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an intermission in employment. Of the women 35 and over, two-thirds completed the 9-month course, and all secured good jobs in a short time. A few of them opened their own beauty shops. Some had to drop out because they were sick or moved away from the city, or for other reasons.

Married Women as Beauty Operators

The beauty occupations are a promising field of work for married women, whether or not they were so employed before marriage. More than half of all women beauty operators are married. The frequent demand for part-time workers in beauty shops makes this field ideal for women who may be able to devote only part of their time to working. In States that do not prohibit beauty shops in private homes, the married beautician may find part-time work at home satisfactory.

The proportion of married and single women among experienced women beauticians, barbers, and manicurists and among women in all occupations is shown in the following table:

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Beauty Service as a Field for Handicapped Workers

A person having some types of physical handicap may find difficulty in securing a license as a beauty operator, since most States require beauticians to complete a full course covering all branches of cosmetology. However, several States grant special licenses to handicapped persons enabling them to engage in limited beauty practice at lower pay. Manicuring can be done by a worker who lacks the strength to stand for long periods, or who has limited arm motion. One eastern State issues licenses for "manicuring only" and encourages persons who are handicapped to apply. Once obtained, a license can be renewed in most States by payment of a small annual fee.

A handicapped operator can, in some instances, give facial massage or electrology treatments. For example, there are blind persons who are experts in massage, and deaf persons who are specialists in electrology. Local offices of State employment services watch continually for jobs suited to workers who have physical handicaps.

Number of Licensed Beauticians

A guide published for the trade reports that a total of some 500,000 licenses were issued to women and men beauticians throughout the coun

try in 1955. This probably is considerably larger than the number of persons actually practicing as beauticians. For example, many shop owners, beauty teachers, and persons in other allied occupations must have licenses though they are not working as beauticians in shops. Some beauticians keep up their licenses during periods when, for one reason or another, they are not practicing. The figures from some States also may include duplications when a beautician has to have an additional license, for example, as an electrologist. And some operators probably obtain licenses to operate in more than one State.

II. OCCUPATIONS AND ADVANCEMENT IN

BEAUTY SERVICE

The Beauty Operator

The great majority of workers in beauty shops are operators who provide their customers a variety of services. The larger part of such services are related to care of the hair. Beauty operators improve the appearance of the hair by cutting, styling, shampooing and drying, combing, curling, waving, singeing, bleaching, dyeing, or tinting. In addition, they offer facial and scalp treatments, remove superfluous hair, arch and tint eyebrows, and give manicures and other services. The State boards that regulate the beauty industry designate the operator in this occupation by various terms: beautician, cosmetologist, cosmetician, beauty culturist, beauty specialist, hairdresser, or beauty operator. In this study, general use is made of the terms beautician and beauty operator.

The following pages describe the various kinds of work ordinarily done by the beauty operator in the shop. They also point out lines of advancement in beauty service and closely allied occupations.

In establishments with more than two or three operators some specialization is possible, and one operator may work primarily with the hair while others perform more varied services.

The hairdresser works on the hair and scalp exclusively. She cuts and styles the customer's hair and shampoos it. She may also dye, tint, or bleach hair. She gives a finger wave with water or wave solution or winds the hair into pin curls while wet. She gives permanent waves by the hot or cold process. She may curl the hair by the marcel method, though this is now used relatively little because of the development of the permanent wave. She usually dries the hair with a helmet-type electric drier and regulates the temperature; combs out the hair after drying; and dresses it in a becoming style.

If a permanent wave is to be given, the hairdresser does the preparatory winding of the hair, using suitable lotions depending on the kind of wave. If the hot-wave process is used, she places the customer under the permanent-wave machine and operates the machine the required length of time. She takes off the appliances, gives the hair another shampoo, and arranges it.

When permanent waves are given by the cold-wave method, the winder, who winds the hair on curlers, and the tearing-down assistant, who removes all paraphernalia from the customer's hair after the wave has been given, must be highly skilled operators, as these processes require

delicate handling and great care to retain the new curls and obtain desirable results.

