The Society of a Hairstylist
Lisette Amaro
Professor Crepeau
Intro to Sociology
1 April 2007
The World of the Hairstylist The hair industry has been around since the beginning of time. The hairstylist has become a very big part of society today. It is a huge branch on the fashion tree. A hairstylist does more then just cut hair. Their schooling is just as extensive as any two year college degree. They are often stereotyped as air heads and as having a very easy job which is so far from the truth. This subculture requires continued education. They are constantly learning something new to keep up with fashion today. The hair industry goes back as far as six thousand years ago. The Egyptians were the first to cultivate beauty, fashion and cosmetology. They used combs, pins, ointments and other tools to groom and style their hair. They also wore wigs that were curled or braided. Most adult Egyptians wore some kind of false hair, including extensions and wigs. They used instruments from sharpened flints, oyster shells or bone to tie their hair back. Henna was used to dye hair in different shades of orange-red in 1500BC (Alpert et al 7). Hairstyles, eye makeup and grooming practices from ancient Egypt have been revived in modern times (Sherrow 114). In 500BC, The Golden Age, Greece used hair as a form of art. The word cosmetology came from the Greek word Kosmetikos which means skilled in the use of cosmetics. They believed that cosmetology was the art of science of beautifying and improving the hair, skin and nails. They washed their hair with oils to soften it and style it. Even this far back women took pride in their appearance and devoted a lot of time into styling their hair. From the beginning men have played a big part in the hair industry. In ancient times barbers were also known to be surgeons and dentists. During the 16th century the occupations were separated and became independent (Alpert et al 8). In those times salons weren’t unisex. Today all salons are unisex and men have
Professor Crepeau
Intro to Sociology
1 April 2007
The World of the Hairstylist The hair industry has been around since the beginning of time. The hairstylist has become a very big part of society today. It is a huge branch on the fashion tree. A hairstylist does more then just cut hair. Their schooling is just as extensive as any two year college degree. They are often stereotyped as air heads and as having a very easy job which is so far from the truth. This subculture requires continued education. They are constantly learning something new to keep up with fashion today. The hair industry goes back as far as six thousand years ago. The Egyptians were the first to cultivate beauty, fashion and cosmetology. They used combs, pins, ointments and other tools to groom and style their hair. They also wore wigs that were curled or braided. Most adult Egyptians wore some kind of false hair, including extensions and wigs. They used instruments from sharpened flints, oyster shells or bone to tie their hair back. Henna was used to dye hair in different shades of orange-red in 1500BC (Alpert et al 7). Hairstyles, eye makeup and grooming practices from ancient Egypt have been revived in modern times (Sherrow 114). In 500BC, The Golden Age, Greece used hair as a form of art. The word cosmetology came from the Greek word Kosmetikos which means skilled in the use of cosmetics. They believed that cosmetology was the art of science of beautifying and improving the hair, skin and nails. They washed their hair with oils to soften it and style it. Even this far back women took pride in their appearance and devoted a lot of time into styling their hair. From the beginning men have played a big part in the hair industry. In ancient times barbers were also known to be surgeons and dentists. During the 16th century the occupations were separated and became independent (Alpert et al 8). In those times salons weren’t unisex. Today all salons are unisex and men have
Bibliography: Sherrow, Victoria. Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History Westport: Greenwood Press, 2006 Ribeiro, Lissa-Marie. Telephone interview. 29 January 2007 Alpert, Arlene, et al. Milady’s Standard Cosmetology. Thomson Delmar Learning, 2004 “Florida State Board of Cosmetology License Information.” Beauty Schools Directory Web Site. Zuma, LLC. 2004-2007. 30 Jan. 2007 New Jersey. New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. “New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling and Licensing Requirements.” 30 Jan. 2007 ----------------------- [1] Lissa-Marie Ribeiro started in the hair industry in 1992. She has worked in multiple salons and has a license to cut hair in the state of New Jersey and New York.