Advanced Esthetics Classes for Recent Grads

I had someone e-mail me today with a great question, she wanted to know of a place in the MD/DC area where she could find advanced classes in waxing. I recommended the International Dermal Institute in Virginia and Von Lee in Pikesville, MD outside of Baltimore. Two outstanding schools for additional/advanced training. The International Dermal Institute offers classes throughout the United States and Internationally as well.

In addition to these schools, if you are having trouble finding an advanced training facility in your area, consider calling around to all the esthetics schools and ask them if they offer additional training for estheticians. Many schools do, but they don't advertise it.

And thank you Clarissa for asking such a great question...I am glad to see some of you recent graduates are ready to embark on your career journey with continuing education.

Estheticians: Botox as Wrinkle Prevention

When most people think of Botox, they envision a person with deep set wrinkles as the doctor fills the wrinkles away. While this might be true for many clients, more and more younger people are getting Botox as a preventative measure. One facial cosmetic surgeon I spoke with told me that she can't do much with Botox when people come in with crow's feet and other deeply rooted wrinkles, but clients who come in either before they develop wrinkles or when they only have mild wrinkling have the best results. The Botox freezes the muscles before it can develop the wrinkles, before it can create deeper wrinkles. Why is this important to esthetics? We might have clients who ask us about wrinkle prevention, and in addition, to all the great services we give them, Botox might be another great wrinkle zapper in their skin care toolbox!

                                                                      
Grace Riley author of JumpStart Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians

Estheticians-Doctor Connection: When Estheticians Need to Ethically Refer Their Clients Out

Estheticians have clients from all walks of life, but for the most part, clients who get regular facials value their looks. They don't want to be a slave to the signs of aging; they don't want ruddy and dull skin; and most importantly they want to look as good as they feel. Your job is to help them achieve those results, but sometimes you can't do that 100% of the time.

What do you do when your skin care routine can't fix their troublesome areas? Some of you might think you can fix anything, but the truth is we estheticians are not miracle workers. There are some products out there that can address these issues faster and easier than what we can do, and we need to take an ethical stance and give our customers what we can actually give them, and refer them out when necessary. Sometimes, we have clients who have abused their skin from sun and/or smoking and no matter how many facials they get, no matter how diligent they are with their skin care regimen at home they still need something else to improve the quality of their skin.

I have said this before, but I believe every esthetician should have a good dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon in their Rolodex. Some clients need Botox or Dysport, or other fillers to deal with difficult wrinkles or aging. The effects of sun and smoking can have tragic effects on the skin, and no matter how much we try as estheticians we can't fix these problem areas. We can improve them, but sometimes clients want more.

 I would never recommend you tell a client that they should get Botox or Dysport, but if they ask you about it, you can tell that some people have success with these alternative skin solutions.  (Never give medical advice, you are not a doctor. If you have used Botox you can certainly give them your opinions and experiences with it, but remember you are not a doctor.)

Sometimes, assuming you have a good rapport with the doctors, it might be wise to have some of the doctors' brochures in a nearby drawer for clients who ask for more information. Remember, skin care is a work in collaboration with doctors, and while doctors can perform some things we can't, we provide things they can't like human touch and daily skin maintenance. Don't look at doctors as competition, but look at them as a piece of the puzzle in good skin care.

And remember, you can always recommend that your clients establish good skin care habits by visiting their dermatologist yearly for skin cancer screenings.

Hoarding the Clinic Floor: Building Confidence as an Esthetics Student

The first time you do a facial on a real live client in school might be one of the most exciting and frightening days of your life. I remember the first client I ever had, it was a man, not just a man, but a man with a serious case of acne. I was absolutely terrified. I decided to just breathe, go in there and introduce myself and pretend that I was confident despite being terrified. Of course, I survived and the man turned out to be super sweet.

After that day, I made sure to volunteer to take every client I could while I was in school. It didn't matter if it was a facial or a waxing; I wanted to get in there and build my confidence. Forcing yourself to jump in and work on all kinds of people is the best way to build confidence. You can't gain this hands on type of confidence by hiding when a certain type of client comes in, instead embrace and use it as valuable moment to build your esthetics confidence. Depending on your school you might not have a choice in the rotation schedule, some teachers will ask who wants to work on the next client, and some will have a rotation system in place.

In addition to taking clinic clients, consider (assuming your state allows this) offering your services for free to family & friends at your home or theirs. This will help you build your skill level, you will make mistakes, but since you are familiar with these people you won't be as intimidated by it.  Doing as many facials and waxings you can both in and out of school is a powerful way to build up your esthetics self-esteem. When you graduate you will be seasoned in esthetics, and ready for that new career.

Grace Riley author of JumpStart Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians

Transitioning Successfully from Esthetics Student to Esthetician

Many businesses use a newsletter to help drum up business, but you can use a newsletter while you are in school to start educating acquaintances. How will this help you when you don't have your license yet? Believe in the power of your education, when you learn new tips or exciting things in esthetics school pass it along. You can create a short and sweet newsletter on Publisher, it can be printed and mailed to friends, or you simply can use the Internet to send it out (make sure you include a disclaimer asking if they want to opt out from receiving your info.).

Why would anyone want a newsletter from an esthetics student? The better question is why wouldn't they want that information? Do you know of many estheticians that take the time to send out monthly newsletters with tips and information to help these people keep their skin young and fresh? There are probably some, but what about reaching the potential clients who have never seen an esthetician before? Is it possible that your newsletter full of tips and information might create a sense of trust with you, and a willingness to try a trip to you when you graduate?

You can choose to sit back and let the business come to you after you graduate, but one of the best times to start building your book of business is while you are in school. In many cases, people don't know that they want or need an esthetician, in fact, they don't know that estheticians can be helpful to their skin. Many think it is for the upper crust of society looking to be pampered, but people have skin issues that they don't know how to fix, and your newsletter might trigger their inner need to resolve those skin issues, and you will have a future client on your hands. Plan ahead, work at networking while you are in school and you might find the transition from esthetics school to esthetician a much easier feat.

Create Esthetics Buzz: Get Customers in the Door Before You Graduate!

It is never too early to get your esthetics career buzzing. While many of you might still be in esthetics school, it is the resourceful esthetician student who will start mapping out the road to success earlier in the game. All through your schooling you should network with family, friends and acquaintances. With social media there really is no reason not to use that to your advantage. You might be unsure of what you could possibly offer people when you are still in school, but think about the deep savings you can give to friends & family on facials and waxings. Think about your education, and use it to educate all of your acquaintances. Use social media to write daily tips; offer to do a make-up parties; and give away free facials for donations for a charity (check licensing requirements in your states-some states will allow this as long as you are not collecting money for yourself without a license). Create buzz before you even graduate, and you might have a loyal following before you can hang your license!

Esthetics Savy Career Advice

     A long time ago, when I took my first class in Human Resources, I had an astute female professor who must have been in her mid 70's at the time. The nature of this first class was an introductory overview of the field, but what I came away with from this class was far more valuable.
      Most of her tips transcend across most careers, but I find that many of her tips are invaluable to the esthetics field. Mostly because many schools don't prepare students for the real working environments of esthetics. At times it can be cut throat and in favor of the employer.
        Esthetics is a wonderful field, but the fact is not all employers are that wonderful. There are some great employers out there, but estheticians need to be prudent about managing their careers.
The number one thing my professor told us, and this is an important one, is TO SAVE AT LEAST 2 MONTH's SALARY--OK, you are probably gasping for air as many of us did back then--her purpose was to give you leverage as an employee, if you are totally broke and have exploding debt then it will be much harder to play hard ball with your employer. You can't demand what you want or deserve of your employer if you are in a rough financial position. Her point was to save so you have a cushion to prevent you from putting up with unethical employers. If you don't, you are at their will and cannot walk away until you find another position. I know, it sounds absurd to save this amount of money, but if you are young and live at home for a while, the amount you would have spent in rent money can go right into a financial nest egg for you. If you don't have that option, start off slowly by saving a little bit each month, cut out that cup of coffee or fast food lunch for a while until you get a little nest egg.
      Another tip she gave all of us is to keep networking and never think because you have a job that you shouldn't keep your foot into other businesses. Become friends with other employees of area spas or salons--do professional lunches with them. Don't ever bad mouth your current place of employment, but keep your options open with these influential relationships. Another way to network and meet industry people is to take continuing ed classes and keep in contact with some of the people you meet there. It is far easier to transcend into a new job through your network of contacts than it is to blindly send your resume to strangers.
     Finally, education and accomplishments is one of your greatest job security tactics. Again, this can cross career paths, but in esthetics it is extremely important to stay abreast of current trends. Take classes, fill your wall with certificates and make sure your employer knows that you are willing to take these courses on your own. Show motivation by signing up for classes without a push from your employer. Don't forget to update your resume with these new achievements so your resume is ready to print and send should you need to change jobs.
      

