The World of the Beauty Salon is Bot About Beauty - Research Paper Example

 The World of the Beauty Salon is not about Beauty Introduction The world of the beauty salon is not about beauty. The research focuses on the gender aspect of the salon. Males and females have different reasons for visiting the salon. The research delves into the race aspect of the beauty salon world. The researchers spend more time gathering data scrutinizing the commercialization of the salon scene. The allocation of research time is deviated for the cultural aspect of the research. The researchers dissect and study the sexuality issue of the salon. The research includes gathering resources on the commercialization (commodification) reasons for clients’ frequent salon visits. In terms of how, the research is focused on five very interesting aims of the issue. In addition, the world of the beauty describes the cultural role played by the salon therapists. The salons’ sexuality enhancement visits convince the salon clients to conform to the salon client’s group norms. The therapist describes how the salon client can benefit from the unwavering obedience to group policies and procedures. The salon study delves into the relationship between group norm compliance and the client’s societal popularity. The salon’s commercial benefits both salon clients and therapists. The world of the beauty salon is not about beauty alone. Gender. The world of the beauty salon is about gender dealings, not about beauty. Each client visits a salon belonging to one’s gender identity. Each salon client is entrenched on each gender group’s unique experiences from visiting a beauty salon that is fundamentally just for aesthetic reason. A salon visit increases one’s group acceptance (Black 190). The beauty salon prioritizes compliance of the needs, wants, and caprices of the male and female clients. Yvette, a salon owner stated “Ordinary people come through here. The desire of these ordinary people is for pleasure...” (Black, 2004, p.2). A client generally returns to the same salon for the usual pleasure of beauty experts enhancing the client’s nails. The beauty salon’s pleasures include having a more beautiful face. Another pleasure is having a more attractive hair. The pleasures reenergize the salon clients’ inner self, soul, spirit and inner well-being. This is a vivid example Hedonism (Foucault, 16). The male culture emphasises the men can enter the beauty salon to improve their attractiveness to the female gender. The cultural theorist, Stuart Even, (1988;41) described culture as “If culture can be understood as the accumulated stock of understandings and practices by which a given people live and maintain themselves in a given society, the industrialization of daily life may be said to have, in large measure, displaced the customary fabric of culture. As this mode of production demanded broadened national or international markets, corporations made expanded use of advertising, among other merchandising techniques”. Improving the male salon clients’ physical appearance increases one’s chances of winning a woman’s love. Society dictates that better groomed men have higher chances of attracting the female gender’s love compared to the untidy male suitors. Further, the strong relationship cropping up between the salon expert and the salon customer is emotionally physically therapeutic (Black 2004, p7). The salon relationship includes the salon clients’ requesting the busy beauty therapists for advice on how to be more beautify or handsome for the opposite gender. In addition, other males visit the beauty therapists of the salons to make themselves presentable for the job interview of sales presentation. Beauty is a social quality (Eakin, 2007). In addition, there are various reasons for the female group’s having a self- view about salon visiting. Another group prefers few visits to the salons to escape from their busy work schedule. One woman visits the salons because they have to look pleasing to their current and future contacts. Salons beauty experts cut and trim the hair of the salon clients. A third group regularly visit saloons for the regular nail trimming and polishing. A handful think of a huge portion of her finances must be allocated for the beauty services of the salon industry’s beauty therapists. Race. The world of the beauty salon is about racial dealings, not about beauty. Each client visits a salon belonging on one’s racial group. Each salon client prefers the comfortable mingling in the client’s unique race experiences from visiting a beauty salon that is grounded on aesthetic objectives (Black 190). For example, the African Americans generally have their haircut and shampoo services offered handled by similar African American friends. by the parlours patronizing and excelling in offering aesthetically styled African American salon services (Tate, 2009). In the same manner, the Londoner will enthusiastically visit London’s beauty therapists of the salons for a complete facial innovation. The average White American would visit the beauty salon therapists for tips on how to look as one of the most handsome or most beautiful white American, just like how commodities are presentably packaged and sold in the market (Wingfield 2009). Presentable includes having the most accepted hairstyle, facial look, fingernail appearance, and other standard grooming requirements (Milady, 2011). In addition, the average Japanese American must emphatically conform to their traditional hairstyle. The traditional hairstyle of the average Japanese has metamorphosed to the long hairstyle of the prior fashion era the shorter modern day hairstyle. The Japanese client must visit the salon to benefit from the Japanese hairstyle, Japanese style make up, and Japanese style nail trimming and polishing. In addition, the Native American Indian will also visit the parlour that hire beauty salon therapists of the salons to adorn the clients with Indian style hair dressing Indian style makeup, and