Hi there. I'm afraid that you cannot learn properly without face to face training. I personally feel that these courses are a bit of a con, you're very unlikely to be employable after completely an online course. I wouldn't even offer you an interview I'm afraid.
Have a look at your local colleges, they may run a one day or evening based course for mature learners and you can get a student loan for the fees. Alternatively find a private training school that offers accredited training. You want a VTCT qualification or something which specifically says level 2.
Not all beauty courses have been mapped to the National qualifications standard. There are lots of great trainers running private courses, but there is also some poor quality training. Finding a trainer who has invested in her training school to be able to offer a verifiable, inspected standard, is your quality guarantee. Most beauty therapists with a training side line are offering courses aimed at qualified level 2 therapists topping up their skills. I teach advanced brow shaping and henna but I wouldn't employ any of my trainees myself unless they had a level 2 waxing and level 2 brow and lash tinting and shaping qualification.
To be self employed in the UK you don't need any qualifications and you can decide what services you want to offer, but it's good to have options and being employable in the industry is well worth the extra effort
You want level 2 manicure and pedicure, level 2 facials, level 2 waxing, level 2 brow and lash tinting and Brow shaping and level 3 massage as a minimum. You also need gel nails but this doesn't need to be a level 2 qualification, you can do a one day course after you've done a level 2 manicure course. This is your foundation training. Then you add the other training courses depending on how you see your career developing.
If you want to work in a nail salon you'll need level 3 nails and a year of practise to perfect nail extensions and nail art to industry speed and quality standard.
If you want to work in a beauty salon you'll need level 3 facials including facial electrics and level 3 body electrics and another level 3 massage qualification. You'll also need threading to work in a salon that offers threading (they won't want you learning on their clients) experience with using professional brand products - and some experience of customer service, you'll need to be able to convert enquiries into quality bookings and create retailing opportunities quite naturally by explaining and demonstrating products (which means you need to understand the benefits of the ingredients on the label). Work experience from another industry or beauty/make-up retail experience is very helpful.
If you want to work in a Spa you'll need several level 3 massage qualifications at least level 3 Swedish massage and level 3 hot stones and ideally level 3 deep tissue and a level 3 complimentary qualification such as Indian Head massage, aromatherapy massage or reflexology. You also need a level 3 Spa qualification in body treatments and level 2 facials but you won't need body or facial electrics.
All this sounds very daunting, but it is possible to retrain. I did a private course 3 days a week and I worked 3 days. It took 8 months without a break but that wasn't too bad financially and I was doing treatments on paying clients after 4 months. I built my business from there.
I regretted not studying for another 8 months to get a more rounded training and it's been very stressful and expensive taking time off to do other courses now that I have my own business. Now when I have a day off work for training, not only am I not earning - I'm still paying business rent and other overheads. The investment is worth it though.
