To ask if anyone has worked in the beauty industry and what job opportunities there are in the beauty industry?

[VA1983]

I have always wanted to work in the beauty industry ever since I was 16. My parents were not impressed so I studied for a degree in economics. I am now 32. After uni I was not passionate about choosing a job and fell into being a PA. Two children later and I am now a virtual assistant. I have some lovely clients and the work fits perfectly around my children. It also pays reasonably well. However it doesn't light my fire so to speak. I am a creative person and am still drawn to the beauty industry. My dh thinks I should not follow this dream as he says in reality the jobs are low paid and physically demanding (I get a pins and needles feeling in my back if I bend over for too long since having children) I am also quite shy. I feel I have missed my calling in life though, he feels as I have never worked in the beauty industry I have rose tinted spectacles of what it is like. Has anyone ever worked as a spa therapist, in a beauty salon, or as a nail artist, make up artist etc? Please can you tell me what it is really like and if there are many opportunities in this area of work? Thank you in advance

[VioletBam]

I have a friend who retrained in her early 30s and now owns a very successful beauty salon. It IS very demanding work though....she often has backaches and to be fair, part of her success is that she's a very outgoing and big personality in a very small town....so visiting her salon and spending 20 quid on nails is like an experience....she's almost like a stand up comedian.

That does not mean that this line of work isn't suitable for you but you need to be realistic about the physical demands of it.

Why not think outside the box a bit? If you're creative and love beauty...you could consider selling your own hand decorated false nails. They go very well online....offering unusual designs well done, could give you the outlet you need.

[VioletBam]

I mean to do this in conjunction with your current work.

[phillipp]

My relative retrained to do nails at 40. She then went on and did lots of other courses.

She did it along with a part time job she already had.

I do think you are looking at it with rose tinted glasses. It's been expensive, time consuming, lots of advertising, lots of freebies to get people to recommend her etc. And she is bloody brilliant at it.

Luckily someone she knows who is the 'go to' person for eyebrow threading tinting and event make up, opened a salon an offered her a chair in there really cheap. She is making money, but only because the other woman was so popular the salon is always full of people. They see my relatives work and book in.

She knows she wouldn't be so busy if that hadn't have dropped on her lap.

Yes her back hurts, her hands get sore from holding the brushes all day. It's quite physically demanding. She is also a people person so can talk to anyone.

If you can't sit down bent over for long periods how will you do a set of nails?

My opinion is that it can work. But it's not easy and physically demanding. There is lots of competition too. You really need to work hard to stand out.