Indian style nail polishing (Czinkota, 2007). Commercialization. The world of the beauty salon is about commercialization, not about beauty. The salons primarily operate to generate profits. To accomplish the profit objective, the salons tailor their services to fill the diverse needs, desires and wants of its targeted clientele (Black 190). To achieve the salon’s profit goal, Debra Gimlin (2002;16) reiterated “Joanna, one of the beauticians at Pamela's Hair Salon, convinces her saloon customers to accept her hairstyling advice. Joanna claims special knowledge of both fashion and styling techniques. The hairstylist bridges the gap between those who pursue beauty and those who define it; she becomes the route to those standards and the means of embodying them in everyday life” (Peterson, 2007). Normally, the clients accept the salon therapist’s advice. The salon clients are eager to pay the optimum amount for the salon’s enhancement of their most attractive physical assets. Further, a commercial relationship unavoidably crops up between the salon staff and the salon customer, a connection that arises in order to form a social contract where the professional expertise of the staff member becomes the centre of the development of an intimacy with the salons’ clients, the commodity style relationship as emotional as it is purposeful (Black 2004). Society impresses on the average person that all persons must imitate, emulate, or simply copy the fashion of the current period and the current race. Each person must be beautiful or handsome to ensure success in everyday endeavours (Shilling, 2005). Each race has its own beauty and style standards. Adia Wingfield (2009) insists the African Americans have their own fashion trends in terms of nail colour, shape, length on their feet. On the other hand, the Asians have their own hair, nails, and facial fashion trends. The salon enhances the human body’s features to conform to the current fashion trends. Furthermore, Lanita Huey (2006) theorised the salon’s beauty therapists enthusiastically hurdle challenges with their offering of consultancy and other services to make the clients of all races feel physically better. Different clients have different salon wants or needs. Huey reiterated it is typical to see the commercial exchange of information between fellow salon clients as well as the exchange of information between the salon industry, beauty therapists and the clients. The exchange of information includes beauty expertise collaboration, identity popularity, and hair aesthetics. In addition, some salon clients believe the commercial salon visits are part of the benefits of working hard for the whole day’s hectic schedule. This is in line with care of the Foucault’self/technologies of the self theory. Penelope Eckert (2001;279) insists “Specifically, Bell's location of stylistic variation ... Since persons of different social status groups use different linguistic features (and/or the same features in different proportions), speakers make use of those differences in their stylistic variation, an adjustment which Bell calls ‘audience design’” to make the exchange of information more understandable. Some visit salons to relax from their busy family activities (Black 2004). The mother can snugly relax for two hours in the salon. The reassuring salon therapists’ beauty advices bring tranquillity to the stressed customer. Coming out of the salon after two hours of facial makeup brings peace to the customer. Specifically, some current and future customers eagerly visit the saloons to have someone hear their stories. Likewise, the current and future customers would prefer reading the day’s newspapers while waiting for one’s turn in order keep away boredom or uneasiness (McDonald, 2007). In terms of commercial image analysis, many salon clients want their hair similarly done to imitate their favourite movie stars. One would prefer a Catherine Zeta-Jones’ hairstyle, another would prefer an Angelina Jolie makeup. A third person would order a Megan Fox hairstyle. A fourth salon client may ask for a Penelope Lopez look. Movie star idolizing falls under the cognitive style theory. In terms of implementing the cognitive style to the commercial salon issue, Harry Morgan (1997;9) mentioned “Life is largely a process of adaptation to the circumstances in which we exist. A perennial give-and-take has been going on between living matter and its inanimate surroundings, between one living being and another, ever since the dawn of life in the prehistoric oceans”. Women salon clients would go along with the current fashion. One client wants her hair curly hair straightened to conform to her group’s preference for straight hair. Another woman wants her long hair shortened to conform to her group’s approval of short hairstyles. A third woman prefers a long colourful nails to imitate her groups preference of bright colourful nails. Alexandria Howson (2004) reiterated the beauty therapists of the salons have the professionalism to impart the best grooming practices on their sexually –inspired clients. Professionally, visiting the salon is like having a visit to the dentist. Alexandra Howson (2004) insists the rich are able to pay for the high cost of first class salons. On the other hand, some salons offer lower prices for their services to cater to the lower income current and prospective clients. On the other hand, the average rich person has a different image of what is beautiful. Likewise, the poor residents of London have their own version of what is beautiful (Howson, 2004). The fact remains that the rich have a different image of themselves compared to the self-image of the poor salon clients. Dale Carnegie (2009) proposed the uncertainty of current and future events creates an image of uncertainty on the salon clients. The salon’s beauty therapists acquire the appropriate knowledge gathered from a number of reliable and relevant sources needed to help improve the physical appearance of the salon’s