Cosmetology Dual Licenses:
The Pros and Cons of Doubling Up
The best part about being a cosmetologist?
If you ask us, it’s the never-ending opportunities that await you.
In other words, it’s pretty hard to hit a ceiling in the cosmetology industry—the possibilities are infinite, the industry is always growing, and the potential to become an expert in all sorts of skills is right in front of you, especially if you double up your licenses.
Yep, dual licensing—it’s one of the major benefits of getting into cosmetology.
If you’ve ever struggled to pick between which skills you wanted to be licensed in, if you’ve ever wanted to branch out, and if you’ve ever wanted to serve an entirely different audience within the beauty realm, then dual-licensing might be the perfect fit for you.
This blog was designed with a purpose—not just to introduce to you dual licensing as a possibility, but also to explain and outline all of the good, bad, and exciting about making this choice.
In a moment, we’re going to dive into some serious pros and cons to give you a better idea of whether this is a career move that makes sense for you, but remember, this type of stuff is totally subjective.
Read through this with an open mind, try to determine what matters to you, and keep perspective—getting a dual license could be the perfect choice for you and your career.
What Does it Mean to Have Dual Cosmetology License?
Being dually licensed in the beauty industry means that you’re licensed in two, unique branches of cosmetology or barbering.
For some, being dually licensed means being a licensed esthetician and a licensed stylist. For others, it could mean being a licensed barber and a licensed nail tech.
The branches don’t really matter so long as they’re under the umbrella of the beauty industry.
The good news about being dual licensed?
In some cases, it can be pretty easy to snag your second certification if the skills you’re licensed in play off each other. For example, getting a dual license in cosmetology and barbering might have a lot of overlap, whereas, getting licensed as a manicurist and an esthetician might not be.
Ultimately, the choice is up to you. We're just here to help provide a little insight to get your mind considering all the possibilities and potential.
The Potential Pros of a Dual License
A Broader Audience to Work With
When you obtain your second license, you’ll be offering different services.
Naturally, those services will appeal to different people.
As a result, you’ll open the door to work with an entirely new audience and demographic, which can be an exceptionally exciting bonus.
Insurance Is Actually a Breeze (If You Work with the Right Partner)
Many people think that getting insured in multiple disciplines is a hassle and a struggle—and it can be if you’re not working with the right insurance partner.
At Elite Beauty Society, we make it pretty dang easy to get coverage for what you need because we take care of over 450+ services.
That means if you’re already a cosmetologist covered under our insurance umbrella, it’s likely your new license and skill will also be covered.
The best part? Our coverage is mobile—that means it moves with you (covering you all the while) no matter where you go.
More Variety = More Opportunity
If you’re working on new skills and offering new services, you’re going to bring in a more diverse type of work.
That means each and every day on the job will look a little different. For a lot of us, that represents an ideal opportunity in our industry.
And More Opportunity Means a Revenue Boost
And naturally, the more opportunities you get, the more chances you have to boost your revenue and rake in the big bucks.
It’s a pretty simple equation, but basically, more skills = more services, and more services = more opportunity to enhance your revenue.
Listen, we’re not saying a bigger paycheck is the end all be all, but it definitely counts in the pro column.
Explore All Your Passions
Because you’ll be working with a dual license, you’ll have a lot more opportunities to explore a multitude of passions.
Who knows, you could even discover more things you’re passionate about that you never knew and want to go for a third license?
Compelling Cons of a Dual License
Splitting Your Focus
If you’re dead-set on practicing with your dual license, then it’s important to realize your day-to-day will likely mean splitting your focus between your two skillsets.
For some people, this could be a positive, but for others, it could mean more of a headache. It all depends on what you believe to be rewarding and worth it.
Tons of Time & Effort
Even if getting a second license isn’t difficult for you, it’s going to take time and effort.
This can be especially taxing if you’re currently working a full-time job and trying to earn that extra license.
Be Ready to Be Busy
Get used to being busy—like, very busy.
Yes, this isn’t always a bad thing, but if you let your work control your life, you might struggle to keep up with that incredibly delicate work-life balance.
At the end of the day, the choice to double up on your license is totally up to you—just keep some of these subjective pros and cons in mind and try to come up with your own, personalized list to put things in perspective.
Loving this grand advice and insight?
We hope so!
At the end of the day, we’re here to strengthen your career, boost your revenue, and take you places you’ve always dreamed of—that’s why we put out so many helpful resources, blogs, info, and more.
