cos·me·tol·o·gy - /ˌkäzməˈtäləjē/ - noun
the professional skill or practice of beautifying the face, hair, and skin.
When most people hear the word hairstylist, they instantly picture a female. Which is a common misunderstanding, because the field is shared with males as well. Some of the more well-known male hairdressers include Vidal Sassoon, Paul Mitchell and John Frieda. They have changed the game for future male hairstylists giving a better platform to show their skills under the stereotype. A lot of males have taken on cosmetology careers in the 20th century due to the high demand, lucrative pay and endless opportunities in the industry.
When being a hairstylist you tend to be your own boss, meaning you have to market yourself, schedule appointments, and learn new trends all while trying to stand out from others to bring in new clientele. Luckily, social media has made a big impact in the beauty industry making it a bit easier to do the promoting but hairstylists still run into challenges. One of those challenges include finding a place to rent that is both affordable and a good size space. The second being the cost of such a find can range between $100-$250 weekly. People don’t realize how many things have to be taken in consideration when becoming a hairstylist, making this a challenging but rewarding career.
Jorge “Killa Kutz” Prieto has definitely made a name for himself in the tri state area and embraced all challenges thrown his way. At 27 years old, Jorge has 10 years of experience in the hairstyling business. Born in Michoacan, Mexico, the Prieto family moved to the U.S. when he was 3 years old to better their opportunities and future. It was a different world but once he was enrolled in school and learned to speak fluent English, his life changed immensely.
“I loved growing up in this area. It felt like a small community and I was able to build a lot of good, strong friendships. Friendships I’ve stayed in contact with most of my adulthood.”
Jorge’s first barbershop experience came at a young age while visiting family in California. His cousin took him to the local barbershop where he would get his first haircut with a line up. Since he didn’t have anyone to do upkeep on his new haircut, he was forced to learn & practice on himself and his brother. After practicing consistently, classmates noticed their hairstyles, which peaked interest. Once they found out he was doing it himself they were on board with becoming his guinea pigs.
High school years were tough as he began his “rebellious years”, making him less concerned with his studies. His parents were very supportive when it came to education and helped guide him to do good but even then his interest wasn’t there. The one thing he didn’t stray away from was cutting hair. He had a consistent flow of people going to his parents garage for haircuts making him a couple of dollars on the side.
Post high school, Jorge worked at various clothing stores and still found time to take care of his growing clientele.
“I was doing better at my side gig than my retail job. So I decided to get licensed through cosmetology school. There were so many benefits to going to school for this career. Better understanding and education on the human body, skin, nails and different hair types. Also, being able to work in a healthy professional environment.”
Jorge decided to go part time, while still living with his parents. He enrolled at Charles of Italy Beauty College and Massage Therapy School in Bullhead City. At the time, this was the only school offering financial aid for all schooling & materials.
Jorge graduated from Charles of Italy and soon after became licensed. He is currently the only male hairdresser at Jean Jeffrey The Salon in Bullhead City, where he takes on numerous clients a day during a 10 hour shift. His success with male hairstyles has allowed him to work with a strict male clientele now. His childhood friends & classmates now bring their children to see him for their weekly upkeep, giving his clients some father - son bonding time.
***Short Q&A in the photo section***
(Intro by: A.A. )
