Many areas of cosmetology require more physical demands than you might think. Much of the industry spends plenty of time on their feet, frequently moving around and performing physical tasks that may not be intense, but are still repetitive.
At Collectiv Academy, part of our mission is to prepare you for this. Our beauty school program will imitate the rigors of the salon on a daily basis. For folks who may commonly have foot problems, though, additional steps may need to be taken – here are a few tips for managing foot pain as a stylist.
Shoes are by far the most important factor here. Proper support for your feet will affect movement all over your body, while improper support will lead to issues you may not connect to the feet at all when they happen.
Some hair stylists feel pressure to wear heels or other fashionable shoes, but in the end, your clients care more about getting the proper services – and if they want to keep you as their stylist and not see you retire early, they won't mind if you choose a more comfortable shoe option.
The skeletal system isn't just a bunch of random bones – it's a network of connected components, and bad posture can affect areas all over. If you hunch your back, for instance, your hip rises up to compensate – putting pressure on your right knee and foot, which must beat a disproportionate amount of weight. Even if your pain is only in the lower body, look at how posture everywhere might be affecting it.
Many stylists use ergonomic stools, which are designed to support the back with rolling wheels and an adjustable seat. Many others also use a footstool at the hair washing station – just a six-inch stool can allow a major reduction in pressure on the lower back and hips as you lean over to shampoo a client, and less back pain will lead to less pain in the knees and feet.
These are mats that go on the floor and help absorb shock during regular movements. They also force a slight movement of the feet that keeps blood circulation constant rather than stagnant – it will almost force you to stay away from singular postures that might be causing pain.
Want to learn more about preventing foot pain in the salon, or interested in any of our other cosmetology school programs? Speak to the experts at Collectiv Academy today.
Hair care is different for everyone, and as such, you'll learn a variety of techniques and practices in Collectiv Academy's Cosmetology / Barbering program. One such practice is a deep conditioning treatment, one of the most common services offered in a given salon.
Deep conditioning is designed to support the health, hydration, strength and overall appearance of hair for clients, and it should be a regular part of most people's hair care routine. Here are some of the benefits you can pass on to your clients to show them how necessary these services really are.
Deep hair conditioning can help prevent damage to the hair through moisture, texture and penetration of the hair shaft. It helps prevent breakages and split ends, and even for hair that isn't specifically damaged in the first place, it will help maintain overall health.
Proper moisture quantity is an absolute must for healthy hair, and deep conditioning goes a long way here. These services will contain ingredients like protein, essential oils and water, all of which will help keep the hair moist and comfortable. Without the proper moisture, hair becomes dry and brittle, and the chances of breakage go way up.
Dry, brittle hair is much more prone to snapping and breaking under tension, and that's never a desirable outcome. Hair needs to be nourished and strengthened to prevent this, and that's exactly what happens during deep conditioning treatments.
In many cases, hair that appears to have "lost its luster" is really just hair that needs more of the kinds of nutrients a deep conditioning treatment supplies. Daily wear and tear plus product usage can rob your hair of moisture and its signature shine over time, but a deep conditioning treatment will smooth the shaft and get rid of that dryness.
Want to learn more about deep conditioning, or any of our other beauty school products? Speak to the educators at Collectiv Academy today.