South Carolina salons and barbershops are known for their dedication to constant innovation in the beauty industry, as seen in Strawberry Blonde Salon, located in Charleston, which made it onto Elle Magazine’s “Top 100 Salons in the US.”
 | How to Become a Cosmetologist in South Carolina |
| Qualifications for Manicurists in South Carolina |
| How to Become an Esthetician in South Carolina |
| How to Become a Barber in South Carolina |
Strawberry Blonde is one of the only Bumble and Bumble Network Salons throughout the state, meaning that their styling and product usage is unique to each individual client, changing as their attitude, hair type, or mood changes. The hairstylists and makeup artists at Strawberry Blonde are experts at men’s and women’s haircuts, color corrections, formaldehyde free smoothing treatments, keratin smoothing treatments, and bridal makeup art.
The manicurists at POLISHED Nail Spa in Columbia are also dedicated to personalized services, as supported by their slogan, “working with one client at a time.” POLISHED offers unique services that clients may personalize, including silk nail wraps, UV gels, and nail design. Along with this, they also offer spa manicures and pedicures, which include white tea moisture masks, paraffin hand and feet wax, heated hand wraps, and sea salt exfoliation.
South Carolina’s Old South Barber Spa has been voted the “Best Barbershop in Charleston” for four years in a row, offering expert barber spa, stylist, and massage experiences. This shop offers classic, American style, masculine grooming, featuring straight edge razor shaves, beard trims and shaping, men’s hair coloring services, and a complimentary beverage and shoe shine with every service. You could not ask for a barbershop that better reflects southern barbering style, with the atmosphere featuring exposed brick, crown molding, working fireplaces, a lounge, marble showers, granite countertops, and a full-service bar.
Clearly, now is a great time to get involved with South Carolina’s unique, personalized, and expert beauty culture. Whether you want to become a cosmetologist, manicurist, esthetician, or barber, North Carolina is the place for you.
If you want to become a cosmetologist, manicurist, or esthetician, you will start by obtaining a license from the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology. If you want to become a barber, you will begin with being licensed by the South Carolina Board of Barber Examiners.
How to Become a Cosmetologist in South Carolina
Cosmetologists are expert beauty stylists, providing general hair services, nail care services, and skin care services to both men and women, focusing primarily on hair styling and design. As a cosmetologist, you will get to use your creativity to put your innovative touch on cutting-edge styles and techniques.
Education Requirements for South Carolina Cosmetologists
To become a licensed cosmetologist in South Carolina, you will need to start by completing a 1500-hour program through a South Carolina cosmetology school or general beauty college. Throughout this beauty college experience, you will get to learn the theory and practices that will make you excel as a cosmetologist. Your 1500-hour program will include the following South Carolina Board-required courses shown here with the required clock-hours for each:
- Sanitation and Disinfection – 45 hours
- Personal Hygiene and Grooming – 30 hours
- Professionalism – 35 hours
- Public Relations, Sales – 50 hours
- Anatomy – 45 hours
- Dermatology – 25 hours
- Trichology – 25 hours
- Nail Structure -15 hours
- Chemistry – 100 hours
- Safety – 30 hours
- Shampoos and Rinses – 45 hours
- Scalp and Hair Treatments – 30 hours
- Hair Shaping – 150 hours
- Hair Styling – 325 hours
- Nail Technology – 25 hours
- Chemical Waving – 225 hours
- Hair Tinting and Coloring – 225 hours
- Facials—Skin care, Makeup – 40 hours
- South Carolina State Laws – 15 hours
- Unassigned – 20 hours
Examination Requirements for License as a South Carolina Cosmetologist
After you graduate from beauty college, you will then be eligible to take and pass the South Carolina cosmetology licensing examinations:
- National Cosmetology Theory Examination by PSI Services
- Cosmetology Practical Examination by PCS Services
After you pass these exams, you will be ready to receive your South Carolina cosmetology license.
Job Opportunities for Cosmetologists
Once you obtain your cosmetology license, you will be able to look for salon jobs in South Carolina. As a cosmetologist, you will find positions often offer either hourly or commission-based pay. As a beginner, you will benefit from hourly pay; however, once you obtain a strong client base and hone your marketing and sales skills, you may benefit from being paid on commission or even renting a booth in an established salon.
