If you’ve been considering entering the field of skin care as an esthetician, you should know the ins and outs of this career. It’s a wonderful option for those that love to work with people, heal others, and educate their clients on healthy skin care techniques.
This branch of anatomical science is focused on the health of the skin by helping to cleanse, preserve, and beautify skin of the entire body. Along with treatments to keep the skin healthy, estheticians work on preventative measures and maintenance for the skin. From the schooling required to building your clientele, here is a look at what you should know if you are considering becoming an esthetician.
Schooling requirements
First, you’ll need to get into a school or program to become a certified esthetician which will give you a specialty in a branch of anatomical science. You’ll learn to work with making skin healthy through preservation, beautifying, and cleansing the skin on the entire body.
You’ll learn to detect skin problems that could need medical attention, learn preventative and maintenance care for the skin, branch into the manufacturing or selling of cosmetics, and learn treatment methods for a healthy and attractive skin.
Esthetician schooling will require between $5,000 and $20,000 in tuition as you complete between 4-12 months of training. Depending on your state’s requirements, you’ll complete between 260 and 1500 hours of education. You can look at the Beauty Schools Directory in your area for guidance on the schools offering your specialty.
However, Alpha School of Massage offers a Facial Program at NO-tuition so your total cost would be much less. It is a 500-hour Program that exceeds the minimum requirements by the state. Call them at (904)389-9117 for more information.
Careers opportunities and salary
Once you graduate, you’ll be able to do a variety of jobs with your education. Many go into a salon or spa esthetician position, while others simply open up their own salon or beauty bar. You can work as an educator, a travel esthetician, or even a cruise ship esthetician.
A lesser known use for this degree is working in the medical field since medical aestheticians are needed to treat conditions that are more serious. Of course, you can always become a product developer, a beauty product creator, a skin expert, or a beauty ambassador. You should explore as many opportunities as possible to determine what best suits your interests as a new esthetician.
Building a clientele
Whether you’ve decided to become a spa esthetician or a salesperson, you can try all kinds of great job opportunities with your education. Hotels, cruises, department stores, and resorts all need estheticians for their clientele. If you’re passionate about a skin care line, you can become a rep for the brand. You can work in retail, become an independent contractor, or become an educator.
It takes a long time to build up a clientele of repeat business. Sometimes clients don’t connect with you or vice versa, and they may go elsewhere for their next appointment. Getting to know your client and learning what their expectations are, what personality type they connect with, and what experience would best suit them is a great way to win a client over and have them coming back in the future.
You’ll have to work hard to earn your clients trust, but you can also get clients in the door by offering free skin treatments, giving out coupons for future visits, or bringing in friends and family for your first appointments while you build that client list. Make sure you are giving the best service possible by addressing your client’s skin concerns, learning about their type of skin in depth, and finding out their goals of the visit.
Pros and cons of the profession
If you’re sold on becoming an esthetician, you are likely looking forward to the benefits of the profession such as how emotionally rewarding it can be, the variety of jobs and places you can work with this license, and having a very flexible schedule with many benefits. At the same time, beware of some of the downsides, just like you’d have with any profession.
You may work nights or weekends depending on your place of employment and it may take you some time to build up that client list. The competition will be high and the demand for your services may fluctuate with the changes in the economy.
On the other hand, even if you struggle to get in the door at the spa of your dreams, you can always start your own or work in a variety of esthetic positions while you decide what’s right for you. You can even choose between jobs paying commission or jobs paying a salary. You’ll love working in a respected position that is associated with the medical field and always having something new to learn keeping boredom far away from the field of esthetics.
If you are thinking about becoming an esthetician, make sure you know the ins and outs of the field before getting involved in this rewarding career!