Training in hair or beauty at 30

[Foxannexo]

Hey everyone I’m new to the site and just really wanted some genuine advice

I’m turning 29 this month, I have a 9 month old daughter and I need a career. I’ve always had a passion for hair and beauty and I’m itching to start a course at my local college but I’m at a real crossroads as to which avenue to take: hair or beauty.

I’m a single parent and live alone with my little one (father never has been involved sadly) and I’m determined to shape a career over the next few years to fully support me and my daughter.

truthfully how hard is it to enter each industry at my age? I know it’s going to be a juggling Act between work and being a solo parent but I have bags of determination and I know I can do this.

Has anyone else retrained in either field at a later age and built a successful business for themselves? Id love to hear your stories.

Roxy
X

 

[thisisnotnicole]

I'm 33 and training in nails, I have a 9, 3 and 1 yo, and a husband that works away Monday - Friday, so I know how hard it can be to find time to do anything for yourself, but like you I want to build a career for myself, one that I can be in charge of and can be flexible. Good luck with your career, I'm sure you'll be amazing

 

[Hair Teacher]

I train ladies of all ages, my oldest student currently is in her 50's and following a work placement has been snapped up by a very good salon. I changed my career at 40 into hairdressing and now teach. You are never too old! Go for it.

 

[Beautypea]

I’m 37 and doing my level 2 beauty. Best decision I ever made and wish I’d done it sooner x

 

[Hair Teacher]

When you get your confidence up you could always mobile and work around childcare. You dont have to be in salon or mobile - there are loads of opportunities linked to hairdressing - educators for colour houses, working in care homes, Hospice etc, teaching and assessing, sales, trainer for manufacturers etc etc.

 

[blossom]

At your age? I retrained in nails at 37, (having previously done office work) when my youngest started school full time, and now, 16 years on, I’ve just done an Indian Head Massage course and have another booked in Brow Lamination, having added facials, waxing, lash lift, pedis, and Microdermabrasion along the way [emoji4] and I now work as much as I want to, some weeks full time and some weeks not quite. I don’t do any paid advertising, it’s mainly word of mouth that gets me customers.
I don’t think it’s ever too late to stop learning and investing in yourself and your future . Good luck, you’ll always wonder “what if” if you don’t do it x

 

[JemmaBeauty]

I retrained in beauty age 30. Did level 2 and 3 back to back at the weekends. Then worked in a spa to gain experience.
I now work from home, my work hours fit around my childcare. I've successfully had my own little business for 4 years and couldn't be happier. The industry is very flooded, so my advice would be to figure out how you can be different or what is missing in your area?
For example, I get asked about intimate waxing ALL the time as good therapists and few and far between (but don't offer it!), whereas aesthetics, injectables, skincare, lashes are everywhere in my location - and all very cheap!

So many newbies undersell themselves. Don't! You don't need to! Fake it until you make it is my moto. I charge the exact same price as local salons, always have, from the day I opened, and I'm always busy! I get clients who don't want cheapo. I see so many newly qualified offering huge discounts and under-charging for everything but theres hundreds of them all doing the exact same thing. Being different will get you far!
Best of luck!

 

[Freelancetrainer]

I agree with JemmaBeauty. I’m not new to the industry at all. I worked 16 years as a beauty therapist along side hairdressers in salons, spas, health clubs, cruise liners and teaching. I then stopped for 15 years and just started back up again last year. I specialise in intimate waxing and waxing in general but I do offer other treatments too. I work from home in a separate room set up so clients come to me. I am 52 and have 3 children ages 17, 15 and 12 now. I’ve been very successful and as jemmabeauty says, dont under charge yourself and offer lots of discounts. You’d just find yourself in constant competition with the other salons trying to undercut you. Stay away from that. I’m very happy I did this as a now divorced mum with 3 children all in secondary. Go for it. Ps. I trained in hair fir one year but never practised in hairdressing. I wish I had. But I do like what I do and like that I limit myself to just a handful of treatments as you become much more practised and experienced this way.

 

[squidgernetball]

I retrained at about 37 years old. I worked from home for about 10 years very successfully. l then rented a room. From there I rented a barn.

I now own a salon in a barn with 5 staff and a turnover of around £200,000 so no, it's not too late

 

[Ora]

Hey everyone I’m new to the site and just really wanted some genuine advice

I’m turning 29 this month, I have a 9 month old daughter and I need a career. I’ve always had a passion for hair and beauty and I’m itching to start a course at my local college but I’m at a real crossroads as to which avenue to take: hair or beauty.

I’m a single parent and live alone with my little one (father never has been involved sadly) and I’m determined to shape a career over the next few years to fully support me and my daughter.

truthfully how hard is it to enter each industry at my age? I know it’s going to be a juggling Act between work and being a solo parent but I have bags of determination and I know I can do this.

Has anyone else retrained in either field at a later age and built a successful business for themselves? Id love to hear your stories.

Roxy
X

Hi Roxy,
Before anything else, I am proud of you!.
I am in the US and things are different here. I think that age might not be your issue but your personal situation.
So, don’t double guess yourself. You are brave because otherwise you wouldn’t be where you are. Keep on marching forward, don’t look back and you will reach your destination.
I don’t know how is the training scheduled there. Here you have mostly two options :
Do about 16 or 18 months ( it is actually an specific minimum number of hours) that gives you the title of cosmetologist and allows you to do everything but massage therapy and you have to wait until you finish it all to work or
Take shorter courses that allows you get certifications and professional licenses in for example, nails which here is about 3 months , skin care , full specialist ( everything but not hair or massage) ... and you can start working as soon as you get your license and keep on studying.
I went to college when I was a single parent of 4 kids with no relatives here because I am an orphan and I was in my 30’s. the only thing I could study that worked out with my kids school schedule /care was medical massage ... ( I was an ICSA graduate ages ago in the UK) , and after having to significantly slow down in massage due to injury and MS I just trained as a nail tech in my ( between you and me )50’s . I still have underage kids at home and I have to support my family.
So, plan to the best of your ability, take into account your personal circumstances, not someone else’s and go for it .
Best of luck