Beauty Parlor

• Many cosmetologists work in a salon or beauty parlor. According to a May 2010 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 315,540 cosmetologists were employed by the personal care services industry, the largest per-capita employer of the profession. The next-highest category, department stores, employed just 17,410 cosmetologists. In a beauty parlor, working conditions for a cosmetologist may involve a set schedule, such as a 40-hour work week or part-time hours. Salons usually have at least one cosmetologist on the roster during all opening hours, so while the cosmetologist may not always have a client in her chair, she will be expected to be at work for those hours. Salons may extend benefits to full-time cosmetologists such as health care and paid time off, along with paying for or giving workers time off to complete the required courses to keep their cosmetology licenses valid.
  
  

Department Stores

• Many cosmetologists also work in department stores. Department store cosmetologists are focused on a single beauty brand, whereas in a salon setting, they may be able to pick from their personal preferences and use a wide swath of cosmetics on their clients. Work settings in a department store may focus more on the retail/sales aspect than the beauty aspect, with cosmetologists working on commission, pressed to move more products and fill quotas. The cosmetologist may also be required to conform to the store's dress code.
  
  

Movie Set

• Celebrities may get all the fame and glory for their smiling faces, but behind most famous faces stands a cosmetologist at the ready. Cosmetologists work on movie and television sets, performing anything from complete before-air makeovers to tiny touch ups between scenes. This type of setting may bring the cosmetologist a higher than average salary, but it's also bound to be the most intense. Movies shoot around the clock, and some television shows record their episodes year-round, so the cosmetologist's work settings may involve being on-call constantly, working many days in a row without a break or vacation and being subject to elements such as working outside or in the dark.
  
  

Elder Care

• Nursing homes were the country's fifth-largest employer of cosmetologists, with approximately 1,390 workers at the time of the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey. Settings for a cosmetologist in a nursing home vary. The facility may employ the cosmetologist to come in once per week at a designated time for a few hours, creating a regular schedule residents can count on. Some nursing homes have on-site beauty facilities, where the cosmetologist may be set up. Health care, benefits and working hours vary by nursing home.