The Making of an Esthetician

We have been getting a lot of really great comments on this blog and everyone is so knowledgeable. Sometimes I read your comments and I think I’m never going to get this. I might understand some of what you’re saying, but not everything.  There is so much to learn that it can be overwhelming.  But I want to learn and I want to know it so I try not to get discouraged.I keep hearing that school only teaches you the basics, and they teach you enough to pass the state exam. You’ll also get your training once you start working. Exactly what kind of training will we get? Will we have more schooling? Will we learn different massage techniques? Will we shadow a more experienced esthetician for awhile? How long do you train a newly licensed esthetician?

I know that everyone learns things at a different pace, but how long do you feel it takes before you should really know what you are doing? Not so much a specific technique, but WHY you are doing it; WHY this treatment is better for this client; WHY this product is better for this client because it has the ingredients that are better for your client.  Do you have any tips on learning ingredients? How long did it take you to get to the point where you felt really confident and knowlegeable?

1. Valerie
   June 19th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

   I have my nail license, massage certification, and now my esthetician license. Out of all of my training, I feel the esthetician training was the most overwhelming.

   Breathe … Breathe in. Breathe out. Keep doing that. It helps.

   No matter what freak out moment you are having, just remember that you want to help people. Live in your HEART, and let your brain take the passenger seat.

   Training:
   When you get a job [and this is ALL dependent on WHERE you get a job, and their view on training], you will not only receive product training, you will receive technique training BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO TOUCH A CLIENT.

   This is what happened for me at my first salon job. I worked as an assistant in the spa while I was being trained the way the spa wanted their services done. I learned step-by-step, and product-by-product.

   I practiced on each and every co-worker in my salon. No one was excluded: hair stylists, assistants, front desk people, my bosses, etc.

   By the time I got my license in the mail, I was able to be put into the appointment book (with an extra 15 minutes for each service in case I got behind) and started seeing clients. I would say it took me three (3) months of training before I got put into the appointment book.

   In those three months I got to meet our clients, I got to know my co-workers, I got to know the products, and I got to feel confident about the step-by-step of each service.

   Product training - believe it or not, there is not much difference between product lines. I can say that without hesitation because I have used MANY different product lines over the years, and there are a few different “treatments”, but the basics are the same: cleanse, exfoliate, massage, mask, moisturize, sunscreen. Ta-dah! That’s the basics, and products follow the basics. So as far as products go, you learn as you use them - so use them! On yourself, your family, friends, co-workers, bosses, etc. Ask these people to use the products (the way you tell them to) and see what the results are. That’s really the only way to learn. Why do you think doctor’s “practice” medicine? It’s the same for us.

   OK, the “why” … That’s for you to know AND for you to find out! Why is the age-old question! Curiosity is “why” you got into this field in the first place. And the best thing is (sometimes the worst thing), there are MANY answers to that question!

   Ingredients are quirky. Take it from someone with “sensitive” skin, I know! There may be clients that react to ingredients, and they might not even know about it. Again, trial and error. Just remember to keep some hydrocortisone cream and witch hazel in your treatment room. “Itch” = “witch” hazel (mostly w/massage creams/lotions)
   heat/burn/redness/swelling = hydrocortisone (waxing, reaction, etc.)

   There is really no good source for learning about ingredients, except the internet and other professionals. We got the Milady’s book in school about the ingredients, but it doesn’t cover all of them. Good product companies will provide info about the ingredients they use in their products.

   Remember: go with your GUT on product usage. We use a pretty large line of products, and I JUST got to attend a product knowledge class about 3 weeks ago (after using the products at our salon for almost 2 years and just winging it).

   There’s no specific time frame when you will suddenly feel confident.

   Feeling knowledgeable is easier. You gain knowledge from reading, studying, watching, listening, etc., so DO it - read, research, ask questions, go to seminars/trade shows/classes, whatever you can find. You can subscribe to “Skin Inc.”, “American Spa”, “DaySpa”, “DermaScope”, (etc.) magazines. I learn tons from them every month!

   I also belong to ASCP (Associated Skin Care Professionals) and they send me a magazine, plus all kinds of learning materials with my membership. Find an organization you like, and join it. It gives you credibility, liability insurance, and a way to network.

   Hope this helps - take what you want and leave the rest. Good luck!

2. Jenny, Esthetician/owner
   June 19th, 2008 at 10:19 pm

   After you pass the board the learning begins! Seek out advanced education classes and read as much as you can. Advanced skin care books by Dr. Pugliese are essential, check out (Allured Publishing). Ingredients, check out Cosmetic Ingredients, a book that might be helpful.
   Get your self a mentor and talk to other estheticians. Good Luck!

