ROCHESTER, N.Y. — New York state now requires all cosmetology schools to include courses for all hair types and textures.
The new requirements went into effect on Tuesday, including both training courses and license exam questions. News10NBC’s Erin Mahon spoke with a salon owner about why this change matters.
Shannon Scott owns Sew-N-City Salon. She says the new cosmetology requirement is a major achievement for New York. Some of her clients travel several hours to get their hair done at the salon.
“We have clients from all over upstate New York. I’ve had clients commute from 5 or 6 hours away just because in their area, there’s no one that specializes in their hair or they have gone and it was just a terrible experience because they get their hair straightened and then it’s, you know, frizzing up immediately because they don’t have that product education,” Scott said.
The stylists at Sew-N-City Salon say it’s important that hairdressers have a diverse set of skills in order to meet clients’ needs. Without proper knowledge, stylists have to turn away women with textured hair, who more often than not, are black women.
“Some people come in lacking confidence because their hair is not long, their hair is not retaining length, their hair is not full enough. So if I’m unknowledgeable, I’m really progressing that failure like I’m like I’m going to continue — your hair’s going to continue breaking off with my lack of education,” said Anjanae Wilson, a stylist.
Stylist Shantel Gladney previously worked as an instructor, taking initiative for her students in the absence of course variety.
“I had to sit down with the administration because I was conveying my concerns that I wanted my students to have a broad range of education versus just a specific, you know, where the needs — where it needed to be broadened,” Gladney said. “But when I left, I don’t know if that continued so now that it is a state necessity, I’m so happy. It’s necessary. It’s necessary. Honestly.”
The stylists say haircare and styling is not about vanity. It’s also about health, and providing a space for women to learn about their scalp and hair care.
“There’s so many girls that are uneducated on like scalp infections, diseases, psoriasis, dangerous things like that so they don’t know what to look for,” Wilson said.
The new curriculum doesn’t increase the hours needed to get a cosmetology license. That remains at 1,000 hours. In New York, you must be 17 or older to apply for a cosmetology license.
For more information on how to apply, you can visit the Department of State’s website here: Requirements.
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