#shearsuccess

[tipstoesbeauty]

Barber Razor Shears J2 420 Japanese Stainless Steel Gold Plazma Coating . . . . . . #shearstyle #shears #shearshare #shear #shearsharpening #shearstattoo #shearsuccess #hattorihanzoshears #shearscity #shearsbyfriends #shearsbyday #barberstyle #barbers #barberia #barber #barbersalute #barbersince98 #barber💈 #barbersaloon #barbershop #barbershopconnect #beautysalon #beautyparlour #miztuanishears #tipsandtoes #tipstoesbeauty https://www.instagram.com/p/BkkKmh2nlDr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4c737kb64sbn

[crystaljanescissorhands-blog]

SHEAR SUCCESS: Building Good Habits

The forest is dense. I wrote about the forest to give you a little overview of how you might feel during stages in your Cosmetology Program. It’s important to recognize that you are, in fact, human and that stressful situations may feel like they drag on forever. Also, being told you have a year left and being surrounded by a seemingly never ending forest may create the illusion that you have all the time in world. The truth, unfortunately, is a year is not a long amount of time at all. It is important to not only practice self care within the stressful leaves and branches, but to make the most of your hike through the dense brush of your Adaptive Phase.

You have probably been told by someone at least once in your life that it is harder to build good habits than bad ones. I fully agree, and I will tell you why. While you are a good, well-intentioned individual, you are human. Humans are FAR from perfect, and all of us can admit to creating a shortcut for ourselves every once in awhile. This shortcuts are responsible for taking our normal, well-intentioned, organized behavior, and turning it into a bad habit.

Let me give you a personal example.

When I was in school, I worked front desk at a salon in San Francisco. It was conveniently barely a block away from school and it was a great way for me to gain salon experience while in school. I worked there from about 11am to 5pm and then would race off to school. This meant that in order for me to get to the city using public transportation (Bart) I would have to leave my house by at least 7:30am to even have the slightest chance in the world at getting a parking spot. If I wanted to drive, I would have to leave my house by 8:30am to comfortably get through traffic, find parking, and be at the salon with at least 30 minutes to settle in and eat breakfast.

I was originally very good at being on time for one of those two options. I was always up, hair done, make up done, and dressed, then out the door to the city. However, when I hit my Adaptive patch of trees, I was getting tired. School got out at 9:30pm, I got home at maybe 10:30pm, and then would wake up, doing it all over again. There was one morning where I slept a little too long, left my house at 9:30am, fought traffic, but still somehow made it to work on time. It wasn’t enjoyable being stressed out my entire drive because of traffic, but that little seed was planted into the back of my head that I could indeed, somehow, make it to work in an hour.

I could have ignored the seed, dug it up, and saved it for a rainy day when I really was exhausted, but that was not what ended up happening. That one late morning turned into twice a week and soon it was every morning I was rubbing my temples in the parking lot they call the Bay Bridge Tolls. I had created a bad habit, and I allowed myself to be encouraged by the few morning I was there at the time I wanted to be.

Fortunately, I believe is great habits being a part of our personal, work, and social lives, so I did correct this habit after about a month. Still, it was not easy to correct. Working in a salon is all about habits from cleaning your tools, cleaning your station, setting up your station, asking your clients about products they may want to purchase, how to do a consultation… It all boils down to habits. I’ve been to enough guest service seminars and watched enough people toss dirty tools back into their kits to know that there are a lot of people out there with bad habits that in the salon world. This includes filing paperwork, receipts, and organizing tools. If they’ve written a book about “salon habits and how to change them” (and there are many) it means there are truly too many stylists out there with bad habits.

Therefore, it is best to recognize that the best place to learn, be slow, and build up good habits that will protect your clients, your license, but also make your life easy and career profitable, is your Cosmetology School. It can be intimidating while you are learning to execute services to know that there are things like cleanliness, guest and stylist conversations, and actual measurement of product that really should be happening. However, allowing yourself to cut corners is truly detrimental to who you as a future professional will be.

