Raise your hand if you would have NOT been able to beauty school without a loan?!
In the last few years I’ve learned that schools feed the entire beauty industry eco system.
They are the ones who shape tomorrows work force & without them we not only loose schools, incredible companies & educators we loose a strong industry, they are the funnel for the workforce we hire. This would impact negatively every single corner of the industry & our legitimacy very quickly.
We need students being graduated constantly to keep our industry thriving. TODAY & for the next little bit we need every single beauty & wellness pro to help. Salon owners, beauty pros, influencers & those who love our industry. We need help now.
SAVE OUR BEAUTY SCHOOLS & INDUSTRY!!! There is a bill being passed that would cut loan funding for beauty school students which would put 92% of beauty schools in the United States are at risk of closing because of a federal regulation that completely ignores how this industry actually works. This has been an issue for a long time but our voice is needed now so we can be categorized & prioritized correctly.
It does not count tips, part time schedules, the gender wage gap, how many of us are entrepreneurs, how many women work in this field & are mothers & don’t work full time schedules, the large portion of our industry that is minorities & the systemic differences, the years it takes to build a clientele & much more. It just decides that this path is not worth protecting or providing resources for.
We refuse to stay quiet about this…we have worked so hard to make this industry great & we must protect it & share the impact we have.
This industry gave so many of us a career when nothing else fit. It gave us a license, a livelihood, & a community. It gave our clients a safe place to land on their hardest days. It built businesses, employed families, & created entrepreneurs out of people the world forgot to count.
That is not a backup plan. That is a calling. Add your voice to the My Secret Impact movement right now.
It takes less than 90 seconds & it can SAVE this industry. Read the instructions above or below in caption ⚠️⬇️
Introducing the My Secret Impact campaign: a powerful, industry-wide initiative designed to highlight the real impact of beauty, barber, and wellness professionals and bring greater awareness to the challenges our sector is facing. Right now, it’s critical that we come together to share the true value of this industry. Learn more at the link at the bio!
Your step-by-step guide to entering SSOTY 2026 is here. 👇
We’ve broken it down step-by-step so you can guide your students from idea to submission.
✔️ Free to enter
✔️ Open through May 15
✔️ Resources available (flyer, rubric, sample video + more)
Start preparing your students now and help them shine on a national stage.
👉 Tap through to see how to enter
🔗Access the portal + resources: aacs.events/ssoty
#StudentStylist #BeautyEducation #CosmetologyStudents #FutureProfessionals #BeautyInstructor #AACS #CareerEducation #NextGenStylists #BeautySchool #SkillsTraining
We had to get in on this trend, but we couldn't choose just one! Swipe and let us know your fave.
Educators: no matter your generation or experience level, CEA was built for you. Learn more at aacs.events/CEA2026 ☀️
#FunFriday #Marketing #GenZ #Millennial #AACS #CEA2026
“Close the schools, and the licensing pipeline closes with them.”
In a new op-ed for PennLive, Frank Schoeneman, chairman and CEO of Empire Beauty Schools, explains how the Dept. of Ed’s proposed accountability framework could devastate beauty schools, workforce pipelines, and student opportunity in Pennsylvania and across the country.
The proposal threatens far more than schools—it threatens the future supply of licensed professionals entering salons, spas, and barbershops nationwide.
Read the full op-ed: /opinion/2026/05/a-federal-rule-threatens-to-destroy-pennsylvanias-beauty-school-pipeline-opinion.html
CECU was pleased to welcome the new Executive Director of AACS, John Russell to our offices yesterday for a discussion on strategy and collaboration in addressing the new proposed accountability regulations. CECU looks forward to working closely with AACS, the association representing cosmetology and beauty and wellness schools throughout the process and into the future.
Good news: The deadline for the 2026 AACS & L’Oréal Student Stylist of the Year competition has been EXTENDED through May 22! 🎉
We’ve heard from schools and students nationwide who are still preparing submissions—and we want every student to have the opportunity to participate.
✔ FREE to enter
✔ Open to all students enrolled at AACS member schools
✔ National recognition + major prizes
There’s still time to showcase creativity, technical skill, and passion for the industry in this year's theme: Avante-Garde After Dark 🖤🌙🐦⬛✨️
🗓 New Deadline: May 22
👉 Learn more + enter: aacs.events/ssoty
What’s at stake under the Department of Education’s proposed accountability framework?
