The frigid, dry winters calls for almost every Minnesotan to have a great cosmetologist, skin care specialist, manicurist, or barber to keep them looking healthy and radiant. The number of personal care service jobs in the salon industry is expected to grow 22.3% between 2012 and 2022, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. This means more than 57,000 new salon jobs will be created during these years.
 | Guidelines on Becoming a Cosmetologist in Minnesota |
| How to Become a Manicurist in Minnesota |
| Qualifications for Estheticians in Minnesota |
| Becoming a Barber in Minnesota |
The Beauty Room, located on Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, is one of many top salons, and it was recognized by Elle Magazine as one of the “Top 100 Salons in the US.” Along with this, it was named as having “The Best Blowout,” by Minnesota Monthly Magazine and the “Best Colorist Across the Country” by Allure Magazine.
The Beauty Room is a full service salon, employing high-end hairstylists with color perfection techniques, manicurists with the latest knowledge in nail care, such as Shellac manicures and pedicures, and top-notch estheticians, who offer enzyme peels, body scrubs, microdermabrasion, and more. With all these services, it is clear why the Beauty Room ranks as one of the top salons in the US.
Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, located on Lake Street in Minneapolis, is known by CBS Minnesota as one of the “Best Places for Men’s Haircuts in Minnesota.” It is known for it’s music-centric, old-school barbershop feel, bringing back the classic, American art of barbering with services such as hot lather shaves and straight razor shaves.
Clearly, whether you’re looking to become a cosmetologist, nail technician, esthetician, or barber, Minnesota is the place for you. To become a cosmetologist, nail technician, or esthetician, you will start by being licensed by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners. To become a barber, you will begin your career by becoming licensed through the Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners.
Guidelines on Becoming a Cosmetologist in Minnesota
Cosmetologists are the most all-inclusive beauty professionals in Minnesota. They get to use their creativity and innovation to perform hair, skin, and nail care services.
Education Requirements for Minnesota Cosmetologists
To become a cosmetologist in Minnesota, you will start by enrolling in a 1550-hour cosmetology training program. Within your beauty school experience, you will get to learn the full nail technician course content, the full esthetician course content, and a mix of hairdressing and styling content, all combined to make you a perfectly well-rounded beauty professional.
In beauty college, you will take courses designated by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Sciences related to Anatomy, Dermatology, Trichology, Manicuring, Cosmetology, Electricity, Light, Sanitation, and Safety – 250 hours
- Shampooing – 350 hours
- Scalp and Hair Conditioning – 230 hours
- Hair Design and Shaping – 225 hours
- Chemical Hair Control – 260 hours
- Hair Coloring – 150 hours
- Hair Styling – 500 hours
- Facials and Makeup – 260 hours
- Manicures – 200 hours
- Related Theory and Lecture – 420 hours
Examination Requirements for License as a Minnesota Cosmetologist
After graduating from your cosmetology training program, you will be eligible to take and pass the Minnesota cosmetology licensing exams. Once completing these exams, you will be ready to receive your Minnesota cosmetology license. The licensing exams are listed as follows:
- MN Cosmetology Theory Exam given by PSI Services
- MN Cosmetology State Practical Exam given by PSI Services
Job Opportunities for Cosmetologists
Now is the time to become a cosmetologist in Minnesota. Cosmetology jobs are expected to grow 5.8% between 2012 and 2022, opening over 4,400 new jobs during that time, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. As a cosmetologist, you will be able to look for jobs at local hair salons, full-service salons, day spas, and more. You will find either base-hourly wage or commission based jobs. Sometimes, you will be required to rent a chair as an independent contractor from within the salon.
Minnesota is home to top-notch, cutting edge salons, such as HAUS Salon on Nicollet Ave. in South Minneapolis and in the North Loop. HAUS has been mentioned by Minnesota Monthly, Allure Magazine, Salon Today Magazine, and Citypages. As a full-service salon, HAUS offers the (arguably) best styling in the Twin Cities, along with unique and eccentric nail and skin care services. Employing over 30 different cosmetologists, nail technicians, and estheticians, HAUS in Minneapolis is the place to be.
Other high-end salons throughout Minnesota include the following:
- LolaMax Salon – Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis
- Rue48 Salon – Chicago Ave., Minneapolis
- Accolades Salon | Spa – Saint Paul
How to Become a Manicurist in Minnesota
Manicurists are the beauty professionals who specialize studying the science and art behind the care of nails, hands, and feet.
Manicurist Education Requirements
To become a manicurist in Minnesota, you will start by enrolling in a 350-hour manicurist training program. You can find manicurist training programs as specialized programs within larger beauty schools and beauty colleges. In beauty school manicurist training program, you will be able to take courses designated by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Sciences related to Manicuring, Electricity, Lights, and Sanitation – 50 hours
- Clinical Instruction in Nail Tips, Nail Sculpting, and Nail Art – 150 hours
- Manicures and Artificial Nails – 50 hours
Manicurist Examination Requirements for a Minnesota License
After graduating from your manicurist training program, you will be ready and pass the Minnesota manicurist licensing exams, listed as follows:
- MN Manicurist Theory Exam given by PSI Services
- MN Manicurist State Practical Exam given by PSI Services
After completing these exams, you will be ready to get your Minnesota manicurist license.
