Navigating Training Courses in the Beauty Industry

Elizabeth Grieve, owner of beautybyelizabeth and L3 Senior Educator covering accredited beauty courses, shares with us her top tips to untangle the web of training courses available to beauty professionals.

How on earth do you go about finding the correct pathway and course for you into the beauty industry? This is a question I get asked on so many occasions! The truth of it is, what works for one person may not work for everyone, but that’s the beauty of our industry. There is so much choice and different directions which you can go in, you just need to find what it is that you are passionate about and you enjoy yourself.

Thanks to social media and the Internet, there are now a multitude of brands and individuals advertising their courses on the web. I am here to help you figure out the best way to navigate this and, to highlight things to look out for when you are trying to find new courses to attend. 

I have been a Senior Educator for 7 years now and teaching is my passion! I also work from my salon so I have hands on experience of providing the treatments. This dual method of working allows me to keep my finger on the pulse so that I remain up to date with the changes and trends in the industry.

As an educator, over the years I have come across some very disgruntled students who have ended up paying more than they should for courses or, have had to train twice due to not being happy with the brand or Educator they have chosen and trained with. So, in order to avoid this happening to you, here are some top tips as to what to look out for when choosing your beauty courses. 

1) Accreditation 

Firstly, and what I feel is most important, please check that the course you are looking to attend is an accredited course. Some courses, especially online courses are only certified courses and don't come with an accreditation.  This in turn means that once you have completed your course and go on to get your insurance, you won’t be able go get the cover you need to take on paying clients. A certified course simply means that you have receive a certificate for attendance which shows you have completed the course. It doesn't mean you are then accredited to deliver the treatments to others. This is key to you being able to work in a salon, from home or as a mobile technician. 

2) Reputation

Your next course of action should be to go straight to the reviews which is where you will find real and honest content from people that have trained with that person or company.  Take note of what previous students have experienced with them. If there are any negative reviews maybe speak to the brand about these and explain your concerns to them. If there are many negative reviews I would definitely advise to look elsewhere for your training needs. 

3) Value

Something that you should definitely take into account is whether your course includes a kit or not. Some brands and educators don't include a kit with products which means you can’t start your treatments straight away. This is entirely your choice, however I would say to watch out for pricing if this is the case. Sometimes I have known students to opt to train with the cheaper advertised courses only to find that they have paid more in the long run. This comes in to play when you realise you have to go and buy a full kit with enough products in for  you to complete treatments on clients. This can work out more costly than if you were to have gone with a brand who offered a full kit within their training costs. There are also positives in training with a brand and using their products as you always have the best advice on using the kit and also have a point of contact should there be any issues with any of the products. 

That being said, if you do participate in a branded training, it might tie you to the brand for the future as the training will be targeted towards using the brand’s products. You might find it harder to swap brands and need further training if you do decide to change brands.

4) Aftercare

Aftercare is also something you should research prior to choosing your Educator. Ensure that you find out what aftercare is offered after you've attended your training day. Some have a time limit of 3 months on, some don't offer aftercare at all. It is so important that you have someone to contact after training. There is often much more you want to ask, guidance needed etc once you've completed your training and you start treatments. As an Educator I offer lifetime aftercare to my student's. I have students who have trained with me years ago that often contact me to let me know how they are getting on and, sometimes with questions. I personally love hearing from my students and love to stay in touch with them.

5) Training Method 

Most courses now have the option of being completed in person as well as online. Ask yourself a key question... am I a practical learner or can I learn visually? Go off your own learning style and decide which is best for you. Some students do amazingly when training online and pick things up really quickly however, others need more hands on learning and watching someone in person. 

The best advice I can give you for deciding which path to go down is, to think about what excites you. What do you love and enjoy in beauty? Whether that be endlessly scrolling through nail art images, admiring full volume lashes, or researching skincare products and facial options - choose that. I knew when I first came into this industry that I loved all things nails, from looking through pictures to  the shapes of nails etc I started with this. Then from there I have trained in much more and I honestly feel I don't work a day in my life. I am so passionate about my job and this is why I chose to progress into the Education aspect of the beauty industry.  In the hope that I can pass on this passion, enthusiasm and train students to the highest standards so that they can confidently go on to conquer the world of beauty!