Beauty Industry salaries vary greatly due to tips and commission. The chart below identifies the salaries of specific beauty occupations for 2021.

Occupation	Min. Education	Avg. Wage	Regulation
Esthetician	Diploma	$22.35	Not regulated
Hairstylist	Apprenticeship	$21.86	Regulated
Lash Technician	Module course	$22.35	Not regulated
Laser Technician	varies	$22.35	Not regulated
Massage Therapist	Diploma	$33.61	Not regulated
Nail Technician	Module course	$22.35	Not regulated
Nurse Injector	Degree	$45.40	Regulated
Salon/Spa Manager	varies	$32.63	N/A
Salon/Spa Receptionist	n/a	$15.40	N/A

Is Provincial Regulation a good thing?

Unregulated occupations, such as esthetics are ran by spas, schools, retailers, etc. The collective of all businesses and organizations with beauty services and sales as the common goal is what we call the beauty industry. Moreover, business owners decide the acceptable minimum education of their staff. While many are open to on-the-job training, many of them require at least the minimum training.

Likewise, educators can opt to award students with an acknowledgement of participation, or certificate.

Regulated occupations, such as hairstyling, do not have as many freedoms. As a result, the integrity of these occupations remains intact. Service providers working in a regulated occupation must be tested to ensure they meet standard technical skills.

In conclusion, there are pros and cons to provincial regulation.

Tips can make all the difference.

Don’t forget to consider the money you will earn from tips as “income”. Tips can take your wage from $15 to $30 per hour. Though tips do not provide a consistent amount, they are a constant addition to your bottom line.

Tips to increase your tips.

Salons and spas with good reputations usually attract higher paying clients that are likely to tip a bigger percentage on the service. In the same vein, these employers will have higher expectations of you as a Service Provider.

In addition, training in higher ticket services will increase your tips. Generally, clients tip their Service Provider 15% of the service. Therefore, the bigger the service price, the bigger the tip.

Similarly, you can also increase your tip percentage by providing excellent customer service. Dazzling clients with your skill and personality will earn you a long-lasting career!

Commission also makes a difference.

Like tips, commission can add a few dollars extra per hour to beauty industry salaries. Commission rates vary depending on your employment agreement.

All staff members can take advantage of making money through commission sales. For instance, a salon receptionist can take their wage from $15 per hour to $20 per hour in commission sales.

Increasing commission earnings

“I’m not a good salesperson.” We’ve heard this one time and time again! Don’t let the thought of selling products scare you away from your beauty industry career. The trick to commission is understanding your client and product knowledge.

Firstly, think of yourself, not as “pushing” a product on a client, but as “prescribing” a product to help your client achieve their goal. Secondly, setting an attainable daily sales goal will help you stay organized. Lastly, familiarize yourself with your available products to select the best solution for your client.

Other ESG resources…

We know beauty careers! In other words, talk to us about starting your career in the beauty industry. We can help you develop a career path that will lead you to your goal in time and cost effective manner.

Choosing a training provider can be overwhelming, the choices are endless! Moreover, you want a training provider that will prepare you mentally for your new career. Whatever your long term career goals are, we can help you design a career path that is right for you!

Check out some of our other resources:

TRAINING 411: Beauty Educator Directory

Alberta Beauty Industry Job Bank

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP
Beauty Industry Resource Centre
(780) 604-2772
info@executivespagroup.com

Matt M., owner and operator of Practical Esthetics shares his advice on operating a beauty industry business from home.

So Matt, how and when did you decide to join the beauty industry?

I’ve always been interested and loved the beauty industry personally, I was known growing up for the only guy with flawless brows. I got my university degree, did that career for years but was really unhappy with my life and dreaded going to work. A change needed to happen and I needed to be happy.

Yes, you can change career paths even at 30 years old!

Matt M.

Do you have a specialty? If so, why did you choose that specialty?

A friend of mine told me about body sugaring and how she goes to a home business for it as well as how much she paid per session. The gears got turning.

