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ergonomics pg. 41
personal hygiene pg. 37
physical presentation pg. 40
professional image pg. 38
Learning ObjectivesAfter completing this chapter, you will be able to:
LO1 Understand the importance of professional hygiene.
LO2 Explain the concept of dressing for success.
LO3 Demonstrate an understanding of ergonomic principles and ergonomically correct postures and movement.
Key termsPage number indicates where in the chapter the term is used.
Your Professional Image
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F irst impressions matter a lot, and because you are in the image business, how you look and present yourself has a bigger than usual impact on your success. If you are talking about style,
then you need to look stylish; if you are advising your clients about makeup, your makeup must be current and beautifully applied. If you are recommending hand care services, your hands and nails should be well groomed. When your appearance and the way that you conduct yourself are in harmony with the beauty business, your chances of being successful increase dramatically!
Of course your personality and abilities also come into play, but how you look is the first and most important clue that leads potential clients to decide that you can make them look great. Add your behavior, the attitude you project, the way you interact with others, your communication skills, and how you physically hold yourself, and you create a complete, professional image (Figure 3–1). Ideally, you should present a great total package.
Why Study the Importance of Your Professional Image?�Cosmetologists�should�study�and�have�a�thorough�understanding�of�the�importance�of�their�professional�image�because:
■■ Clients rely on beauty professionals to look good, well-cared for, and contemporary. They develop confidence that a professional who has a pleasant professional image can be trusted to perform their beauty services.
■■ Finding a salon and salon environment with a compatible idea of professional image and behavior is vitally important to working and flourishing in your career.
■■ Behaving professionally includes having a genuine interest in your own day-to-day activities, as well as being concerned about and for others, and knowing how to interact with managers, coworkers, and clients appropriately.
■■ Understanding ergonomics can help keep you healthy and gainfully employed.
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Beauty and WellnessBeing well groomed begins with looking and smelling fresh. This is especially important in the beauty business where practitioners are frequently only inches away from their clients during services.
Personal HygieneIt is a given that you should shower or bathe every day, use deodorant before going to work, and generally be neat and clean. Beyond that, though, there are special considerations when working in a salon.
One weak moment of drinking coffee right before performing a service, for instance, or wearing something that needs laundering because you did not plan ahead, could spell disaster. Rather than telling you that you smell offensive, most clients will simply not return for another service. Equally distressing, they will typically tell three of their friends about the bad experience they had while sitting in your chair.
Personal hygiene is the daily maintenance of cleanliness by practicing good healthful habits (Figure 3–2). Working as a stylist behind the chair, or doing makeup, nail care, or skin care means that you’ll be physically close to clients, which requires extra attention to your hygiene habits.
One of the best ways to ensure that you always smell fresh and clean is to create a hygiene pack to use at work. This pack should include the following items:
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Sanitizing hand wipes or liquid to clean your hands between clients (when soap and water are not available)
• Dental floss
• Deodorant or antiperspirant
Your hygiene pack will be useful in maintaining the following good personal hygiene habits:
• Wash your hands throughout the day as required, including at the beginning of each service.
• Use deodorant or antiperspirant.
• Brush and floss your teeth, and use mouthwash or breath mints throughout the day as needed.
• Do self-checks periodically to ensure that you smell and look fresh.
• If you smoke cigarettes, do not smoke during work hours. Many clients find the lingering smell offensive. If you smoke during your lunch break, brush your teeth, use mouthwash, and wash your hands afterward! LO1
▲■Figure 3–2Practice meticulous personal hygiene every day.
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cautIOn Appearances CountIn the line of work that you have chosen, having well-groomed hair, skin, and nails advertises your commitment to professional beauty. Make sure that you:
• Put thought into your appearance every day.
• Keep your haircut and color fresh.
• Take care of your skin and use a sun block.
• Determine the best length and grooming for your nails, and maintain their appearance.
• Change your style frequently, or as often as you feel comfortable, to keep up with trends. You don’t have to be super-trendy, but even a stylist with a classic look or image should get subtle, seasonal updates, such as longer bangs or warmer hair color.
