What Type of Esthetics Products Should You Use on Your Oncology Clients?

There will come a point in your career when you will work on a client who has cancer, or who is still feeling the cancer and chemo effects on their skin. Treating a cancer patient is a totally different experience, and in general should be referred to estheticians with formal oncology esthetics training, but if no one in your area works with cancer patients consider offering a product line (even if it is in small quantities) like Lindi that is specifically designed with oncology patients in mind. These products are gentle enough to preserve the integrity of the skin, it will not cause them more harm like some products might do, and many of the ingredients have soothing qualities in them. Avoid any steam, scrubs, or massage on these special clients and don't forget they ARE MORE THAN CANCER; they are human beings who want to feel pretty again and who can benefit from human touch even if they can't have traditional esthetic massage performed on them.

Skin Care & Food Intolerances

Clients who have the best skin care habits in the world can still be afflicted with troubling skin care issues. Everything from acne to melasma can be caused by undetected food sensitivities. Don't make assumptions such as melasma is caused by too much sun, or acne is caused by eating the wrong foods.  In fact, these people could be eating all the right foods nutritionally, but the wrong foods for their body. It is not your job to diagnosis your clients, but it is your job to let them know that food sensitivities exist and can cause skin issues. Some people have an autoimmune reaction (myself included) to gluten which can certainly contribute to skin issues, but other sensitivities can cause problems too (lactose, soy etc.) Listen to your clients, if they tell you that they are doing everything right yet they still have skin issues then this should be a red flag for the possibility of food sensitivities. They might truly have a food intolerance that needs dietary modifications (per their medical doctor) that will eventually help clear up their skin.

Organic Microdermabrasion

It is no secret that I love Microdermabrasion, I am a huge fan of it. I think it does wonders for the skin. What do you do when you have a client who steers clear from Microdermabrasion because it is too clinical for them or too expensive? There are some great products out there for manual Microdermabrasion, but one of my absolute favorites is Eminence Pear & Poppy Seed Microderm Polisher. It is an organic way to reap the benefits of Microderm without the high price tag or the clinical feeling. The manual Microderm will leave the skin baby soft, supple and smooth and your clients won't miss the clinical Micro machine. It is also a great home care product that clients can use at home twice a week, even sensitive clients can use it in moderation. Love IT!!

Hefty Loans for Esthetics

 Deciding to go to esthetics school is an exciting time. You get to meet new people; play with all the cool products and tools; and learn how to put your passion into action. When it comes time for the reality of esthetician schools think price above all the fancy schools because you aren't borrowing free money! Sure, some schools will sell you the world and encourage you to sign the loan documents, but ultimately you have to pay it back. Don't even think you can default on those hefty loans either, did you know if you default, besides bad credit the loan company can garnish your future wages and tax refunds? Esthetics school is just to get your license, while many schools have the bells and whistles, do you really need all of that? Think long and hard before you sign on the dotted line because you might not even earn what you owe your first year in esthetics.

Mother's Day Facial Specials

Your employer is offering rock bottom prices on facials, and you are excited to fill your book. Your employer keeps telling you what a money maker it is going to be. But is that really true?  What is your commission split? If you are hourly there will be no serious change in pay for you, but you estheticians on commission need to think about how much money you will actually earn. Let's assume your base facial is $60.00 and you have a 50/50 split....normally you would get $30.00 plus tip for one facial. If your employer is offering 50% off all facials for the week of Mother's Day then your paycheck might be very lean. You would only earn $15.00 per facial plus tip. It is something to consider when planning your finances because you will certainly notice a difference in your paycheck during these times. I talk more about this in my book Jump Start Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians. You need to know what your bottom line is so there are no surprises in your paycheck.

European Esthetics

    Have you ever noticed how many day spas and salons across this country use the word "European" in their business names? Probably more than you can count. Why do all these spas want "European" in their titles anyway? Most likely it is because Europe conjures up distinctive and sophisticated images, and it is well known that European standards for education far surpass ours. So, as an American who wants to study esthetics, should you hop a flight and attend a European esthetics school? 
    It depends on what you want for your future, and if YOU CAN AFFORD it. You need to know how long school takes there, if you can get a loan (or can mom and dad stroke you a check for school and living expenses there), and if your hours there will TRANSFER BACK TO YOUR STATE. Also consider language barriers.
     A European education can certainly propel you into the next level of esthetics and give you international  spa status. It is a great option for those adventurous types who want to learn beyond our borders, and who want to embrace another culture.

Some schools to consider:
www.lond-est.com-The London School of Beauty & Make-Up, London, England
www.juventhera-formation.fr/en/-Juventhera Beauty School, Paris France
www.swiss-beauty-academy.ch/-Swiss Beauty Academy, Zurich, Switzerland
    

What's Up Student Estheticians?

What's up student estheticians? Do you have questions about esthetics, but don't know who to turn to for advice? Do you feel like your school only provides you with so much information? Please feel free to ask me questions, I will do my best to answer your questions on this blog. Send questions to my comment section of the blog. 
Happy Esthetics!
Grace Riley

Esthetician Booth Rental: What You Need to Know

(1) A business plan is a must!
(2) Savings-you need some type of savings to help out during the initial period of launching your new business. If not, having support of a spouse or family would make this transition easier.
(3) Market Niche-what area of esthetics are you going to focus on? You can do all services, but what will you be known for?
(4) Good Credit-is your credit worthy to take a business loan or at least sign a booth rental lease?
(5) Liability Insurance-Every esthetician needs liability insurance, even if you work for someone else, you need your own liability insurance, period! Do not believe your employer has you covered. Employers are out to protect themselves, it is your financial future, protect yourself whether you booth rent or work as an employee!
(6) Type of Spa-decide what type of spa you will run before investing in equipment and product lines. Start gradually and add on as needed.