body with a muscle-vibrating machine to correct maldistribution of weight. She assists the customer, affixes the electric pads, and regulates the current. She applies lotions before and after the treatments.

Lines of Advancement for the Beautician

The woman who wishes to advance needs to be ready at all times to observe new methods arising in this ever-changing field. Her own keenness and initiative may help her to become highly expert at a particular specialization, or to enter new avenues. An experienced beauty operator may advance to the position of manager of a large beauty shop or a chain of shops throughout a city or area. Or she may desire to develop a business of her own. On the other hand, if she prefers to continue as an expert all-round operator she may wish to seek some unusual location.

A number of other types of related work offer possibilities to a capable person experienced in this field. Experience in a beauty shop and a beauty operator's license will be of advantage in many of these jobs, though not always required. For example, a beautician may plan to devote her attention primarily to cosmetic sales, either in the shop or elsewhere. Or she may decide to engage in teaching beauty culture, or in some other specialization outside the regular beauty shop.

MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION.-After 2 or 3 years of shop experience, the beautician may have an opportunity to undertake the more respon

sible position of manager or assistant manager in one of the larger beauty shops. The manager handles the shop finances, purchases and distributes the supplies, keeps the records, supervises the personnel, and may be responsible for interviewing applicants. The manager usually arrives earlier and stays later than the other employees. Courses in accounting, bookkeeping, business English for skill in letter-writing, advertising, and sales promotion are good preparation for this kind of work.

While chiefly concerned with the bookkeeping and the financial aspects, the manager in most successfully operated shops, large as well as small, gives beauty treatments part of the time to keep up with changing trends. With her practical experience, she is qualified to discuss beauty service with patrons with regard to their particular needs. In a large shop, some of the duties are delegated to an assistant manager, with a general manager in charge of the entire shop.

An experienced operator may become a supervisor for a chain of beauty shops. To maintain uniformity and efficiency among the personnel, she inspects the shops in the chain, and may give some instruction to the operators. She must be highly competent, have good organizing ability, and be free to travel. A pleasing manner is an asset, as she meets the executives in hotels, department stores, and other organizations where the beauty shops are located. When she has experience and a good record of accomplishment, this type of worker commands an excellent salary and usually is provided with an expense account.

The Beauty-Shop Owner

Beauty service is an occupation in which many workers go into business for themselves. It is a promising field for a woman with some capital to invest, since the great majority of beauty shops are small establishments. Four of every ten beauty operators were in business for themselves, according to the census report of occupations in 1950. The majority of owners of beauty shops are licensed operators, and usually they give some beauty treatments to patrons. In about half of the States, however, the law does not require the owner to be a licensed beautician, provided she employs licensed operators.

TRAINING ADVANTAGEOUS.-The woman who wishes to establish her own business will do well to work as an employee in a beauty shop until she has gained experience. Some States require an operator to have from 1 to 3 years of experience before she can obtain a license for her own shop. It has been suggested that usually at least 5 years are needed to develop the confidence and business experience necessary for making a financial success of a new shop. This gives a woman more time to attract patrons who prefer her services, and who may become the nucleus of regular customers for her own establishment.

For a shop owner, business knowledge and ability are essential for success. A course in business management is therefore of great importance for a woman planning to open a beauty shop. Many beauty schools offer courses which cover planning the shop, selecting supplies, equipment, and personnel, salesmanship and advertising, payroll and recordkeeping in the shop, banking, and relationship with patrons.

In starting a business, a prospective owner has many decisions to make. Questions she must deal with include the best location for the shop, the cost of both quarters and equipment, effective methods of advertising and promotion, and the processes necessary to secure a license and conform to State regulations of various types.

INITIAL COSTS. -The decision whether to buy or rent quarters depends on the amount of initial capital available, as well as the geographic region, the size of the community, and the section of the city. For example, a ground-floor location usually attracts customers more readily than a shop which must be reached by taking an elevator or climbing stairs. If buying a ground-floor shop requires too much capital, it may be wise to rent one rather than purchase a less accessible location. Some women start by opening a beauty shop in their own homes, but in many places this cannot be done because of State law or because of local zoning or sanitary regulations. A home shop has the advantage of time saving, as the owner can manage her own household during slack hours in the shop; and it requires a minimum of capital. On the other hand, such a shop is likely to draw on a smaller potential customer group than one located in a business section.

The necessary equipment may be rented with the shop or purchased outright. If purchased, it may be paid for by a down payment and regular installments. To equip a one-woman shop even on a modest scale probably would require over $2,000 at current prices. Some savings may be effected by purchasing used equipment. The new owner should avoid purchasing more equipment than is needed for the efficient operation of the shop.

