profitablestylist report: the 5 best way to help you learn the art of hair extensions

Copyright © 2015 ProfitableStylist.com. All rights reserved.

A decade ago industry experts predicted that it was only a fad…a trend that would be over in 18 months. Today it’s a booming global trend and one of the fastest growing services in the professional beauty industry…exploding at a growth rate of 40% year after year1. The number of U.S. salons offering them has risen 28.5% in the past 2 years.

They are hair extensions. Salons from Boston to LA have dramatically increased their profitability with this one service alone…in fact, Alexander Maud, a stylist at Mizu Salon in Boston, says he charges $2,500 to $4,000 for a full head of extensions. His clients can spend more than $1,000 on hair alone, he added.

BUT…THE TRICK IS GETTING IT RIGHT FROM DAY 1. Every new business, every new service offered in your salon comes with an amount of risk. That risk can be increased or decreased depending on where you rank with certain key factors such as: confidence, consistency, expertise & customization. Choosing to “wing it” when it comes to education and relying on your ability to figure it out as you go may seem great in terms of saving you upfront education costs…but it actually takes 3 to 4 times longer before your skill level catches up with the opportunity. By then you’ve most likely burned through your guinea pigs, not met customer expectations or worse…lost clients. The opportunity with hair extensions is huge and there are a variety of ways you can learn how to do them…but what are the pros & cons of each? What is the best way? That’s what we wanted to know…

WHO ARE WE ANYWAY? The ProfitableStylist.com was founded by a team of salon owners and stylists to investigate the challenges facing salons today, share our findings and offer the secrets successful salons use to build their business. For us, mediocre business is not enough. We are always looking to learn what other salons are doing far and wide to grow their business, make clients happier or simply to make the business of beauty…easier.

1 Professional Beauty Association 2013 Report


The Report

After interviewing and surveying salon owners and stylists across the country on the many ways in which they first got started in their hair extensions business, we categorized & rated the initial education into 5 categories. These categories each have their pros & cons, ranging from the “what the hell, it doesn’t look too hard…I’m sure I’ll figure it out”….to the “thank God I took the time to get properly trained”. Read on!

“EDUCATION? WHAT EDUCATION?” Time and time again, just because something LOOKS easy, doesn’t mean it is. At any trade show if you happen to walk by a hair extension manufacturer you can see a pro knock out a full head in seemingly no time at all. So you figure, “meh, I’ll skip the training…it can’t be that hard”.

PROS: No out of pocket cost to get yourself trained or

certified.

You can shop around for the cheapest equipment and hair and can get started as early as you like.

CONS: Poor results Permanent damage to client’s hair

Endless unsatisfied client Potential litigation

Additional costs of redoing the job over and over

Never learn how to cut hair extensions and blend them to look natural

The BOTTOM LINE Just as serious as haircoloring is…extensions are not something you can just dive into without understanding what to do and not to do. We’ve heard first-hand horror stories from hairdressers who caused serious damage to their client’s hair, opened themselves up to litigation and wasted both time and money. The results? Endless complaints and scores of unsatisfied customers.

1


READING “HAIR EXTENSIONS FOR DUMMIES” Though self-help books with excellent visual aides have given practically anyone the ability to learn just about anything…learning from a book poses additional challenges.

PROS: Learn at your leisure The cost to get trained is the cost of the book

CONS: With no reference point you never

know if you’re doing it right

It takes 3x as long to get it to look “like in the book”

Many manufacturers have specific equipment or methods to ensure the best bond…books keep it general…so expect the extensions to fall out.

The BOTTOM LINE As hairdressers, we are hard-wired visual learners…we need to see it, feel it…do it to “get it”. Learning from a book doesn’t work.

“I’m SURE THEY HAVE A YOUTUBE VIDEO FOR THAT…” The invention of the Internet was a godsend for our industry, not only did it allow us to follow, find and shop manufacturers more easily…but it also allows us to connect to each other. We watch, we share, we inspire each other. So why not hit YouTube to learn extensions?

PROS: Learn at your leisure No out of pocket cost to get yourself trained or

certified.

2

3


CONS: Just as the previous two methods,

reading or seeing & then doing always relies on trial and error...more error than trial.

Once again there is greater chance of starting off with the incorrect techniques or bad habits that always lead to hair damage on a client.

The BOTTOM LINE The Internet is a wealth of information that can serve to inspire us and keep us to date on the latest trends & techniques. However watching an expert do a step-by-step on a perfect scenario model is no way to become a true master. What happens when a client comes in that you need to rebuild a fringe on? Or a client who wants seamless blending into her natural hair? Education can prepare you for any scenario…a YouTube channel can’t.

REAL HANDS ON TRAINING…OH WAIT, IT’S A MANNEQUIN HEAD Ah, the mannequin head! How that takes us back…we learned to cut, style, color and craft updos on the most perfectly shaped head with the best head of hair possible. How unprepared it leaves us when the real thing walks in the door! Most hair extension companies DO recommend hands on training and certification but only present you with mannequin heads to practice on.

PROS: At last you’re being trained one-on-one with a real hair extension expert.

You learn how to properly diagnose head size, shape, texture and hair color…how to cut & blend extensions flawlessly…and forgivable mistakes.

CONS: Mannequins are a best case

scenario…but how often does that happen in real life?

Hands on certification can be incredibly expensive.

One-day power trainings can leave you overwhelmed & lacking confidence.

Mannequins have unrealistic hair growth patterns and poor hair density that leaves you unprepared for real world scenarios.

4


The BOTTOM LINE Hands on training has been the golden standard in our industry for decades. But it leaves you unprepared for the real thing…so much so that many haircolor manufacturers have begun providing live models for trainings to create a more real world learning experience. Since hair extension application must be incredibly precise to look like the real thing…you need the real thing to practice on.

COACHING ON A LIVE MODEL The 21st century requires 21st century learning experiences. Real hands on training, one-on-one with a teacher and real live model to consult & work on. Truly, after all of the interviewing & surveying of salons across the country the unanimous result is that those who DID learn this way had an easier time master the skill than anyone else. Those who didn’t…all agreed they wish this had been an option!

PROS: At last you’re being trained one-on-one with a real

hair extension expert.

You learn how to properly diagnose head size, shape, texture and hair color…how to cut & blend extensions flawlessly…and forgivable mistakes.

Start to finish you experience a realistic service & gain real life extension cutting experience & confidence.

CONS: The only one we could uncover is the initial lack of confidence & fear you may have

working with a live model, however this isn’t the case for everyone…and it soon passes.

The BOTTOM LINE It’s time to stop self-educating, playing around on mannequin heads and start learning in a more fluid & realistic fashion. Whether you’ll be learning the Art of Hair Extensions or perfecting your Balayage technique…any manufacturer looking to offer you education you can sink your teeth into needs to offer up real models (or let you bring your own)!

5

profitablestylist report: the 5 best way to help you learn the art of hair extensions

Documents