In larger shops the hairdresser often has assistants or helpers to do the simpler tasks, so that she can concentrate on the more skilled operations of cutting and styling the hair. These helpers may be apprentices, if the State cosmetology board permits apprentice training, or they may be newly licensed operators. In a few States they may be junior operators who serve a designated period of from 3 to 12 months after graduation from a beauty school before they are licensed as regular operators.

A helper may be a shampooer who washes and rinses the customer's hair or applies soapless shampoos. A helper may also work as a drier attendant, placing customers under electric driers, regulating the heat, and noting when the hair has become completely dry.

The customer's hands are cared for in the beauty shop by the manicurist, who cleans, shapes, and polishes the nails. She may apply lotion to the hands. After treatment, she cleans and sterilizes the instruments and equipment used and immerses them in an antiseptic solution for future use. This is considered a relatively simple type of work. Usually manicuring in a typical beauty shop is done by an operator who performs other services also. However, some girls are trained as manicurists only. They are generally employed in large beauty salons or in barber shops.

Specializations in the Large Salon

In large beauty salons greater specialization is practiced than in smaller beauty shops, and more attention may be given to hair styling. The hairdresser may, for example, specialize as a fingerwave operator, working exclusively with water or hair-wave solution, waving the hair with comb and fingers or metal curlers. Or she may work exclusively as a permanent-wave operator. Some shops also may have a special marcel operator.

HAIR STYLING.—The creation of hair styles that are becoming and distinctive offers scope for artistic ability. Some hair stylists become eminent artists in the field of beauty culture and command high returns for their services. The hair stylist studies the features, neckline, and head contour of the patron and observes the texture, color, and quantity of the hair. The physical appearance, figure, age of her customer, and current modes of dress are taken into consideration. The customer usually has suggestions to make as to her personal preferences, which must be taken into account. The stylist then selects the most becoming arrangement, and does the cutting and shaping necessary for the style she is creating. She may do the shampooing and curling, or this may be done by other operators under her direction. She may take over and com

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plete the hairdress after shampooing. The successful stylist may demonstrate hair styling at fashion shows and at hairdressers' conferences or act as an instructor in a hair-styling school.

A special form of hairdressing is that of the wig-dresser, who arranges wigs according to the customer's specifications by curling, marcelling, trimming, or setting the hair to produce the desired effect. The wigdresser may render services in a beauty shop, or work for actors and actresses in the recreation and amusement field.

Customers with abnormally dry or oily hair are given special treatment by the scalp-treatment operator. She advises on appropriate care and may give steam or other simple treatments by a standard method. She may use various devices, such as therapeutic lights and mechanical vibrators. If a contagious infection or some other abnormal condition is present, the operator should be able to recognize it and advise the customer to see her physician.

HAIR COLORING.-Another phase of the work that requires special skill is hair coloring, including dyeing and bleaching. It is true that the hair dyer depends largely on the manufacturer's directions in the coloring process but, for a successful and natural-looking result, a knowledge of the use of chemicals is desirable. If the hair is dry or unhealthy, the customer is often advised against the use of dyes or bleaches. The customer's skin should be tested for sensitivity. After application of the liquids, the hair is shampooed to remove excess chemicals.

FACIAL TREATMENTS.—The facial operator specializes in improving the condition and appearance of the patron's complexion. She examines the skin and determines its type and condition-for example, whether dry or oily. She gives facial treatments with creams, lotions, and astringents; applies cosmetics; and advises on the most effective use of cosmetics. She may give a series of treatments over a period of several weeks.

ELECTROLOGY.—A few large shops employ a licensed electrologist, whose work is to remove superfluous hair from the face or neck. This is a delicate and skilled process. By a method introduced in the 1870's, the operator uses multiple needles of platinum iridium and a high-frequency electric current. Recently, a more rapid radio short-wave has come into use, with a single needle. The electrologist must learn the physiological nature of hair, appraise differences in hair, and develop great patience and exactitude in the work. It was estimated in 1953 that some 3,000 electrologists were practicing, nine-tenths of whom were self-employed and three-fourths of whom were women.

REDUCING TREATMENTS.-Some beauty shops offer reducing treatments, including massage and heat treatments. The attendants performing these services must have specialized training and may need a special license. The reducing machine operator treats certain portions of the

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