3. Maggie
   June 22nd, 2008 at 11:18 am

   Hi Sandra,

   You hit the nail on the head when you wrote, “everyone learns things at a different pace”. My advice to you would be to focus on YOUR OWN PATH as an esthetician. When you talk to other people about their experience, take in the information - it’s certainly valuable — but refrain from comparing your path to anyone else’s. Instead, compare the Sandra of yesterday to the Sandra of today. Are you improving your skills? Are you growing professionally and personally? Are you gaining knowledge and experience? There isn’t any shortcut to any place worth going. So enjoy the journey, day-by-day or week-by-week or month-by-month—as it continues to unfold for YOU. If the answer to those questions is ‘YES!” you will be constantly feeling more knowledgeable and confident. (Even if you make mistakes which is what we learn a lot more from!)

   Becoming an expert is the result of knowledge and experience combined. In order to gain knowledge about ingredients, make a list of those ingredients that may be floating around like little unsolved mysteries in your mind. Schedule an hour without any interruptions and look them up one by one. Get multiple perspectives. This basic information is your foundation. Then, experience the products that have those ingredients. Start with what’s appropriate for your skin. If something is not appropriate for your skin, ask knowledgeable estheticians with different skin types what works for them and why. LISTEN to your clients — about the products they use and their experiences.

   Jot down the things you learned about in your calendar each week. As time goes by your knowledge and confidence will increase.

   Schedule a facial for yourself in six months as a reward for your hard work. Enjoy the experience and use it to gage much MORE you know. If you apply yourself you will get what you are after. It’s all there for you to have and enjoy! Good luck.

4. Sandra
   June 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 am

   Valerie: Your comment made me laugh at first because I realized that it must’ve been so obvious I was having a freak out moment when I wrote this entry! But you made me relax and I thank you for that! :) I also thank you for the wonderful advice and for sharing your personal experience on the subject. When I do start looking for a spa job, I will be asking how they train and IF they train. I want to get into a place that will take the time to train me and is pro-education. It sounds like you had a really good experience with your first salon job. I hope I’ll be as lucky! Thanks again for answering ALL my questions!!! I really appreciate it!

5. Sandra
   June 23rd, 2008 at 9:12 am

   Jenny: Working at Allured has given me access to a lot of really great information. I will have to check out Cosmetic Ingredients. Thanks! And I would love to find a mentor and am currently working on that! Thanks for the comment!

6. Sandra
   June 23rd, 2008 at 9:18 am

   Maggie: Thanks for asking me those questions, because I did answer yes to all of them! I know I’ve learned and have grown in the last 9 months. I just need to keep remembering that! I like the idea of jotting down what I’ve learned each week. Thanks for the comment and for all the great advice!

7. src@spabizboard.com, Esthetician/Owner - www.SpaBizBoard.com
   July 14th, 2008 at 9:19 am

   Hi Valerie,

   Let me start by saying that I have been an esthetician for a decade and have an extensive background in this business. I say that so you know that I have been there, done that and have seen it all! And based on that, here is my opinion regarding your questions:

   In more cases than not, you won’t be given extensive training at your first job, and you won’t be able to shadow an experienced esthetician. Hopefully, the spa will at least send you for product knowledge training so you can learn their product lines, but don’t necessarily count on it.

   Books and magazines and message boards are all wonderful, but if you really want to jumpstart your esthetics career, you’ve got to find any and all post-graduate classes you can find. Fortunately because this career has gotten so popular, there are classes available everywhere!

   Esthetic trade shows are the best way to do that, and those are all over the U.S. throughout the year. With a $25 ticket, you have access to tons of classes on various subjects. And you can go as an esthetician student!

   The spa biz is so popular these days and therefore it is a very competitive field. So the estheticians with only the basic education will be at a disadvantage.

   As a new esthetician, I’d find Skin Analysis classes first. And then you can find classes available that will address each and every one of the subjects that you mentioned.

   And of course, always seek out places you can step out of the student network and mingle with experienced estheticians. Message boards are a great place to do that.

8. Christine Cook, Spa Director - re:fresh, a day spa
   July 14th, 2008 at 10:33 pm

   Sandra - I’d encourage you to take the stance that YOU are responsible for your training. You might, or might not receive training from your employer. In any event, when you facilitate your own training you get to choose the things you are interested in, and get to demonstrate your committment on your resume!

   The more you learn, the more confident you’ll be.

   I’d also suggest that you subscribe to the “fake it til you make it” school of thought. This certainly doesn’t mean that you step beyond the scope of your ability, but it does mean that developing a confident touch, and authorative (but not pushy) manner will be a long way towards jump starting your success. Right now, before you are out of school, you know more about skin than 95% of the clients you’ll see. You’re only going to get better!

9. Anonymous, best savings accounts in uk
   at