South Dakota’s beauty industry has even made it onto the national stage, with Elle Magazine declaring Signature Salon and Spa in Sioux Falls among “The 100 Best Salons in the US.” This salon and spa offers an all-inclusive beauty package, with hairstylists, manicurists, and estheticians offering expert hair, nail, and skin care services. The cosmetologists at Signature Salon and Spa offer deep conditioning and texturizing treatments; while the manicurists are known for their gel nails and natural nail manicures, including whirlpool baths and heated massage chairs. Finally, the estheticians offer incredibly unique skin care treatments, such as surface peeling, bioelements facials, arctic algae body treatments, aromatherapist oil wraps, and even customized facials.
The barber culture in South Dakota is particularly western, with shops such as Western Barber in the Park Ridge Galleria, located in Sioux Falls. Western Barber encapsulates the laid-back atmosphere of the classic American barbershop. Although old-school techniques are Western Barber’s sociality, the shop is a member of the National Hair Society, which is dedicated to keeping stylists on the forefront of avant-garde trends, techniques, and products.
Whether you’re looking to become a cosmetologist, manicurist, esthetician, or barber, South Dakota is a great place to start a career in the personal care industry. If you want to begin your cosmetology, manicuring, or esthetician career, you will start by becoming licensed with the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission. If, on the other hand, you’d like to become a barber, you will obtain your license through the South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners.
 | Becoming a Cosmetologist in South Dakota |
| How to Become a Manicurist in South Dakota |
| Qualifications for Estheticians in South Dakota |
| Essential Steps to Become a Barber in South Dakota |
Becoming a Cosmetologist in South Dakota
Cosmetologists are the most all-inclusive beauty professionals in South Dakota, providing hair, nail, and skin care services for all types of clients, with a particular focus on hair. As a cosmetologist, you will get to use your creativity to create the next hair and beauty trend.
Education Requirements for South Dakota Cosmetologists
To become a licensed cosmetologist in South Dakota, you will start by enrolling in a 2100-hour cosmetology training program. Throughout this beauty college training, you will take courses teaching you the theoretical and practical aspects of cosmetology, including the following (shown here with clock-hour requirements):
- Infection Control and Diseases – 120 hours
- Scientific Chemistry and Bacteriology – 210 hours
- Hair Coloring and Highlighting – 240 hours
- Chemical Hair Relaxing – 60 hours
- Haircutting – 240 hours
- Hairstyling, Wave Shaping, Thermal Curling – 330 hours
- Permanent Waving – 150 hours
- Nail Technology – 180 hours
- Massage Manipulations – 30 hours
- Esthetic Services, Facials, and Body Treatments – 330 hours
- Business Practice and Salon Management – 150 hours
- Additional, Unassigned – 60 hours
Examination Requirements for License as a South Dakota Cosmetologist
After graduating from cosmetology school, you will be eligible to pass the South Dakota licensing exams, which include the following:
- National Cosmetology Written Examination administered by the Commission
- National Cosmetology Practical Examination administered by the Commission
- South Dakota Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination administered by the Commission
Job Opportunities for Cosmetologists
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation expects the number of cosmetology jobs in South Dakota to grow by 6.5% between 2012 and 2022. This means that there will be 50 new cosmetology jobs each year during that time period.
As a cosmetologist in South Dakota, you will look for jobs that pay either an hourly or commission-based pay. Some competitive jobs will even offer an hourly rate, plus commission based on any retail products you sell. Finally, selective jobs may even offer paid vacation, personal days, ongoing advanced training and education, and medical insurance. Of course, you always have the option of going into business for yourself by renting a station or even opening a salon.
Along with Signature Salon and Spa, South Dakota is home to other top-notch salons, such as Chameleon Hair Design in Sioux Falls. Chameleon cosmetologists use top-rated products, such as Redkin, Nioxin, American Crew, Kenra, Aquage, Moroccan Oil, Pureology, Chi, Sebastian, and Surface. This wide array of high-end styling products, along with Chameleon’s dedication to individual, personalized hair design, makes it one of the most all-inclusive salons in South Dakota.
Other great salons throughout the state include:
- Eclips Salon & Suites – Sioux Falls
- AJ’s Wicked Salon & Spa – Rapid City
- Belle Touche Salon & Spa – Sioux Falls
How to Become a Manicurist in South Dakota
As a manicurist in South Dakota, you will be the expert in nail, hand, and foot care services, softening and beautifying the hands and feet of clients dealing with the cold temperatures of South Dakota.
Manicurist Education Requirements
To begin your manicuring career in South Dakota, you will start by enrolling in a 400-hour manicuring training program in order to qualify for state licensure. These types of programs are normally offered in larger beauty schools. In this training program, you will learn the art and science of nail, hand, and foot care, including courses on the following subjects (shown with clock-hours required for licensing):
- Infection Control – 60 hours
- Scientific Concepts – 60 hours
- Manicure, Pedicure, and Body Massages – 90 hours
- Artificial Nails – 130 hours
- Business Practices – 60 hours
Manicurist Examination Requirements for a South Dakota License
Once you graduate from your manicuring training program in a beauty college, you will be eligible to pass the South Dakota manicurist license examinations:
- National Manicurist Written Examination administered by the Commission
- National Manicurist Practical Examination administered by the Commission
- South Dakota Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination administered by the Commission
Upon receiving your passing scores, you will be able to receive the South Dakota manicurist license.
