With the Texas Workforce Commission expecting a job growth rate in the salon industry of 22.1% between 2012 and 2022 for cosmetologists, manicurists, estheticians, and barbers, now is the perfect time to get started.
This means there will be over 2,200 salon jobs becoming available in Texas every year!
 | How to Become a Cosmetologist in Texas |
| Qualifications for Manicurists in Texas |
| How to Become an Esthetician in Texas |
| How to Become a Barber in Texas |
Trellis Spa at the Houstonian made it onto Vogue Magazine’s list of top, one-stop supersalons in America. Fulfilling the notorious slogan, Trellis is home to 18-acres, 17,000 square feet of spa houses, and 21 treatment rooms. In this vast area, Trellis offers a vast array of services:
- The hairstylists at Trellis are experts in special occasion styling, bridal styling, permanent chemical services, and men’s styling
- Hand and foot treatments include manicurists offering vitamin C mani/pedis, diamond magnetic mani/pedis, therapeutic paraffin treatments, and the “prestige” mani/pedi, featuring a soothing soak, skin exfoliation, warm clay wrap, a pressure point massage, and nail shaping
- To top it all off, the estheticians offer cutting-edge skin care treatments, including diamond magnetic body treatments, sea glow scrubs, slimming body masks, microdermabrasion facials, and the carboxi-express facial, which combines aesthetic medicine, carboxitherapy, advanced anti-aging ingredients, and four different massage techniques to achieve maximum rejuvenation.
Another everything’s-bigger-in-Texas shop—Birds Barbershop in Austin—reached national recognition by being listed as one of “The Manliest Barbershops in America” by Men’s Health Magazine. This shop services almost 15,000 customers a month, offering great music, free Shiner beer, video games, and occasional live music performances.
Clearly, Texas is the perfect place to begin your career as a personal care professional. If you are ready to begin your cosmetologist, manicurist or esthetician career in Texas, you will start by becoming licensed with the Texas Board of Cosmetology. If you aspire to become a barber, you’ll work with the Texas Board of Barbering.
How to Become a Cosmetologist in Texas
Cosmetologists are the most all-inclusive beauty professionals in Texas, offering unique and creative hairstyling and cutting, skin services, and manicuring services to their clients.
Before starting your pursuit of a cosmetology license in Texas, you must be at least 17 years old and have obtained a high school diploma.
Education Requirements for Texas Cosmetologists
To begin you career as a cosmetologist in Texas, you will start by enrolling in a 1500-hour cosmetology program. Throughout beauty school, you will learn the history, science, and art behind cosmetology, by taking the following cosmetology courses:
- Haircutting, styling and related theory: 500 hours
- Hair coloring and related theory: 200 hours
- Cold waving and related theory: 200 hours
- Orientation, rules and laws: 100 hours
- Manicuring and related theory: 100 hours
- Shampoo and related theory: 100 hours
- Chemistry: 75 hours
- Salon management and practices: 75 hours
- Hair and scalp treatment and related theory: 50 hours
- Chemical hair relaxing and related theory: 50 hours
- Facials and related theory: 50 hours
Examination Requirements for License as a Texas Cosmetologist
After graduating from your cosmetology program in a beauty college, you will take the two Texas cosmetology licensing exams, which are listed as follows:
- Texas Cosmetology Operator Theory exam given by PSI Services
- Texas Cosmetology Operator Practical exam given by PSI Services
After passing these licensing exams, you will be eligible for a Texas cosmetology license.
Job Opportunities for Cosmetologists
The Texas Workforce Commission expects the number of cosmetology jobs to grow 19.7% between 2012 and 2022, with about 1,500 annual cosmetology job openings throughout the state. This type of growth means great opportunity for aspiring beauty professionals in the state. As a cosmetologist, you will be able to look for part-time or full-time jobs that pay either based off of an hourly wage or off of commission.
Not only does Texas offer a large quantity of salons, but it offers incredible quality, as well. Elle Magazine listed five Texas salons on the “Top 100 Salons in the US,” list, including Daireds Salon & Spa Pangea in Arlington, Birds Barbershop and Spruce Salon in Austin, Osgood-O’Neil Salon in Dallas, and The Upper Hand in Houston.
Spruce Salon offers top-notch, cutting edge cuts and shading, but they don’t stop there. They offer smooth infusion retexturing services, keratin express blow-outs, and keratin smoothing solutions. Further, the cosmetologists offer an exclusive Aveda hair treatment formula not sold in stores or online—botanical hair & scalp therapy. Finally, they specialize in plant-derived, paraben free Aveda makeup application.
