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Understanding the policy debate around cosmetology schools, student debt, and workforce pathways Federal financial aid for cosmetology, barbering, and beauty education programs is receiving renewed attention because of federal accountability rules tied to graduate earnings. These rules could affect whether some programs remain eligible for federal student aid. For beauty schools, the concern is practical. Many cosmetology, barbering, and beauty-related programs rely on federa

Beyond the Chair does not run apprenticeship programs. Instead, our organization focuses on building the conditions that make these programs viable and sustainable across the industry.

The beauty industry’s sustainability crisis isn’t just about the environment. It is also about people: the labor that sustains the industry, the communities most harmed by its practices, and the cultures that shape beauty standards.

Guest post by stylist and founder of Salonviornment, Hannah Craik.

National Beauty Culturists’ League (NBCL), founded in 1919, emerged not only as a professional association but also as a movement for racial uplift, political representation, and women’s leadership.

Cosmetology is the study of hair, skin, and nails, but cosmetologists also perform a wide variety of other roles, like salespeople, chemists, business owners, and even therapists.

"As a beauty professional who’s both participated in and critiqued this system, I want to offer a new relationship with beauty—one rooted not in appearance, but in autonomy, joy, and radical authenticity."

"Studies show that women experiencing unintended pregnancy are 3.3x more likely to face IPV. In this climate, cosmetologists often become the first safe person someone confides in—especially in communities where clinical, legal, or government systems feel inaccessible or hostile."

The hidden and not so pretty reality of being a cosmetologist under late stage capitalism.