Nationwide — The state of New York has introduced a new requirement for cosmetology students that aims to make sure future hairdressers can work with every hair type. The new rule took effect September 1 and requires students training to become licensed hairdressers to learn how to care for and style hair ranging from straight to tightly coiled. The change is intended to better prepare future salon professionals to serve clients with different hair textures.
Under the law, cosmetology and natural hair styling programs must teach students about the properties of different hair types and scalps. The training must also cover hair care and styling techniques for textured hair. Students will have to demonstrate those skills during state licensing exams before they can become licensed.
According to The Guardian, the requirement was included in legislation sponsored by New York Assembly member Michaelle Solages and signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2023. Schools were given three years to update their programs before the new rules took effect. The law does not add to the number of hours students need to complete for a cosmetology license. Instead, schools must include the new training within their existing programs.
Solages said the measure focuses on making hair services more accessible across New York. “This is about equal access to service,” she said in a statement earlier this year. “No New Yorker should ever walk into a salon and be turned away or receive substandard care because of their hair texture. Now, with the adoption of this legislation, they won’t have to.”
The new requirements also mean cosmetology schools must provide students with enough instruction to confidently handle a wide range of hair textures. This includes understanding how textured hair responds to different products and styling techniques. The goal is to expand students’ skills without requiring additional training hours or increasing the cost of their education.
New York is not the only state moving to expand textured hair education in cosmetology schools. New Jersey approved similar legislation in January. Its law requires cosmetology students to receive training in textured hair and adds curly hair to both written and practical portions of state licensing exams. It also requires schools to have the proper tools and materials needed to train students to work with textured hair.