Niche-Beauty Services Opportunity Act
Exempting Blow-Dry Stylists, Makeup Artists, and Other Safe Beauty Service Providers from Cosmetology Licensing
Styling hair and applying makeup are simple and safe beauty practices that many people do every day. They also offer opportunities for people to start businesses—such as bridal hair and makeup businesses and blow-dry bars, which are growing in popularity. Unfortunately, states often create needless obstacles before people can provide these services, demanding substantial investments of time and money before people can even get started.
What Can State Legislators Do?
IJ’s Niche-Beauty Services Opportunity Act exempts safe beauty services from occupational licensing requirements. This means that practitioners would not need a cosmetology license to apply makeup or to offer basic hair services such as shampooing, conditioning, drying, and styling hair while using simple tools like blow-dryers, hot tools, combs, and brushes.
The model legislation also exempts eyelash extension application, natural hair braiding, and threading from occupational licensing and the salons that exclusively offer these services from facility licensing.
These are all services that a number of states safely exempt from licensing:
IJ’s model is a proven means for creating more opportunities in a fast-changing industry. By enacting IJ’s Niche-Beauty Services Opportunity Act, state legislators can help aspiring entrepreneurs enter the beauty industry more quickly and with less debt.
No License Required for Blow Dry Bars
Hairstylists are currently exempt from cosmetology licenses in eight states.