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Skills, Education and Experience

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Skills

  • Friendly and outgoing; enjoy working with people
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Tactful and sensitive
  • Willing to continually upgrade knowledge and skills
  • A sense of style
  • Work well with your hands
  • Patient and sensitive
  • Ability to follow safety and infection control procedures

Education and Experience

To work in BC you require:

  • completion of a college or beauty school program for cosmeticians, estheticians, electrologists, manicurists and pedicurists

OR

  • on-the-job training
  • certification with the BeautyCouncil is not mandatory but may increase your employment opportunities

Qualifications

This occupation is not regulated in British Columbia.

Certification is not mandatory to work as an esthetician, cosmetologist or make-up artist in BC. However, you may choose to become a Certified Cosmetology Professional (CCP) through the BeautyCouncil. The BeautyCouncil is the voluntary professional trade association in BC. Passing the BeautyCouncil Certificate of Qualification exam earns you the internationally recognized Certified Cosmetology Professional (CCP) designation.

To become a certified professional, you will need to complete an esthetics program at a cosmetology school.  To choose what school is right for you, you must do your research and consider the course curriculum, the location of the school and financial commitment of the esthetics program.

The Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) is the government authorized regulatory body for private training in British Columbia.

Certification Exam: Once you have completed your training you may apply to write the BeautyCouncil examination in Hairdressing, Esthetics or Nail Technology. These cover both theory and practical exams.

After successfully passing the examination, you receive a BeautyCouncil Certificate of Qualification. The Certificate of Qualification is required to obtain the Certified Cosmetology Professional (CCP) designation.

For more information see:

Search for registered cosmetology schools here.  [search for ‘esthetics’ in keyword box].  Check that under the “Program” tab it shows “Status: Approved”.

Internationally trained Estheticians & cosmetologists

You can register to challenge the BeautyCouncil Certificate of Qualification in Exam, provided you have completed the required school hours or work experience hours. If you were trained outside of BC, you must provide:

  • School diploma (in English) with number of hours completed (diploma must list hours of study)
  • Letter from school (in English) on school letterhead, with the signature of the administrator or trainer detailing the number of hours completed.

Source: BeautyCouncil: Certifications