I think the first thing I notice students skipping over is talking to their guests about products. What I mean by product is shampoo and conditioner, plus styling products. Unfortunately, a lot of guests get their education about what is good for their hair is from attractive people on YouTube who have never set foot into a Cosmetology School or have not read much about what hair is. Our job as stylists is not only cut and color our guests’ hair, but to educate them on how to take care of it. I recently got a new tattoo and my artist did not let me leave without telling me how to take care of my new artwork that was technically cut into my skin, even though he had tattooed me before. The truth is, people do not think of hair coloring, lightening, or even heat styling as a big deal, but the truth is, it is taking a hit on the hair’s health. It is important to talk to your guests about what products will keep their hair healthy, help it heal after coloring and help the color last longer, and also what will support their look. Start strong in school with being comfortable talking to the people in your chair about hair health, even if not everyone buys a product. Also, keep a record for yourself about what products you recommended for your guests or what they bought. Even if you do not see them again, these habits will make you a valuable employee at any salon.

Second, keep your tools clean and organized. A lot of stylists will try to fight me on this; that they do not have time, that it is a waste of time, and that none of their clientele has anything infectious crawling around in their hair. Stop. Just stop. Yes there are times where you are running behind, you literally do not have a second to stop and clean, but honestly I am sick of the excuses. Buy multiples of combs, clips, and brushes. The truth is two days tips can buy those things to always be clean for your guests. If you are not clean, one of your guests can catch something and end up suing you or your salon, and your license (that you worked so hard for) can be ripped away. Also, State Board does check salons for cleanliness. So start strong with your tools being clean, hairless, and organized. Trust me, it feels really great to have all of your things together when you are in the middle of a busy day.

Third, do not rush your services. Honestly, you will start out slow. However, if you are always doing things correctly, you will becoming faster and even more accurate. Like I said, the best place to be slow, mess up, and grow is school. Take two hours on a haircut, 4 hours on a root touch up, and an hour and a half on a blow dry. It will be worth it as your times get faster, your services better, and your clientele happier. Really pay attention to what you are doing, and do not take criticism from your teachers personally. They are trying to help you, make you better. Listen, learn, repeat!

Lastly, all I can say, is treat the clinic floor of your school as the salon floor of your job. Some days it will seem harder than others, but do not make shortcuts just because you are not “feeling it” that day. Continually building good habits for yourself will make your life easier when you get out of school and get into your career. It will be one less thing you have to figure out outside the security of school, make you a valuable edition to a salon, and will reward you for years to come. Not only will earning money be easier, but your guests will find you valuable as well.

Do not let the imperfect human part of you dampen the passionate, creative, and caring part of you.

[-racheljane-]

Just a #StormTrooper chillin' at the #HairSalon~ A day early, but had to post this before I forgot! #TBT to #March #2012 when I got my #hair done and my #HairStylist let me have #fun with his #StarWars stuff 😋 #ShearSuccess #ShearSuccessSalon #Downingtown #salon #StormTrooperHelmet

[tipstoesbeauty]

Barber Razor Shears J2 420 Japanese Stainless Steel Gold Plazma Coating . . . . . . #shearstyle #shears #shearshare #shear #shearsharpening #shearstattoo #shearsuccess #hattorihanzoshears #shearscity #shearsbyfriends #shearsbyday #barberstyle #barbers #barberia #barber #barbersalute #barbersince98 #barber💈 #barbersaloon #barbershop #barbershopconnect #beautysalon #beautyparlour #miztuanishears #tipsandtoes

[crystaljanescissorhands-blog]

SHEAR SUCCESS: The Forest, Adaptive Phase

So Core (Beginning) Phase is going well for you at school. You are finding what you struggle with, what you excel at, and are enjoying the praise from your teachers. You are still hiking with your class, everyone is getting along, and you are so happy with yourself!

Maybe by this time you will start working on real people! Now, I do not doubt your confidence, but I have seen some of the most self esteemed individuals become nervous the first time they cut, color, or blow dry their first guest. Just remember that you have learned a lot and you for sure know what you’re doing! Take that gut-wrenching nervousness, turn it into excited energy that will carry you confidently through the service and provide the best customer service you possibly can!

However, your schedule is maybe starting to get monotonous? The one morning you wake up wishing you could sleep in just a little bit longer turns into two or three or four mornings where coffee just isn’t enough. You’re starting to miss your “free time” and maybe your kids are starting to tell you that they miss you, wishing you didn’t have to leave for another night at school.

The forest is beginning to thicken. Your legs ache and your hiking boots are starting to feel a little uncomfortable. Your excitement is a little more contained, as all the trees are starting to look the same. You walk day and possibly night.

You are now entering… the Adaptive (Middle) Phase.

Adaptive Phase

It is important to keep in mind that a lot of the things I say about the phases of school and how you probably feel is from experience and/or watching people in school go through similar things over and over during my time there. You may sprint through school at record speed and be STOKED the whole time. You may decide halfway through that you HATE hair, skin, and nails, but still want to finish what you started. Maybe you may just neutrally skate through the whole thing without a care in the world.

However, being a night school graduate, I was in school for a year and a half. I saw a lot of people come and go, or just quit all together. It has also been confirmed by our teachers that this is usually the chain of events that the average student takes. So before I get the “Don’t tell me how my program is.” comments and messages, I am writing what I know, have seen, and have experienced.

Now that we have that covered, let us talk about your Adaptive Phase and what it means. In Core, you learned the “Core Fundamentals” of hair. Now it is time to ADAPT them to real life guests and situations. After all, no head is the same, and people have different needs. It is also important to start refining your guest service skills now. If you aren’t really a people person, this career may not be for you; you spend your whole day talking to, touching, and taking care of people. It is not only important to do a great job on their hair, it is also important to create a beautiful experience for them so they want to come back and you. One does not make a living in this industry on walk-ins alone. Also, if your school provides it, start watching your numbers. By numbers I mean your retail sales, guest retention and prebooks, and also your add on services.

Retail sales are extremely important. Using great, quality products on a person’s hair while they are in your chair is all well and good, but that beautiful color you just put on them is going to go bad fast if what they are using at home does not measure up. Your guests are your biggest advertisement and if their color, cut, or hair in general is looking unhealthy, dingy, or fried, and they tell people they know that you did their hair, your reputation is tarnished without you being there at all. As stylists, it not only our job to do beautiful hair, but also for us to educate our guests in the art of keeping their hair healthy. Plus, most salons expect you to sell product, so why not start great habits while you are in school?

Guest retention and prebooking are two very important things to keep track of. Knowing if people are continually booking with you over the phone or before they leave is important. This means your business is building, you know people are coming back, and telling your guest when they need to come back so their hair stays looking great guarantees your clientele will always come back if they like what you did. Prebooking simply means that your guest reserves their next appointment with you before they leave, so knowing when your guest needs to come back is crucial.

Add on services are sometimes a little tougher. These can be considered conditioning treatments, thermal styling, extra highlights, or bond perfecter treatments. Every salon or school may be different, but these treatments are great to sprinkle throughout your day, help your guests’ hair look great between in chair visits, but also earn you money. The more services you do, the higher the ticket price, the higher your commissions (if you work in a commission based establishment), so the higher your paycheck! It also is bringing more money into your establishment so you are a model employee.

Looking at your numbers is a part of you adapting to being a stylist and working in a salon environment. Adaptive, Adapt, Adapting.

If you do not want to work in a salon environment, then major kudos for you! If your goals involve photo shoots, runways, and glamour styling, then make sure your school has some sort of off-campus team. Some companies like to rent Cosmetology School groups for events because the price point is lower. Schools also may participate in fundraising campaigns and community outreach. Doing off-campus functions like these help you adapt to working on tight schedules, weird backstage areas, and cramped situations that can come along with editorial, theater, and fashion work. Like I said before, why not start building great habits in school?

Unfortunately, this is the part of the program where being human can take over. Students can get tired from their monotonous schedules. Free time is a distant memory, friends are cancelled and rescheduled for outings, and the significant other may start feeling a little neglected. All the days you promised yourself you wouldn’t miss in the very beginning start to be missed just to get a few hours of a nap. Comfort in your clothing becomes far more important than fashion and the top knot becomes your very best friend.

I will never pretend to be perfect. If I knew I wouldn’t be seeing any guests that day and just in class, I would more certainly throw on some yoga pants and pop a beanie on my has not been washed in a week and a half hair. However, the truth of the matter is, when you get a job, you will be expected to look like you work in the beauty industry. I know you’re a student, I know you’re probably a little broke, but investing in great basics such as fitted, fashionable blouses, blazers, and comfortable skirts will pay off in the long run of your career. Also, you never know who you are going to see that day. A guest speaker may be a future employer, a guest may be a successful celebrity, and your teachers will make amazing references. Plus, puttin on one of your favorite outfits on your worst day can truly change your mood.

