Pink Collar Workers: The Unsung Heroes of the Beauty World

They’re the unsung heroes of the beauty world.

The pink collar workers whose hands and expertise you trust to touch your hair, your face, your hands, your feet, even the parts of you that almost no one else sees—they’re the ones you turn to when you could use a pick-me-up, when you need to feel restored, when you’re in the mood for a little polish, when you want to look and feel your best.

Step into a salon, spa, or clinic and you’ll see them—hard at work behind the scenes to give you that glossy sheen.

The shampoo girl who knows that you like the water warm and then, for the final rinse, cold. The hairstylist who manages to tame your stubborn locks. The nail tech who remembers that you’re drawn to nudes—and never reds. The aesthetician you run to during breakouts. The wax specialist who turns a ritual of discomfort into an act of care. The massage therapist who is so good at kneading away your stress.

Excel Panlaque

Their work is not just about precision and skill. There’s an emotional component to each appointment. Do you need silence or conversation? Advice or just a listening ear? They often act like your therapist. Many of them hold your secrets. But few of them you hold dear.

In an industry built on visibility, they are often unseen.

Pink collar workers rarely get the respect and recognition they deserve. They’re always there, ready to provide service, and so we take them for granted.

It took a global pause for us to notice. During the pandemic, when heading out to our favorite self-care stops became almost impossible, we realized just how much we had come to rely on these beauty professionals.

Our bodies bore witness to their absence—our overgrown roots, uneven nails, unruly brows. We tried to replicate what they do—we cut our own hair, often with disastrous results, did at-home facials and dye jobs—but it just wasn’t the same.

Kieran Punay

It was a lesson in appreciation. But did it stick?

Life has returned to its usual rhythm. We’re back to sitting in those familiar chairs and relaxing on those beds, ready to be pampered by pink collar workers. Their jobs are physically demanding. They’re on their feet for long hours, doing repetitive movements that take a toll on their bodies, they’re exposed to all sorts of chemicals. They’re overworked and undervalued. Despite being part of a billion-dollar industry, many of them are not paid fairly, have unstable incomes, and depend on tips that don’t always come.

In the midst of these realities, a new generation of beauty professionals is changing the narrative—elevating their craft, building their personal brands, and stepping into the spotlight that their work has long deserved.

Kieran Punay

Take Trisha Mendoza, or Trishafied online, who has been transforming people not just by adding length and volume to their hair, but by restoring confidence one strand at a time.

Or Mimi Qiu Reyes, the celebrity nail artist who treats manicures as an art form rather than a routine service. In her hands, nails become miniature canvases shaped by meticulous technique and boundless creativity.

There’s also Pia Lee, or Kilay Alert online, whose passion for beautiful brows led her to patent her own award-winning method for creating natural-looking eyebrows.

They are claiming space—turning what was once invisible labor into celebrated craft. In building names for themselves, they are also building recognition for an entire workforce that has long remained unseen.

Beauty has always been about transformation, and this is an important one: learning to value the people behind it.

Art direction by Nicole Almero, assisted by Mikiyo Ricamora. Beauty direction by Leira Aquino. Photography by Kieran Punay (Trisha Mendoza and Pia Lee), and Excel Panlaque (Mimi Qiu Reyes).