Book excerpt: Congratulations! You are about to start on a journey that can take you in many directions and holds the potential to make you a confident, successful professional in cosmetology. As a cosmetologist, you will become a trusted professional, the person your clients rely on to provide them with ongoing service, enabling them to look and feel their best. You will become as personally involved in your clients' lives as their physicians or dentists are, and with study and practice, you can be as much in demand as a well-regarded medical provider. - Preface.