Beauty consultant
Help customers choose the right beauty products and make the most of their appearance.
About the job
What it's like
You would help customers choose the right beauty products and make the most of their appearance.
You’d meet customers, chat with them about their looks and their lifestyle, and demonstrate how to use the products you think they’d like.
You’d probably work in a counter in a department store beauty hall, either alone or as part of a small team. You’d represent one cosmetics company and wear its products.
You would:
Spend time with customers and give them individual advice
Recommend products which will suit a customer’s lifestyle, skin type, face shape, colouring and age
Sell products to meet targets
Keep up to date with new products, fragrances, colour ranges and product promotions
Give customers a facial or a ‘make-over’
Monitor stock levels and sales
Keep customer records to offer a more personalised service
Wrap up customer’s purchases
Take payments.
If you work for a company on a self-employed basis, you would do facials and make-overs in customers' own homes. You would demonstrate and sell the products, sometimes one-to-one and sometimes to groups at parties.
Your customers will expect you to use cosmetics effectively as part of your own beauty routine.
Hours
Full-time retail beauty consultants work between 37 and 40 hours a week and do some weekend and evening work. There are opportunities for part-time work and flexible hours. Self-employed beauty consultants often work during the evenings.
Environment
Store-based beauty consultants work in large stores, which are busy, clean and well lit. They are based at a counter area and spend most of their time standing up to serve and advise customers. There is some lifting and bending and they may have to carry stock from the stockroom. In this job you would wear a company uniform, such as a suit or a white coat. You would also use and wear the cosmetics you are selling and promoting.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- product knowledge
- selling techniques
- point of sale
- merchandise management
- business planning
- brand loyalty
- mystery shopping
- product demonstration
- visual merchandising
- housekeeping
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- attention to detail
- respecting
- verbal communication
- building relationships
- positive attitude
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Art and Design
Skills for Work: Retailing
Skills for Work: Beauty
There are no formal qualifications required.
You can enter some Beauty National Certificate or National Qualification courses (SCQF levels 2-6) with no formal qualifications but some courses ask for National 4/5 qualifications (SCQF level 4/5).
You can enter Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 8) with National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.
Qualifications and experience that demonstrate a good eye for visual effect, communication and customer care skills such as:
Skills for Work Beauty (SCQF level 6)
Retailing (SCQF level 5).
Skills for Work Hairdressing (SCQF 4/5).
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