Guide to Successful a Successful Esthetics Business

       Jumping into booth rental (or opening your own spa) without a plan is asking to give money away. If you go into business for yourself, but you don't write a business plan you will likely fail quickly into your venture.
       It is exciting to start your own business, and no one wants to bring themselves down off that honeymoon stage of excitement, but the reality is that you must use business sense as much as you need your excitement to fuel your motivation to move forward.
       Plan your business out. You need to know the costs involved to get started: booth rent, insurance, products, equipment, advertising, supplies and branding.
       You need a budget before you even begin your venture. You need to go know what things cost and how you will afford those items. Will you take a personal loan from the bank? Will you borrow money from family? Or do you have money saved for this new business already? Will you use credit cards? Also, it is wise to seek the advice of a tax professional.
       Most businesses fail in the first year, not because their ideas were bad or they lacked the motivation it takes to successfully run a business, but because they did not map out their plan of success.

Filtering Through Esthetics Job Ads

    If you scan the online classifieds you might find several promising esthetics jobs despite the economy, but before you shoot off your perfectly polished resume make sure it is a legitimate esthetics job. I don't say this to rain on any one's parade, but unfortunately there are a lot of MLM (multi level marketing) companies out there that prey on new graduates. There are several companies that I see on the online classifieds frequently;week after week they say they are looking for estheticians, but in reality anyone can join their MLM--CLUE no# 1--no esthetics license required  CLUE #2--If you have to buy a business kit or any type of start up kit to be an esthetician with them, it is not a real job. CLUE # 3-If they want you to have a coming out party where you invite all of your family, friends and contacts steer clear. CLUE # 4 No estheticians friends or teachers have ever heard of the product line, not a good sign.

      I know so many of you recent graduates are struggling to find work in this economy, and when you see these wonderful ads that require no experience in the field, you might feel like you found the dream job. I know it is discouraging and down right annoying that these places advertise these great jobs, but in reality they are no different than selling plastic containers, kitchen gadgets, and other MLM products. If you are searching for a job to gain valuable esthetics experience, MLM's are not the way to go.
    Keep positive, the right job is out there for you.

***I am not against MLM's. However, this blog post is meant to help recent grads filter through the real estheticians jobs, and ones that are MLM. There is nothing wrong with MLM's if you like to do parties, but my whole purpose and presence on the blog is to help students and recent graduates in their careers.***

Making It Through Esthetics School

       A lot of students think esthetics is going to be easy; they can just party their way through it and the certificate is going to miraculously land in their laps!
   Sorry future estheticians this is not the case at all. While esthetics is not super hard and a lot of it is common sense, there are some topics covered in esthetics that require attention. Unless you have a photogenic memory then you will most likely have to study to pass the required tests. I don't care how smart you were in school, the fact is esthetics has a lot of terminology that you must retain.
   If your heart is in esthetics, you won't mind cracking the books to get you from your current status in life to your professional status as an esthetician. You can't achieve great results without putting in the work it requires to be great!
   While there might be times you find esthetics challenging don't give up if this is your true passion. If you love something enough, you will find a way to get through the material.

Can I Make Money in Esthetics?

     So many people post online that there is no money in esthetics. I don't know what that means exactly because every one's idea of money is different. There are so many varying degrees of estheticians, some work full-time jobs while others work a couple part-time esthetics jobs, and still others work one part-time esthetics job while working in another part-time career. In addition, each city has different pay scales for these jobs.
    Let's face it, we are in a dismal economy at best, and frankly many careers have taken a financial beating. Unfortunately, esthetics like many other industries is a luxury that many people just can't afford right now. If you have a choice between getting a luxury facial or paying the electricity you will probably opt to keep your lights on.
    This doesn't mean that people aren't getting facials, but we do have to be realistic at this point in our economy. Does it mean esthetics is a bad field to go into? Absolutely not? It depends on how much you love esthetics? I personally couldn't imagine a day without esthetics. I am obsessed with anything skin care related, but if you are just blah about the career well you might not want to take the risks. Any field we jump into has risks, there are the risks that we might not be good at; we might end up hating; and it might not make us a lot of money. Only you can decide if this field is right for you.
     As I tell my students who submit questions, esthetics doesn't have to be just solely be skin care. I know a lot of students who have gone on to get their CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certificates; nursing degrees; writing degrees etc. to expand their esthetics abilities. They use these other certificates to hone into other marketable areas of esthetics: medical field, writing for magazines, teaching etc.

Can You Booth Rent Right Out of School?

     The wondeful thing about esthetics is you can do whatever your heart desires. You can work one full-time job in esthetics; work two or three part-time jobs; or you can open up your own spa. It is completely up to you. I get a lot of questions from recent graduates about the booth rent option, and here are my thoughts about it:
    Booth rent is a viable option for graduates depending on their fiscal circumstances. If you need a dependable salary booth rent is probably not the way to go right out of school. If you still live at home with your parents, or have a side job that will temporarily pay your bills while you build a book of business then booth rent is a good option.
    If you desperately want to start out on your own and you want to save money doing it, consider booth sharing with a massage therapist. Don't forget, no matter how big or small your venture may be, create a business plan to guide you through your new business.

Private Practice Esthetics: You Need a Business Plan

    It is fairly easy to find a place to booth rent and start your new esthetics business, but it is not so easy to run a successful business. New businesses open every day, and many of those businesses fail within the first year. If you are contemplating running a private practice esthetics business it is imperative that you create a business plan.
     You need a plan for direction; to help you determine your budget; and you can work out any quinks before you invest money into the business venture. Doing a business plan is an eye opener, and if you are applying for funding from a bank it is a necessity.
       Many people think they can and should open up a new business simply because they have the  passion and love for the career, but that will only take you so far. If you can't do a business plan on your own, go to a local business college and ask the business students to help you. It will give them experience, and you can probably get the services for free. Another great resource is the SBA (Small Business Association) these folks are wonderful volunteers, who help people seeking to open their own businesses follow a viable path.

Secret Ingredient to a Successful Esthetics Career

     This story comes from a friend of mine, she has defied all odds to follow her passion for esthetics. Let me tell you, when I first met Karen (name changed for privacy) her face was flaming red, full of acne; her confidence level was slim; and she struggled to get through the first chapters in the Milady book. Her future in the class looked bleak at best.
        Karen came to the class with severe learning disabilities. She had to read the chapters several times just to take a test where other students barely studied and passed the tests. She worked harder than anyone in the class. She got treatment for acne, and began using professional products. Towards the end of the program, to every one's surprise, Karen landed an internship at a swanky spa. The other students seemed baffled, how did they miss that opportunity? What or who did she know to get that internship?
          Karen didn't have any special connections. No one got her the internship. No one even gave her a lead about an internship. How did this under dog of a student get an internship when none of her classmates could? She went to area spas and ASKED them to do an internship!
    Karen had a secret ingredient that no one knew, in fact, everyone assumed she would have  a dismal chance of succeeding in esthetics. After doing an internship with the spa, she ended up getting an on-call esthetics position, and following that position she opened up her own spa in a medical facility.
     Do you want to know what her secret ingredient is? MOTIVATION. Karen, unlike many of her classmates struggled academically, but she persevered and didn't let anyone tell her she couldn't make it. As soon as she finished her esthetics program, she then signed up for a CNA (certified nursing assistant) program to enhance her esthetics skills; her hope was to work in medical esthetics.
     Karen still owns and operates her practice within a medical facility, she has shown that being successful comes with a lot of hard work and determination. Getting your esthetics license doesn't make you successful, it is what you do with that license that determines your success.
      I get a lot of mail from readers who tell me every reason under the sun why they CAN'T get through an esthetics program, or why they can't get a job in esthetics, and this is why I posted the story about my friend Karen. There are no excuses, if what you are doing isn't working, follow another path. If esthetics is truly your passion, you will find a way to carve out your own niche in esthetics.
     You are your biggest advocate for success, if you don't trail blaze your way to success no one else will.

