Beauty Culture Law

Pennsylvania’s statutes include the Beauty Culture Law, an Act that regulates the practice of cosmetology. Recently, an unlicensed business challenged the application of the Act to its activities.

The business operated “eyebrow-threading” kiosks at several locations, Eyebrow threading is a process in which facial hair is removed by looping thread around a facial hair and pulling it out. The employees of the business were not licensed cosmetologists.

Under the Act, “cosmetology includes any or all work done for compensation,’ usually performed by cosmetologists, “which work is for the embellishment, cleanliness and beautification of human hair” and for the “removal of superfluous hair.” The business objected to being regulated by the Board of Cosmetology, claiming that eyebrow threading has not usually been done by cosmetologists, Despite the fact that schools of cosmetology don’t even teach it, the court found that the Act applies to eyebrow threading. Pennsylvania’s eyebrow-threading businesses must be run by licensed cosmetologists and must be licensed.