UK

The UK is one of the many countries in the world that don’t regulate their beauty industries. The country allows aspiring and existing beauty practitioners to explore more opportunities in the industry without interruptions from intensive training. Although there might be safety risks in providing the services, many beauticians in the country are successful in their careers.

Here, we are going to provide some helpful information on the regulation status in the country, the notable certifying organisations and what you can do for the time being to gain the right skills and provide the highest quality services.

Clients Demand Regulations for Beauty Practitioners

Because the UK doesn’t have beauty regulations, it’s unavoidable to have many clients wanting practitioners to be trained and licensed properly. This is primarily because of safety reasons.

The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology or BABTAC conducted a survey on 2,000 clients and found out that 1,744 of them wish beauty therapists to be qualified for their work. One thousand seven hundred seventeen even said that practitioners should be required by the government to hold a license to practice.

The Growth of Beauty Salons in the UK

Despite most of the clients in the survey wishing for beauty practitioner regulations, salons continue to increase in the country. Based on the Local Data Company’s report, there has been a 24.8% increase in salon businesses from 2017 to 2021. This data also shows that despite the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the beauty industry continued to grow.

This also means that existing and new clients were satisfied with the services they got from beauticians and salons so far despite the lack of qualifications. Many beauticians in the country are well-trained and skilled to provide high-quality services. Training from trusted course providers is key to get skilled and become competent in the industry.

Notable Certifying Beauty Organisations

There are many certifying organisations the UK acknowledges, but the following agencies are the most notable and popular ones:

  • City & Guilds is known for its reputation in providing certifications, apprenticeships and other areas of learning.
  • The Beauty Guild is a trade group for beauty in the UK that provides training resources and insurance.
  • BABTAC is a membership association for holistic therapies and beauty. They offer recognition, support and insurance to beauticians.
  • Comité International d’Esthétique et de Cosmétologie or CIDESCO is an international organisation that provides ethetics and beauty qualifications.
  • Confederation of International Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology or CIBTAC is an international certifying body for spa and holistic therapies and beauty.
  • Vocational Training Charitable Trust or VTCT is an awarding group locally and internationally that offers many qualifications, such as hairdressing and beauty.
  • Hair and Beauty Industry Authority or HABIA offers national standards for spa, nails, beauty and hair qualifications.

How to Become a Beauty Therapist in the UK

Though the country is not regulated, the best path to follow in becoming a beautician is to get professional training. The following is a standard procedure to become a successful beauty therapist in the UK:

Find Your Passion

Your passion to pursue a career in beauty is what drives you to your career success. Once you know your passion, you’ll have a better direction on how you’re going to achieve your career goals.

Train for Skills

This is the most important step in your career: training and education. Having theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of beauty you want to pursue is essential in providing the best services. Training can include on-the-job learning or apprenticeships, allowing you to have a salon-like experience. Just make sure to choose a training program with great quality, which is also convenient for your schedule.

Successful completion of your training allows you to get certified. With your certification, clients are able to trust you more quickly than practitioners without any.

Build Your Profile and Market Yourself to Clients

Once you’re a certified beautician, you can start building your profile and portfolio to help attract clients. Building a clientele is not an easy task, and that’s why marketing your brand is crucial. Having a strong clientele means a steady stream of income.

To learn the list of beauty services you can check out in the UK, visit our UK Regulations page.