Job Opportunities for Manicurists
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation expects 14.3% growth in the number of manicurist and pedicurist jobs throughout the state between 2012 and 2022, which spells great opportunities for nail care professionals in the state. As a manicurist, you can look for jobs at nail salons, hair salons, day spas, or even destination resort spas.
Nail Time, located in the Empire Mall of Sioux Falls, has the largest selection of manicurists and nail tips in the area. Their goal is to please any client, no matter what they may want. To do this, Nails Time offers a wide array of services, including acrylic, UV gel, Davi fills, and shellac manicures.
Other great nail salons in South Dakota include:
- Ann Nails – Sioux Falls
- Elegant Nails – Rapid City
- Envy Nails and Spa – Sioux Falls
Qualifications for Estheticians in South Dakota
In South Dakota, the dry climate and frigid winters can really do a number on your skin, and estheticians are the beauty professionals who can help.
As an esthetician in South Dakota, you will specialize your beauty career on the study and beautification of the largest organ on the body—the skin.
Esthetician Educational Requirements
To begin your career as an esthetician in South Dakota, you will enroll in a 600-hour esthetician training program in order to qualify for state licensure. These programs are normally found within a larger beauty college.
In this training program, you will learn the science and art behind skin care, through taking courses on the following topics, as shown with the number of clock-hours required for licensure:
- Infection Control, Safety procedures, Laws and Rules – 90 hours
- Scientific Concepts, Skin Histology, Dermatology, Aromatherapy, Nutrition, Chemistry, and Physiology – 90 hours
- Skin treatments, Consultations, Analysis, Chemical Face Treatments, Electrical and Mechanical Facial and Body Treatments – 240 hours
- Massage Manipulation – 30 hours
- Makeup and Eyelash Extensions – 30 hours
- Hair Removal and Eyebrow Shaping – 30 hours
- Business Practice, Salon Management, Ethics – 60 hours
Esthetician Examination Requirements
After graduating from your esthetician training program in a local beauty school, you will be eligible to pass the South Dakota esthetician licensing examinations:
- National Esthetician Written Examination administered by the Commission
- National Esthetician Practical Examination administered by the Commission
- South Dakota Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination administered by the Commission
After passing these exams, you will receive your South Dakota esthetician license.
Esthetician Job Opportunities
South Dakota is home to a surprisingly large number of full-service salons and day spas. As an esthetician, you may look for work as a skin care specialist, makeup artist, or beauty advisor in these salons and spas, or even in medical spas or dermatology offices. In these positions, you can choose to work part-time or full-time, and many of these jobs will offer an hourly or salary base pay. On top of that, some jobs will offer commission for sales, and all estheticians are apt to receive tips from their clients. After some time, you may even choose to rent your own station in an established salon or spa, allowing you to go into business for yourself as you consider the possibility of opening an independent practice of your own.
Many spas may even be found within hotels or destination resorts. For instance, Red Rock River Resort offers both hotel and day spa services. The estheticians at Red Rock offer reflexology, aroma-reiki massages, reiki, raindrop therapy, and myofascial release therapy. The estheticians here will benefit from the hotel’s marketing and sales services, gaining clients who are staying at the hotel for overnight spa and wellness packages.
Other top spas throughout the state include the following options:
- Southeastern Hair Design and Day Spa – Sioux Falls
- Leo Thomas Salon, Spa, and Luxury Limousines – Rapid City
- Revive Day Spa – Aberdeen
Essential Steps to Become a Barber in South Dakota
Barbers are style experts dedicated to the classic art of men’s grooming. As a barber in South Dakota, you will get to revive this traditional art by specializing in men’s hair, beard, and moustache design.
Barber Education Requirements
To begin your barbering career in South Dakota, you will enroll in a 1500-hour barber training program. These programs are often offered at cosmetology schools or general beauty schools.
The South Dakota Board requires each barber training program to offer you courses concerning the following barbering subjects and practices:
- Scientific Fundamentals for Barbering
- Hygiene
- Bacteriology as Applied to Barbering
- Structure of the Head, Face, and Neck
- Elementary Chemistry
- Sterilization and Antiseptics
- Diseases of the Skin and Hair
- Massaging and Manipulating
- Haircutting
- Shaving
- Arranging
- Dressing, Coloring, Bleaching, and Tinting Hair
Barber Examination Requirements
After completing your barber training program, you will be eligible to take the South Dakota barber licensing exams, which are listed here:
- National Barber Theory Exam administered by the South Dakota Board
- National Barber Practical Exam administered by the South Dakota Board
Upon passing these exams, you will be able to receive the South Dakota registered barber license.
Barber Job Options
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation expects the number of haircutting and hairstyling jobs to grow 12.2% between 2010 and 2020, which means great opportunities for aspiring barbers. As a barber, you will find a part-time or full-time job that either pays an hourly wage or a commission-based wage.
The Barbershop: A Hair Salon for Men, located in Howard/Suamico and Sioux Falls, represents South Dakota’s all-inclusive attitude toward barbering. It offers the traditional, classic comforts of American barbershops, including precision haircuts, shampoo and conditioning, hot towel services, eyebrow and mustache trims, shoulder massages, and free neck trims. With all of these services, who could leave unhappy?
For other great barbershops throughout South Dakota, consider some of the following options:
- Dakota Barbers – Pierre
- Multicultural Barber Shop – Sioux Falls
- The Man Salon – Sioux Falls