Like other salons throughout South Carolina that focus on their stylists continuing education, the cosmetologists at Austral Salon in Columbia pride themselves on their advanced beauty education. By completing ongoing education, these stylists are on the cutting edge of the latest beauty trends, techniques, and styling products. Finally, Austral is the largest retailer in the Southeast United States for Phyto botanical products, showing their dedication to natural hair care for their clients.
For other top salons throughout South Carolina, consider some of the following options:
- Tillman Salon – Columbia
- Bellezza Salon – Charleston
- Shear Xpectations – Columbia
Qualifications for Manicurists in South Carolina
As a manicurist in South Carolina, your career will specialize in the study, care, and beautification of nails—and southern girls really care about their nails.
Manicurist Education Requirements
To become a licensed manicurist in South Carolina, you will start by completing a 300-hour manicurist training program. You will be able to find manicurist training programs at most cosmetology or beauty schools. Throughout this training program, you will be taking the following courses:
- Sanitation and Safety: Bacteriology, Chemical Agents, and Sanitation/Disinfection– 75 hours
- Anatomy and Physiology: Nail Shapes, Structure, and Growth, Nail Irregularities, Nail Diseases, Bones and Muscles of the Hands and Feet – 30 hours
- Nail Technology: Preparation, Equipment, Supplies, Procedures, Analysis, Pedicure – 105 hours
- Artificial Nails: Sculpturing, Nail Tips, Nail Wraps, and Maintenance – 50 hours
- Power Equipment – 25 hours
- South Carolina State Law – 15 hours
Manicurist Examination Requirements for a South Carolina License
After graduating from your beauty school, you will be ready to pass the South Carolina manicurist licensing examinations, which are listed as follows:
- National Nail Technology Theory Examination by PSI Services
- Practical Nail Technology Examination by PCS Services
Once passing both of these exams, you will be eligible to receive your South Carolina manicurist license.
Job Opportunities for Manicurists
As a manicurist, you will be able to find jobs at nail salons, or in local salons or spas that provide nail services. For example, Cindy’s Salon and Day Spa in Greenville hires top notch manicurists who offer services such as express pedicures, classic spa manicures and pedicures, hot oil manicures, and gel polish manicures, many including scrub salt and hot towel services. Their manicurists benefit from the spa environment, with most spa packages including the spa manicure and pedicure services.
In jobs like these, manicurists are likely to be paid either an hourly wage or a commission-based wage. If you find a job that pays off of commission, you will benefit from the spa or salon’s clients, helping you to build a strong clientele quickly.
For other great nail salons in South Carolina include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Amy Nails Spa – Columbia
- Coco Salon and Spa – Myrtle Beach
- Nail Couture & Pedispa – Myrtle Beach
How to Become an Esthetician in South Carolina
Estheticians are the beauty experts dedicated to skin care. They are able to make even the roughest, driest, or most oily skin balanced, radiant, and beautiful. As an esthetician in South Carolina, you will be able to provide facial services, body wrap services, and hair removal services.
Esthetician Educational Requirements
To begin your career as an esthetician in South Carolina, you will first enroll in a 450-hour esthetician training program, which can be found at many beauty and cosmetology schools. In beauty college, your esthetician training program will offer the following theoretical and practical skin care courses, shown here with clock-hour requirements:
- Professional Practices: Bacteriology, Hygiene, Methods, Procedures, Business Practices, Management Practices, Salon Development, Insurance, Sales – 50 hours
- Sciences: Histology, Cell, Tissue, Dermatology, Elasticity, Skin Types, Nutrition – 120 hours
- Facial Treatments: Massage, Manipulations, Safety, Electrical Current, Types of Currents – 125 hours
- Hair Removal: Depilatories, Tweezing, Waxing, and Threading – 50 hours
- Makeup – 50 hours
- Body Wraps – 40 hours
- South Carolina State Laws – 15 hours
Esthetician Examination Requirements
After gradating from your esthetician training program in a local beauty college, you will be ready to pass the esthetician licensing exams:
Upon receiving passing scores for these exams, you will be able to obtain your esthetician license in South Carolina.
