Louisiana Hair Braiding School and Requirements

If you want to be a hair braider in Louisiana, you must complete a hair braiding school program and earn an alternative hair design special permit. This permit allows Louisianans to practice braiding, extensions, and other relevant treatments. While it does require classwork and an exam, the amount of time you must spend in school is shorter than if you got a cosmetology license.

Read on to learn more about becoming a hair braider in Louisiana, including what the state's braiders can do, what the alternative hair design curriculum and exams look like and how much you may earn when employed in this field. Browse our directory of hair braiding schools in Louisiana, or skip ahead to learn about the state's hair braiding licensing requirements and job outlook.

What Louisiana Hair Braiders Can Do

Hair braiders in Louisiana can create hair designs, particularly those involving adding natural or synthetic hair and braiding and locking, without changing the client's hair. This means they can:

• Twist
• Wrap
• Weave
• Extend
• Lock
• Braid
• Use products that don't involve chemical reactions (e.g., clays, oils)
• Create and use wigs

You may not cut, dye, or chemically straighten or curl hair as a braider. To do those things, you need a Louisiana cosmetology license.

Louisiana Alternative Hair Design Curriculum

Louisiana hair braiding school has to run for at least 500 hours and cover relevant history, science, and practical topics. At a minimum, your alternative hair program should teach:

• Bacteriology and Sanitation
• Braiding and Sculpting
• Client Consultation
• Hair Types and Structure
• History
• Louisiana Cosmetology Act and Rules and Regulations
• Scalp Diseases and Disorders
• Shampoos, Conditioners, Herbal Treatments, and Rinses for Synthetic Hair

Louisiana Hair Braiding Test

It's time to take your test once you complete your Louisiana hair braiding school program. The Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology created a practical exam that takes under two hours to complete. You need to bring two mannequins (one with a track extension) to perform the following:

• Bonding and removing a bonded extension
• Corn rows with sew-on extension and subsequent extension removal
• Smooth and blended three strand under-hand braid with extension
• Three strand over-braid

Louisiana Cosmetology License vs. Alternative Hair Permit

There are times when you may want to consider getting a cosmetology license instead of an alternative hair permit in Louisiana. For instance, if you wish to perform permanent or semi-permanent hair treatments or live far away from a school teaching alternative hair, it may be wise to look at this path.

Cosmetology programs in Louisiana last for 1,500 hours and include hair, nails, and skincare lessons. The good news? They do teach alternative hair design and braiding! This isn't the case in many states. So, if you need a cosmetology license instead of an alternative braiding license, you still receive some training in your preferred subject.

It's worth noting there aren't many places to study hair braiding in Louisiana. As of 2023, only four schools can offer alternative hair design programs in the state. If you don't live near one of these schools, cosmetology—provided at many schools statewide—could be a better choice than braiding.

READ MORE: Learn More About Cosmetology School in Louisiana

As an alternative, you could investigate a shampooing special permit. This requires only 40 training hours. Though it doesn't allow you to braid hair, you may be able to use that permit to get your start in the beauty industry, earn some money, and either commute or move to an area with a hair braiding school. It may not be ideal, but it's an option for those not wanting to complete such a long program before starting their hair career.

Louisiana Hair Braider Salary

ZipRecruiter reports as of November 2023, Louisiana braiders working from home average $33,813 per year. Those employed by others aren't included in that number, though.

Considering other options? Cosmetologists average $28,740, and shampooers make $27,710 as of 2022. Neither of those amounts includes self-employed people, so keep that in mind!

Factors like location, type of workplace, and years of experience all affect pay potential. To figure out how much you could expect to earn, it's best to speak with those already employed in your chosen field and working in your area.

Contact the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology