Salon terms

I have heard a number of different words used to describe "a person who does hair." Stylist, cosmetologist, aesthetician. My dear, sweet grandmother, bless her, goes every week to her "beauty operator" in the "beauty parlor." Now I'm fairly sure that's a dated term, but what about "hairdresser?" I hear that a lot in Michigan and they're using it on American Idol, so *perhaps* it's modern. (Ryan Seacrest is just SO COOL it must be :P)

What do YOU call the person who works wonders on your hair? I wonder if it is a regional/colloquial thing, so tell us what part of the country/world you're from. And to the salon artists out there, what are the differences between the terms? Is hairdresser the same as stylist?

Anyway, have a lovely evening!

I have heard all of those terms but I was told that the current term is "stylist." It used to be hairdresser because they actually dressed the hair but now it is stylist because they do the whole style. I think beautician came from beauty school a long time ago. I still occasionally say beauty parlor rather than salon but I believe that salon is the appropriate term for now. I have also heard beauty operator (weird term).

I guess it is just the evolution of the terminology to justify the huge increase in prices that has come about over the years. Some stylists make more than doctors (I know mine does but he is worth it).

Yet another person from Michigan! I swear there's a whole pack of us on these boards. Too bad Michigan isn't really a cool place to live....just cold, overtaxed and locked in by lots of water.

:-) But I'm not complaining. Oh no, not ever. At least there's jetskiing in the summer.

In Quebec, I don't know since I don't go.

30 months of freedom, now at 41cm, aiming for I can say safely double that.

LOL, Hairalways you've got it right about us Michiganders...It is Frigid! But I don't mind it at all. Things don't slow down too much. But if we do get any hibernation time, I don't mind it at all.

Lyris, is younger than I, and I bet she would rather be on a beach .
Kintaro...it must be cold in O'Canada too.

Sorry, didn't mean to get off the thread

An aesthetician is a person who practices aesthetics. Aesthetics means practicing the care and beautification of the skin of the human body for compensation, including but not limited to cleaning, applying cosmetics, oils lotions, clay, creams, antiseptics, powders, tonics to or massaging, stimulating, wrapping or exercising the skin of the body.
Just FYI

I think most of the people who do things to hair around here are called stylists, although I've heard hairdresser. I don't know from personal experience - I don't go to them!
Gren