Les esthéticiennes, “petites mains” de l’industrie cosmétique ?

The article deals with a highly feminized, working class profession, beauticians, in placing it in the economic sector it belongs to: aesthetics-cosmetics. It is however dominated by a cosmetics industry which produces the various substances used in beauty care by both the professionals (beauticians) and consumers. Our first part rapidly sketches the contours of the relations existing between the profession of beautician and the cosmetics industry: the history of this relationship began with the invention, in the early 20th century, of the profession of beautician, as well as the economic and representative structuring of the sector around the distribution channels for cosmetics production the beauticians and their work places formed part of. The next two parts are devoted to how these bonds are incarnated in the beauticians’ work, all in focusing on the place taken by the cosmetic products. On the one hand, the work of sales, and the commercial relations with the brands producing the products used as a part of services, place the beauticians in a relationship of dependence with regard to those brands, and lead to a feeling of disqualification. But the other hand, beauticians may free themselves from the cosmetics industry’s grasp in developing their own cosmetological expertise.