I think I had most people there convinced that I had it all together. It’s in my nature to act like everything is fine always. Let me break my shell for everyone I knew back in school and who I know in my personal life: I had days where I wanted to collapse on the ground and cry. I had days where I wanted to quit because I thought I wasn’t good enough. I had days where I wanted to kick my doll head out the window, throw down my comb, and fling color all over the walls. You will have break downs, but it important to recognize where those breakdowns are coming from. It is not because you’re not good enough. Some things do not come as easily to some. The important thing to recognize is that you have people around you who are very talented. I learned how to do marcel curls from my friend Natashua, who was a styling guru. I learned about my clippers from my friend Orion, who is a killer barber. Just because someone around you picks up something faster does not mean you are bad at hair, skin, or nails. Like the Paul Mitchell Brand states, “Find a mentor.” Learn from everyone around you, not just the teachers.

Missing days… My best advice on missing days of school is to save those for when you really need them. Not going to school one day because you simply do not feel like going means you are giving up a day when you are extremely sick, have a personal emergency, or NEED a personal day in the future. The more days you miss, the further behind you are in your program. Do not forget, your program is run on hours, and the longer it takes for you to complete those hours, the longer you will be in school. Use missed days wisely to take care of yourself when you really, really need it.

Lastly, recognize that you are IN THE MIDDLE of your program. The middle of everything is the hardest; you have been doing this for a long time, but not long enough. Recognize you have a long way to go, but not as long as you really think. The trees of the forest are indeed dense. There’s no light visible at the end of this hike, but don’t forget that all hikes do come to an end. The people that are graduating around you made it out of the forest and you will too. Even if there are people who are in your class who are maybe getting out before you, just remember one thing:

This is your journey and it is only what you make of it.

Love and Scissors, Crystal Jane

[crystaljanescissorhands-blog]

SHEAR SUCCESS SPECIAL EDITION: Starting Your Second Career featuring Jason J. Daniel

I am aware my blog series "Shear Success" seems to be geared towards the first time career individuals, but don't think I don't know about those of your who want to start your second career and make it HAIR. I knew a lot of wonderful individuals who went to school with me who were there to do exactly what they wanted and what truly made them happy. But I can't speak very personally on the subject. I wish I could. Hair is my first and only career. So I reached out to my friend and mentor Jason J. Daniel of Jason J. Daniel Salon Midtown located in Sacramento, California. Not only is Cosmetology his second career, he is a passionate and successful individual in the beauty industry; A Paul Mitchell Insider, host of his own Facebook Show, and touring inspirational speaker. Here is what Jason has to say about starting your second career as a Cosmetologist!

"I feel lucky. And i stay inspired daily by the fact that I feel lucky everyday to have had the change to make cosmetology my second career. Hair has given me a second chance to do something incredible with my life. When I decided to become a hairstylist at a second career point (my mid thirties), That was a gift from the universe. This Career in and of itself is a gift and a blessing.

I am motivated everyday my the fact that I feel lucky. The people that I have met in this industry make me feel lucky. The fact that i can do a haircut that can help a person feel on top of the world and make them want to take a bunch of selfies all day, makes me feel lucky. When one of my hair service photos get local Facebook buzz and brings me referrals, I feel lucky. The fact that I have so many amazing friends in this industry and The sense of accomplishment that you can experience from simply working very hard in this industry, makes me feel lucky.

No one is making me do hair. I do this because I love this.

If you believe that being in the beauty industry might be YOUR choice for a second career, here are some tips that might help you with that transition:

• First decide – I CAN DO THIS! this industry is amazing. you will be starting a journey into a career that will challenge you to work hard to learn new yet very fundamental things (and exciting things) about an industry that is continually evolving. Prepare to wash old ideas out of your head and install a new mentality into your brain. Jumping into learning mode for a second career is more complex that you might think.

• start to Prepare a portfolio for hair – keep track of everything that you do on your hair journey. You will be amazed at how your mentality will transform when you see your accomplishments grow.

• Prepare your self emotionally – Start to think like a hair dresser and start to do hair dresser things. Read materials, convert your social media to follow and interact with the industry giants, do research, watch tape, act like a hair dresser NOW.

• Take advantage of every-outside-the-school-environment opportunity. Attend shows, assist at weddings and fashion shows, join your school’s outreach team, do hair on the homeless. If you are serious about being a rising star in this business you should do this step as much as you possibly can!

• Keep all personal life distractions to a minimum! – work equally as hard on keeping your personal life in order as you do on mastering the state board hair cut. Don’t do dumb and self sabotaging things to yourself and refrain from making HUGE personal life changes in the middle of your school journey. STAY FOCUSED!