Being part of the LGBT community, I know many men and trans people have a hard time getting hair removal services because many providers will not service men or people who were assigned male at birth.

I’m personally comfortable with accepting everyone so this was a HUGE demographic that was untapped. Along with a large number of men (as well as some women) simply aren’t comfortable going to a woman for their services.

What are your favourite benefits of having a home business?

 WRITE 👏 OFFS👏 Home businesses drop your living costs significantly. Internet, electrical, gas, rent/mortgage, lawn maintenance… you name it, odds are it’s connected to your home business in some way and can be partially written off come tax time. Everybody likes keeping more of their money right?

Another benefit is I can work whatever hours because I’m always “at work” so accepting a client at 9pm on a Sunday night because her wedding is coming up and her photographer had to last minute reschedule… That can happen. I set boundaries but am also able to be a better service provider due to flexibility.

What challenges have you faced as a beauty Industry home business owner?

Biggest challenge of me being in the beauty industry… I’m a dude. I hate to pull that card but it’s been thrown in my face many times. Another hurdle of having a home business regardless of gender is being taken seriously.

There are too many people who fly by night and give home “businesses” a bad name. Keep yourself professional and treat your business as your business. Greet your clients in your uniform, make sure everything is spotless and try to remove the “home” atmosphere for a place of business.

What is your advice for beauty service providers considering starting their own home business?

Make yourself professional. Having a good website is HUGE! Make sure your SEO is optimized to the nines and the site is easy to navigate as well as interact with.

Make sure you’re registered, insured and inspected. Get your name out there any and ALL ways possible. If you’re not on a main road with lots of traffic, people won’t know you exist and you will flop. Advertise wisely, pinch pennies, get flyers and business cards made (I have little lexan stands to put flyers and business cards at other relevant businesses so we can work together).

Have 3-6 months of living expense money ready at hand or keep another job. It takes a while to build a client base to turn a profit. It will be slow but if you are persistent, you can make it successful.

Google reviews are priceless! Yelp is a waste of money and a trap. Always look for free/inexpensive ways to advertise and shamelessly plug your business whenever you can as well.

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP
Beauty Industry Resource Centre
(780) 604 2772

Hiring apprentices in your salon can be beneficial. Here are some FAQs employers have when considering hiring apprentices versus licensed hairstylists.

Can I hire an existing staff member as an apprentice?

Yes, for example, you may choose to promote your receptionist. Some people may even say that its a good idea to promote your receptionist/assistant/etc. This is because taking on an apprentice is a long term commitment and investment.

How much supervision is an apprentice required to have?

The supervisor has to be a certified hairstylist. This person will be a mentor and should have the qualities to mould the apprentice with correct technical skills and theoretical knowledge amongst other things.

Your apprentice must complete 1450 hours during their first period (12 months) and another 1450 hours on their second period (12 months)

You can stretch this out how it best works for you, but this works out to 30 hours per week on average.

Can an apprentice offer services at my salon before being licensed?

Yes, they can offer the services you teach them as they practice their skills. Your apprentice will have to enrol in technical training at some point during each period (start dates vary), but you can teach them the skills you want them to learn in the mean time.

What is the application process?

Your apprentice must apply online. There is a $35 apprenticeship application fee. After, you will receive an email asking you to complete the employer portion of the application.

A contract will be created from there which will be signed by both of you and voilà, you have an apprentice.

Find your apprentice!

You can use our job bank to search for your next apprentice!

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

But not just any beauty PRO…

Meet Claudia, a strong, independent, ambitious individual who has made her self-employment goal a reality.

Claudia has been a licensed hairstylist for 13 years. She studied Hairstyling at MC College and proudly earned her diploma in 2006. Throughout the years, she gained the experience and confidence to be her own boss!

Claudia opened her very own salon, Claudia’s Beauty Shop. She states, “My salon is meant to feel private, comfortable and family friendly, with competitive pricing.”

