Becoming a Hairstylist in Indonesia and Australia: What’s Different?

So here’s something not many people know about me — back in Indonesia, I did more hairstyling than makeup! Surprising, right? Hair styling is just one of those things that not everyone is confident doing. Even for myself, when I’m a bridesmaid or attending a special event, I’d rather book a hairstylist than attempt to curl my own hair (because seriously, how do people not burn their fingers?).

But when I moved to Australia, I realised hairstyling here is on a whole other level. Let me share a few differences I’ve noticed between hairstyling in Indonesia and here in Australia.

1. The Amount of Products — OMG, It’s Wild!

In Indonesia, we kept it simple:

• One mousse, one hairspray, and two brushes. Done.

In Australia, though? It's like a whole science lab:

• Hydrating cream, heat protectant, styling gel, curl cream, working hairspray, finishing hairspray, shine cream...you get the idea.

I remember a hairstylist here asking me, “What working hairspray do you use?” and I was like, “What the heck is that?” 😳

Back home, everything was multifunctional — one hairspray did the job from start to finish. Here, if you don’t layer products correctly, apparently your client’s hair won’t survive the event. It’s a lot to learn!

2. Hair Prep Is a Whole Ritual

In Indonesia, hair prep wasn’t really a thing (at least back when I started). You’d curl the hair, spray it to hold, and call it a day.

Here? Blow-drying, adding mousse, shine cream, smoothing products... it can take up to TWO HOURS. 😮

I tried following these techniques during a course I took, but honestly, I was like, “Nah, I need to get this done in 45 minutes!”. It's been a learning curve, to say the least!

3. Hairstyle Expectations

In Indonesia, brides often want two different styles:

• An elegant updo for the ceremony in the morning, and

• Beautiful waves or a half-up style for the evening reception.

That’s just how we do it.

I had a bride once tell me she got quoted a crazy amount for this, and I was like, “Girl, we do this ALL THE TIME in Indo.” It’s just part of the job because we committed for the touch up.

Finding My Confidence Again

I won’t lie — hairstyling in Australia has been intimidating. I felt like I wasn’t doing things “right” because I didn’t know all the products or fancy techniques. Imposter syndrome hit hard, and people are SOOOOO GOOOOD.

But then I reminded myself: I was fully booked every week back in Indonesia. People loved my work. I just need to adjust to the new environment and keep learning.

I’m still on this journey, figuring things out as I go. Maybe I’ll do a follow-up post once I’ve nailed it down. But for now, I’ll keep practicing and embracing this learning curve.

Thanks for reading my ramblings! If you’re a hairstylist navigating different cultures, I’d love to hear your experiences too!