Social Media: How It Affects Your Esthetics Career?

        Social media today is something most people can't live without, it is like living without satellite T.V. these days, we just can't get enough of it. If you are going to have public access to your accounts, make sure you don't put anything on your pages that you wouldn't want an employer to see. While some content may seem trivial to you, your employer might think otherwise. Especially if you work at a med-spa, don't mix your work colleagues with your social network pages, if you do it might come back to haunt you. Med-spas are doctor operated, doctors tend to be highly professional so it is best if you present yourself as a professional as well. Everyone wants to share everything on these pages these days, people type in everything from they've had a bad day to they just got home from work, but do we really need our employers and friends from work digging around in our most intimate world? Yes, it is a world that we put out there for a zillion people to see, but so many us use social media to vent our emotions, express our political affiliations and religious views, and to use cyberspace as a catharsis. While these platforms are genius, it can be a career disaster if you do not manage it properly. Here are my tips to avoid career pitfalls:

(1) Never share your information publicly (everyone must be a friend to get access to your info!)

(2) Make sure your profile picture is appropriate (employers can still see this from a closed access account)--remember, if they see you lap dancing on some guy, well let's just say they aren't going to be excited to hire you--unless you are applying at a strip club, well in that case you've landed the job!

(3) Hesitate before adding colleagues to your page. You want your personal life personal, and your work life professional. You don't want to worry about everything you post affecting your career.

(4) If you really want to have a page to connect with your co-workers, then consider opening a second page just for work related communications. Keep it professional, do not use bad language, and only post professional photos. Use this page to highlight your career achievements, post and share your certifications and recent educational classes, and while you can keep it light hearted in nature, remember this is your career on the line!

(5) NEVER APPLY FOR A JOB THAT REQUIRES YOU TO LOG IN USING A SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE--THIS IS ONLY TO TRAP YOU INTO SHARING YOUR INFORMATION. They will use that information to determine if you are the type of employee they want working for them.

New Estheticians: Consider Benefits of an Employment Contract

  Many of you may think of contracts as something for mega wealthy people like Bill Gates and Donald Trump, but in actuality all of us need to consider using contracts to protect our financial well being. Even if you are a new esthetician, consider having an attorney draft (or use an online create your own) an employment contract outlining the agreed upon commission split and how those splits will be divided during promotional periods, or discounted coupon customers. If your spa has a contract for you to sign, wait and have an attorney read it before signing. If you can't afford an attorney, try using a law student to at least help you understand what you are signing before you lock yourself into terms you don't like.
(I am not an attorney, nor do I give legal advice, these are my personal opinions based on my own experiences. I err on the side of caution.)

Top Tricks: Snagging an Esthetician Job for Newly Licensened Estheticians

You have been job hunting, but the results have been less than favorable. What do you do? Here are my TOP TRICKS for snagging that dream job!


(1) Perfect Resume-Must be error free of spelling and grammar mistakes! Please do not list every job since high school. It must be a career relevant resume, meaning you list jobs or internships that are related to your field. Working at a fast food joint is not related to esthetics...don't include it. Make sure you include every additional esthetics class taken, even if it is just with a skin care product company, include all professional skin care memberships you hold. Every skin care product line that you've used professionally, or  you used in classes must be on your resume. Esthetics G.P.A is relevant as well. MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE A PROFESSIONAL PICTURE OF YOURSELF! Please no pictures of you dancing on table tops at the local bar...think PROFESSIONAL! Ask at least two people, preferably one being an esthetics instructor, to review both your resume and picture you intend to include.

(2) Hit the Streets-Put on the most professional attire you have in your closet, get your skin glowing and your make-up glimmering and hit the streets. Visit every area salon, spa and medical spa and introduce yourself and hand out resumes. (Remember to attach a picture to each resume). Chat with the receptionist, inquire about esthetician jobs as well as other spa jobs (think about taking one of these until you can land an esthetics position) and try to make contact with the hiring manager. If not, ask the receptionist to forward your resume. Remember to be friendly to the receptionist because she has the power to trash your resume, or tell the hiring manager what a delightful person you are while handing him/her your resume.

(3) Network-Immerse yourself in esthetic training classes and skin care product demonstrations, take advantage of the opportunity to network at these places. Make sure you have several of your resumes (again with photos attached) available to hand out to potential job leads. Maybe another esthethician  knows of a job, or maybe he/she is leaving that job and taking a new one and will recommend you for that position. The key is to be prepared. Also, continue to network with both your beauty school and the instructors, as sometimes jobs come in through the school. If your teacher remembers you, he/she will likely recommend you before someone else.

(4) Spa Jobs-Take whatever job you can get in a spa, salon or medical spa temporarily. Many places have high turnover rates, use that to your advantage and be ready and willing to take that esthetician job when it comes available. You could do anything from shampoo person to spa coordinator--getting your foot in the door is half the battle. Doing a good job in that position will certainly make you first in line for the esthetics job when it does come available.

(5) Internships-No one likes to work for free, especially after you graduated. However, doing an internship for 6-12 months is not the worse thing in the world. Sure, you might have to work a job you hate to fund your bills while you intern, but the internship will provide you with the valuable skills and work experience you need to land your real job.

(6) More Education-While you are waiting for that dream job, search for advanced educational opportunities. The more education the better. Take a class on chemical peels; get a certification in microderm; take a paramedical class...do whatever you can to improve your educational level. You are competing with other estheticians, make yourself stand out. Besides, you will be a more confident and competent esthetician with more education.

Esthetician Graduates: The Unfair Employment Reality

Every day there are newly graduating estheticians, bubbling with excitement and motivation for a bright esthetics career. The diploma is in their hands, the license is fresh off the press and the graduation party memories still bring smiles to their faces. The positive energy seems to become dismal energy when newly graduated estheticians meet the reality of the competitive esthetics field. A place where there are more estheticians than jobs; a place that discriminates based on experience instead of education and personal talents.

The fact is someone with years of experience may have lost their drive, passion and dedication that recent graduates seem to exude. While experience is important,(  in no way am I suggesting that employers should discount years of experience; experience gives you wisdom and confidence) that doesn't mean that experience should be the totality of the hiring decision. It would be a shame to throw recent graduates' resumes into the circular file (a.k.a. trash can) without giving them a chance to shine.

When you work in personnel it is easy to detach yourself from the human beings behind the resumes, and sometimes taking a risk on a recent graduate is well worth the initial risk. With recent graduates, we have potential employees who haven't developed bad habits; are highly motivated and excited about their new career; and are willing to accept less money and are highly trainable where seasoned professionals might not be.

So as a newly graduated esthetician what are your options? How do you get the owners of spas to step out of their comfort zone and take a leap of faith on you? Read my next blog to get answers to these questions!

For more information on this topic, see my blog "Top Tricks: Snagging an Esthetician Job for Newly Licensened Estheticians"

Why We Need Older Estheticians?

      If you are thinking about a career in esthetics and wondering if you are too old to be appreciated in this field, you have come to the right spot. It is easy to fall in the trap of "I'm too old for a career in esthetics."  It is far easier to squash our dreams than risk failing.
      Don't let age scare you away from something you love, this career path has plenty of room for aging estheticians. In fact, if you were to get a facial from a 40's or 50's something esthetician who had great skin or a 20's something esthetician, who would you trust on anti-aging secrets?
    I don't know about you, but I would trust the older esthetician simply because if she has been able to maintain her skin that way, then maybe she can help me too.   This is not meant to be an offense to younger estheticians, we still need you all too.
      If you are contemplating esthetics as a career, but you keep using your age as an excuse, you might miss out on an extremely rewarding and satisfying career.