For more top-notch salons in Texas, consider some of the following options:
- Wild Orchid Salon – Austin
- SALON by milk + honey – Austin
- The Beauty Box Salon – Dallas
Qualifications for Manicurists in Texas
As a manicurist, you will specialize you beauty professional services in the study, care, and beautification of nails, hands, and feet.
Before starting your pursuit of a manicurist license in Texas, you must be at least 17 years old and have obtained a high school diploma.
Manicurist Education Requirements
To become a manicurist in Texas, start by enrolling in a 600-hour manicurist training program. You may find these programs as specialized programs within a larger beauty school. In this training program, you will take the following theoretical and practical manicuring courses:
- Procedures: basic manicure and pedicure, oil manicure, removal of stains, repair work, hand and arm massage, buffing, application of polish, application of artificial nails, application of cosmetic fingernails, preparation to build new nail, and application of nail extensions, sculptured nails, tips, wraps, fiberglass/gels and odorless products: 320 hours
- Bacteriology, sanitation and safety: definitions, importance, rules, laws, methods, safety measures, hazardous chemicals and ventilation odor in salons: 100 hours
- Professional practices: manicuring as a profession, vocabulary, ethics, salon procedures, hygiene and grooming, professional attitudes, salesmanship and public relations: 80 hours
- Arms and hands: major bones and functions, major muscles and functions, major nerves and functions, skin structure, functions, appendages, conditions and lesions, nails structure, composition, growth, regeneration, irregularities and diseases: 70 hours
- Orientation, rules, laws and preparation: 15 hours
- Equipment, implements and supplies: 15 hours
Manicurist Examination Requirements for a Texas License
After graduating from your manicurist training program, you will be eligible to receive your license after passing the Texas manicurist licensing exams, which are listed as follows:
- Texas Manicurist Theory exam given by PSI Services
- Texas Manicurist Practical exam given by PSI Services
Job Opportunities for Manicurists
Manicurist and pedicurist jobs are expected to grow by 22.4% between 2012 and 2022, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. This means great opportunity for manicurists in the state, where you can look for part-time or full-time jobs at local salons, nail salons, or day spas.
Signature Nail Salon in Garland offers everything from spa pedicures to eyelash extensions and facials. For nails, the manicurists offer acrylic, UV gel, and shellac, as well as a high-end organic nail powder—nexgen gel nails. The pedicurists at Signature offer jet-less pedicure tubs with disposable liners, so that each pedicure is absolutely new and clean. Along with this, they offer exclusive pedicure treatments, such as the sea scape pedicure, lemongrass & lavender pedicure, and the chocolate pedicure, where your legs and feet are exfoliated with orange ginger salt and wrapped in a creamy, chocolate mask. What more can a southern girl ask for?
Other best-rated nail salons in Texas include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Hawaiian Nail Bar – Dallas
- Vogue Nails & Salon – Katy
- H&M Nails Spa – Killeen
How to Become an Esthetician in Texas
Estheticians focus their specialization on the science, care, and beautification of skin—helping even the most damaged skin glow with health.
To pursue an esthetician license in Texas, you must be at least 17 years old and have obtained a high school diploma.
Esthetician Educational Requirements
To become a Texas esthetician, you will start by enrolling in a 750-hour esthetician training program, which may be found within a larger beauty school. In this program, you will take theoretical and practical esthetician courses, including the following:
- Facial treatment, cleansing, masking, therapy: 225 hours
- Anatomy and physiology: 90 hours
- Electricity, machines, and related equipment: 75 hours
- Makeup: 75 hours
- Orientation, rules and laws: 50 hours
- Chemistry: 50 hours
- Care of client: 50 hours
- Sanitation, safety, and first aid: 40 hours
- Management: 35 hours
- Superfluous hair removal: 25 hours
- Aroma therapy: 15 hours
- Nutrition: 10 hours
- Color psychology: 10 hours
Esthetician Examination Requirements
After completing your esthetician training program, you will be able to take the Texas esthetician licensing exams, which are as follows:
- Texas Esthetician Theory exam given by PSI Services
- Texas Esthetician Practical exam given by PSI Services
Successful passing of these exams will allow you to receive your Texas esthetician license.
Esthetician Job Opportunities
Skin care specialist jobs have the highest growth rate of all beauty professionals in Texas, as they are expected to grow by 48.5% between 2012 and 2022, with almost 300 job openings each year in the field. This is great news for aspiring estheticians, who are able to look for jobs as makeup artists, skin care specialists, beauty advisors, or in skin care product sales. Even further, as an esthetician, you can choose whether you want to provide services at a local day spa, medical spa, or even hotels and resorts that offer spa services.