Esthetician Job Opportunities
As an esthetician in South Carolina, you will be able to find esthetician jobs with titles such as skin care specialist, facialist, makeup artist, or beauty advisor. Although many estheticians work at local salons or spas, you will also be able to look for work at skin care product stores, hotels with spas, or even dermatology offices. You may be paid an hourly or commission-based wage. If you are paid off of commission, you will want to hone your sales and marketing skills, selling your very favorite skin care products to all of your clients.
South Carolina estheticians are dedicated to keeping their clients skin healthy, radiant, and glowing with the latest skin care products, techniques, and procedures. The estheticians at Image Makers Salon and Spa, located in Columbia, offer a unique blend of skin care services, including massage, eyelash extensions, electrolysis, hair removal, and more. Their skin care services include hydrating and detoxifying wraps and facials, such as the blueberry soy scrub and detoxifying wrap, the sea salt scrub with seaweed wrap, and the European facial. Along with this, these estheticians even offer microdermabrasion services and reflexology massages.
For other top-notch spas throughout South Carolina, consider some of the following options:
- Kara Spa – Greenville
- Mystic Garden Day Spa – Myrtle Beach
- Headquarters Day Spa – Greenville
How to Become a Barber in South Carolina
Barbers are the styling experts dedicated to men’s grooming and pampering. Along with the cosmetology courses, barbers will take courses specifically geared towards men, such as honing and stropping, and shaving, clipping, and designing moustaches and beards.
Barber Education Requirements
To become a barber, you will first enroll in a 1500-hour barber training program. These programs may be found at cosmetology schools or specific, barber training schools. In this type of beauty college experience, you will take the following South Carolina Board-required courses, shown here with clock-hour requirements for each:
- Hygiene and Good Grooming – 45 hours
- Professional Ethics – 30 hours
- Bacteriology and Sanitation – 35 hours
- Implements – 8 hours
- Shaving – 10 hours
- Men’s Haircutting – 450 hours
- Cutting and Styling Curly and Over-Curly Hair – 150 hours
- Mustaches and Beards – 15 hours
- Shampooing and Rinsing – 50 hours
- Hair and Scalp Treatment – 35 hours
- Facial Treatments – 15 hours
- Razor Haircutting – 45 hours
- Hair Waving and Curling – 50 hours
- Permanent Waving – 150 hours
- Men’s Hairpieces – 25 hours
- Disorders of the Skin, Scalp, and Hair – 35 hours
- Anatomy and Physiology – 10 hours
- Shop management – 35 hours
- Retailing – 35 hours
- Licensing Laws – 5 hours
- History of Barbering – 5 hours
- Orientation and Introduction of School Policy – 5 hours
- Honing and Stropping – 8 hours
- Chemical Hair Relaxing – 40 hours
- Hair coloring – 90 hours
- Electricity and Light therapy – 5 hours
- Chemistry – 90 hours
- Testing – 24 hours
Barber Examination Requirements
Once graduated from a barber training program, you will be able to take and pass the South Carolina barber licensing examinations:
After completing these exams, you will be able to obtain your South Carolina barber license.
Barber Job Options
The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce indicates that number of barber jobs in South Carolina are deemed higher than the nation-wide average for barber jobs, making South Carolina a great place to begin your barbering endeavors. As a barber, you will be able to look for work in local barbershops or salons, where you will either be paid off of commission or a base hourly rate. Some extremely successful barbers, after developing a strong clientele, decide to be an independent contractor, renting a booth within a barbershop or opening their own shop.
Hot Shaves Barber Shop in Myrtle Beach is known for their old school, new school style. Along with offering a classic, masculine barbershop environment, featuring leather chairs and classic décor, the shop offers spa and hot lather shaves, including straight razor shaves, soothing steam machines, scalp and shoulder massages, and lavender oil-infused towels.
For other great barbershops in the area, consider some of the following options:
- Top Notch Barber Shop – Columbia
- Top of the Line – Charleston
- Old South Barber Spa – Charleston