Spa Box Shops: The Good and Bad on Chain Spas

   Chain spa shops seem to be popping up all over the country, in most cities you can find multiple franchise spas. If you type "esthetician" or "spa" in online job searches you are likely to come up with at least several jobs a week from these places. Is that a sign that esthetics is booming in those stores? Maybe and maybe not.

   As a newly licensed esthetician, you can't be too picky about the place that is willing to hire you, however, you want to be informed. Knowing what to expect while working for a box shop might help you reduce your career/job dissatisfaction. Here are some pro's and con's that I have aquired through some of my spa friends who have had the opportunity to work for these shops, here is both the good and bad. (In no way am I advocating for or against these box shops-I am bringing you the information--what you decide to do with it is up to you. Best of luck!)

Pro's-flexible schedules; good training; paid by the hour plus small commission; benefits such as health and vacation days (after a period of time); and customers come to you, no need for you to market yourself.

Con's-high turnover rates; some estheticians/therapists complain that they are over worked; high pressure sales tactics; and limited product line experience. Harder to build customer relationships than with traditional spas.

Beware: Multi Level Marketing Skin Care Companies Flooding Job Boards

              Maybe you just graduated and got your license, you might be dewy with excitement about embarking on your career, and you applied for a bunch of esthetics jobs and no one called you back. Finally, you get a call back from what sounds like a dream skin care rep job, but wait there is a catch...what you have to pay to sign up with them? You have to pay a monthly fee to maintain your affilated website with them? They tell you the products sell themselves and that all you have to do is have a "coming out party" where you invite everyone you know to tell them about this outstanding skin care line that actually is very afforable despite their packages costing upwards of $150.00 depending on what MLM skin care company you get a call back from. There are several various companies on the market and advertising in online classified ads.
        These companies will tell you how great their skin care products are and how you can make as much or little money as you want. I can't personally say if these products are any good, but I do know that the employment opportunities that they advertise are not any different than selling other MLM products like stamps, plastic containers, make-up, baskets etc. I am not sure high quality estheticians want to go this route, of course, this is your career so you have to make that call...I am just bringing the information to you. Beware when searching for jobs as these seem to be flooded on the online classified ads, and sometimes new estheticians get so excited when they see these ads because they seem too good to be true, and sometimes when it is too good to be true, it is.

Career Help: The International Dermal Institute Post Courses

  

           Is your esthetics career in a rut? Do you feel like your school didn't teach you enough to get you going in the field of esthetics? If you are currently in school, do you feel like you aren't prepared well enough to work as an esthetician? Do you want to feel confident in your career? Post graduate classes can help shape you into a confident and professional esthetician. While there are many post graduate classes, one of my favorites is The International Dermal Institute, it offers a wide range of post graduate classes and helps to shape estheticians into confident, skilled and professional individuals that many schools don't provide these days.  A lot of the esthetician schools focus more on licensing than they do molding and shaping outstanding estheticians.

        The International Dermal Institute, with locations throughout the U.S. and worldwide offers an exceptional post graduate program.What is the benefit of attending The International Dermal Institute? Professionalism and confidence would be the top reasons and the next reason is that they offer post graduate certificates that you can add to your resume. They have a 3- day technique class that helps get newly licensed estheticians more developed in their techniques and skills (also a great refresher course). In addition, they offer speed waxing classes, anti-aging, machine classes etc. For more information, go to http://www.dermalinstitute.com/us/.
     Even though Dermalogica is not my favorite product line, if you have read my book Jump Start Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians you would know that it did not make my favorite's list, but the company offers an excellent post graduate program that is hard to find. Even the student days offer an introductory program of techniques to help catapult you in the right professional direction. You can love or hate their products, but the post graduate courses are worth looking into. Even though I am not a a big fan of their products, I have to say their techniques and methods are some of the best in the industry.
(I am not affiliated with, nor do I receive monies from Dermalogica or The International Dermal Institute, all statements are my opinions based on personal experience.)

Esthetics: A Great Career for Mothers

    

               Esthetics is a great career if you are passionate about skin care and products. It can pay well too depending on your employment circumstances, and most importantly to many mothers is the flexibility. It is so flexible, you could work as little or as much as you want, you could work one, two or even three different types of esthetics jobs. There are always brow bars, waxing centers, spas and even doctors looking to hire both full and part-time estheticians (this varies by location).
             What a great business to work 10-3PM while your kids are in school, or if you have babies/toddlers at home, think about picking up one evening shift and one Saturday. The scheduling options are flexible depending on the type of environment you choose. Many mothers are looking for part-time gigs, and esthetics is one of the best flexible careers out there to choose from.  Mothers, no matter what your age, esthetics is a good career choice for balancing work/family lifestyle. And there is no greater gift than doing two of the best jobs in the world: mothering and esthetics!

Signs Your Spa Owner is Closing Up Shop

    Generally, the career advice you will find from most human resources professionals is to stay at the same job for at least 6 months, sometimes a year or more in certain careers. I agree with this advice, however, there are times when it is better to run, no sprint, as quickly as you can from certain spas!

      There are times when a spa is not run efficiently and effectively to sustain life, and unfortunately that directly affects your income if you are working for that spa. Just because someone gets a loan to open up the doors to a beautiful facility doesn't mean they have the ability to keep it operating. Sometimes, when we work for someone else we tend to think the money will always keep flowing, but the truth is our employment is ever dependent on the success or demise of the business. Below are some red flags to be cautious of:

(1) Non-industry person running spa--this is not a 100% true in all cases, but in my opinion I have seen some spas mismanaged because the owner was not an industry person and did not care to understand the industry, or they did not hire a manager with industry experience.

(2) Overuse of price reductions--too many prices reductions=customers left wondering what is wrong with your spa.

(3) High Turn Over of Staff-Before you accept any job as an esthetician, always inquire how many estheticians preceded you. The reason being is, if there is a HIGH TURNOVER rate, there might be a reason and you might want to keep looking for another position.

(4) Owners who lie about the efficacy of the products/or replace the products with cheaper versions. They are unethical to begin with and will most likely get caught and you don't want your good reputation going down with them.

(5) Landlord calling a lot--might be a sign of lack of rent payments. Matter of time before they put the locks on the door.

(6) An owner who says "we aren't going to close."

Beware:Spa Owners Using Drug Store Products

        This story comes from an esthetician friend of mine, and as I sat and listened to her words, I nearly chocked on the food I was consuming, I couldn't believe the words that flowed off her tongue. I had to ask her to repeat what she had just shared because I had never heard something so unethical in the esthetics' world before.


      My friend works for a very nice spa that charges roughly about $75.00 for a 60 minute facial using Eminence products (if you are not familiar with it, it is a high quality organic line). As with most professional skin care lines, Eminence is an expensive product line, but in my opinion well worth the money for the highly effective ingredients.
    Even in a down economy, it seems people in this particular area are willing to pay for high quality facials using superb products. My friend told me that the owner of the spa where she works, runs out of Eminence frequently, and instead of finding another area store to buy Eminence from ( even if she has to pay retail) or going to the local cosmetology store to buy another professional skin care line, the owner has one of the employees run out to the local drug store to buy the skin care products to replace Eminence. YES, SHE BUYS CHEAP SKIN CARE PRODUCTS AND PRETENDS AS IF SHE IS USING EMINENCE PRODUCTS!
    This owner is putting the estheticians into an ethical dilemma, all the estheticians know that they are cheating their clients, but they are following the owner's orders. What are the estheticians to do? It is a tough economy and I am sure they want to keep their jobs, and she most likely will fire anyone who voices opposition.
     What a horrible spot to be in, the choice between speaking up to your employer or cheating your beloved clients, it is definitely not a situation most estheticians ever want to be in. I think it is completely unethical of this owner to do what she is doing, but in life there will always be liars and cheats. When customers plop down $75.00 they expect that the estheticians are using high quality ingredients on their skin, and at minimum using the products specified in the brochure.          
    So most of you are probably wondering what you do if the spa owner refuses to be honest and use the products advertised, but you can't afford to quit or can't find another job right away? Many of you will not like this answer, but I would buy a couple Eminence samples and keep in my esthetics kit for the day when she will ask you to compromise your ethical standards.I know you don't want to spend the money on samples, but it is far better to spend a little money and know at the end of the day you did the right thing. In the end, you will know that you are an honest and ethical esthetician. And by all means, do your best to find another job quickly! When you submit your resignation, I would voice your concerns about her cheating and misrepresentation to clients as to the reason for your employment departure.
   