Personal GroomingMany salon owners and managers view appearance, personality, and poise as being just as important as technical knowledge and skills. One of the most vital aspects of good personal grooming is the careful maintenance of your wardrobe. First and foremost, your clothes must be clean—not simply free of the dirt that you can see, but stain free, a feat that is sometimes difficult to achieve in a salon environment. Because you are constantly coming into contact with products and chemicals that can stain fabric, you should invest in an apron or smock to wear while handling such materials. Be mindful about spills and drips when using chemicals, and avoid leaning on counters in the work area—particularly in the dispensary.
Some salons require employees to wear aprons at all times, while others have dress-code rules, such as anything you wear must be a combination of black and white. These requirements are your first clue as to the culture of a particular salon, and how its stylists dress for success. However, whenever mixing chemicals, using haircolor or performing other services, it is always more professional to wear a smock or apron, and it will protect your clothing.
Dress for SuccessWhat you wear outside of work is your choice. But while you’re at work, your wardrobe selection should express a professional image that is consistent with the image of the salon (Figure 3–3). Your professional image is the impression you project through both your outward appearance and your conduct in the workplace. Common sense should rule when it comes to
■Figure 3–3Be guided by your salon’s dress code.
Many salons have a no-fragrance policy for staff members during work hours because a significant number of people are sensitive or allergic to a variety of chemicals, including perfume oils. Whether or not your salon has a no-fragrance policy, perfume should be saved for after work.
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cautIOn
choosing clothes to wear at work. When shopping for work clothes, you should always visualize how you would look in them while performing professional client services. Is the image you will present one that is acceptable to your clients?
To some degree, your clothing should reflect the fashions of the season. Depending on where you work, you may be encouraged to wear stylish torn jeans and faded tees, or they may be expressly forbidden. Just remember, the best way to ensure that you are dressed for success is to “tune in” to your salon’s culture and clientele, so that you can make the best clothing choices.
While you should always follow your salon’s dress code, here are some guidelines as to what’s appropriate almost anywhere:
• Wear clothing that is clean, fresh, and in step with fashion.
• Choose clothing that is functional and comfortable, as well as stylish.
• Accessorize your outfits, but make sure that your jewelry does not clank and jingle while you work because this can irritate fellow professionals and clients.
Wear shoes that are comfortable, have a low heel, and good arch support. Ill-fitting shoes or high heels are not the best choices to wear when you have to stand all day (Figure 3–4). LO2
Wearing Makeup in the SalonMakeup is an exciting category for beauty professionals. It helps promote your professional image and represents profitable sales for salons. You should always use makeup to accentuate your best features. With that said, it is important to always wear makeup at work. A freshly scrubbed face may look great for a leisurely day at the beach, but it does nothing to promote your image as a beauty professional. Unless you are working in a trendy urban salon, things like heavily blackened eyes and black nail polish are best left for after work. As with clothing, let the salon’s image be your guide in makeup application (Figure 3-5).
Behaving Professionally Beyond hygiene, grooming, and clothing, professional image and appearance are affected by your behavior, etiquette, and interactions with others. Keeping a positive attitude at work helps you behave appropriately and project a positive image. Ask yourself how an employee appears to you if he or she is rude to customers, shouts at colleagues, or crudely asks, “Yeah?” to find out what a customer wants.
Politeness is the hallmark of professionalism, even under pressure, and cooperating with colleagues is a great way to learn. If you are rude to your colleagues, you may lose important opportunities. If, on the other hand, when you cheerfully offer to assist a senior stylist with a service,
Not only can wearing inappropriate shoes at work be uncomfortable, it could be dangerous. Flip-flops and open-toed shoes, for example, are not safe to wear around electricity and sharp implements.
▲■Figure 3–5Expertly applied makeup is part of having a professional image.
▲■Figure 3–4Working in high heels can throw off the body’s balance.
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you’ll gain a mentor who will be willing to help you out. Specific communication skills will be discussed in Chapter 4, Communicating for Success. For now, keep in mind that all on-the-job behavior is part of your professional image and that it is just as important to be polite to colleagues as clients.
Your Physical PresentationYour physical presentation involves your posture, as well as the way you walk and move. Good posture conveys an image of confidence. From a health standpoint, it can also prevent fatigue and many other physical problems. Sitting improperly can put a great deal of stress on your neck, shoulders, back, and legs. Having good posture, on the other hand, allows you to get through your day feeling good and doing your best work.
