Do an Internet search for "Beauty Salons and Services" in your town or area and you'll see how much the industry is growing. You're likely to find a long list of salons in your area. Day spas are also opening up across the country, and salons are expanding to include more spa services like body wraps and massage. Hotels and resorts are adding salons, spas, and fitness centers to their facilities. Cruise lines also hire beauty professionals to provide these services to their guests. Men are also frequent clients of spas and salons, some of which cater to them exclusively. Many skin care lines carry products for men, and cosmetic surgery is gaining wider acceptance among both men and women.
Those in the cosmetology industry, through such professional organizations as the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS), are making efforts to educate people about the varied career options within the industry. Due to the growing number of salons and the mobility within the industry, cosmetology associations are actively recruiting people to meet the industry's high demand for workers. The pandemic paused the cosmetology industry's growth, due to social distancing and business lockdowns. Many salons and beauty parlors closed at the height of the pandemic, some temporarily and some permanently, due to restrictions on being in close proximity to customers.
Post pandemic, consumers' pent-up demand for cosmetology services has been helping the industry to recover. The research group IBISWorld indicated that the beauty industry achieved annual growth of 1.1 percent from 2019 to 2024. Higher levels of discretionary income have boded well for service providers, who were becoming part of the industry in growing numbers thanks to ease of entry and stable profit margins. The market research group Statista predicts that the global beauty and personal care industry will have more than 8 percent annual growth from 2024 through 2029.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) projects faster than average growth for barbers, hairdressers, cosmetologists, and shampooers through 2033, at 7 percent. According to the DOL, the increasing population and rising popularity of hair coloring and straightening, and other advanced treatments will create more opportunities for barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists. Many of the job openings will also be created by workers who are retiring, entering another profession, or leaving for other reasons.
The outlook is especially bright for cosmetologists who focus on nail care. The DOL says the number of jobs in this sector of the industry will increase by 12 percent through 2033, which is much faster than the average. This rate is created by the demand for new nail services, says the DOL, such as mini sessions (faster manicures at a reduced price), mobile treatments, and others. The DOL says most job openings will be created by new nail salons opening, as well as filling jobs that open after workers retire or leave the industry.
Skin care specialists will also have good employment opportunities in the coming years. According to the DOL, skin care specialists will have 10 percent employment growth through 2033. The faster than average demand for skin care workers stems from new services being offered, according to the DOL. For example, many companies are offering mini sessions (facials that take less time and cost less) and mobile service, where the skin care worker travels to the client's location, whether that is home or work. More people are interested in better grooming for improved health and well-being, so this will increase demand for skin care specialists in the coming years.
As in other industries, the cosmetology industry has adopted technology to streamline business activities and services. Many consumers now use mobile technology to pay for services provided by both independent practitioners and large salons. Additionally, many providers are now using software to make operations easier in areas such as appointment scheduling, planning, and marketing. Many software applications are cloud-based, making it easy to access information anywhere, and across multiple locations. The firm Research and Markets forecast strong annual growth of nearly 11 percent for the global spa and salon software market between 2024 and 2029. Regis Corporation, which now either owns or has a stake in nearly 6,000 salon locations worldwide, is an industry leader that early on recognized the benefits of integrating technology to improve salon service operations. In 2019, the company established a partnership with Google, making it possible for customers to schedule salon services directly using Google Search and Google Maps, which connected to its proprietary Opensalon system. In 2022, Regis sold Opensalon and partnered with Zenoti, a leading beauty, wellness, and fitness technology provider. Zenoti is Regis's sole salon technology platform for all of its brands.
In the United States, cosmetology and beauty schools accounted for $2.2 billion in revenue, with total employment of nearly 16,695 people in 2024. IBISWorld predicts steady growth from 2024 through 2029 in this sector of the industry. Post pandemic, consumer demand for beauty and personal appearance services continues to grow. Consumers with expendable income will be able to spend money on beauty services and add-on treatments, including deluxe manicures and pedicures, facials, massages, and hair-modification treatments including coloring and permanent hair straightening. Enrollment in cosmetology and beauty schools will increase to keep up with the growing demand for beauty professionals.