Esthetician Students: Creative Ways to Make Money in Esthetics

     It seems like today there are always  MLM (Multi Level Marketing) companies out there selling cosmetics and skin care products. I constantly get those little books in my mailbox advertising their products, I see them in the dentist's office, and various other places around town. I wonder why people buy that stuff when there are professional products out there that are more effective and available at nearly the same cost as these MLM products. WHY? The question is why would they buy anything else? They don't know they can get professional grade products for nearly the same price because no estheticians are hosting these type of parties.
    Want another way to make money besides doing facials and selling products for your employer? Open up an account with a skin care product line/make-up line and start your own party business. Tell everyone that you do product demonstrations. Yes, even as a student you can do this (check your state guidelines) as long as you can get a student account at this companies (many companies will grant you a student account) and take a page out of famous make-up MLM companies and start demonstrating how your products work. Get the products for wholesale; encourage family and friends to host a party by offering them a free gift (skin care or make-up item); and have products on hand for the guests to test and start calculating those orders!
   

Esthetician Students-Wanna Win Free Stuff???

Wanna win free esthetics' gifts? You've come to the right place. Once a month I do a drawing for a free esthetics' gift. This month, I am giving away a free Farmaesthetics gift! Don't miss your chance to win a great gift!

Send me an e-mail to:gracerileypublishing@gmail.com and put in the body of the e-mail "enter me in the August drawing."

The contest ends on August 31st at 5PM. Please enter soon for your chance to win! The winner will be notified via e-mail.

Recent Esthetics' Graduates-Should You Do Some Volunteer Work?

    OK, so you just graduated from a great esthetics' school, but your phone is not exactly ringing off the hook with job offers yet. What should you do? Sit around for months until you get an esthetics' job and forget everything you learned in school? No, get motivated and use your social media to offer free facials to friends, family and church members. Get your name out there so when you do get an esthetics' job these people will remember you and come to you for facials and waxing instead of another esthetician.

     In this economy you have to strategically think of a game plan, and while you interview for jobs don't forget to tell the employer that you donate facials to new moms or the elderly at your church...it looks good that you have a heart. It shows your passion for esthetics, it demonstrates your passion to be in the game even if you aren't getting paid with money quite yet.
    I know a brilliant 20-year-old now, she just graduated recently and she has two part-time on-call esthetician jobs and she posts on social media sites/ and advertises to her church about her facials for charity, and she is busting at the seams with clients ready and willing to relax in her bed. I know many of you are thinking why would I give away something for free? Sometimes you have to think outside of the box, and try a different approach, and this recent graduate I know is building a clientele. Sure, some won't come back when she starts charging money for the facials, but those who do come back will help build her business. This is what I call smart career planning!  (check your state laws)

Krista, if you are reading this one, I am so proud of you! You are truly an inspiration to all the aspiring estheticians out there!

Esthetics Students: Why I Love Universal Companies

         

                One company all you aspiring estheticians should get familiar with is Universal Companies. It is an all purpose esthetics company where you can find everything from professional make-up to equipment. There are plenty of good skin care product lines to choose from, and you can purchase them singularly or in bulk depending on your needs. This is a great option for you booth renters! No need to hold inventory that you can't sell, instead only buy what you need. For those of you who are focusing on make-up you can get all your professional make-up products either in a pro kit, mini pro kit, or you can buy make-up by the piece. Buy one lipstick or buy in bulk...that is the benefit of this company. In addition, there are educational products, uniforms, and lots of ideas to add on to your services for higher profits. http://www.universalcompanies.com/

Esthetics: Organic Facials For A Different Customer Base

      Some students go into esthetics knowing that they want to work for a high end cosmetic surgeon's office, using anything but organic products. Then there are other students who would like to work for a wholesome, earthy type of spa. Our focus today is on the second group of students, the organis as I like to call them, those that want to be in touch with mother nature.
         If you want to open up your own organic business consider using products that evoke customers to think organically. Farmaesthetics has a line of organic products, I have only used a couple things from them so far, but they are definitely back to nature. The name itself conjures up images of rolling hills, fresh produce, and nature. If you want to sell yourself as an organic spa consider using products like this one that use natural words in their names and/packaging.
       Another organic line, Eminence, is one of my all time favorites...I have used this line extensively. While Eminence's name doesn't evoke all natural feelings from me, the product line names such as the Chocolate Mousse Mask, the Pear Mircodermabrasion, and the Coconut Milk Cleanser all get my senses moving and my mind envisioning the natural ingredients.
       If you want to booth rent or even open your own organic salon you have to start with a product line that is going to touch your customers organic senses. It also has to be something you love because you have to be passionate about the product line to get your customers excited about it.
          

Esthetics: A Rich Boss

  
      Imagine getting a job at luxurious spa with all the bells and whistles and now you finally feel at home in the esthetics world. Bliss, I know. What could be better than a spa that carries four skin care lines, a nail collection, hair products and even custom art work? Butter cookies and coffee for the clients, sparkling wine and cheese, this was luxury at its best, or was it? This happened to me, I thought I landed in esthetics heaven, a perfect place to hang my license!
      I soon realized, after I witnessed the revolving door of technicians, that this lady did not have a business plan at all. Instead she wanted to shop, she didn't have a plan in the works to grow the business, but she kept buying and buying more things. We had four skin care lines, but we didn't have enough clients to turnover all those products on the shelves. We had an overflowing hair line bursting from our shelves and yet most of those pretty bottles sat as statues because again we didn't have the customers to sell the inventory. We had a make-up line, but the owner played with the make-up more than she tried to sell the services. Finally, the last straw for me was when she decided to incorporate a doggie line into this luxury spa.
        Unfortunately, this was not a place I could work and feel confident that I would have a job at the end of the year. I say this because it felt like this spa was doomed before it got its start. This was a lady with zero spa industry experience, and in everything she did from buying four skin care lines to trying to wax people herself (without a license!) it was clear that this was a sinking ship! This owner reminded me of a teenager with a credit card a never ending limit. I am not sure she ever had a budget or a way to turn money spent into income.
       Many of you aspiring estheticians will never experience this particular situation because I would say with confidence that most spas are run by industry people (thank goodness!). If you do encounter a situation like this one, where the owner is not in the spa industry proceed with caution because in the end, the spa I worked for had to close up shop. This owner should have started with a business plan instead of randomly spending money like a Las Vegas winner. If you ever find yourself in this type of situation, please take a moment to pause before accepting that offer, it might be better to wait for the next offer than work for someone like this who spends more than they try to grow the business.

How I Created a Successful Esthetics Business

      I didn't start out in esthetics thinking I would work for myself, and when I graduated I immediately went to work for a great medical spa. As time went on, I didn't want to sell another product for someone else; I didn't want to be bound to certain hours; and I wanted to be in control of my own income. As I worked I was always double dipping and trying out new things.
      I ended up creating a small, but certainly fun party business. I do make-up parties and product demonstrations (and then I sell those skin care products to guests at the party). I make good money while having fun. I decide how much to charge for parties, how much for products and what hours I am willing to work. I sell professional skin care and make-up to the guests at this party.
       To start this business, I did have to spend some money early on. I had to have many skin care products on hand to demonstrate, and I had to buy a professional make-up kit. I had to buy my own supplies (brushes, cotton rounds, towels, etc). I also invested in a logo, professional business cards, and ads. Most of my business comes from word of mouth, and I give away a lot of free facials to get ladies to consider doing a skin care/make-up product demonstration party, but in the end giving these freebies away has helped me get parties going and money in my pocket. This is a good business to start part-time while you have another more secure job.

Esthetician Students-Free Give Away for August

Calling all future, current and recently graduated estheticians to join our August give away! Just send me your e-mail and say " enter contest." Enter at: gracerileypublishing@gmail.com

FREE FARMAESHETICS GIVE AWAY FOR ASPIRING ESTHETICIANS!

