A hair stylist is a professional to whom we entrust with fashioning and styling our hair. One may think that styling the hair is easy but when you actually try to hold the scissors in your hand, you will realize that it’s not a piece of cake at all. The hair is every person’s crowning glory and being entrusted to make that crowning glory to shine and look its best is quite a critical and sensitive task entrusted to a hair stylist.

In order to fashion a client’s hair in the most appropriate way possible and to become successful in this hair styling career, there are some very important skills that a hair stylist needs to do. A licensed hair stylist is one who has taken up and finished a training course in cosmetology, thus it is expected of this hair stylist to know the proper way by which the hair may be handled and styled to enhance the looks of the client.

The work of a hair stylist requires him or her to have the skills to read. Remember that in hair styling, there are tools and chemicals that will be used to style the hair properly. There are instructions written on the labels or covers of these necessary materials which the hair stylist needs to read and understand in order to know how to use them properly. For instance, a new hair styling iron is to be used to straighten a client’s tresses, the stylist should first read about the power and voltage rating of the iron so the appropriate electrical connections will be used. Aside from products and tools instructions and labels, there are other things that the stylist should be able to read and understand such as product catalogues, notices, bulletins, workplace procedures and workplace policies. Some articles in a fashion magazine are also needed to be read to learn about the new trends in hair styling.

A hair stylist also needs to possess some mathematical skills. When using chemical like hair dyes and peroxides, the stylist should know how to follow the directions on the product label and measure the right amount of ingredients based on how they are stated in the packages. Numeracy skills also cover the ability to calculate the time by which a chemically treated hair needs to be washed and rinse to avoid damages yet achieve excellent results. He or she should also be able to count the days until the client’s next appointment. Collecting the right amount of fees and providing accurate change is another task of the hair stylist that requires the ability to count efficiently.

The ability to properly communicate with different kinds of people is another critical skill that a hair stylist needs to posses. On a daily basis, this person would need to relate not just with fellow staff in the hair salon but most importantly, there are clients who come and go to and from the salon. These clients are people with different personalities and attitudes. The stylist should always be polite and respectful even to clients who seem bossy or picky.

He or she must be patient with people who are difficult to relate with. Choosing the right words to say to a client is also important. The stylist must also be physically fit and able to stand for long hours while catering to the hair needs of clients.