San Bernardino, CA (PRWEB) December 10, 2008 -- Making it to the red carpet is one of the ultimate goals of celebrities in Hollywood and in the music industry. What they wear and how they wear it as they walk down the ultimate fashion gauntlet will grace the covers of People, E, and In Touch plus eliciting commentary from everyone from Joan Rivers to Ryan Seacrest. But who is behind these looks? Where did they start? How did they start? How can you become one of these style-makers?

Cosmetology is more than donning a smock and handling a pair of shears. If you’re looking into a career in cosmetology, the best path to success involves keeping up with changing fashions, training at an accredited beauty school, getting your cosmetology license, learning and mastering the business development skills required to grow and maintain your client base. And, of equal importance, you need to make a commitment to lifelong learning by taking advanced, continuing education courses.

Defining Hair Fashions

Keeping up with the current fashions not only helps a stylist keep up their own personal appearance (it’s important that you, as a stylist, make a good impression on your clients), it also helps to identify current styles to make the best choices for clients. Understanding art and technical design is not just for painters and architects.

Training and Hair Stylist Education

All states require cosmetologists and other personal appearance workers to be licensed, with the exceptions of shampooers and makeup artists. After graduating from a state- approved training program, students are required to take a written test and sometimes a practical or oral test of technical styling skills. Most states also require personal appearance workers, like hair stylists, to be at least 16 years old with a high school diploma or GED equivalent.

State-approved training programs can be found in private, post secondary career schools like Salon Success Academies.

Maintaining a Client Base

Career success is also determined by a stylist’s interpersonal skills and attitude. These ‘soft skills’ are so important to maintaining and building your client base that beauty schools require coursework in this area.

By developing these skills and with a little determination, there are many directions you can take with a career as a stylist to the stars. Some work with individual stars, like Ken Paves, who helps celebs like Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Lopez define and re-define their look. Others might choose to work in the fashion or film industry like Kim Kimble, whose career working with A-listers like Beyonce Knowles, Mary J. Blige, and Michelle Williams began by working in the film and TV industries where she started to meet celebrities who became regular clients.

Or, you could take on celeb status yourself, like hair stylist Nick Arrojo. After working in Vidal Sasson salons among others, Arrojo started his own salon, Arrojo Studio. He continues his growth as a style maker by working on his own product line and how-to books. His work can also be seen on The Learning Channel’s (TLC) What Not to Wear.

Once you get the training, it’s up to you where you take it.

To take your first step on the pathway to a new and exciting beauty career, complete the contact form, or call 1-877-987-HAIR (4247).

About Salon Success Academies(SSA)

Salon Success Academies have five campuses located in California's Inland Empire: Redlands, Fontana, Upland, San Bernardino, and Corona. SSA's philosophy is to treat each student as a part of the family, providing them with every opportunity to complete their studies at the lowest cost possible. SSA combines hands-on practical application with cosmetology, skin care, or nail technology concepts. The school partners with the beauty industry to enable students to graduate with technical excellence in their profession as well as strong customer service skills.
To learn more and request free information, visit www.gotobeautyschool.com.

PR contact: Robert Gross or Susan Turner
Tel: 909-982-4200