clients. Samantha Taylor (2004) theorized beauty therapists strive to gain an NVQ Level 2 or equivalent expertise level. Consequently, the current and future customers will enthusiastically return to their chosen salon industry beauty therapists to maintain the customers’ salon-style skin care, make-up, nail treatment, eye treatment, or wax depilation and other grooming characteristics (Taylor, 2004). In addition, the beauty salon industry aids the beauty therapists of the salons in offering the most updated beauty and grooming tips to the salon’s current and prospective clients. Such aids fall under the perpetuating commodification or practices of “beauty”; the secret routines of the woman’s beauty is commodified. The beauty industry offers beauty products to the salons to help in the maintenance of the client’s beautiful appearance. The salon industry suppliers teach the beauty therapists the best procedure to improve a person’s physical assets. Different brands compete for a share of the salon market. Different brands offer different benefits to the salon clients. Max Faxtor created his own line of beauty products; Max Factors successful markets its collapsible tubes segregated into 31 different color shades (Tungate, 2011). Avon markets its beauty products in stores such as Avon Color, Avon Wellness, and Advance Techniques hair care through stores and budgeted advertising (Klepacki, 2006). Each brand offers similar beauty enhancing marketing images. The beauty salon therapists help the females be the most attractive female in a group. Normally, the average female prefers to love and receive love in return (Blackman, 2008). In terms of why, the theory states the importance of implementing the key concept for exploring the relationship between the social processes, media cultures and legal and government practices (Blackman, 2008). Thus, the research states that the social as well as cultural processes are communicated using the salon therapist as a means of communicating the benefits of patronizing the salon’s products and services. However, the woman must not overindulge in prioritizing the salon industry’s beauty therapists over other more important matters. The decreasing visits to the salon precipitates from the increasing demands of work, home and other spheres. Bourdieu (1984) reiterated that individuality, rivalry, and ‘distinction’ can be successful implemented by instituting a devaluation of society’s well-being as a whole. However, the women should not spend too much time frequenting the salon industry’s beauty therapists and spend lesser time studying lessons for class (Stein, 2003). The woman should not focus too much of her idle time talking nonsense to the salon industry beauty therapists to give way to other waiting salon clients (Gershman, 2008). Based on research, Lorraine Nordmann (Nordmann, 2007) proposes the time-wasting woman must learn that all the other salon clients are waiting too long to be served by the salon therapist. A long line of clients waiting to be served is a signal to the clients currently being served by the salon therapists to reduce their use of the salon industry beauty therapists’ time. A long line of complaining salon customers indicates that the salon must improve its current services to reduce the number of complaining clients. The salon therapists must reduce the therapists’ time focused when talking to a client or two within the salon’s premises. A study conducted shows that the average time allotted to each client for facial treatment should be is 60 minutes. In terms of the beauty salon’s commercialization culture, Joanne Entwistle (2001) mentioned that the dress is a basic need and this, according to the anthropologists, is true in all other commercial groups. Different cultures institute different dress codes on persons. The dress code includes the standard steps in terms of clothing, cosmetics, and other body art forms. Pamela Parkhurst (2004) opined the salon that hires hairdressers who close their eyes to the latest beauty trends generate lesser profits because they are not filling the needs or wants of the prospective clients. In addition, the successful salon must hire salon hairdressers who constantly update themselves with the latest beauty trends. Salons are more business like. Further, the salon industry’s beauty therapists are entrepreneurs, by heart. Eileen Shilling (2009) stated the salon industry’s beauty therapists use the cash revenue inflows as a basis for determining the company’s current and future salon profits. Catherine Avadis (2004) dictates the salon must generate as much salon revenue to defray its daily operating expenses and costs. Stuart Wesson (2001) reminds the salon must generate more than enough revenues to recover the expenses of running a salon on a daily basis. If the revenues are lesser than the total salon expenses, there is a big probability that the salon may generate lower profits. The bankruptcy state of the salon will force the salon owners to close shop. On the other hand, the salon entity will continue to operate if the salon generates more revenues compared to the daily operating expenses. In this case, the salon qualifies as a net profit company (Hilton, 2007). There are some issues on the supposed morality in the salon therapists’ transmitting of beauty norms in the salon’s business climate. The therapist must ethically prioritize filling the clients’ beauty needs. Consequently, salon revenues will increase. The satisfied client will advertise the benefits of visiting the salon. In turn, the number of salon clients will increase. Salon therapists should advertise the salon’s ethically acceptable standards of beauty to generate profits (Milady, 2011). Culture. The world of the beauty salon is about cultural relations, not about beauty. The salon clients emphatically frequent a salon belonging on one’s cultural identity. Each salon client is comfortable entrenched within the cultural group’s unique experiences during the aesthetics-based