There’s common confusion around a question that many have who desire a career in the beauty industry: Should I go to cosmetology school or makeup school? Until somewhat recently, it was simply assumed that a diploma from a cosmetology school was the only path for those aspiring to such a goal. Let’s break down the facts and try to clarify this question.
One aspect of this is black and white. If you want to work in a salon cutting and coloring hair, or performing facials and skin treatments in a spa setting, you must attain a Cosmetology license from the state in which you plan to work. This will require attending a Cosmetology school. If you envision yourself as a makeup artist who works in freelance bridal or film and TV, a makeup school might be the better choice. It’s a common misunderstanding that a cosmetology license is required in this area. In most states, it simply is not.
Another common misconception is that a cosmetology program will also include makeup instruction. This is true to an extent, but by far the focus of those programs is cutting and coloring hair (or skin care). Makeup is touched on very briefly, but not enough for most to feel confident that they were actually trained. Makeup is in itself its own very specific art form and takes many hundreds of hours of instruction and hands-on practice to master.
Before a prospective student commits to a time consuming program, they should thoroughly consider their personal career goals. Then, conduct significant research to discover if a particular school will meet their needs.
