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Beauty consultant

Help customers choose the right beauty products and make the most of their appearance.

About skillsGetting in

About the job

Salary

Source: National Careers Service

Weekly

£269

Entry level

£481

Experienced

Monthly

£1,167

Entry level

£2,083

Experienced

Yearly

£14,000

Entry level

£25,000

Experienced

7,100

people are currently employed

High growth

400 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

You would help customers choose the right beauty products and make the most of their appearance.

You’d meet customers, chat with them about their looks and their lifestyle, and demonstrate how to use the products you think they’d like.

You’d probably work in a counter in a department store beauty hall, either alone or as part of a small team. You’d represent one cosmetics company and wear its products.

You would:

  • Spend time with customers and give them individual advice

  • Recommend products which will suit a customer’s lifestyle, skin type, face shape, colouring and age

  • Sell products to meet targets

  • Keep up to date with new products, fragrances, colour ranges and product promotions

  • Give customers a facial or a ‘make-over’

  • Monitor stock levels and sales

  • Keep customer records to offer a more personalised service

  • Wrap up customer’s purchases

  • Take payments.

If you work for a company on a self-employed basis, you would do facials and make-overs in customers' own homes. You would demonstrate and sell the products, sometimes one-to-one and sometimes to groups at parties.

Your customers will expect you to use cosmetics effectively as part of your own beauty routine.

Hours

Full-time retail beauty consultants work between 37 and 40 hours a week and do some weekend and evening work. There are opportunities for part-time work and flexible hours. Self-employed beauty consultants often work during the evenings.

Environment

Store-based beauty consultants work in large stores, which are busy, clean and well lit. They are based at a counter area and spend most of their time standing up to serve and advise customers. There is some lifting and bending and they may have to carry stock from the stockroom. In this job you would wear a company uniform, such as a suit or a white coat. You would also use and wear the cosmetics you are selling and promoting.

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    Top skills

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    It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

    Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

    • attention to detail
    • respecting
    • verbal communication
    • building relationships
    • positive attitude

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    Getting in

    Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

    You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

    Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

    Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

    • Art and Design

    • Skills for Work: Retailing

    • Skills for Work: Beauty

    There are no formal qualifications required.

    You can enter some Beauty National Certificate or National Qualification courses (SCQF levels 2-6) with no formal qualifications but some courses ask for National 4/5 qualifications (SCQF level 4/5).

    You can enter Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 8) with National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.  

    Qualifications and experience that demonstrate a good eye for visual effect, communication and customer care skills such as:

    • Skills for Work Beauty (SCQF level 6)

    • Retailing (SCQF level 5).

    Skills for Work Hairdressing (SCQF 4/5).

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