Expenses necessarily will be greater for the shop owner who hires one or more operators in addition to working as an operator herself. More extensive working quarters will be needed; operators must be paid their salaries or commissions regularly; and more equipment will be required. It is estimated that at least $5,000 would be needed for the equipment to open a four-booth shop.

Another expense is the purchase of supplies that must be kept current. There also are other regular expenses, as, for example, telephone service and laundry. In addition, enough working capital will be needed to carry on the business until it begins to show a profit. Sometimes two women together (or a married couple) operate a beauty shop as a part

nership. The partners divide the profits so that each receives an equal share or a share proportionate to her investment.

Before opening a shop, it is necessary in most States to obtain a shop owner's permit from the board of cosmetology. (See list of State boards in appendix, p. 41.) The fee for this is usually higher than for an operator's license. The permit must be renewed at intervals required by the State, annually or biennially, at a renewal fee usually less than that for the initial permit.

HEALTH SAFEGUARDS. -The owner of a beauty shop needs to know the local standards of sanitation and safety, to make certain that she is conforming with the law. Most States have established detailed sanitary codes for beauty shops relating to cleanliness of the shop, sterilization procedures, washroom facilities, and many other phases of the work. Usually the State board of cosmetology provides for a periodic inspection. Some cities and counties also have local sanitary and fire-prevention requirements with which the owner must comply.

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES.-The operator of a one-woman shop has many administrative duties. Besides giving beauty services, she makes appointments, purchases supplies, keeps the financial records, and sells cosmetics. Recordkeeping is required for income-tax and sales-tax purposes. Insurance of various types is needed in this kind of work.

The shop owner who employs assistants has more complicated administrative problems. She is expected to observe the many regulations applicable to businesses having employees, such as minimum-wage and hour laws, and the furnishing of uniforms, tools, and equipment to workers. In addition to her own income tax and social-security payments, she has to make payroll deductions for purposes of income tax and for old-age and unemployment insurance for the employees. If payments are made to beauty operators on a commission basis, the varying amounts must be worked out to the satisfaction of both employer and employee.

Detailed information on the opening and operation of a beauty shop can be found in a bulletin published by the Department of Commerce, entitled "Establishing and Operating a Beauty Shop," available in libraries.

Related Occupations In and Out of the Shop

SALES OCCUPATIONS.-The sale of cosmetics and promotion of sales afford an additional range of occupations for beauticians. Some of these jobs require an operator's license while others do not, but training and experience as a beautician are an advantage.

A cosmetics saleswoman may work in a beauty shop, but more often she is found in a drug or department store. She may be known as a

beauty consultant or a beauty counselor, but her principal function is to sell beauty products and to advise customers on the products best suited to their individual requirements.

Manufac

Some beauty shops find the sale of cosmetics profitable. turers pay the shopowner a commission on sales, up to 10 percent. Cosmetics manufacturers usually lease concessions in large retail stores. The manufacturer employs the cosmetics saleswoman directly and gives her thorough training in the use of his special products. He may prefer to hire a beautician because her experience enables her to advise customers on their beauty problems and thus increase the sale of the products. Usually she is paid on the basis of a straight commission on sales.

An experienced cometics saleswoman may advance to the position of buyer for the cosmetics section of a store or of a chain of stores. The buyer must have good judgment in purchasing stock for retailing. She must be able to recommend appropriate lines and quantities of cosmetics that can be sold profitably. In order to know developments in the trade, she attends trade shows and demonstrations of new items introduced by cosmetics manufacturers. Successful buyers receive relatively large

salaries.

Another type of beauty-service occupation is that of demonstrator, also sometimes called manufacturer's representative. She is, in fact, a cosmetics saleswoman who calls attention to the products of her firm by demonstrating their application and, as in the case of the cosmetic saleswoman already described, a demonstrator may be called a beauty consultant, counselor, or adviser.

The demonstrator works directly with the public, usually in retail stores. She analyzes the various types of hair, skin, and coloring of customers and recommends her manufacturer's cosmetics or treatments. Because of restrictions in certain States, the demonstrator may not be permitted to apply any cosmetic product directly to the customer's skin or hair; she may demonstrate only on herself. A beauty operator's license is required for such workers in some States. In addition to department stores and drug stores, some chain grocery stores and limitedprice stores have installed cosmetics counters, with a licensed beauty demonstrator in charge.

The demonstrator must have sales ability and be attractive in appearance. She may be sent out from the firm's headquarters to spend most of her time in one place. Or she may travel to local stores or shops in different cities, working in one place for a few days or weeks. Before she begins the work, the company gives her a training course in the use of the products she will demonstrate. She receives a commission on sales, sometimes in addition to a basic salary. The firm usually pays her traveling expenses.