Professional appearance?

[aimie x]

i was just wondering what you all think about proffesional apperance?
just at college they have said to me that ts not proffesional o have piercings or visible tattoos and not to smoke.
i understand that its going to put clients off if thier therapist smells like an old ashtray! but they are constantly at me for piercings i dont look like a pin cusion i have my lip and nose done i take out my both at college but my own clients i take out my lip untill they get to know me and my passion for body mods, another thing is i dont always wear make up they get at me for that too which annoys me sometimes i just dont want to wear it if i draw my brows in i feel fine i alway sput effort in to look profesional and clean and tidy. i'm sorry, if i'm good at what i'm doing always trying to get better i dont see why they keep getting at me (i'm not exactly ugly and i'm not offending anyone with my visible tattoo ?) Rant over so anyway whats your viewson proffesional apperance?

 

[kimi1101]

i've got a few big tattoos and its my personal preference to have them in a non visable place. i dont want any client not coming to me just because i am tattooed, but again this is a chooice thing, i know a guy who has both arms done and has experienced twice clients refusing him for a haircut (not sure how this makes him worse at hairdressing but...)

I used to have my tongue pierced and was told once by a client i was disgusting. i just laughed and told her there was worse things to get worried about than a pierced tongue (we had a good relationship)

The make up thing...i would say as someone in the beauty industry it is important even to put a bit of mascara and lip gloss on, because who wants their make up done by someone who doesnt have any on? they arent gonna be able to tell if you are any good at it or not, or they may thing you are bad at it!!! Don't take it to heart...its also something to consider when applying for jobs though, some salons may not employ someone with facial piercings (not sure what the employment laws on this are)

Depending on what area you go into, you may meet people who love your piercings and poeple who hate them. i just choose to hide away my tattoos although i love them and am not ashamed of them, its easier not to have a dragon down my arm or something for work. xx

 

[kylieb]

Personally and this is only my opinion ...I dont think piercings in your face look professional in this kind of job. Not only that but from a health and safety point of view they are not safe either.
Tattoos I think are ok in moderation. Make up- I think every therapist should wear make up. I'm not talking about a full face of slap, just something to make you look like you have bothered. Even if it's just a bit of mascara.
Colleges are strict on this because you are representing their college at the end of the day. So I can understand it. xxx

 

[Lynne Baker]

I think it's horses for courses.
Personally if I went to a therapist and she smoked, had visible tattoos and piercings I wouldn't go a second time, because, as irrational as it sounds, I would worry that this was her idea of what looks attractive.
A lot of my little old lady clients would be intimidated by facial piercings.
I think a therapist should be a blank canvas. And I think they should wear a little makeup so they look groomed.

 

[coleen]

i have both tattoos and piercing, i have a tattoo on my hand which is just writing which is quite tasteful and not trashy - it is also in irish which some may have a problem with and others not - its only the irish that knows its irish though and if anyone else asks i just say its 'some foreign language that i just thought looked good', this means i dont offend. i also have my tongue pierced - which 90% of people i know dont realise i have as dont make an issue about it.
i would like to think also that my personal appearance takes away from anyone's issues weather or not they think i am proffessional looking. i wear smart black trousers and a smart full length black shirt (always very imaculate) with my logo on the left breast. i get up early every morning to insure i have time for a shower (i also have one after work so hygine is not an issue) and fully apply my make up - day time look (i dont think there is any reason to not make some kind of effort, and if you look good you feel good), i also do my hair every morning - of course having the odd bad hair day although not down to any less effort put in to fix it! - now dont get me wrong i do not look like im ready to go partying on a night out but i think it is important to make an effort.

i remember before i opened my own salon i often had issues with staff and had to give regular staff meeting solely before of appearance, a main issue being sloppyness, i hate it!!!!!

although remember to smile .. no matter how good you may look, if you dont smile your not welcoming! and to me that is a part of your appearance too!

 

[persianista]

I think we all get a picture in our heads of what a therapist should look like. Personally I would happily employ a tattood or tastefully pierced stylist, perhaps not a therapist.
We encourage our stylists to express themselves and be big, creative personalities. With therapists it is more about clients saying "I wanna look like her".

