Did you know that beauticians are in high demand in Australia? Growth is happening across all occupations in the beauty & personal care sector, with the largest spike projected for beauty therapists – with a 20% rise in demand projected by 2024.

So if you’ve always wondered what being a beautician means & whether it’s the right career choice for you – now is the time to find out! 

In this article, we’ll explore a beautician’s role, training options & the day to day experience of life as a beauty therapist. So you can get a full picture of what this in-demand career path could offer you. 

What does a beautician do?

Being a beautician is a varied, dynamic and people-focused role. The beating heart of a busy salon, spa or home-based business, you’ll have the option of working in a variety of settings and areas and with people from all walks of life.

A beautician provides feel-good treatments & specialist advice to those seeking to refresh their look, maintain their appearance ideals or simply indulge in some well-earned self-care. By definition, a beautician has a wide range or multitude of skills, from waxing & tanning, to makeup artistry & facials. The possibilities really are endless!

Some may choose to specialise in a niche area and carve out the top spot there, such as specialising in amazing skincare treatments. Others may continue to add to their skills to ensure they are always in demand and can offer multiple services to their clients to keep them coming back time & again. 

Job Perks:

• Connection – you’ll meet and make an impact on the lives of a wide range of clients. If you’re a real people person, you’ll be completely in your element! Plus in a salon environment, workers build tight bonds and can become friends for life. Learning, growing and becoming beauty bosses together!
• Flexibility – you can pick and choose the treatments you offer, meaning there will never be a dull day in the spa! Upskilling is always an option to upgrade your offerings (and important to keep up with the current trends and popular services.) 
• Become your own boss – if, on the other hand, you enjoy working independently and dig the freelance lifestyle, you can choose to branch out as a mobile therapist, or set up a home based business.  
• Meaningful – seeing a client’s eyes light up at the work you do, and knowing you have made a positive impact on their life makes for an incredibly rewarding work day. When you blend excellent knowledge and skills with your love for people, you’ll be going home with an immense sense of satisfaction every time you leave the salon!

What skills does a beautician need?

As a client-focused role, with a range of services to explore & provide, a beauty therapist skill set includes both interpersonal excellence & industry-specific knowledge. 

Some of the most in-demand skills include:

• Teamwork and communication – the ability to ensure the smooth running of a salon or spa, whilst supporting and bonding with team members.
• Emotional intelligence – understanding and sympathising with clients, employing sensitivity to help with any insecurities, issues or worries they may have. 
• Resilience – the ability to turn on the engine during those busy periods & still deliver 5 star results to clients.
• Drive & Passion – efficiently and effectively running a busy diary of clients, ensuring each is given the time and relaxation they desire.
• Creativity – to think outside the box to deliver exceptional results for clients. Using your extensive knowledge to provide tailored solutions & services that have the wow factor.
• Technical skills – having a deep, thorough understanding of each treatment option and it’s uses. Providing confident, hygienic & stunningly detailed services that keep clients coming back. 
• Administration – basic administration skills can ensure a beauty business thrives, by keeping an organised diary, accounts & social media presence. 

The day to day responsibilities of a beautician will depend on their specific skills, salon environment & treatment options, but many will follow a similar routine:

• Salon prep – the day will begin with prepping the salon for a busy day of clients. You could be working on any day of the week that suits you, and give yourself enough time to ensure all equipment is ready for when your first client arrives. This could include ambient lighting, sounds & scented candles, as well as stock checks and diary management. 
• Client treatments – with a full day of clients, you may be doing 4-5 different treatments. This means welcoming the client, talking through their needs and wishes and applying your knowledge to ensure they have a relaxing & positive experience. 
• Administration – when you aren’t enjoying working with clients, you’ll be doing all the essential admin a beauty boss needs to complete. Maintaining your salon space, answering customer queries, booking in appointments, cleaning equipment, ensuring stock levels are sufficient & covering any accounting tasks. 

How do I become a beautician?

​​As a beauty therapist, you can choose the career you want. You could choose to specialise in one field and become the go-to master, or widen your talents and offer a range of services to customers who want it all!

This could include taking courses in: 

• Facials and skincare
• Hair extensions 
• Tanning 
• Make-up application
• Lash extensions
• Brow shaping & tinting
• Waxing 

Your first step is training. Without the proper training, you won’t be able to build a solid foundation for a thriving career. 

You could choose to take a bachelors degree that covers all these areas, which could take 3-4 years to complete. 

Increasingly, students are choosing online courses over these longer & more expensive degree options. This is because beauty therapy courses online offer fantastic benefits. At Australian Beauty School, these benefits include:

• Flexible – learn when it suits you, without extra costs. Either around childcare responsibilities or your existing job.
• Affordable – payment plans that suit every budget, without having to quit your current job to study. Plus there’s no travel required! 
• Certified – all Australian Beauty School short courses come with a certificate of completion and a transcript of the units you have completed – which looks fantastic on your CV! The organisations we partner with are RTO/AQF organisations (Australian government accredited organisations) or private industry recognised organisations.
• Industry Led – our tutors have worked at the highest levels in their field. These leading industry experts have helped curate the course content to ensure you get the most up to date information and the highest calibre of coaching available on the market
• Personalised Beauty Kit – all our courses come with a tailored beauty kit as standard, so you can start gaining invaluable experience from day one. 

We believe that education is more than cramming yourself into a crowded classroom. The future is digital, which is why we’ve created tailored and truly inspirational courses for all aspiring beauty therapists to dive into. 

We cover all of the above areas in our range of short beauty courses. Meaning you can choose the area you are most passionate about – and get started right away! No waiting around to finish a long degree or paying off your student loan.  ​​

That’s because our ethos is that a brilliant beauty therapy career should be accessible to anyone! No matter your background or time commitments. 

What are the career prospects of a beautician? 

Once you are trained, it’s time to gain an entry-level position and get that all-important experience in a salon environment. Roles can be competitive, so having a specialised course and certification of completion on your CV can really help to elevate you above other applicants. 

The average entry-level position as a beauty therapist has a yearly salary of around $50,000.

Experienced beauticians will soon start to earn a salary of around $60,000 – $70,000 a year. If you advance to the role of salon manager, you could earn $70,000 – $80,000 per year. 

If you decide to start your own salon or home-based business, this could rise even higher. With such a booming industry, it’s no wonder that driven beauty bosses with the right salon location & management skills can make over 6 figures in income.

So what are you waiting for? Becoming a beautician has never been easier, more in demand or more rewarding. This industry is looking for talented, creative and exciting individuals to bring something special to its clients. 

With our range of short beauty courses, you can design your own beauty therapy pathway. Plus, as the beauty industry is fast-moving and always updating, training online is the perfect way to constantly learn new skills and apply more creativity to your work. So your clients can feel their best & enjoy every visit with you more each time. 

And remember – our friendly team is always on hand to help you find your perfect starting point. Just reach out if you need a hand!