Are you an aspiring esthetician? Then you qualify for our monthly give away! IT IS SO EASY TO ENTER OUR DRAWING!
Want to win a Farmaesthetics Lip Balm during the month of August? To enter: send me an e-mail at gracerileypublishing@gmail.com and say in e-mail "enter August contest" for your chance to win.

Last month's winners won a free Image Skin Care Product and a copy of my book Jump Start Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians

All winners will be notified via e-mail, and have to reside in the continental U.S.A. to receive their prize.

Need An Esthetics Job While In School?

     You know you need some kind of job in the field of esthetics during your schooling, at least if you want to make the transition from student to esthetician easier.There is no doubt having experience makes it easier to land a permanent job in ethetics. How do you do that? Creatively!
   
 Here are some ideas to help you:

(1) Beauty Counter Sales-this is an easier job for someone with no experience to get.
(2) Receptionist-a spa receptionist/office manager
(3) Beauty Store-work at the beauty store where they sell esthetics/cosmetology products.
(4) Shampoo Girl-this might not be esthetics, but it gets your foot in the door of a salon.
(5) Freelance Make-Up-in many states you do not need a license to do make-up...think Beauty Pageants, Proms, Black Tie Affairs, Mom's Night Out (contact local mom's groups), teen birthday make-up parties, and bridal/baby showers. Learn everything you can about make-up!
(6) Spa Attendant-most of these jobs are part-time.
(7) Beauty School Receptionist
(8) T.A.-Teaching Assistant-ask your esthetics instructor (once you are near the end of your program) if you can help her with her/his new esthetics' students.
(9) Internship-work for free at any spa/salon/resort spa that is willing to let you work for free. Don't think of complaining about washing laundry, changing bedding or stocking shelves...this is great experience on your resume and it could lead to a future job!
     

Esthetics Contest Give Away Ends July 31st!

Hurry! My July contest give away ends July 31st! Send me an e-mail letting me know that you would like to participate in July's constest at:gracerileypublishing@gmail.com. Winners will be notified by e-mail. Winners this month will win either a free copy of my book JumpStart Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians or an Image Skin Care Product! Good Luck!
Grace Riley

Interview with Social Dermatologist: Must Read for Newly Licensed Estheticians

Did you ever wonder what Dermatologists are looking for in estheticians? Do you want to get some career advice to land that job in the medical field of esthetics?

Today, I am proud to present my interview with The Social Dermatologist, one of my favorite sites to read about everything skin care! This is a must add to your FAVORITES bar if you are an aspiring esthetician! Thank you Social Dermatologist for answering these questions for all my readers!


1) If you were hiring an esthetician, what qualities do you look for in that person?
" A good listener who is also appropriately engaging;, a consistent, reliable hardworker; someone who pays attention to detail in their work and also in their own professional appearance; and very importantly, someone who understands the structure and function of skin and the deeper the understanding, the better (Social Dermatologist)."

(2) Do you expect your estheticians to have some working knowledge of medical terminology?
     " YES! It's imperative (Social Dermatologist)."

(3) What do you think about estheticians who do not get skin cancer screenings?
      
 " I think they should be, at a minimum, doing self-screenings and if there are any concerns whatsoever they should see a dermatologist. Certainly anyone who interviews for an esthetician position should not have a tan or evidence of significant sun damage. Someone who does not practice what they preach would not considered a serious candidate for obvious reasons. We all get pimples and have skin issues, even dermatologists, so we don't expect perfection and there are some things out of ones {sic}control and that's o.k. But there should be evidence that an esthetician is serious about the health of their own skin (Social Dermatologist).":)

For information, please visit the doctor's pages. 

           www.facebook.com/socialderm
           www.socialderm.com

I :)

o    :)

Coming Soon: My Interview With A Dermatologist!

Check back soon, my interview with The Social Dermatologist is coming soon! Don't miss the details and interview of a Board Certified Dermatologist!

Grace Riley

Bridal and Baby Shower Esthetics

     A market niche for unique bridal and baby showers is blooming this summer, with competitive brides and soon-to-be mommas wanting to out do their friends' parties. Why not start your own bridal/baby shower pampering business (check state licensing laws first)? Get the brides, then down the road when they have a bun in the oven you can hit them up again with your fancy marketing skills for another pampering party. This is an area where a lot of estheticians don't go, but this can be both a fun and lucrative way to get your esthetics skills to use. You can keep your day job with this one, and do evening and/or weekend parties around your normal esthetics job, or go full force with your business. Whatever works for you.

 Here are some package name ideas:
Make-Up Mommas
Beautiful Brides
Pampered Brides
Spoil a Mom Today (surprise baby shower parties etc.)
Bun in the Oven Pampering
Diva Bridal Party Make-Up

Don't forget to have plenty of make-up and skin care products available to sell at the parties. Nothing like splurge purchases when everyone is happy with food and cocktails (minus pregnant momma-at least, we hope she won't be enjoying any cocktails!).

Out of State Esthetics School

    Before you pack your bags and head out of state to do your esthetics course work, stop and do your homework first. Make sure before you sign on the dotted line and enroll in some great school 3,000 miles from home that you can either transfer the license earned back to your home state, or take your state boards in home state with that certification. There was a lady I knew that decided to go to an out of state school and when she moved home she learned the hard way that it was difficult at best to get her license in her state even though the hours were the same. The last I heard, 8 months later she still couldn't get the licensing situation squared away. Let this be a lesson to you. Unfortunately, we have not come to the point of a national esthetics license yet, I think we should, but that is up to the government agencies to decide I suppose. Each state has its own set of requirements, never assume that all that hard work you put in is going to transfer back, make sure you double check before you catch that flight to the school of your dreams!

Esthetics: This Career Is Not For Everyone!

         There are some people who aren't cut out for the esthetics field. Some people aren't organized enough to stay on task. I have heard some estheticians complain that they can't keep a 60 min. facial to just 60 mins. and they run over most days and they end up running late for the next client. Others can't think of ways to do a 60 min. facial without finishing up too early. In esthetics, you have to be a good time manager. You need to wear a watch and know how long it is going to take you to do each service.
         This career is definitely not for everyone! If early on in your schooling you can't stay on time that is understandable, but by the time you are graduating you should be able to stay on time. There is no reason you should go over or under the time frame for a facial. If you can't do this, you might want to go back to school for more training until you get it down, or you might want to think about another career option.

Esthetician Students: " I Hate Waxing & Make-Up"

       This topic came up recently, a potential student mentioned she did not like waxing or doing make-up services, and she wondered had she chosen the wrong field. Her philosophy was that she is from a more organic perspective and she does not wear nor advocate make-up or hair removal. Concerned with her career choice, she wanted to know if she had picked the wrong field. Despite hating those two very important components of esthetics, she absolutely loved skin care. She had problems with her own skin and had decided on esthetics school because she was passionate about helping other people improve their skin as she had done.
        At first appearances, I would assume this is the wrong career path for this lady, but after thinking about it some more, I decided that it is possible to find a niche in organic esthetics. There have to be more people out in the world like her that want to take care of their skin, but have no desire to go hairless, sculpt their brows and/or get make-up done. In my opinion, this student might have a successful chance at organic esthetics if she does a business plan and markets towards those type of clients.
          Understandably, you give up quite a bit of potential earnings when you decide not to do two major parts of esthetics: waxing and make-up. Many clients expect that you can wax them and do make-up applications, period. However, in this entrepreneurial society it is certainly something that can be done. Just an example, but she could open an organic coffee shop that offers organic facials, hair care and yoga etc. There are so many things that can be done if someone has the passion for this field, if they have the drive to take parts of esthetics and make it work for their lifestyle and philosophy. So those of you out there that hate a certain part of esthetics, but LOVE another part, don't give up just recreate how it can work for you.

Esthetician Business Ideas

Birthday parties, bridal parties, baby showers, and any kind of party can use the services of an esthetician! This is one area of the market that is not saturated yet. If you are thinking about starting your own business, why not consider a beauty party business? Soon-to-be moms and her friends would probably love nothing more than min-facial treatments or make-overs. Teenagers are always looking for a way to have a fun birthday party, why not bring make-up lessons to them? Little girls love to get made up like a princess you can certainly do a specific party for them--think Princess Make-Up and Fruity Facials. Remember, to keep kid parties kid-friendly with lots of color and yummy snacks!