 

[angelina221]

I do think it depends whether it is tasteful or not. I have an eyebrow piercing which i keep in all the time. I think it looks tasteful though and clients have never mentioned it.
My beauty therapist also has a lip piercing. Most of the time she doesn't wear it but sometimes she does. She is probably the busiest therapist in town so i don't think it puts people off. In fact whenever clients have complained about other therapists, it has always been that therapists looked down their nose at them or that the therapists looked so perfect it made them feel inferior-lol
I think as long as you are well presented, clean, approachable, friendly and a great therapist then clients will come back again and again.
Obviously if you have tattoos and piercings all over the place then you can look a little scary and it can put people off.

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

I have to say that i agree with the others that a little time to apply your make-up and fix your hair can make a great difference. When you are in a business you want to attract as many clients as possible. You are an example of what you can do, so you're make-up shows off your skills.

Clean, tidy clothing is a must, obviously. I hate the smell of smoke, but also dislike heavy perfume. Nothing should be strong enough to be offensive.

On the subject of piercings and tattoos, i would definitely say in moderation. Minimal visability. I was always told to wear studs in my ears even. Lip piercings some people, particular older, find frightening.

A therapist should appear as if they are clean, tidy and fresh faced, but as if they have made an effort, without going over the top (e.g. fake tan), friendly and approachable, not intimidating.

HTH xxx

 

[BABSann]

I think we are an advert for our profession and I personally always wear make up for work.I worked in a salon once where a therapist didn't wear make up and clients just didn't look to her the same as the therapists who did.There are the odd few therapists who can get away without wearing any make up at all,they are lucky but I think we should to show that we can apply it and to show that we take pride in our appearance.

As for piercings I think in moderation they are okay.It's the image they portray especially with the more mature clients.I know in the salon I have just left that they wouldn't go down very well.Also they aren't good when carrying out electrical treatments.Why not pop them out when at college then put them in when you have finished:green:It would be shame to fail assessments because of them and it would be an automatic fail at the college I went to if we had face piercings whilst carrying out treatments.HTH

 

[rouge]

The thing is, an employer has the right to specify certain standards of appearance and behaviour in a salon. If that includes wearing makeup and removing visible piercings, then that's what you have to adhere to if you want to work there. The same applies to college salons, they obviously have a standard that they want students to go by. I can see both sides of the argument here.

 

[sarahpoppy24]

Hey I started a thread on the nail forum about this, its called do you agree with this. There was alot of responce but the generel thing was to look clean and tidy with smart make up and hair. I strongly believe it is down to your employer or college over what is acceptable, they are your boss at the end of the day. I think insted of guessing just folllow what your boss has to say and their policy on dress code. I am now my own boss and I just had a small tattoo done on my wrist lol!! I dont think any of my clients would be offended. I only have a couple of much older cleints and I think I will keep it covered when I see them incase they dont approve lol. I love my clients and I want them to be happy to have me come into their home. They dont want someone in tons of make up looking intimitading and like they are about to try it on with their husbands and scare their kids lol lol lol. I keep it simple but if I went to work in a salon where they wanted full on glamour I would do it becuase it is their dress code. Just my opinion xoxoxoxoxoxox:hug:

 

[Exquisite Touch]

I have two large tattoos that are visable and everyone comments on them..... to tell me how gorgeous they are!
I think clients come to see the perfection of work, just cos you have piercings and tattoos doesnt mean you are not professional. Some approve of them some dont. Mine are just visable under my tunic but I always act and dress in a profesional manner.

 

[Nickie]

Isnt it such a shame that people judge others on tats and piercings? See I know some lovely people who have tats all over them and tons of piercings too. One of them is the niecest man I know (also a hairdresser and educator, Rush I think). I can see it from both points. I just feel its a shame ppl dont look past it.

 

[BABSann]

Isnt it such a shame that people judge others on tats and piercings? See I know some lovely people who have tats all over them and tons of piercings too. One of them is the niecest man I know (also a hairdresser and educator, Rush I think). I can see it from both points. I just feel its a shame ppl dont look past it.