Job Opportunities for Manicurists
The number of manicurists and pedicurist jobs are expected to grow by 7.7% between 2012 and 2022, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. As a manicurist, you will look for part or full-time jobs at local salons, spas, or nail salons. As you are building your clientele, you may want to look for jobs that pay an hourly, base salary. As you grow in your experience, sales skills, and clientele, you may want to look for jobs that pay based on commission, or jobs that require you to rent a booth station weekly or monthly.
Beginning manicurists may benefit from jobs in full-service salons and spas, where they may be able to obtain overflow clients form the other beauty services. One such salon, Estetica Salon & Spa, located in the Cathedral Hill District of Saint Paul, offers hair, skin, massage, and nail services. The manicurists at Estetica offer spa manicures and pedicures, which include warm neck wraps, soaked hands and feet, exfoliation, hydrating masks, and massages. Along with this, they offer the latest Shellac treatments, avoiding unhealthy and harmful acrylic and gel nails.
For other great nail salons throughout Minnesota, consider some of the following options:
- Spa and Nails – Richfield
- Serenity Nails & Spa – Snelling Ave., St. Paul
- N K Spa Nails – Ford Parkway Center, St. Paul
Qualifications for Estheticians in Minnesota
Estheticians specialize in the science and care of skin care and skin care products. With their techniques and products, they are able to make even the driest skin supple, radiant, and glowing.
Esthetician Educational Requirements
Before you begin your career as an esthetician in Minnesota, you will enroll in and graduate from a 600-hour esthetician training program. You may find an esthetician training program as a specialized facet of larger beauty schools. In your beauty college esthetician training program, you will take courses designated by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Sciences of Anatomy, Dermatology, and Chemistry, as related to Skin Care, Electricity and Light – 120 hours
- Applied Sciences – 200 hours
- Facials and Makeup Application – 60 hours
Esthetician Examination Requirements
After graduating from your esthetician training program, you will be ready to take and pass the Minnesota esthetician licensing exams, which is as follows:
- MN Esthetician Theory Exam given by PSI Services
- MN Esthetician State Practical Exam given by PSI Services
After passing these exams, you will be ready to receive your Minnesota esthetician license.
Esthetician Job Opportunities
Skin care is the perfect industry in which to begin. The number of skin care specialist jobs in Minnesota are expected to grow at the highest rate of all beauty professional jobs, at 23.9% between 2012 and 2022, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. As an esthetician, you will find jobs as a beauty advisor, makeup artist, facialist, or skin care specialist in all types of organizations, from day spas and medical spas to full-service salons and hotels.
Extradôs Salon and Spa encapsulates the Minneapolis obsession with organics in their skin care. The estheticians at Extradôs offer Eminence Organic Facials, which is made from organic ingredients grown in Hungary, and is known to revitalize skin for weeks. Along with that, they offer “facials” for other parts of the body, adding deep massages to the experience. These include the foot facial, the head to toe facial, the back facial, the hand facial, and—yes—even the fanny facial, which uses pressure point techniques in the glutes to release lower back tension.
Along with Extradôs, other great spas throughout the state include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Day Spa – South Edina
- Ivy Spa Club – Hotel Ivy, Minneapolis
- Fusion Lifespa – Wayzata
Becoming a Barber in Minnesota
Barbers specialize in the care, cutting, and styling of men’s hair and facial hair.
Barber Education Requirements
To become a barber in Minnesota, you will start by enrolling in a 1500-hour barber training program. In your barber school, you will take 281 hours of classroom, theory training, as well as 1219 hours of practical, hands-on training. These training hours will include education on the following barber subject areas:
- Scientific Fundamentals for Barbering
- Hygiene
- Hair, Skin, Muscles, and Nerves
- Structure of the Head, Face, and Neck
- Elementary Chemistry relating to Antiseptics
- Diseases of Skin, Hair, and glands
- Massaging and Manipulating the Muscles of the Neck
- Haircutting, Shaving, and Trimming the Beard
- Bleaching and Tinting the Hair
- Waving and Straightening of Hair
Barber Examination Requirements
After graduating from your barber training program, you will be eligible to take and pass the Minnesota barber apprentice licensing exam:
- Minnesota Barber Apprentice Examination given by the Minnesota Board of Barbering
After working as a Minnesota apprentice barber under the direct supervision of a licensed barber for one year (at least 1500 hours of experience), you will be able to take and pass the Minnesota registered barber licensing exam:
- Minnesota Registered Barber Examination given by the Minnesota Board of Barbering
Once passing these exams, you will be eligible to receive your Minnesota registered barber license.
Barber Job Options
Barber jobs are expected to grow by 6.9% between 2012 and 2022, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, which spells out great opportunity for aspiring barbers. As a barber in Minnesota, you will be able to look for jobs in local barbershops or salons, where you are likely to be paid a base, hourly wage or a commission-based pay. In some barbershops, you will work as a type of independent contractor, renting a chair from the shop. If this is the case, you will want to have developed a strong clientele, as well as strong marketing and sales skills.
Winston’s Barbershop on Lake Street in Minneapolis is the perfect encapsulation of a masculine grooming environment. What more could a manly man want in a barbershop than a pool table, oversized chairs, a TV, and manly beverages while you wait? These barbers don’t hold back either; they provide old and new styled haircuts, manicures, shaves and colors.
If you’re interested in some other top barbershops in Minnesota, consider some of the following options:
- Lyn-Lake Barbershop – Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis
- MENSDEPT. – Washington Ave., Minneapolis
- Grandview Barber Shop – Grand Ave., St. Paul