One Word Describes Esthetician School-FUN!

     Thinking about esthetics school? Wondering what it is like to be an esthetician in training? FUN! One word describes it, it is absolutely a blast! Those were some of my best days. While it was exciting, you do have to study and do the required work. You can't stay out drinking and partying all night and expect to go to class and function. This is a hands on program, you can't just show up and sleep through class. Most of esthetics is fairly easy, but for those of you who aren't big on science the lessons that involve anatomy, chemistry, electricty etc. might not be all that appealing to you. The publishers of the esthetics' books generally do a great job reviewing all the material covered in those lessons so need to worry!
    Being in esthetics class for anyone who loves skin care products and make-up is like being at an amusement park for a kid. It is a ton of fun to play with all the equipment; it is exciting to test out all the skin care products; and it is constant entertainment playing with the make-up kits. Sure there is clean up and tedious things too, but I can't think of anything more fun than being in esthetics school playing all the cool stuff!

Esthetician Students: Should I Pursue Esthetics When The Economy Is Bad?

     Let's face it, the economy is not great by any means and estheticians around the country are feeling the effects. Esthetics is a luxury business so the first thing to go in a customer's wallet are beauty services. If they need to pay the phone bill, that $75.00 facial or $45.00 hair cut is no longer a priority. When the economy is tough people start to figure out ways of cutting out beauty services.       
     Does that mean you should drop your esthetics courses? Absolutely not, it does not mean that at all. Most careers are adversely affected by this economy right now. So, what do you do when you love esthetics and you want to get that certificate, but you are afraid of how the economy will affect your future? It depends on your circumstances, but in an ideal world it would be optimal to get your esthetics license while pursuing another career path too. It can be something related to esthetics or not, but have a back-up-plan. Here are some career options that go well with esthetics:
(1) CMA-Certified Medical Assistant-think about combining your esthetics with this to work for a dermatologist
(2) Nursing-again you can combine this one with esthetics.
(3) Marketing Degree-combine esthetics with a sales/marketing degree to work as a product sales/store promoter for a product line, or even a store manager.
(4) Technical Writing Degree-can combine with esthetics and write training manuals.
(5) Cosmetology-while still technically in the beauty field, if you have both degrees you increase your chances of making money.
(6) Science/Chemistry-work on product development teams-who do you think creates this awesome products we use in esthetics?

Yes, A Dermatologist Is A Must!

    I am going to say this again, yes all estheticians should know a good dermatologist and see them at least once a year for an annual skin cancer check-up, I am writing this blog again because a reader mentioned that she could not see a dermatologist because of the lack of health insurance. Thank you Reader, for leaving the comment, so I can share it with all my readers.
     If you do not have health insurance, which I understand in this economy is tough, please seek out free skin cancer screenings for yourself. Pass out the free information to your clients too. Anyone who has gone through a skin care program knows that skin cancer is one of the most treatable cancers if caught early. I am not a doctor;I do not pretend to be a doctor, but I do know from going to a dermatologists and reading the medical literature that skin cancer is very serious if not caught early.
   We estheticians have to practice what we preach, we expect our clients to take care of their skin, to come get regular facials yet we won't go get yearly skin cancer check-ups? If you do not have health insurance, call around to area doctors and see if they offer reduced rates for skin cancer check-ups or better yet do they have a free skin cancer screening day? Many hospitals offer everything from free mammograms to skin cancer screenings on specific days throughout the year. Take advantage of these opportunities, and certainly pass the information along to your clients who may want to take advantage of it too.
   As an esthetician, it is part of your job to be familiar with these types of things. It doesn't mean you have to know every dermatologist in the area, or know about every free screening, but you do have to be proactive and find out about these things to give your clients the best possible information.

Eyelash Tint: Potential Dangers

Everyone wants gorgeous eyelashes, some people find that tinting their eyelashes make their eyelashes stand out. For others, well it is just fun tinting them colors like violet or blue, and why not if you can? I was one of those people too, I thought it was fun having different colored eyelashes, that was until my eye doctor told me it is one of the worse things you can do to your eyes. Even vegetable based products, while we were taught in school that these are safe to use because they are vegetable based, no one told us in order for them to develop that we are using chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, alcohols, and certain forms of acids. While the chances of getting it in your eyes are slim, it is still not a good idea because there is still a possibility it could end up in the eyes. Secondly, some people have super sensitive eyes that react when the chemicals are close to their eyes.  The FDA has NOT APPROVED any eyelash color currently on the market (according to their website) and they go on to say, " Permanent eyelash and eyebrow tints and dyes have been know to cause serious eye injuries, including blindness (www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/information)." 
In some states, eyelash tinting is strongly discouraged or banned completely from the state due to potential hazardous consequences to the eyes.

Estheticians:Spa Owners Who Push Retail

Many employers complain that estheticians are lazy when it comes to retail sales, I would say that is too much of a generalization, like saying all spa owners are money hungry thugs. Neither is a fair statement. There needs to be a happy balance between the two. Yes, estheticians need to retail to be successful and keep money coming in so the spa doors don't close, but at the same token spa owners can't expect estheticians to sell junk products either. Estheticians, know this, your employer wants you to sell products and a whole lot of them. The employer doesn't care if the products are junk and aren't necessary for your client's specific skin conditions, nope they just want you to sell. Yes, a lot of your income will come from retail sales and you should sell, but only sell products to clients that you know would benefit their skin. Don't sell them products that you know they don't need just to make a quick buck. Your clients trust you to sell them only what they need, only what will benefit their skin, no more. Some unscrupulous spa owners would have you sell watered down lotion if they could get away with it. Let your personal ethics guide you through your retail sales and don't be forced into any retail sales you don't believe in. If this doesn't jive with your current employer then find a new one or consider working for yourself. Obviously, money is what keeps the spa going, but it shouldn't be at the expense of your good reputation. Eventually your clients will catch on that you are junk product pusher if you just sell them everything under the sun.

Fake Eyelashes

I love the way fake eyelashes make the eyes look, it is no doubt one of the most dramatic cosmetic things you can do to your eyes. As much as I love them, I realize they are not ideal for the health our eyes. The adhesive can actually damage the delicate eye area surrounding the eye and remove eyelashes.In addition, some of the glue can get in the eyes by accident. Some dermatologists recommend, if you MUST have those eyelashes, that you only apply them to the outer eye area so there is less chance of damaging delicate eye skin.

Fake Nails & Esthetics Don't Mix

Esthetician students, if you have fake nails and your instructor hasn't already told you to remove them, let me tell you GET RID OF THEM NOW! I know this is not a popular statement, but the fact is fake nails are dangerous to our clients. Fake nails are beautiful, I definitely understand the need for gorgeous tips, however, not at the expense of our clients. Those nails breed bacteria and increase the risk of infection. Nurses, in many hospital settings, are banned from having fake nails because the nails trap moisture which causes fungi to breed; longer nails breed more bacteria because there is more space under the nail to retain bacteria; and even after hands are washed, many people with fake nails are still harboring bacteria because the hand washing does not remove all of the bacteria that hides under the nail bed.

Esthetician Students: Vitamins Good for Skin

    There are so many good vitamins on the market that benefit not only our skin, but our bodies in general. Many vitamins can be found in our foods, but that is assuming we are eating the right foods, and enough of those foods to absorb the vitamins. I don't know about you, but I know I am not eating perfectly enough to absorb all these beneficial vitamins. While we estheticians are not doctors, we certainly can benefit from learning all we can about vitamins that benefit the skin to pass along to our customers. It is important that clients maintain a healthy lifestyle because all of the skin care products in the world can't change skin that has been nutritionally depleted. Our skin is a reflection of our internal health in conjunction with our environment. Here is a look at some of the best vitamins for skin health.