This isn't just about people judging though,this is about how our appearance comes across to potential clients.
We as beauty therapists , have been trained in various roles,i.e improving the skin condition,applying make up,healthy eating etc...sadly clients who see lots of piercings or pierced lips etc dont see that as beautfying.Its all about image.They see us as having immaculate skin,tidy eyebrows(not pierced)clean, tidy hair,clean tidy nails.Tattoos and piercings take away that clean living image.
Its not to say we aren't clean living,it's all about image and how clients expect us to look.Also when carrying out electrical treatments its not safe to have any form of jewellary on...i.e piercings.
I know some lovely people as well who have piercings and tattoos,but they are not beauty therapists,if they want piercings they should take them out during work hours and cover up their tattoos.Not because it makes them not nice,but because of the image this portrays to potential clients.
You wouldn't expect to see your GP or surgeon with his eyebrow pierced or love hate tattoos on his/her knuckles would you? its the same thing,same as soliciors or a Judge,the two just dont go hand in hand regardless of how nice they are!!!:hug:

 

[aimie x]

i do take my things out for college or my own clients (not friends though -close ones)but not my theory day cos we dont need uniforms etc, wont see clients. ( i shall be appearing in my leggins and uggs lol )
i dont think i explained it right so here we go x---x Personally i do think it its judging alot of people outwith the industry expect to find a blonde faketaned ditsy girl. (thats what i presumed before i got in) tattoos and piercings fair enough some of the minority of older clients are sometimes shocked, maybe a bit intimidated because back in the day when they were younger tattoos were for thugs and generally rough people.
What ever happened to beauty is in the eyes of the beholder ? All my tattoos have a meaning and quite alot of others peoples do aswell the visible one is no larger than a pound coin, i am always clean tidy tinted moisturiser and eyebrows on, i am always polite even if the clients are the ones who are constanly cheeky or yapping during a facial lol out of twelve piercings only 2 are visible (maybe 2and a half)

Thanks all for the replys i wanted to hera from others who are not coming off the rebelious teen stage aha x

 

[Pickles]

I was taught to look professional, make ur self presentable. I wear full face make-up but sum days i like to just put on a lil mascara & blush up my cheeks. Now I also have tattoos that i can hide if I choose to, they r not distasteful nor r too large. I even had Rev. Lloyd tell me my tat on my neck was my 'xmas star'...lol. It shouldn't matter to peeps how u like to express ur luv for skin art but unfortunately ppl do past judgement without knowing who u really r.

 

[ellasmum]

I have tattoos, only 2 but one is visable....and my clients always ask me about it and say how much they love it.
Pesonally I think it shows a little bit of creative personality and neither tatoos,piercings etc would put me off a good hairdresser or therapist........my hairdresser has a pink mohawk and is great at his job.

 

[Miss Sparkle]

My hairdresser's junior has pink hair, piercings and tattoos and she is lovely. I always tip her as she is a friendly, chatty, bubbly and always makes me smile. Her style is an extension of her personality and I wouldn't want to suppress that.

 

[angel fingers]

it certainly would not bother me one little bit.
if i go to a salon, i want the therapist to make me look like i want to look, not look like her/him.

 

[karma-beauty]

i was just wondering what you all think about proffesional apperance?
just at college they have said to me that ts not proffesional o have piercings or visible tattoos and not to smoke.
i understand that its going to put clients off if thier therapist smells like an old ashtray! but they are constantly at me for piercings i dont look like a pin cusion i have my lip and nose done i take out my both at college but my own clients i take out my lip untill they get to know me and my passion for body mods, another thing is i dont always wear make up they get at me for that too which annoys me sometimes i just dont want to wear it if i draw my brows in i feel fine i alway sput effort in to look profesional and clean and tidy. i'm sorry, if i'm good at what i'm doing always trying to get better i dont see why they keep getting at me (i'm not exactly ugly and i'm not offending anyone with my visible tattoo ?) Rant over so anyway whats your viewson proffesional apperance?

Even if we dont like it people will judge!