PostureSome guidelines for achieving and maintaining good work posture include the following:
• Keep your neck elongated and balanced directly above the shoulders.
• Lift your upper body so that your chest is out and up (do not slouch).
• Hold your shoulders level and relaxed, not scrunched up.
• Sit with your back straight.
• Pull your abdomen in so that it is flat (Figure 3–6).
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Ergonomics and Your BodyYou can move because your muscles and bones work together as a “musculoskeletal system,” allowing you to walk, raise your arms, and use your fingers. Ergonomics is the science of designing the workplace as well as its equipment and tools to make specific body movements more comfortable, efficient, and safe. Ergonomics fits the job to the person, rather than the other way around.
For example, a hydraulic chair can be raised or lowered to accommodate stylists of different heights, allowing each to service clients without bending over too far. Certain shears are designed to eliminate hand fatigue when cutting hair because repetitive movements are of particular concern.
Ergonomics is tied to your personal presentation; when you sit or stand up straight, you look more professional. Ergonomics is also important to your ability to work and your body’s wellness. Remember, beauty and wellness go hand-in-hand, and wellness starts with self care.
Each year, hundreds of cosmetology professionals report musculoskeletal disorders, including carpal tunnel syndrome (a wrist injury) and back injuries. Beauty professionals may have to stand or sit all day and perform repetitive movements, so they are susceptible to problems of the hands, wrists, shoulders, neck, back, feet, and legs.
Prevention is the key to avoiding these problems. An awareness of your body posture and movements, coupled with good work habits and proper tools and equipment, will enhance your health and comfort (Figure 3–7).
Repetitive motions have a cumulative effect on the muscles and joints. To avoid problems, monitor yourself as you work to see if you are falling into these bad habits:
• Gripping or squeezing implements too tightly.
• Bending your wrist up or down repeatedly when using the tools of your profession.
• Holding your arms too far away from your body as you work.
• Holding your elbows at more than a 60-degree angle away from your body for extended periods of time. (Your elbows should be close to your body when cutting.)
• Bending forward and/or twisting your body to get closer to your client.
To avoid ergonomic-related injuries, follow these guidelines: (Figure 3–8).
• Keep your wrists in a straight or neutral position as much as possible (Figure 3–9).
▲■Figure 3–8Improper haircutting position.
▲■Figure 3–7Proper position in relation to the client on the facial bed.
▲■Figure 3–9correct wrist and hand position for haircutting.
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ACTivity
• When giving a manicure, do not reach across the table; have the client extend her hand across the table to you (Figure 3–10).
• Use ergonomically designed implements.
• Keep your back and neck straight.
• Stand on an anti-fatigue mat.
• When cutting hair, sit if you can. When standing to cut, position your legs hip-width apart, bend your knees slightly, and align your trunk with your abdomen.
LO3
Counter the negative impact of repetitive motions or long periods spent in one position by stretching and walking around at intervals. Always put your well-being first, and you’ll enjoy a long and healthy career.
Practice these quick exercises, which will help you relieve stress from repetitive movements or from standing or sitting in one position for too long:
For Wrists
1. Stand up straight.2. Raise both of your arms straight out.3. Bend your wrists so your fingers point upward and hold for five seconds.4. Hold your wrists steady and turn your hands, so your fingers face the
floor and hold for five seconds.5. Repeat the cycle five times.
For Fingers
1. Get a ball the size of a tennis ball or a tension ball. 2. Grip it tightly for a count of five. Release. 3. Repeat five times.
For Shoulders
1. Stand up straight and shrug your shoulders upward. 2. Roll your shoulders back and hold for a count of five. 3. Reverse direction and roll your shoulders forward for a count of five.4. Repeat five times.
▲■Figure 3–10Follow proper ergonomic techniques when giving nail services.
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review Questions
Chapter Glossaryergonomics The science of designing the workplace as well as its equipment and tools to
make specific body movements more comfortable, efficient, and safe.
personal�hygiene Daily maintenance of cleanliness by practicing good healthful habits.
physical�presentation Your posture, as well as the way you walk and move.
professional�image The impression you project through both your outward appearance and your conduct in the workplace.
1. What are four good personal hygiene habits? 2. What is the best way to ensure you are dressed for success? 3. What are four ways you can avoid ergonomic-related injuries?
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