Restrictions Lifted, Freelance Beauty Artists Rejoice

This is just for the small business owner that goes to do a bride before a wedding.” - Karin Housley

Photo by Elena Buzmakova(borisova)
Photo by Elena Buzmakova(borisova)

A bill has passed both houses allowing hairstylists and makeup artists to freelance in their areas of work without a full cosmetology license.

The bill is expected to be signed into law in the summer of 2020 and will allow freelancers to be exempt from having to get a full cosmetology license. To be exempt, freelancers must take a 4-hour course, either in person or online, about health and state law. In the beauty industry, freelancers and business owners alike are celebrating the passage of the bill and Senator Housley.

“This isn’t for a full-on salon license, where they do hair cutting and coloring. This is just for the small business owner that goes to do a bride before a wedding,” said chief author Karin Housley.

The bill has support from Faces of Etc. MN, a beauty school based in Minneapolis, and WarPaint Beauty, a beauty service company that connects freelancers with clients.

The board of cosmetology had changed its rules in 2018 to require that freelancers working in weddings need a full cosmetology license, which Senator Housley said could cost $10,000 to $20,000, and 2,100 hours of training. And the board of cosmetology was recently going to add another 2,700 hours of training, but with prodding from Senator Housley and others, those extra requirements were dropped.

Hairstylists and makeup artists were allowed to do practice their skills at weddings for free, but if they were to charge the board of cosmetology would require them to have a full license. 

“I’m just amazed that the board would be even doing this, making this an issue when so clearly this should not be an issue,” said Mary Kiffmeyer, a member of the MN Senate Finance Committee.

Judah Torgerud

Judah Torgerud is a freelance journalist working with Alpha News to keep the people informed and bring the truth to light. Contact him at whqnu@nycunarjfza.pbz.