The North Carolina Department of Commerce expects personal appearance jobs, which includes cosmetologists, barbers, manicurists, and skin care specialists, to grow by 18% between 2010 and 2020. This type of growth means that there will be at least 650 new job openings each year for personal appearance professionals throughout that time period.
 | Steps to Become a North Carolina Cosmetologist |
| How to Become a Manicurist in North Carolina |
| Qualifications for North Carolina Estheticians |
| How to Become a Barber in North Carolina |
North Carolina is home to many top salons, specifically, those located in Chapel Hill near the University of North Carolina. Citrine Salon, located in Chapel Hill has made it to the national stage by being ranked as one of Elle Magazine’s top 100 salons across America four years in a row. Citrine is a LEED salon in a LEED complex, which means they are dedicated to the highest standards of natural, sustainable products. Citrine is so green that they do all of their paperwork online—becoming one of the few entirely paperless businesses in North Carolina. Citrine is a full-service salon, offering expert hairstylists, skin care specialists, and makeup artists, who all use an organic approach.
Further, catering to the needs of the North Carolina demographic, Platinum Plus Echo Spa and Salon in Raleigh caters specifically to African American hair types. They offer a range of services, including eyebrow arching, neck tapers, natural dyes and beard trims. Their overall goal, however, is not just to provide good haircuts; they provide excellent cuts all while mentoring the young men they’re working on. Their motto, “Education is the Key to Success,” is the motivation behind the business.
If you are looking to become a cosmetologist, manicurist, esthetician, or barber, North Carolina is the place for you. Your career as a cosmetologist, manicurist, or esthetician, will start by being licensed with the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. Your career as a barber will start with being licensed by the North Carolina Board of Barber Examiners, which regulates the exam and education licensing standards for barbers throughout the state.
Steps to Become a North Carolina Cosmetologist
As a cosmetologist, you will learn how to perform comprehensive beauty services, including haircutting and styling, manicuring, and facial services.
Education Requirements
Your cosmetology career in North Carolina starts with completing a total of 1500 hours in cosmetology school in accordance with state licensing requirements. During those hours, you will learn the practical and theoretical aspects of cosmetology, including the following:
- Beginners professional image, sanitation, bacteriology, disinfection, first aid, anatomy, electricity, chemistry, professional ethics, draping, shampooing, roller sets, pin curls, ridge curls with C shaping, fingerwaves, braids, artificial hair, up-styles, blow drying brush control, blow drying with curling iron, pressing/thermal, hair cutting, partings, perm wraps, relaxer sectioning, color application sectioning, scalp treatments, manicures, pedicures, and artificial nails – 300 hours
- Advanced styles and techniques of cosmetology services including arranging, dressing, curling, waving; cutting techniques and implements including razors, clippers, thinning shears, and shears, cleansing, cutting, singeing, bleaching or coloring hair; esthetics and manicuring; and business management and salon business – 1200 hours
Examination Requirements
Once you complete your education, you will receive a 4-digit school code that will allow you to register for and take the licensing exams. The North Carolina Cosmetology licensing exams include the following:
- Cosmetology Written Examination given by L. Roope
- Cosmetology Practical Examination given by L. Roope
Cosmetology Job Opportunities
As a cosmetologist in North Carolina, you are most likely to find hairstyling positions that pay off of commission. Some very competitive job positions will offer high commission as well as paid vacation, a 401K, and insurance discounts. As mentioned, Citrine Salon is a stable, sustainable, and expanding salon in Chapel Hill. Along with Citrine, some other top-rated North Carolina salons include the following:
- Jay Andrews Salon & Spa – Apex
- Salon Blu – Raleigh
- Blo – Raleigh
How to Become a Manicurist in North Carolina
As a manicurist, you will get to specialize your beauty focus entirely towards nails. Your career will center around perfecting and beautifying your client’s hands and feet.
Education Requirements
To become a licensed manicurist in North Carolina, you will start with completing a manicurist training program from a general beauty school. Your beauty college program should include a total of 300 hours, including the following:
- Beginning Manicuring Theory, Disinfection, First Aid, Filing, Trimming, Shaping, Decorating, Pedicuring, and Arm and Hand Manipulation – 25 hours
- Advanced Styles and Techniques for the Care, Treatment, and Decoration of Fingernails, Toenails, Cuticles, Nail Extensions, and Artificial Nails – 275 hours
Examination Requirements
After completing your manicurist training program, you will be able to pass the two licensing examinations, namely, the following:
Manicurist Employment Opportunities
As a manicurist in North Carolina, you will be able to look for part-time or full-time jobs at salons, nail salons or day spas. You may either be paid hourly or by commission, which means that you will need to excel at building your own clientele.
Minas Studio, located in Chapel Hill, has been voted as the “Best Manicures and Pedicures in the Triangle” by Independent, Herald Sun, and Citysearch. Minas offers new Shellac nail design options, OPI Axxium Gel Lacquer, spa manicures, and state-of-the-art pipe-free jet systems that take pedicures to the next level. Along with Minas, some other top-rated nail salons include the following:
- Rose Salon – Cary
- Queen City Nails & Waxing – Charlotte
- Polished Nail Bar and Spa – Charlotte
Qualifications for North Carolina Estheticians
Estheticians are the beauty professionals who specialize in the care of skin—the largest organ on the body. To do this, they learn the science behind it all, from skin anatomy to skin care product chemistry. With this information, they are able to make even the dullest skin glow.