salon visits. Each salon visitor aims to be possibly accepted by the client’s own cultural group (Black 190). For example, Janell Hobson (2005) mentioned the people of European culture were very intrigued by the African American’s dark colour. The darkness of the African slaves’ skin color fascinated the Western Culture. In fact, the African American slaves were culturally called the “Hottentot Venus” to spectators in Europe. This clearly shows European people do not treat the African colour as an equal to the European color culture. Racial discrimination was at its highest during United States’ colonial day where the Caucasian residents purchased the African Americans as personal property or slaves. Further, culture dictates that different colours call for different makeup patterns of colors and tones (Thevoz, 1984). The salon experts would place makeup that brings out the beauty of the salon diverse clients’ eyes. Some cultures dictate salon experts would prefer to place makeup to focus the males’ attention on the lovely lips of the female salon client. Other salon experts would prefer to enhance the female clients’ hair to entice the males. Teri LaFlesh (2010) opined some females look best with curly hairs. John Chadwick (1982) mentioned some people prefer women with straight hair. Still, other women clients are more beautiful with short hair (Chadwick, 1982). Further, other women have clients who look best with long hair. A study conducted showed African American women walked proudly outside the salon with the very attractive Afro hairstyle. The African American women leave the salon with their head held high (Chadwick, 1982). The other males frequent the beauty salon therapists to make themselves physically groomed for the business environment culture. The salons will enhance the male clients’ impression on the company’s present and future customers. Sexuality. The world of the beauty salon is about emphatic sexuality, not about beauty. The salon customers visit the salons that best increases one’s sexual attraction. Each salon client is entrenched on each group’s unique sexuality aim to attract a suitor or a spouse when visiting the aesthetics-oriented beauty salon therapist. Each salon visitor aims to possibly be accepted by the opposite gender within the salon client’s group (Black 190). Andrew Barry (1996) reiterated Foucault announced concerted action is not necessary for the implementation of the freedom that focuses on the relation of self to self; a challenge that shows the certain techniques of what is a self does. In addition, Foucault (1990) emphasised that there is such as racial thing as bourgeois sexuality. Further, Cressida Heynes (2007) mentioned the dominant image of self is a picture that presupposes the presence of an inner core of the person that is characterized by how the outer physical appearance of the person. The outer physical appearance may obscure the real definition or characteristics of the person. Furthermore, the females enter the beauty salon to be the apple of the eye of the community. The bride will visit the beauty therapists of the salons prepare the bride for her wedding occasion (Black, 1994;35). The bride must look her best for the sake of her bridegroom, family, and church wedding visitors. Society dictates that the bride is required to visit the salon to beauty herself on her wedding day. Beautifying includes having a complete facial, and body beauty overhaul (Black, 1994;35) In terms of analysis, group norms persuade salon clients to comply with the norms of one’s group. The male gender conforms to what is enshrined in the group norms in order to attract the female gender; noncompliance will normally result to rejection or generating lower chances of winning one’s love interest will accept the male’s overtures. In the same light, salon clients must conform to cultural norms in order to enjoy the group’s many benefits; the benefits include the group’s invitation for the salon client to join the group’s parties and other activities. Noncompliance with group norms may trigger group alienation of the salon client (Raymond, 1990). In terms of the media society’s panoptic gaze, the salon client is characterized as a person who is persuaded to comply with group norms. Media affirms the salon client’s group acceptance upon compliance with the group norms. Media also disapproves the salon customer’s alienation from the group due to violation of the group’s policies, procedures and other group criteria. Media plays a pivotal role in the client’s acceptance. Further, the topics are very interesting to the research. The interest lies in the researchers’ gaining of additional relevant knowledge to determine what makes the salons very popular to all types of people. The new knowledge increases the salon’s profitability. The study aids the researcher and all other interested parties in gathering more relevant entrepreneurial knowledge to help increase the salon company’s revenues and net profits. The emphasis of the research clearly delves in the use of health and beauty issues of the salon as the selling points to increase the demand for the salon’s services. The research shows that the salon issue is resolved using four very timely issues of culture, gender, race, commercialization, culture, and sexuality. Based on the above discussion, the world of the beauty salon must not only be about beauty. The world of beauty salon shows how the salon therapists explain to the salon clients how to understand their human body, a commodity, and how clients should be properly adorned and modified in a range of historical and cultural contexts to increase the salon clients’ popularity or acceptance. The above salon study proves there is a significant relationship between the salon expert, client’s body (self), fashion and society. The commercial nature of the salon benefits both the salon and the clients. The clients pay for the beauty services of the salon. 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