     Fish Oil is one of those vitamins that slow inflammation, reduce cancer rates and help with cholesterol numbers. It benefits the skin and reduces acne inflammation, and helps smooth wrinkles out. Vitamin B-12 helps with cholesterol, heart disease, brain function and it is essential to skin cell turnover. Vitamin D  helps keep bones strong, reduces inflammation, and  helps with skin conditions like Psoriasis.

Esthetician Students: Acne Scarring

What do you do when you have a client who has severe acne scarring? You can try Microdermabrasion, many estheticians feel like Microdermabrasion can help smooth out the acne scars with a good amount of success. However, if you don't see a good deal of improvement after a couple of Microdermabrasion sessions, be kind to your client and refer them to a cosmetic surgeon.
The cosmetic surgeon can provide several options to your client that you can't. Sure, you won't be putting the money in your pocket, but your client will trust you and know that you have their best interests at heart by referring them out when you know you can't give them the desired results.
Don't forget you are not being replaced, your services are still useful and can work in conjunction with the cosmetic surgeon, and at the end of the day you will feel good that you helped a client achieve optimal results.

Options for acne scarring:
Lasers
Fillers
Saline Solution
Minor Surgery

Esthetician Students: Know When to Refer Your Clients Out

    As a new esthetician (even a seasoned one) don't expect that you can solve every skin issue on your own; there are times when skin issues become beyond the scope of our license. Obviously, anything that looks suspicious like skin cancers or unusual moles should certainly be referred out to a dermatologist. There are other times when estheticians should refer clients to doctors, if a condition is not improving after several treatments (think melasama or certain acne conditions) refer the client to a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon.

        Sometimes as hard as we try we can't solve all the client's needs and they need a medical intervention to help them. Remember you are not diagnosing anyone; instead you are recommending working with a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon in conjunction with your treatment.

     Every good esthetician should have both a good dermatologist's and cosmetic surgeon's information on hand for clients. You should be familiar with the doctors that you recommend, better yet you are a patient of these doctors and at least can tell your clients what type of general treatments they offer: IPL Laser, Fraxel, Botox, Skin Bleaching Creams, fillers, etc. It would be helpful if you have tried any of these treatments as well.

Esthetics: My Favorite Make-Up Lines

I love make-up! Make-up can transform people into different versions of themselves. Make-up can be a way to self express, it can be a way to polish yourself and it can give you that boost of confidence you need. Ancient people before us paved the way to beauty for us, without them experimenting with berries, kohl and other organic materials we wouldn't have aisles of stores field with overwhelming choices. Here are some of my favorite make-up lines:

Mirabella- especially for professional make-up use, but I love it for personal use as well. Not as crazy about their eyeshadow though. Great foundation with SPF in it.
Clinque-just a good basic line. Lots of good choices in palettes.
Estee' Lauder-Love all her products; some great eyeshadow choices.
Mary Kay-I never thought I would say I like Mary Kay, but surprisingly Mary Kay has some great eyeshadow that goes on smoothly.

What Every New Esthetician Needs To Do!!

READ, READ and READ some more. There are so many valuable resources out there to expand your working knowledge of esthetics. Don't rely soley on your esthetics' school education to mold you into a great esthetician, to be an outstanding esthetician you need to continue learning period. Never stop learning. If you love esthetics, it won't bother you in the least to keep on learning. Here are some of my favorite READS:

(1) Skin Deep Magazine
(2) Med Esthetics Magazine
(3) Eye Candy- Linda Mason
(4) Beautiful Brows-Nancy Parker
(5) Skin Rules-Dr. Jaliman
(6) Make Up Makeovers Beauty Bible-Robert Jones
(7) Day Spa Magazine
(8) Successful Business Handbook from Associated Skin Care Professionals (must have!)
(9) Milady's Standard Esthetics Advanced

Readers-What Is Stopping You From Going To Esthetics' School?

Calling all readers, it is time to hear from you. Let me know what is holding you back from going to esthetics' school? What are your lingering doubts? Need some questions answered before you dive in? Send me your thoughts and questions, and check back often to take a sneak peek into other readers' thoughts about why they haven't taken the plunge into esthetics yet?

Grace Riley

Esthetics: A Labor of Love

When I originally started to journal about my esthetics' experiences through my human resources lens (use to work in human resources), I never thought these handwritten pages would turn into anything more than friends of the recycling bin. I could have never imagined these pages would one day be read by esthetics' students throughout the world. Even after I put the book together, I never imagined the response I would get from readers, I love answering questions from all of you students and those of you contemplating esthetics' school. My book JumpStart Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians is a labor of love. Esthetics is my passion, and I hope my book and blog has helped you decide if esthetics is right for you. Please remember, I love your questions so keep them coming in. Due to the amount of questions I receive, please be patient with me, I will do my best to respond. Don't forget to enter the monthly drawing!
Grace Riley

A Great Gift for Recent Esthetics' Graduates

Do you know an esthetics' student who wants to learn everything they can about the career of esthetics? Do you  have a child who is contemplating esthetics' school? This is a perfect gift for that child who isn't quite sure if they should go into esthetics' school or not; it is the perfect gift for the recent esthetics' graduate. Get them the gift that gives them a glimpse into what it is really like to be an esthetician, and gives them career tips that they won't learn in school!
 JumpStart Your Esthetics Career: A Guide for Newly Licensed Estheticians is now 40% off the list price at www.lulu.com.

Esthetician Students: My Favorite Supply Companies

As a new esthetics' student there is great anticipation to break into your kit, everyone wants to play with their new tools, products and supplies. If you want to play with some more great products, here are a list of my favorite companies. I promise you that you will want to break that bank account. Who wouldn't love esthetics with all the fun stuff to play with? It is like being a kid in a candy store.

Universal Companies-Great store to buy sample or starter kits. There are great professional cosmetics line starter kits; eye lash starter kits; DVD's and all kinds of supplies. This is a great one stop shop!

Pure Spa Direct-This is a good place to buy sponges, 4x4's,equipment, sheets and basics.

Cuccio-This is not a supply company, but this is a great product line to enhance your back facials. Great smelling products.

Cosmoprof-Stores nationwide-STUDENTS YOU CAN GET A STUDENT ACCOUNT with your student ID and your class schedule (verify with your local store)-Good for waxing supplies, cotton rounds, gloves, etc.

www.amazon.com-  Great place to get books and DVD's on esthetics...just type in esthetics and a ton of DVD's and books come up that will enhance your education.

The Worst Esthetics' Instructor

      As many of you have probably already read at some point, I attended three different esthetician schools (dropped out of one 1st week because I couldn't swallow the hefty price tag). I know you probably can't imagine attending more than one, but my life circumstances changed and it made it necessary. Long story. Anyway, I was blessed to have one exceptional teacher and then I was unfortunate enough to have Ms. Charlotte (name changed for privacy).
       Ms. Charlotte, she was a very nice lady, but she didn't teach much of anything. I don't know if she even had the passion or drive to teach us anything, she seemed to take the let them teach themselves attitude. She would pop in some DVD's for us, occasionally she would do a small practical lesson, and then the rest of the time she would have us read and answer our own questions. She never offered any real world experiences from her past; she never gave us projects to enhance our learning; and there was never a planned out lesson. It was kind of a free for all. Do what you want and hope you pass the state boards. It was a licensing course at best, it wasn't a place of higher learning, it wasn't a school that molded high quality and ethical estheticians. They wanted to turnover students quickly like a fast food joint, and they produced those types of estheticians.
     At the end of the program, I found out Ms. Charlotte never worked a day in her life as an esthetician. Instead, she worked as a secretary at the beauty school and attended esthetician school at night. Lucky for her, a job opened up after she graduated and she went from secretary to esthetics' instructor. She couldn't convey to the students what it was like to work as an esthetician, or give them real world experiences because she never had any.
      Fortunately for me, the other school that I went to was of  a much higher quality. The difference to me was the instructor; the instructor loved shaping and molding high quality estheticians. She was not going to let students out the door on her good reputation without training them to the highest standards! Ms. Charlotte, well I don't think she ever thought beyond her classroom doors and what types of estheticians she turned over.
      The lesson for this story is never be afraid to switch esthetician schools if you don't jive with the instructor, or you don't feel like you are getting your money's worth. Your esthetician program can make or break your career so make sure it is the right school for you!