Hairdressing vs. Hair Styling

So, you’ve been considering a career in hair. However, do you know the difference between hairdressing and hair styling? If you’re unsure or don’t know, that’s perfectly fine. In fact, a lot of individuals incorrectly use the terms commonly – although this is wrong.

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Actually, there’s a huge difference between them. It lies primarily in the kind of work you are going to be doing, the professional training you are going to need, and the tools you are qualified to use. This post is going to cover these differences.

What Are the Types of Hair Styling?

If your aspiration is to be a professional hair stylist, your are going to instead be qualified to offer any of the below services:

Washing and blow-drying hair;
Creating volume;
Creating the illusion of different haircuts (without actual carrying them out) through styling techniques;
Styling hair for special events (such as a wedding, red carpet event, photoshoots)
Hair braiding;
Use of popular styles

What Are the Types of Hairdressing?

Before this post gets into the likenesses and differences between hairdressing and hair styling, it’s vital to understand each of them better on their own.

Being a professional hairdresser, you are going to be qualified to provide any of the below services:

Washing and blow-drying hair;
Semi-permanent to permanent hair coloring/dyeing;
Permanents;
Artificial hair extensions and/or weaves;
Cutting hair;
Chemical straightening and/or relaxing;
Hair plugs, wig fittings/ stylings;
Hair braiding and styling

The Likenesses

Now take some time to note the many likenesses shared by the two jobs!

Professional Care

Both hairdressers and hair stylists need to want to ensure they safeguard their clients’ hair from damage to the best of their ability. Ultimately, a healthy head of hair translates to a beautiful final appearance! In addition, both professions want their client looking their best!

When taking courses students learn how to safeguard their clients’ hair from heat and cuticle damage. Another important factor of these certification courses is learning how to keep it overall looking healthy.

Establishing What Suits The Clients’ Style

Trained hairdressers and hairstylists are also great at assisting their clients in figuring out looks that is going to best suit them and their needs. Listening to clients talk about what they want – and actually listening to them – is a big part of both jobs.

For instance, a client’s lifestyle might influence how they want their hair to look. Some like a no-frills bob should they be working outside. You could even find yourself in the opposite situation, like trying to discourage a corporate attorney from getting different colored tresses!

However, professionals also take careful study on facial features in addition to hair type. There are a lot of hairstyles to decide on – the list is unending! That being said, the best hair stylists and hairdressers are aware that some haircuts or styles simply aren’t practicable for certain clients.

People Skills Are Required

A liken to makeup artists, both hair stylists and hairdressers alike are going to be working with clients routinely. For carrying out your professional duties in either career, you are going to have strong people skills!

When your client sits in your chair for an extended amount of time, it would be outright awkward not to join in simple conversation. Yes, occasionally clients are going to treat their professional like their therapist, therefore, you aren’t going to talk much. However, other times, you might have an introverted client that needs you to start the conversation.

When you are a hair professional that can start a simple conversation with even the mousiest of clients, you are going to have an extensive line of loyal clients before long!

Are There Differences Between a Hairdresser and a Hair Stylist?

When looking over the kinds of hairdressing vs. the kinds of hair styling, you may have figured out very notable differences between them. This is because, whereas both professionals have some of the same knowledge and skills, they, at the end of the day, don’t do the same.

Hairdressers:

You are going to learn about cutting hair, most permanent hair extensions and treatments with chemicals. Following your processing and cutting of hair, you then can continue styling the hair. (On the other hand, a hair stylist might work on the hair in addition.)

Hairstylists:

You are going to learn heat styling for creating curls, volume, and waves. Additionally, you are also going to learn to combine methods and create special-event up-dos, period looks, and styles for red carpet occasions.

Professional Training

When choosing the career that’s right for you, you need to think about the training requirements for each. The kind of qualification requirements is another distinction between hairdressing and hair styling.

Hairdressing might require a cosmetology license in your area. Because you are exacting “permanent” alterations for a client’s hair structure. In addition to conditioning treatments, you are also going to learn to cut, dye and perm, hair.

The last two techniques are treatments chemicals. Hairdressers are required to have special training and work with specialized equipment in order to carry out these techniques. Importantly, this is a thing that hairstylists are not licensed to do.

Should coloring and cutting hair not exactly peak your interests, hair styling is the better career choice for your objectives. Brief hair styling for special occasions falls under this category.

Now, it’s worth noting that hair styling isn’t actually regulated in a lot of places, because harsh chemicals aren’t used in styling and the hair is not cut. For instance, if a client wishes for a bob, a hairdresser would then cut a bob for them – while a hair stylist might create the illusion of a bob utilizing styling methods.

Consequently, many aspiring hair stylists unknowingly think that they don’t require any formal training to begin working in this industry. However, they could not be more wrong! With any beauty profession, when you really want to be the best and create the trust of your clients, you are going to require professional hair styling training.

Apart from that, you will be setting yourself up at a significant disadvantage and are going to find it difficult to get clients.

Where You Can Work

Hairdressers most often work in spas and salons. Whereas many decide to do freelance on the side, they mainly focus on styling outside of the salon setting. This is because their equipment (like scissors, bleach, dye, and other chemical products) is stocked by the salon on its own. The extent of their services can only be carried out with a wide range of products additionally—and they’re not typically portable!

Nevertheless, a lot of hair stylists work mobile at occasions, for instance. Their kits are much more on-the-move-ready. In addition, hair styling goes in partnerships with makeup artists! Hair styling is a great skill for make-up artists that want to provide more services, entice more clients, and increase their pay.

Particularly when providing full bridal and wedding party services, they tend to make lots of money!

So, Which One is For YOU?

If you’re thinking about a career in the beauty field, hairdressing or hair styling may be for you! A lot of differences exist among these careers, but they each require significant technical skill and imagination.

If you’re wanting to break into the industry as soon as you can, a career in hair styling might be your first choice. Hairdressing necessitates a cosmetology license. Meaning you are going to study for one to two years at a cosmetology school prior to getting to book your first client(s).

Being a hairdresser, you are going to work alongside clients to discover a balance for what they want and what might be the best look for them. It requires lots of dedicated work and study to finish all the various treatments for your clients. When you are enthusiastic and want to help clients look their best in the long run, becoming a hairdresser would be a perfect career decision for you!

But don’t take it the wrong way – hair styling has its ups and downs, too! You are going to need plenty of imagination in order to style hair you will not primarily be altering. Therefore, you’re not only working with what is going to look best on them; you also must take into account what will work with their present haircut!

Closing Thoughts

It’s important to know whichever profession you initially choose, that you’re not stuck in it forever. The beauty trade demands its professionals to grow. As a result, you may choose to be a hairdresser now – then find passion in carrying out wedding hair and makeup services.

Or, it could be quite the other way around. You might begin as a stylist and then want to learn balayage. Whichever path you decide on, you are in for a highly gratifying career!

Source:

Hairdressing vs. hair styling. QC Makeup Academy. (2021, September 16). https://www.qcmakeupacademy.com/2018/05/hair-dressing-vs-hair-styling/