Education Requirements
North Carolina estheticians begin by completing an esthetician training program. These programs include a total of 600 hours of training, including training the following esthetician subjects:
- Beginners Anatomy, Physiology, Hygiene, Disinfection, Chemistry, Draping, Facial and Body Treatments, Hair Removal, Basic Dermatology, Machines, Electricity, Aromatherapy, Nutrition, Makeup and Color Theory – 40 hours
- Advanced Esthetic Services including Facials, Makeup Application, Performing Skin Care, Eyelash Extensions, Applying Brow and Lash Color, Business Management, and Professional Ethics – 560 hours
Examination Requirements
After completing your esthetician training, you will be able to take and pass the following licensing exams by applying directly with D.L. Roope:
- Esthetician Written Examination given by L. Roope
- Esthetician Practical Examination given by L. Roope
North Carolina Esthetician Job Opportunities
As an esthetician, you will be able to work as a skin care specialist, makeup artist, or beauty advisor. Because many esthetician jobs are paid off of commission, you will do well to excel in personal marketing and sales. Many estheticians spend much of their time selling skin care products, and some love it so much that they become skin care product representatives. You will find skin care jobs in virtually every corner—at hairstyling salons, nail salons, day spas, and even some hotels.
Polished Nail Bar in Charlotte, for example, offers more than nail care—it actually offers cutting-edge skin care services as well! Just a few of their rejuvenating services are European facials, peeling treatments, vitamin C application, hydraadvanceTM hydrating facial treatments, and colladen and hyaluronic anti-aging treatments. Some other top esthetician salons include the following:
- Euphoria Salon and Spa – Charlotte
- Salon 111 – Youngsville
- Natural Body and Spa Shop – Raleigh
How to Become a Barber in North Carolina
Barbers are hairstyling experts for men. As a barber in North Carolina, you will learn how to cut, style, and design men’s hair, design beards and mustaches, hone and strop, shave with razors, color hair, and fix men’s hairpieces.
Education Requirements
Your first step toward a barber license in North Carolina is completing a 1528-hour barber training program. This program will include both theoretical training, including the following courses:
Classroom Lecture
- Hygiene and Good Grooming, Professional Ethics 25 hours
- Bacteriology, Sterilization, Sanitation 50 hours
- Implements, Honing, Stropping and Shaving 30 hours
- Men’s Haircutting 20 hours
- Cutting and Styling Curly Hair, Mustaches and Beards 10 hours
- Shampooing and Rinsing, Scalp and Hair Treatments 10 hours
- Theory of Massage and Facial Treatments 5 hours
- Men’s Razor Cutting, Women’s Razor and Shear Cutting 30 hours
- Finger Waving Men’s Hair, Air Waving and Curling Iron Techniques 5 hours
- Permanent Waving For Men, Chemical Hair Relaxing and Blow Drying 25 hours
- Hair Coloring 10 hours
- Men’s Hair Pieces 5
- The Skin, Scalp and Hair 30 hours
- Disorders of the Skin, Scalp and Hair 15 hours
- Anatomy and Physiology 10 hours
- Electricity Therapy, Light Therapy and Chemistry 10 hours
- Barber Styling, Shop Management, and Product Knowledge 70 hours
- Licensing Laws and Rules and History of Barbering 20 hours
Supervised Practice
- Shampooing and Scientific Hair and Scalp Treatments 55 hours
- Shaving 50 hours
- Tapered Hair Cutting 250 hours
- Hair Styling of Men and Women 400 hours
- Facials, Massages and Packs 10 hours
- Bleaching, Frosting, Hair Coloring and Body Permanents 90 hours
- Cutting and Fitting Hair Pieces 5 hours
- Hair Straightening 5 hours
- The Analyzing and Treatment of Hair and Skin Disorders 10 hours
Lectures and Demonstrations
- Shampooing and Scientific Hair and Scalp Treatments 15 hours
- Shaving 20 hours
- Tapered Hair Cutting 70 hours
- Hair Styling of Men and Women 100 hours
- Facials, Massages and Packs 5 hours
- Bleaching, Frosting, Hair Coloring and Permanent Waving 30 hours
- Cutting and Fitting Hair Pieces 5 hours
- Hair Straightening 3 hours
- The Analyzing and Treating of Hair and Skin Disorders 10 hours
- Men’s and Women’s Razor Cutting 15 hours
Experience Requirements
After you complete your education, you will submit an application to the North Carolina Board of Barber Examiners to take and pass the apprentice barber examinations, which includes a written and practical examination. After this, you will work as an apprentice barber in North Carolina for one full year.
Examination Requirements
After your year of training as an apprentice barber, you will be eligible to take the full-barber licensing exam. You will submit an application to the Board to take this practical exam. Once you pass this exam, the North Carolina Board of Barber Examiners will issue your barber license.
Barber Job Opportunities in North Carolina
As a barber, you will be able to look for part-time or full-time jobs in barbershops and salons as a barber or stylist. Barber jobs will either offer hourly pay or commission pay. In North Carolina, there are some amazing barbershops servicing local communities. One such barbershop is Barber Kings in Fayetteville. Barber Kings focuses on using excellent barbering skills and techniques as community service, offering services to the homeless and raising a new generation of men. Some other top-notch barber shops throughout North Carolina include the following:
- Sport Clips – Charlotte
- Macaroni Salon and Barbershop – Charlotte
- Billionaires Barber Club – Raleigh