Throughout the recession, I’ve always believed that even frugalistas couldn’t ever cut out a haircut from their list of beauty services. So when I heard about an upscale New York salon with free haircuts I just had to share it with you.

Cristiano Cora has a salon in Manhattan’s West Village and on Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm he is offering free haircuts to the unemployed, as long as they can prove this. Normally, haircuts with Cora, himself, cost a whopping $300. But if you’re unemployed, they are free. I guess it pays to be unemployed in this instance.

Cora told ABC7 News in New York: “My goal is to make you look good, so you can walk away feeling good and go for an interview and have energy and feeling will help you get a job.” What a great idea and way to give back to the community. It’s a great way to help people who may not be feeling so good about themselves in a difficult time. With a new look, they may be able to go out and become a brand new person.

It’s charitable gestures from people like Cora that really restore my faith in other people. What a great hair stylist!

Visit the salon’s website and schedule your appointment by emailing CristianoCoraUnemploymentCuts@gmail.com.

-Amanda Fornecker

Being a spa or beauty professional doesn’t just mean getting your spa and beauty degree or practicing at a salon or spa. It goes beyond that. This is especially true when you talk to other beauty professionals out there. How can you find these professionals? Well, like most other professions, there exists a great many support groups out there in the form of associations. Here are a few you may want to check out!

International Spa Association
The International Spa Association (ISPA) was established in 1991 to support and further educate spa professionals. Members come from all different areas of the spa industry, including resorts, salons, cruise ships, nutrition, massage therapy, and much more. With all the possibilities and variety out there, you’re sure to find someone else who is in a similar situation as yourself. Conferences, networking events, and helpful information regarding the latest spa news is what makes membership in ISPA such an exciting thing for a spa professional.

National Cosmetology Association
The National Cosmetology Association has been around since 1921, which makes this beauty association quite and exciting place to belong. Salon owners, estheticians, nail technicians, and other cosmetology professionals join the ranks of this association. Volunteering is at the heart of those who participate in the National Cosmetology Association, as well as sharing their own knowledge and passing it on to those new beauty professionals.

Professional Beauty Association
The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) is different in that it supports salons and spa, distributors, and manufacturers. The association keeps you up-to-date on the latest news, rules, and regulations within the beauty industry. It’s a great place to network and even learn, as the Professional Beauty Association gives aspiring salon owners, for example, tips and tricks on being successful and achieving their goals.

-Amanda Fornecker

Sometimes it’s those around you that can truly influence and inspire you. And you may find these individuals in beauty school. Take Melanie Zagar and Liz Hofrichter, for instance. These two present-day beauty salon owners met in beauty school and now they have turned what once was a dream into a reality.

When you participate in a specialized program, whether it be beauty school, grad school, or some other career school program, you are surrounded with people who are passionate. This is why I believe that beauty school — or any school you are interested in — is completely worth it.

This is especially true if you are passionate about the material. Having just enrolled in grad school myself, I understand the joy, motivation, and hard work that can come out of studying something you’re passionate about. I see this surround me with my fellow students, professors, and department heads.

And it’s not only in grad school. Career-focused programs are filled with individuals who truly want to be there. While you may have the required slow course or two, you’re still working toward something you really want to take to the next level. And it is here that you will be working with individuals who have been successful in their very field and wish to pass on their knowledge from over the years to you, the aspiring beauty professionals.

I know I’ve said it countless times, but there are so many advantages to pursuing your beauty passion. Not only does beauty school give you the flexibility, shorter programs, and real-world experience, but you’ll also find dedicated faculty and lifelong friends. And in the case of Zagar and Hofrichter (you can read more about their friendship-turned-partnership here), a business partner that can help you achieve your success. You just need to want it badly enough.

-Amanda Fornecker