According to a new op-ed from AACS Vice Chair Stacy Wells and industry advocate Elizabeth Faye:
✖ Access to career education for 150,000 students annually
✖ The future of beauty, barber, and wellness schools
✖ A workforce powered by small businesses, entrepreneurs, and women
The proposed framework ignores key realities of our industry — including tips, self-employment, and the time it takes professionals to build clientele and income.
“This isn’t just about haircuts and manicures. This is about the American Dream.”
Read the full op-ed and make your comments by May 20 (link in bio).
#AACS #BeautyEducation #CareerEducation #BeautyIndustry #WorkforceDevelopment #HigherEducation #CosmetologySchool #BarberSchool #EstheticsSchool
The Department of Education has proposed a rule that would eliminate federal student loan access for most beauty and wellness students and schools. By their own estimate, over 90% of beauty schools would close within a few years as a result.
The reason why? To put it as simple as possible: money. They don’t think people make enough money in this industry to warrant the use of federal funds.
If your livelihood has anything to do with this industry, and you have benefited economically from a career in beauty - your voice matters here. Brands, employers, vendors - you especially! This is a whole ecosystem.
The most important thing YOU can do is submit a comment sharing your background backed by real numbers. The public comment period closes May 20. This video shows you exactly how to submit one and it takes minutes. DM me with any questions. If you need more detailed comment instructions dm me and I’ll send you a PDF.
Please share this to other beauty industry ppl ❤️
#beautyindustry #beautyschool #beauty @winnclaybaugh@lynelle.lynch@heyelizabethfaye@jenn_lyles@schoolsvictoria.wella
Military spouses shouldn’t lose career momentum every time duty calls. 🇺🇸 ✂️💅💆♀️
Check out this op-ed published by @thestarsandstripes and authored by @necolecumberlander (U.S. @airnationalguard veteran, licensed cosmetologist, and co-owner of @pmtscleveland & @pmtscolumbus )
Beauty, barber, and wellness careers provide valuable employment opportunities for military families—offering flexibility, entrepreneurship, and meaningful careers that can move with them.
But the proposed federal earnings test ignores career interruptions, relocation realities, entrepreneurship, and long-term income growth common across our industry.
Read more via @thestarsandstripes and make your comments to the federal government by May 20 (link in bio)
#MilitarySpouse #MilitaryFamilies #Cosmetology #BeautyIndustry #Barbering #WellnessIndustry #CareerEducation #AACS #BeautyCareers
/opinion/2026-05-12/military-spouse-cosmetology-license-congress-21648300.html
The Department of Education is finalizing a federal decision that, by the Department’s own math, could shut down 92% of cosmetology schools in America — and the workforce pipeline behind hundreds of thousands of small businesses with it.
This week, American Salon covered the story, featuring insight from AACS Vice Chair Stacy Wells and AACS Executive Director John D. Russell on why the proposed test fails the very industry it claims to protect.
Here’s the problem ⬇️
❌ The test compares brand-new licensed graduates to high school graduates ages 25–34 with years of workforce experience.
❌ It ignores:
• Tips
• Part-time schedules
• Self-employment
• The 6–7 years it takes many beauty and wellness professionals to build a clientele
❌ It also ignores gender and minority wage gaps in an industry that is:
• 83% women
• 47% people of color
• 98% single-location small businesses
(Source: Professional Beauty Association)
🗣️ “I could train 100% of my graduates, with 100% pass rate and 100% placement rate, yet I could fail,” Wells told American Salon.
🗣️ “The Department put certificate programs back into the rule when they were specifically excluded in the bill that was signed into law,” Russell said. “The best thing right now is to urge the department to follow the law.”
The impact goes far beyond schools.
“You choke this pipeline of talent and everybody’s going to feel it,” Wells said. “From manufacturers and distributors to business owners and landlords and the people sitting in the chair.”
⏰ The public comment period closes May 20.
Beauty professionals, salon owners, manufacturers, distributors, students, graduates, and consumers can all make their voices heard.
📢 Submit a comment: myaacs.org/submit-a-comment/
🔗 Read the full story from American Salon:
/education/beauty-industry-rallies-against-harmful-new-federal-policy
#BeautyIndustry #CosmetologySchool #BeautyEducation #AACS #BeautyProfessionals #Cosmetology #Esthetics #Barbering #MassageTherapy #CareerEducation #SmallBusiness #BeautyCommunity #BeautySchools
🚨 1 week left to submit!
We're getting down to the wire! Support student participation in the this year's Student Stylist of the Year competition.
This is a powerful opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills and represent your school on a national stage.
📅 Deadline: May 15
Make sure your students don’t miss out:
👉 aacs.events/ssoty
