Looking your best on a budget

Ask any woman and she will tell you that Queen Esther’s year of beauty treatments would have cost a King’s Ransom. Like people in Esther’s day, men and women still spend a small fortune on beauty products and treatments today. While it’s true that beauty is only skin deep, studies have shown that if a person looks good, they feel better, leading to a more fulfilling life. But how can we look our best without breaking the bank? 

Why not consider a visit to a school that trains estheticians and hair stylists?  Many schools offer student-delivered services at highly discounted prices. This is a win-win for both students and clients alike. Under the guidance of instructors students receive training in a real life setting and clients save money on various treatments. Janine Murphy has visited a local school for over 35 years and has enjoyed a myriad of services. “I’ve had my nails done, regular pedicures, my hair coloured and cut, and since I turned 60 I treat myself to a facial every month,” she says. “I couldn’t afford that at a regular salon,” she explains. “And I really like the idea of helping the students gain practical experience to prepare them for their new careers,” she says. 

Because it is students performing the services, the prices are far lower than in a regular spa or salon and usually only cover the cost of the products used. “This is to thank the customer for allowing students to practice their trade on real people,” says Launie Morgan, one of the owners of Legend’s Academy in Langley. “Most of the services cover the cost only, we don’t make much from the services, and that is not our goal,” explains Morgan. “The prices are low because we are grateful for customers who come to us for services that allows a student to learn while they are in school,” she adds.  

Morgan has 30 plus years in the Cosmetology training industry and she feels that students working with the public is a great way to enhance their learning experience. “When a student is able to work on a wide variety of individuals, they experience the most real-life work environment,” she says. “For example, the students do skin analysis for facials on many different people. This offers them more experience than just working on other students in the school,” she explains.

There are more than 33 schools in the Lower Mainland and BC but in some cases it can be a case of buyer beware. In 2003 the industry was deregulated, and this has unfortunately led to some schools cutting corners, mostly in the training aspect. “Some schools do not go by what was the standard. Some have reduced their hair programs for example from 1,500 hours to 600 hours for the same cost of tuition,” says Morgan. “That is why it’s important to choose a school that offers quality services and is certified by the Private Institutions Branch of the Provincial Government (PTIB). If certified, the school offers high quality training for the students and professional services for their clients,” says Morgan.

Some people are worried that a student won’t do as good a job as someone who is fully trained and working in a regular salon. Murphy is quick to say that in her opinion this is not the case. “Students are always under the guidance of a qualified instructor and the school I visit maintains a high standard,” she explains. “I have never had a bad experience, ever,” she adds. 

The clients aren’t the only ones who feel uneasy. A recent graduate, Sheena Rattan-Prakash admits that she was nervous but she knew she had the support of her instructors. “Legend’s is a great school; the instructors are phenomenal. Each instructor supported me and what I appreciated was the nurturing environment they created and the constant motivation they gave me,” she says.  Rattan-Prakash has recently opened her own successful salon, Glow Girl Beauty Bar & Med Spa in Aldergrove and she attributes her success to the quality of training she received. “I am able to stand confidently and independently in my own beauty bar/med spa today,” she says with a smile.

While Rattan-Prakash’s experience was a good one, this isn’t always the case. Due to deregulation and some fly-by-nighter’s it’s important for students and clients to do their homework. Morgan is a past member of the Beauty Council of British Columbia, and she offers this advice to students contemplating a career in Cosmetology. “Students should be very careful to ensure the school they are interested in attending is accredited by the Private Institutions Branch (PTIB),” she cautions.  She offers the same advice to clients as well. “Ask questions to make sure that the school of your choice has the right accreditation and values,” she advises. 

Beauty is only skin deep but if there is a school of Cosmetology or hairdressing in your community, consider a visit. You will receive professional services, save some money, and help a student learn a valuable trade. And that’s a beautiful thing.