• Manage your money smartly – making bad money moves will be a major source of distraction and frustration. Think like a business person and manages all of your expenses while in school. It will create a comfort and peace of mind. The beauty industry is not a superficial industry – it’s an industry of super people. And the world will not know how awesome you are unless you actively reach them through social media. Don’t forget to document your journey online. Create fans NOW! Only you can Drive Your Dream."

You can learn more about Jason J. Daniel on Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat and Twitter @JasonJDaniel!

[crystaljanescissorhands-blog]

SHEAR SUCCESS: Touring Schools

Something I did not do much of, but I highly recommend. It is very unlikely you will not attend the first school you walk into. I did not and I am so glad, but it was not that the first school I toured was bad. It just was not the right fit for me. I want to first and foremost say that I will never look down on any stylist for where they went to school. I know talented people who went to Marinello (closed now), community college programs, and other big brand partner schools. We all leave with different lessons to learn in the outside world. It really all depends on what you personally need, what you are willing to do to become successful, and how you best learn new information. To find schools you can simply Google the phrase “Cosmetology Programs in my area.” Websites will pop up with happy descriptions of the school, the programs it offers, and probably a menu for the services the school offers to the general public. You can request an appointment online or over the phone to take a tour. Sometimes you can do it online with the click of a mouse, but I recommend calling to set up an appointment. Did I personally do that? No I did not. However, knowing what I know now, the ability for a beauty establishment to have someone personable, charismatic, and who calls you back in a timely matter says a lot about the school already. When you tour, it can be pretty easy to become a little overwhelmed. It is a new place with lots of attractive, interesting people walking around under bright lights in big rooms that may hold everything you have ever dreamed of. Whether it be their makeup bar with a spot for eyeshadows of every color of the rainbow, the stark white cleanliness of their esthetician clinic, or the wall of hairsprays and hair color, something is likely to stick out and make you very excited. Please, BE EXCITED, but remember that the person walking you through the school works FOR the school. It is their job to highlight the glamorous parts of the school, and chances are, they are probably pretty great at it. They’ve probably been their long enough to have watched the school change, build, and grow so they know what the best looking spots are. They probably have a few scripts in their head that they can recite at any part of the day during any situation your tour may encounter.

I am definitely not saying to walk in being skeptical right off the bat. Do not doubt what this tour guide is telling you. Rather allow yourself to be amazed but also be prepared with the things that are important to you, that way as you are walking through the school, you are able to check off things they appear to have and raise questions about the things they do not appear to offer. Go ahead and look at the floor to see if hair is balled up in corners. Does the floor feel sticky under your feet in the clinic? And maybe at closer examination that makeup bar has smudges on it that look a year or two old.

It is definitely not all about appearances either. YOU are equally as important as the school. Maybe you have kids that you need to schedule your life around. Everyone has circumstances that they must work around: kids, your first career, a night job, or just how you personally operate. Be sure to ask your tour guide about the different schedules they offer. Most places do offer a night schedule and a day schedule, plus some are starting “part time” schedules as well. Come prepared with what your schedule without school already is and if their hours are appropriate for your life.

Alright, so here is the not so fun part that comes along with school: money. I have said this before and I will say it a few more times after this too… YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO AN EXPENSIVE SCHOOL TO BE A GREAT BEAUTY PROFESSIONAL. Not everyone can afford the big brand name partner schools. Not everyone can afford to COMMUTE to certain schools. THIS IS ALL OKAY. Find a program that fits your financial needs. Ask about student loans, grants, financial aid, and scholarships. Trust me, this tour guide wants to get you to pay for this school so they will gladly stack you with financial help packets, websites, and pay schedules.

Lastly, be sure that this school offers what you need for training in your career. Reference the last blog post about the differences between Barbers, Estheticians, and Cosmetologists. Have a rough idea of what you expect and want going into your tour. Know what you love, but be open to what you see around you. Ask questions about what the school does to help you prepare for your State Board Exam. If you love to do hair but maybe not in a salon, ask about off-site opportunities. See if they help with career placement. Also talk to some of the students if you can. They will be brutally honest even if a tour guide is standing with you. They will tell you what they LOVE about the program, what is hard about the program, and if they are getting what they feel they need.

Take your time, there’s no rush. Write down the pros and cons of each place you visit. Think about how you felt there and if the commute there felt good. You’ll be there a long time so you should feel comfortable getting there, leaving there, and being there. Fill out some financial aid applications and see what you qualify for.

And do not forget… THIS IS ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FUTURE. Pick a place that is right in every aspect for you!

UP NEXT IN OUR SERIES: THE FOREST