same age as yourself. I strongly suggest working in a beauty salon when you qualify especially one that allows you to do all,the treatments you have learnt at college. Then when you have gained experience and confidence think about setting up on your own. Good luck x
 
I am about to start my L2 Beauty Therapy training at college. I'm 38 and have decided in a career change after having my little boy 3 years ago. What advice would you give to someone who is about to start the course and any tips once qualified, i.e. Salon work, spa or self employed. Thanks x

Omg that’s me. Trained at about the same age. Qualified on the Tuesday and had my first client in my little home salon on the Wednesday. I didn’t think I could work for someone else so practised loads so I would be confident. Built a very successful home salon over 8 years while supporting my ageing mum and stepfather and my girls were little.

Then felt moving out of home would be good and was earning enough to justify it, so rented a room in a golf club. Did that for two years. My eldest daughter then surprised me by saying she would like to train in beauty so we found a little premises we could work together. That was fab. The opportunity then came along to expand into the rest of the premises.

We now have four treatment rooms, a skin clinic and six staff.

I now also teach and distribute for a skincare company!!!

This isn’t what I set out to do when I trained in beauty 16 years ago. I set out to do a bit from my spare room. So go where it takes you.

Best of luck. I loved college and love my job.

Vic x
 
I trained at 38 too! If you would prefer to be self employed (as I am) I suggest to get loads of practice by offering cost or highly discounted treatments, tell the clients you are looking to improve your timings, then when you are confident, go for it with full price treatments x
 
Wow there is a theme going on!! Training at 38 ha ha
 
Omg that’s me. Trained at about the same age. Qualified on the Tuesday and had my first client in my little home salon on the Wednesday. I didn’t think I could work for someone else so practised loads so I would be confident. Built a very successful home salon over 8 years while supporting my ageing mum and stepfather and my girls were little.

Then felt moving out of home would be good and was earning enough to justify it, so rented a room in a golf club. Did that for two years. My eldest daughter then surprised me by saying she would like to train in beauty so we found a little premises we could work together. That was fab. The opportunity then came along to expand into the rest of the premises.

We now have four treatment rooms, a skin clinic and six staff.

I now also teach and distribute for a skincare company!!!

This isn’t what I set out to do when I trained in beauty 16 years ago. I set out to do a bit from my spare room. So go where it takes you.

Best of luck. I loved college and love my job.

Vic x
I love your story x
 
I did Level 2 at 28 but more or less gave up when I was pregnant with my daughter. She left school 2 years ago and went to college to do Level 2 beauty and I joined her to do Level 3! We have since converted our double garage and workshop into a lovely salon (still got a few finishing touches to do, but it's useable) and I took voluntary redundancy from my part time job nearly a year ago to put all my efforts into my beauty business. I already have quite a few regular clients through word of mouth which is great, but I intend to step up advertising when the salon is fully finished. I'm absolutely loving being my own boss and not having to drive anywhere to work! I personally wouldn't want to work for somebody else in a salon as I'm not sure I could keep up with the pace of a busy salon (I'm 50 now!) so this suits me perfectly. But If you preferred the idea of gaining experience through working in a salon, don't be put off, in fact a very successful salon near me is actually advertising for more mature people looking for a career change :) x
 
Love that there is many of us starting (or resuming) beauty later on... I'm 32 and after doing floristry since I was 16, I finally decided to take the plunge and do my level 2 beauty therapy and hope to go on to level 3 when it starts. I am hoping to work from my garage (its insulated already as I did my flowers from here) just need to keep it up to the beauty standard. I have an 8 & 2-year-old so working from home fits around them. I am so scared of starting a new venture but I have loved beauty for so long. I am really excited and determined to get it up, running and successful (well successful for our lifestyle anyway) :)
 
Do it you’ll love it. X
 
Thanks everyone. I've had my uniform, beauty kit, lash/brow tint kit, nail art and makeup kit delivered this week. Uniform is all washed and ironed, folders and stationery purchased. I am ready and very excited to start this course!! Xx
 
Thanks everyone. I've had my uniform, beauty kit, lash/brow tint kit, nail art and makeup kit delivered this week. Uniform is all washed and ironed, folders and stationery purchased. I am ready and very excited to start this course!! Xx
I'm excited for you too! You'll love it! Good luck xx
 
Young whippersnappers! I trained at 47. I set up my salon by accident - my local beauty salon folded and the self employed staff had nowhere to earn a living. I was outraged so I guaranteed the bills and took over the salon rental. It ticked over, but the girls were going broke. After a year of having my suggestions ignored, I quietly decided to train in beauty. One girl left the week I started college (Boyf issues) and three months later the other broke her shoulder and couldn't work, leaving me with no staff and just 2 days room rental a week coming in to pay all the bills.

