Beauty Professions: The Beauty Professionals
No question, it's pretty over-crowded that rich and beautiful people fly to New York for a facial, or to Paris for foot care. They may get bored, maybe they would like to be seen by the star beauty professional. Maybe it is also quite different, and the jet set plagues exactly the same problem as us: If you finally found a good hairdresser, a professional beautician or any other suitable beauty expert, you take longer ways into account.
But why is it so difficult to find someone to convince you? In Germany there are about 220,000 hairdressers, 34,000 beauticians, 30,000 nail salons. Unfortunately, the legislator has so far set little guidelines for professions that deal with beautification in the broadest sense.
"In Germany there is freedom of trade," explains Klaus Dieter Reimann, training consultant at the Berlin Chamber of Crafts. "Anyone who is of legal age, integrity and ability to work, may get a craft card, which indicates that you are engaged in a trade-like activity, without registration and without specialist evidence." An exception is only hairdressers who always have to do a lesson. This means that every woman can get a trade license and open a beauty salon. It does not matter if she was educated for two years, two weeks or not at all. Professionals who value quality have therefore founded their own associations and designed their own guidelines.
We consulted the relevant institutions and had their representatives prepare checklists to help find good beauty professionals.
Hairdressers
What makes a barber is clearly defined in the job description of the Federal Labor Office, after all, this is a recognized training occupation according to the craft code. One learns three years, then one becomes journeyman and later possibly master. However, the title for running a salon is no longer necessary. It is enough if the salon runs in the name of a master. And how do you recognize the quality of the work? "Cutting, dyeing, reshaping has actually every hairdresser on it," said Birger Ketzler, head of the Barber Guild Hamburg. "Good hairdressers take their time to give sound advice." Since the competition is big, hairdressers have to come up with something to survive. One variant is "All 10 Euro" salons. "For 10 euros I can not advise," says Ketzler. "That does not mean that a 10 Euro hairdresser is automatically bad, but quality is also about the time someone has to cut." Another lure is additional services that are not part of the standard repertoire of hairdressers, such as hair extensions or extensions. "There is no training, only courses with the manufacturer." But hairdressers need to know how problematic hair extensions are - they can even fail under the weight of artificial hair.
Checklist for hairdressers: Quality develops over time: A good haircut lasts about 40 to 50 minutes, short haircuts are sometimes possible in just 30 minutes.
A seal of quality for specialist companies is being worked on. Good shops are already recognizable by silver stickers on the door: "Member of the barber guild, this company trains".
Pedicure
Nail studios - these were until recently companies that worked largely in secret. At least that is the experience of Terri Malon, Managing Director of the Association of German Nail Designers. "When I came to the German Craft Day three years ago, the officials there were completely new that nail studios even exist." And really many: 30,000 such companies are currently filing and painting in Germany, and there are more and more. That's why Terri Malon set up an association a year ago, working with companies and trainers to develop guidelines and quality standards for the profession of nail designer. Since July, they can now be found in front of the Chamber of Crafts in some cities. in Hamburg take a five-hour exam to the state-approved Nail Designer. That's a start, after all. However, the association has so far only about 250 members, and the name Nail Designer is not protected. Everyone can continue to call it that.
Checklist for a nail salon:
- There is no carpet - the particulate matter pollution would be much too high.
- Work is always done with gloves. It is best to use an air-dust extractor.
- Before the start of treatment, the customer is asked to wash her hands - this will reduce some of the germs.
- Only new disposable files are used, or own sets of customers are created.The reason: Files can not be sterilized because the surface is too rough. If there is a wound on the edge of the nail, the file is infected and, in the worst case scenario, can transmit AIDS or hepatitis B
beauticians
After years of disagreement, there will soon be the first state-certified beauticians. Since 2003, the activity is a recognized vocational training according to the Vocational Training Act, the training lasts three years. While in the former GDR beauticians were equal to the hairdressers and could even do their master examination, the term "beautician" is not protected here. "Every woman can still call herself a beautician, regardless of whether and how she learned her trade," criticized Monika Ferdinand, chairman of the Association of German Beauticians (BDK). An initiative of the association, all beauticians without training in the future only to be titled "beauty care", failed. And there is still disagreement over what a beautician is allowed to do and what not. According to state professional description, she can also offer hair removal by laser in addition to classic body and facial treatments and consultation. "Every laser is a controlled burn," warns the laser specialist and dermatologist dr. Frank-Matthias Schaart from Hamburg. Shooting a hair more than once can cause blisters and scars on the skin. It's absolutely up to the experts who have really learned this craft - that is, dermatologists with special laser training!
It is also difficult with the foot care. A trained podiatrist can be recognized by the addition "medical podiatrist". All others may write "cosmetic foot care" or, paradoxically, "medical foot care" on their offer. Anyone who does not read exactly as a customer can easily get hold of the wrong person.
At least the higher administrative court North Rhine-Westphalia forbade beauticians to inject wrinkles in May this year. Nevertheless, cosmetic schools still offer such courses - with the remark that the training is recommended for people who are allowed to inject, such as for nurses. Dermatologists like Dr. Johannes Muller-Steinmann, a member of the German Dermatologists Association, consider this questionable: "At the latest when allergic reactions occur, beauticians are overwhelmed." With the skin, doctors still know the best. "
Checklist for a cosmetics institute:
- "Diploma beauticians" and "medical beauticians" avoid. These titles do not exist. The shorter the training, the longer is usually the diploma name.
- A good beautician knows about ingredients and peculiarities of the cosmetic brands used.
- The whole institute should make a clean and hygienic impression.
- For beauticians who train, one can assume that they understand their craft (training may only those who have a state-recognized training itself).
Tattoo and piercing studios
The rose on the calf of the city festival, the button in the navel of the rock festival - it is really adventurous, under what circumstances some tattoos and piercings come about. Dodgy work also does not help checklists to better avoid such offers. Especially parents should educate their children about the risks. Piercing studios generally work in a legal gray area. Irina Fahner, founding consultant at the IHK Berlin, said: "Piercers become a member of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce by virtue of law and receive advice there, but this rather contains legal provisions, with reference to the Infection Prevention Ordinance and special instructions to Although hygiene office pointed out, but that is not queried. And otherwise there are no compulsory regulations. " Piercing can lead to nerve paralysis, allergies and months of inflammation.
A bit easier is the situation with tattooists. That is why the Federal Labor Office has included the profession in their repertoire, even if there is no recognized training for it. Instead, the authority refers to the German Organized Tattoo Artists (DOT). This association strives for quality in the industry. The biggest problem here too: "There are no official guidelines for tattoo artists, especially regarding hygiene", says Herry Nentwig, DOT founding member and today president of the European Association of Tattoo Artists (UETA, www.ueta.org). Together with the Hygiene Institute Giessen, Nentwig has developed guidelines for handling and sterilization. "If you want to be admitted to the DOT, you must have attended a hygiene seminar at least once and have five years of professional experience and artistic talent." Every three years, members volunteer their hygiene standards. New openings are generally accepted in advance by the Hygiene Office. To do so, the association explains health risks, infections and allergies and provides first aid tattooing courses.
Checklist for a tattoo or piercing studio:
- The treatment room is separated functionally from the reception area, in this room is not smoked, eaten or drunk.
- Floors and worktops are smooth and water repellent or easy to wipe off and easy to wipe off.
- At the workplace are suitable soap and disinfectant and paper towel dispensers.
- The work surface should be covered with disposable documents that are changed before each customer.
- Tattooists or piercers always wear disposable gloves.
- Sterile tools are used for each customer, and new colors are used when tattooing.