Daireds Salon & Spa Pangea in Arlington, which is on Elle’s Top 100, is a luxury salon, spa, and medical spa. The list of services just goes on and on, with Daireds offering aromatherapy baths, Vienna mud baths, Persian honey & milk wraps, West African Shea butter wraps, Thai honey cucumber facials, and even cosmetic enhancements, such as Botox, Photofacial, and laser hair removal. Clearly, this all-inclusive spa is a hot spot for estheticians in the state.
Along with Daireds, other top-notch spas throughout Texas include the following:
- Lake Austin Spa Resort – Austin
- Mokara Hotel & Spa – San Antonio
- The Spa at The Crescent – Dallas
How to Become a Barber in Texas
Barbers are the hairstylists who specialize in cutting, trimming, styling and designing men’s hair and facial hair. As a barber in Texas, you will renew the classic, American art of men’s grooming.
Before pursuing your barber license in Texas, you must be at least 17 years old and have obtained a high school diploma.
Barber Education Requirements
To begin your career as a barber, you will enroll in a 1500-hour barber training program. This program will teach you the ins and outs of men’s grooming, and you will be able to take barber training courses on the following subject areas:
Theory – 180 hours
- Anatomy – 50 hours
- Texas barber law and rules: 35 hours
- bacteriology, sterilization, and sanitation: 30 hours
- Disorders of the skin, scalp, and hair: 10 hours
- Salesmanship: 5 hours
- Barbershop management: 5 hours
- Chemistry: 5 hours
- Shaving: 5 hours
- Scalp, hair treatments and skin: 5 hours
- Sanitary professional techniques: 4 hours
- Professional ethics: 4 hours
- Scientific fundamentals of barbering: 4 hours
- Cosmetic preparations: 3 hours
- Shampooing and rinsing: 2 hours
- Cutting and processing curly and over-curly hair: 2 hours
- Haircutting, male and female: 2 hours
- Theory of massage of scalp, face and neck: 2 hours
- Hygiene and good grooming: 1 hour
- Barber implements: 1 hour
- Honing and stropping: 1 hour
- Mustaches and beards: 1 hour
- Facial treatments: 1 hour
- Electricity and light therapy: 1 hour
- History of barbering: 1 hour
Practical Work – 1320 hours
- Shaving: 80 hours
- Styling: 55 hours
- Shampooing and rinsing: 40 hours
- Bleaching and dyeing of the hair: 30 hours
- Waving hair: 28 hours
- Straightening: 25 hours
- Cleansing: 25 hours
- Professional ethics: 22 hours
- Barbershop management: 22 hour
- Hair weaving and hairpieces: 17 hours
- Processing: 15 hours
- Clipping: 15 hours
- Beards and mustaches: 15 hours
- Shaping: 15 hours
- Dressing: 15 hours
- Curling: 15 hours
- First aid and safety precautions: 11 hours
- Scientific fundamentals of barbering: 10 hours
- Barber implements: 10 hours
- Haircutting or the process of cutting, tapering, trimming, processing, and molding and scalp, hair treatments, and tonics: 10 hours
- Massage and facial treatments: 10 hours
- Arranging: 10 hours
- Beautifying: 10 hours
- Singeing: 7 hours
- Manicuring: 8 hours
Barber Examination Requirements
After completing your barber training program, you will be able to take and pass the Texas barber licensing exams, including the following:
- Class A Barber Theory exam given by PSI Services
- Class A Barber Practical exam given by PSI Services
Once successfully passing these exams, you will be eligible for your Texas barber license.
Barber Job Options
Barber jobs are expected to grow by 18.2% between 2012 and 2022, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, which spells out great opportunity for aspiring barbers. As a barber, you can land a part-time or full-time job in barbershops throughout the state, working for either hourly or commission-based pay.
Not only is there great growth for barber jobs in Texas, but Texas is home to another of Men’s Health Magazine’s “Manliest Barbershops in America”—Big Kat’s Tattoo & Barbershop in Houston. This shop truly brings back the classic, American barbershop atmosphere by specializing in cuts from the 40’s and 50’s. Along with this, this shop is unique in pairing the barbershop atmosphere with the tattoo parlor feel—offering both services to men at low costs.
Other great barbershops throughout the state include the following:
- Birds Barbershop – Austin
- The Good Life Barber Shop – Austin
- The Elite Barber Shop – New Braunfels