I ended up going in just one day a week, and sitting in my salon (Sings "so lonely, so lonely") hoping someone would pop in for a simple manicure and it built from there. By the time I qualified I was turning over £2k a month part-time. Now I have a two treatment room salon with 2 mani tables and grand plans for expansion. I also employ my daughter who is a Mum herself and she trained at 30. I also have 2 part-time therapists who trained in their 20s and they have small children also.

I'd strongly recommend working in a salon whilst you train. Beauty is a practical skill and you need lots of practise. I'm always interested in recruiting older trainees - but I find they need quite a bit of help to reach industry standard. I'd start contacting salons now for free work experience. Learning how to greet clients and book treatments is a very important skill, there's quite a lot involved. It's a chance to prove yourself, pick up tips and get some free training. You could also contact salons with in house apprentices and ask if you can model for their apprentice to practise on (say you're a student). It's another way to pick up tips and learn about different products.

Once you're qualified I'd consider temping. It's a good way to "interview" potential employers.
 
I am also very keen on doing an apprenticeship for my level 3. There's nothing like s bit if on the job training. I will definitely look at getting a bit of work experience too, more than happy to start slowly and work/learn my way up xx
 
I'm 28 and considering moving into beauty, so just looking at level 2 courses now.

I've been looking at the online ones as will miss the September start date for this year and want to get cracking ASAP. Does anyone have any experience with the online courses? I like that I can complete it in my own time as quickly as I want, but am worried about not having salon experience?

Happy to do some free interning at salons to build this up, but do you think it's likely that I will be able to get this?

Also, it's really encouraging to hear stories of how well you've all done so thank you for sharing. I'm currently in a senior position at a corporate company so this is a big, scary jump for me, but feeling like happiness is more important than a big salary and beauty is something I've always been passionate about.
 
I wouldn't recommend an online course at all. I also moved from the corporate world and I investigated every shortcut I could find before committing to a part time CIBTAC/CIDESCO course. You must have a recognised qualification and these all require face to face observations of the quality of your work.
 
I wouldn't recommend an online course at all. I also moved from the corporate world and I investigated every shortcut I could find before committing to a part time CIBTAC/CIDESCO course. You must have a recognised qualification and these all require face to face observations of the quality of your work.

Thank you, after seeing your post on my other thread, I've scratched everything I said here and now trying to find a course close(ish) to me.
 
Good luck. I took the plunge after meeting the lovely make up artist who did my daughter-in-law's wedding. It turned out that she was a qualified architect who had worked as an architect for a few years before deciding that life was too short to be unhappy. Up until then I hadn't considered that beauty might be intellectually and emotionally satisfying for someone with an academic talent, who relished the cut and thrust of a dynamic, competitive corporate world.

I've genuinely never felt more comfortable with my life choices.
 
Good luck. I took the plunge after meeting the lovely make up artist who did my daughter-in-law's wedding. It turned out that she was a qualified architect who had worked as an architect for a few years before deciding that life was too short to be unhappy. Up until then I hadn't considered that beauty might be intellectually and emotionally satisfying for someone with an academic talent, who relished the cut and thrust of a dynamic, competitive corporate world.

I've genuinely never felt more comfortable with my life choices.

Thank you, that's really reassuring to hear. Lots to think about and research!
 
I'm 28 and considering moving into beauty, so just looking at level 2 courses now.

I've been looking at the online ones as will miss the September start date for this year and want to get cracking ASAP. Does anyone have any experience with the online courses? I like that I can complete it in my own time as quickly as I want, but am worried about not having salon experience?

Happy to do some free interning at salons to build this up, but do you think it's likely that I will be able to get this?

Also, it's really encouraging to hear stories of how well you've all done so thank you for sharing. I'm currently in a senior position at a corporate company so this is a big, scary jump for me, but feeling like happiness is more important than a big salary and beauty is something I've always been passionate about.

Please please don’t consider an online course. Beauty is hands on. I’ve had students who have been dreadful after a year’s course with plenty of practical, let alone virtually none. And if you were then going to go into a salon - paid or unpaid - they would, in effect be teaching you.

Have a look at colleges near you. I’ll put money on it you’re not too late for enrolment. Put everything you have into it and practice like the devil and that way, you will be worth employing, or confident enough to go it alone.

Good luck

Vic x
 
Please please don’t consider an online course. Beauty is hands on. I’ve had students who have been dreadful after a year’s course with plenty of practical, let alone virtually none. And if you were then going to go into a salon - paid or unpaid - they would, in effect be teaching you.

Have a look at colleges near you. I’ll put money on it you’re not too late for enrolment. Put everything you have into it and practice like the devil and that way, you will be worth employing, or confident enough to go it alone.

Good luck

Vic x
I agree, I'm sure you won't be too late to enrol. I only decided to enrol to do Level 3 at college after enrolling my daughter on level 2! Induction week for school leavers had already started but I managed to reduce my working hours in my admin job, sort out the 19+ Adult Learner Loan and enrol ready to start in under a week! :)
 

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