With the climate in Alaska diving to frigid temperatures, beauty professionals are vital to keeping Alaskans healthy, radiant, and glowing. Because of this, the number of beauty professional jobs in Alaska is increasing, with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development expecting an 11% growth between 2012 and 2022.
 | How to Become a Hairdresser in Alaska |
| Qualifications for Manicurists in Alaska |
| How to Become an Esthetician in Alaska |
| How to Become a Barber in Alaska |
More than this, Alaska is home to one of the top salons in the entire United States—Fringe Hair Design, which was voted as one of the “Top 100 Salons in the US” by Elle Magazine. Located in downtown Anchorage, Fringe offers all types of hair, nail, and skin services to perfectly suit each client’s needs. Deep conditioning, special occasions, and the Mohawk highlights are all specializes of the hairdressers at Fringe, while the manicurist offer top-of-the-line manicures and pedicures for men and women. The estheticians at Fringe offer advanced services, such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, light therapy, and eyelash extensions.
Women stylists do not dominate Anchorage; it is home to top-notch barbershops, as well. A Cut Above Barber Shop has been serving the needs of men for over 30 years. To help men unwind after hard days of work, A Cut Above offers a comfortable waiting area, masculine magazines, a complimentary beverage, along with both classic and modern men’s cuts.
Whether you want to become a hairdresser, manicurist, esthetician, or barber, Alaska is the place for you. To start your journey toward a beauty professional career, you will begin by obtaining a license from the Alaska Board of Barbers and Hairdressers. This is the Board that regulates the licensing standards for all beauty professionals throughout the state.
How to Become a Hairdresser in Alaska
In Alaska, hairdressers are the beauty professionals who use their creativity and innovative techniques to provide hair, skin, and nail services for men and women.
Education Requirements for Alaska Hairdressers
To become a hairdresser in Alaska, you will start by enrolling in a hairdressing training program in a local beauty school. Your beauty school experience will consist of at least 1650 hours of both theoretical and practical training in the following subjects:
- Wet Styling, Shampooing, and Drying- 180 hours
- Thermal Hair Styling – 180 hours
- Permanent Waving – 80 hours
- Chemical Straightening – 10 hours
- Hair Cutting (Razor, Scissors, Clippers, and Shears) – 250 hours
- Hair Coloring and Bleaching – 75 hours
- Scalp and Hair Treatments – 10 hours
- Beard Trimming – 5 hours
- Eyebrow Arching – 15 hours
- Makeup and Skin Analysis – 15 hours
- Manicure – 15 hours
- Theory – 185 hours
Examination Requirements for License as a Hairdresser
After graduating from a hairdressing program in a local beauty school, you will be able to take the Alaska hairdressing licensing exams, which are as follows:
- Alaska Hairdresser Written Exam given by the Alaska Board
- Alaska Hairdresser Practical Exam given by the Alaska Board
After passing these exams, you can obtain your Alaska hairdresser license.
Job Opportunities for Hairdressers
As a hairdresser in Alaska, you will be able to look for jobs at local salons, spas, or hotels and resorts that offer salon services. You will find that jobs offer either a base, hourly wage to get you started, or they will offer commission-based wage to those who already have a strong clientele. Sometimes, you will be able to work as an independent contractor by renting a chair from within a salon.
Salon Ginger, which has also been mentioned in Elle Magazine, is another one of the many top salons in Anchorage. Salon Ginger’s hairstylists are dedicated to continuing their education, so they are always taking advantage of opportunities to learn the latest, cutting-edge styles, trends, and techniques. These hairdressers don’t stop at providing cuts, colors, relaxers, perms, and blowouts, but they even offer makeup, facial, and waxing services, such as eyebrow and eyelash tints, makeup lessons, Hydralessence facials, and Brazilian waxing.
Some of the other best-rated salons in Alaska include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Vizhunz Salon – Kodiak
- Salon Ivy – Anchorage
- Studio Fx Hair Design LLC – Anchorage
Qualifications for Manicurists in Alaska
Manicurists focus exclusively on providing care and services for nails, hands, and feet. In Alaska, there are two different types of manicuring licenses: the basic manicure license and the advanced manicurist license.
Basic Manicurist Education Requirements
To become a manicurist in Alaska, you will enroll in and graduate from a 12-hour manicurist training program in a local beauty college. Throughout this program, you will take the following courses:
- Bacteria – 1 hour
- Infections – 2 hours
- Sanitation – 3 hours
- Harmful Products and Protection – 2 hours
- Anatomy and Physiology – 2 hours
- Nail Disorders – 2 hours
Advanced Manicuring Education Requirements
To become an advanced manicurist in Alaska, you will start by enrolling in a manicurist training program in a local beauty college. Throughout beauty college, you will get to learn the science and art behind perfect nail care, by taking at least 250 hours of the following manicuring subjects:
- Sanitation and Safety Measures, including Bacteriology – 45 hours
- Anatomy and Physiology, including Nail Irregularities, Nail Diseases, and Skin Histology – 45 hours
- Manicuring and Pedicuring, including Preparation, Supplies, Basic Manicure, oil manicures, Nail Analysis, Sculptured Nails, Nail Tips, Nail Wraps, Polish, Alaska Laws, Professional Ethics, and Record Keeping – 155 hours
Advanced Manicurist Examination Requirements
In Alaska, only advanced manicurists need to take a licensing exam. To get your advanced manicuring license, you will take the following manicuring licensing exams:
- Manicuring Written Exam given by the Alaska Board
- Manicuring Practical Exam given by the Alaska Board
After passing these exams, you will be able to get your advanced manicurist license.
Job Opportunities for Manicurists
As an advanced manicurist in Alaska, you will be able to be recognized for the prestige of your education, knowledge, and experience, potentially making it easier to land a job in a nail salon, full-service salon, spa, or resort that offers nail services. These jobs may pay an hourly, base wage, a commission-based wage, or an hourly wage plus commission on retail items you sell. Further, advanced manicurists who have developed a strong clientele and sales skills may open their own shop or work as an independent contractor, by renting a booth from another salon.
You, as a manicurist, may benefit from obtaining a job in a full-service salon, where clients will already be streaming in routinely for other services. One such salon, Escape Salon and Spa in Anchorage, is an AVEDA salon, dedicated to only the highest quality, natural services and products. The manicurists at Escape get to offer services such as the quick, Express manicure/pedicure, and the spa-like Escape manicure/pedicure, where natural cuticle, exfoliation, massage, and hydrating masks create a truly refreshing 90 minute escape for clients.
Other top nail salons and full-service salons throughout Alaska include the following:
- Julia’s Hair Salon & Beauty Supply – Anchorage
- Jolie Nail spa – Anchorage
- Top Nails – Fairbanks
How to Become an Esthetician in Alaska
Estheticians are the beauty professionals who focus entirely on skin care, providing facials, body wraps, makeup, and temporary hair removal.
Esthetician Educational Requirements
To become an esthetician in Alaska, you will start by enrolling in an esthetician training program in a local beauty college. Your esthetician training will include 350 hours of both theoretical and practical training, regarding the following subjects:
- Theory – 40 hours
- Manual, Skin Analysis, Cleansing, Manipulation, Packs and Masks – 60 hours
- Electrical, Dermal Lights for Facials, Skin-Care Purposes – 40 hours
- Eyebrow Arching, Hair Removal – 50 hours
- Makeup, Skin Analysis, Corrective Makeup, False Eyelashes – 50 hours
Esthetician Examination Requirements
After graduating from an esthetician program in a local beauty college, you can take the Alaska esthetician licensing exams, listed as follows:
- Alaska Esthetician Written Exam given by the Alaska Board
- Alaska Esthetician Practical Exam given by the Alaska Board
After completing the examinations, you can get your Alaska esthetician license.
Esthetician Job Opportunities
As an esthetician, you get to look for jobs with titles like makeup artist, beauty specialist, eyebrow arch expert, waxing specialist, or skin care specialist. With all of these versatile roles, estheticians are perfect for the all-encompassing, spa environment. Local full-service salons, spas, or spas at resorts and hotels are likely to be great options for Alaska estheticians. Lastly, you will find that jobs offer an hourly wage, a commission-based wage, or, for the more competitive jobs, hourly plus commission.
Salon Da Vinci is a full-service salon in Anchorage, offering only organic, earth-friendly products. NYR Organics, based in England, is the skin care product line they use, made entirely of herbs and flowers. Along with this, Da Vinci takes advantage of the rich Alaskan earth, using Alaskan Glacial mud, which is full of organic and botanical extracts and mined from the copper river delta. As partners with five different community organizations, Da Vinci is sure to leave its mark in Anchorage.
For other top spas and resorts that offer spas, consider some of the following options:
- The Waterworks Spas & Saunas – Soldotna
- Ice Spa – Anchorage
- Homer Inn & Spa – Homer
How to Become a Barber in Alaska
Barbers revive the classic art of men’s grooming by specializing in cutting, styling, and designing men’s hair, beards, and mustaches.
Barber Education Requirements
To become a barber, you will start by enrolling in a 1650-hour barber training program. Throughout this training program, you will learn the theory and practices of barbering, including the following barber subjects:
- Wet Styling, Shampooing, and Drying- 30 hours
- Thermal Hair Styling – 180 hours
- Permanent Waving – 50 hours
- Chemical Straightening – 10 hours
- Hair Cutting (Razor, Scissors, Clippers, and Shears) – 400 hours
- Hair Coloring and Bleaching – 75 hours
- Scalp and Hair Treatments – 10 hours
- Beard Trimming – 5 hours
- Beard Shaving – 50 hours
- Theory – 185 hours
Barber Examination Requirements
After graduating from your barber training program, you will be eligible to take the Alaska barbering licensing exams:
- Alaska Barber Written Exam given by the Alaska Board
- Alaska Barber Practical Exam given by the Alaska Board
After passing these exams, you can obtain your Alaska barber license.
Barber Job Options
As a barber in Alaska, you can choose to work at local salons or barbershops that will generally pay an hourly wage, a commission-based pay, or allow you to rent a booth from their barbershop. When working for commission or renting a booth, you will want to truly hone and maximize your personal marketing and sales skills.
Another popular barbershop in Alaska is the Alaska Barbershop in Fairbanks, which is known as another old fashioned, walk-in barbershop. The barbers here focus entirely on personal, one-on-one connections and conversations with each client, making the shop feel like a comfortable home away from home.
For other highly rated barbershops throughout Alaska, consider some of the following:
- Good Friends Barber Shop – Anchorage
- Olympic Barbershop – Fairbanks
- Off the Top Barber and Beauty – Fairbanks