Though Claudia trained in all areas of Hairstyling, including haircutting and chemical texturing, it is the magic of hair colouring that drives Claudia in her business.

“I’m in the business of beauty and Hair therapy (Hairipy).”

-Claudia, Owner of Claudia’s Beauty Shop.

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Storefront vs. Home Business

The two main types of beauty businesses are storefront and home businesses. While a storefront beauty business can grow large with many departments and staff to manage, it is home business owners that can truly be called self-employed.

In our Salon/Spa Startup course, we teach students the tools necessary to manage a beauty business, however, having the right tools is only half the battle. The other half comes from within. It takes discipline and perseverance and time to win the game of business.

Home businesses offer the flexibility craved by many of us. The ability to work from home is an attractive quality. For one, transportation to and from work is no longer a matter. You save money in gas/transit, but most importantly, you save time. Time to spend on the kids/house/yourself/etc.

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“My favourite benefits of having a home business is the freedom of scheduling appointments to suit my life.”

-Claudia

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Self-employment is not for everybody.

While the benefits of being self-employed outweigh the ongoing work (if you’re doing it right), don’t underestimate the challenges you will face, these will turn into lessons learned.

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Challenges of self-employment.

Claudia has faced some challenges in her ever-growing career. One of the biggest challenge she has overcome is learning how to be independent and accountable From paying for her ongoing education to staying up-to-date on new hair techniques, she is responsible for every aspect of her business.

“I have no other hairstylist in my home salon to be inspired by. I am responsible for all costs incurred by the salon. I am responsible for cleaning and maintenance.”

-Claudia

Advice from a PRO…

Claudia believes all beauty providers should work/apprentice in a storefront salon/spa before making the decision of opening a home business.

“There is so much to learn in the beauty industry beside techniques. Working in a multiple stylist environment you’ll learn how to work with multiple personalities, how to manage time.”

-Claudia

We couldn’t agree more with Claudia! Working with and learning from others will show you different ways of thinking and problem-solving.

“[Working in a storefront first teaches you] how to problem solve, how a salon works financially. You can learn how to be a mentor. How to sell products, services. All the fundamentals of becoming a successful business owner.”

-Claudia

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How do I become a Hairstylist?

Visit TRAINING 411 to learn more.

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

Are home businesses lucrative?

You bet they are! As long as you manage your business with the same effort and respect that you would a store-front, these businesses can bring in a lot of income with fewer expenses, leaving more money in your pocket!

What do I need to have a home business?

First, register your business.

You must register your business name in order to report your earnings to government authorities. There are 4 choices for you when registering your business, most people who run a small business opt for a sole proprietorship.

You will also need a business license, not to be confused with your hairstyling license or esthetics certification.

You will also require a business license and a development permit. This type of license is granted by the city. Home-based business must follow special regulations since they are located in neighbourhoods designed for living, not business.

Zoning bylaws are used to determine whether the city can grant you a home business license. Don’t be surprised if your neighbours are contacted to ask if they are ok with your particular business being on the same street as them.

Beauty industry home businesses are MAJOR businesses.

There are 2 types of home businesses. Because beauty industry businesses have clients coming to the home for services that are not typical of a residential area, they are considered a major home business. Major home businesses cause a degree of interruption to the neighbourhood, for example, less parking available for residents and their guests, versus minor businesses that typically do not receive clients in their home.

What about insurance?

Insurance is important for any business, including a home business. Not many insurance companies specialize in beauty industry insurance, an insurance broker may be able to help you find the right company for you. Your insurer should understand the specific challenges of beauty industry businesses.

Fees and other things to consider.

Registration/licensing/insurance all cost money. Luckily, home businesses today have the advantage of free marketing on social media! Instagram in particular is an excellent tool used by all beauty industry businesses, but has a spectacular impact on home businesses. Many clients use instagram as a way to find their service provider, who quite often has a home business.

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP