What it takes to become a licensed Esthetician

I’m asked quite often, to my surprise, if Estheticians have to go to school or have a license.

The answer is absolutely! The average amount of hours needed in most states is 600, some require more some require less. What is the difference between and Aesthetician, Esthetician, Cosmetologist, Nail Tech, Barber?

Think of Cosmetology as the tree and all the other categories are the branches,

Cosmetologists go to school for quite a bit longer but their education focuses more on cutting and chemical services on the hair with a small emphasis on the other areas. They are licensed to do nails and esthetics but their training is so little that it’s not typical that they provide more than a very basic facial and very basic face waxing (eyebrows, lip, chin). If a Cosmetologist wants to do more, it’s suggested that they go back to a school specifically for esthetics

Aesthetics is relating to the enjoyment or study of beauty, or showing great beauty.

An Esthetician is one who performs services of beauty such as Facials, Dermaplaning, Body/Face waxing, body wraps, Lash Extensions, Lash Lifts, Brow Laminations, Microblading and Makeup applications.

As the years have gone by the Esthetics field has grown not only is the saturation of people going to school for the program but also what has been added such as newer services like Lash Lifts, Dermaplaning, Brow laminations etc.

What is a Master Esthetician? Once you receive your regular esthetics training you can now go back to a Master program which is typically an additional 450 hours. A master is then licensed to do deeper chemical peels, laser treatments for hair removal or skin correcting treatments etc. Most work with or in conjunction with Dermatologists and Plastic surgeons.

Esthetics is very focused and a lot of estheticians end up being a better resource for skin issues such as acne, rosacea and eczema. Dermatologists tend to lean more into prescription-based resolutions while Estheticians take a more holistic approach providing hands on treatments in combination with an excellent skincare routine.

What to look for and ask when trying to decide on what you need from an esthetician: 

Their current State License would be present for all to see and up to date. If you are looking for a self-care relaxing facial vs a more treatment based then ask what they offer and look up the products they have chosen to carry. Some estheticians prefer hair removal over facial treatments or some specialize in Lash Extensions, so always make sure to check out their website and ask questions.

We aren’t all created equal as far as what we offer and knowledge, for example I used to offer Lash Extensions from 2005-2008. That service was not very common then, so it was a struggle to get clients to do them, but then there was a huge shift and once that shift happened you could find a lash studio on every corner. I decided the investment was becoming too expensive, yet the competition was charging very little to get more clients. I got burnt out being hunched over for long periods of time focusing on putting these lashes on clients so I stopped offering it. I was extensively trained in waxing so that is my main focus, but I do enjoy offering self-care facials with an emphasis on massage and relaxation. I am also good at extractions and like to help adults and teens with congested skin due to acne and blackheads.

Why taking care of your beard is cool!

– We use vegan based products that will naturally nourish and moisturize the skin and beard. A beard treatment helps stimulate blood circulation, softens the skin and beard, and hair growth while keeping it tangle free.
– Our beard oil is made with natural fixed oils such as Rosehip oil, avocado oil, and argan oil. It helps promote collagen, reduces appearances of wrinkles, burns and scars. The oils have a lot of vitamins to soothe and fight ingrown hairs.
– Beard oils are SO important. They help with growth, the strength of hair, and help keep the beard clean and make it look clean. Oils help moisturize your hair, your skin and helps repair damage. If you pair beard oil with beard balm, they work even better together. They act almost like a leave-in conditioner.
– Both beard balm and oil, when used together, act as a layer of protection against harsh work environments, weather, and anything it is exposed to daily.
– If you do care for your beard properly, you will gain more benefits than just the beard looking and feeling better, too!
– Proper beard care eliminates beard dandruff.
– Proper care eliminates the beard (at any stage) from getting itchy. You know how annoying that itch can become, and it can make you so annoyed that you just end up cutting it off without giving your beard a shot to grow out.

Posted: June 2, 2022 By:

Top 10 reasons why Dermaplaning is good for you:

This technique is used with a straight rigid blade as opposed to a flexible blade which is what a “shaving” blade or razor is. A rigid blade not only removes vellus hair or peach fuzz, it is designed to remove several weeks of dead surface cells as well. You should not try and dermplane your own face because the blade needs to be held at a 45 degree angle and the skin must be held taught. It is very easy to knick your skin if this technique is not properly done.

It is physiologically impossible for vellus hair to grow back thicker. The soft, fine vellus hair will grow back slowly – usually in about 4 weeks.

There are two types of hair that grow on our bodies: Vellus hair is the thin, fine, soft hair that typically covers the entire body. Terminal hair is the course hair that grows on the head, face in men, underarms, legs and pubic areas. Dermaplaning, waxing, tweezing or any other depilatory form of hair removal cannot alter the type of hair grown in any given area.

Top 10 reasons why Dermaplaning is good for you:

1. Gentle exfoliation good for all skin types and Fitzpatrick’s
2. Vellus (peach fuzz) hair is removed
3. Increased penetration of active ingredients in anti-aging treatments
4. Increased absorption of active ingredients helps home care products work better so you see results faster
5. Can be combined with other anti-aging treatments such as chemical peels, micro-current, oxygen infusion, LED and other light therapies
6. Healthier, more youthful looking and feeling skin
7. Comfortable, relaxing treatment
8. No down-time
9. Makeup glides on easily and less is needed for a youthful, natural glow
10. Skin photographs beautifully, so it’s the perfect treatment right before high profile events.

Dermaplaning is a 30-minute treatment to get a great exfoliation, but you can also combine it with enzymes and peel to make it more effective.

Book an appointment and see how great it is and you’ll be hooked!

The new normal of hair removal services

“Is a woman willing to perform intimate services involving nudity for women obliged to perform the same services for any male who claims to be a woman?”

This article in The Economist brings to light the gray area when it’s comes to services like waxing. You need to be highly experienced to offer hair removal for the genitalia area for any sex. I made sure that I had plenty of experience and felt confident in the service I would be providing.

Tattoo artists and piercers have to pierce all kinds of body parts that are in intimate areas but they also know that this is an option that people will ask for. Hair removal for men and or men who are transgender is still a very new concept.

If you’re going to book this appointment, be very sure to communicate properly and be honest with the esthetician and they will let you know if they’re comfortable with the service request.

“A Male Brazilian Wax Is a Painful Way to Make Your Junk Look, Uh, Bigger”

Great article from GQ:
A Male Brazilian Wax Is a Painful Way to Make Your Junk Look, Uh, Bigger
All the reasons to get waxed below the belt outweigh the reasons not to. Comfort, looks, hygiene and feeling/sensation.
A good waxing by a skilled professional will get you hooked!

In terms of scale, not being buried in a forest of hair makes your, um, you know, look bigger. The end result also makes the area suddenly look more aesthetically pleasing, like a Greek statue.

Read the rest.

Posted: August 24, 2018 By:

Male cyclists and benefits of waxing below the belt

It’s come to my attention via my male clients who are avid riders that all sorts of issues are created from riding. Saddle rash or saddle sores are the most common terminology and are caused by the friction from the seat to the inside of the thigh and groin area. The hair follicle gets infected usually from the sweat and bacteria and causes a very uncomfortable cyst or boil. Even using barrier creams doesn’t alleviate the problem all together.

By removing hair in certain areas, you are removing the bacteria that surrounds the hair and hair holds bacteria. If you shave the hair from the testicles, perineum and butt/crack area you can cause more issues by irritating the skin with the razor, nicking yourself as well as the issue of the hair growing back right away. By removing this hair from the follicle via a trained esthetician, it will take longer for the new follicle to grow out and will allow you more time to ride in between waxings. Typically, you should return to get waxed between 4-6 weeks depending on how fast your hair grows back. During peak riding season 3-4 weeks is probably ideal.

It’s best to wax 24 hours before any friction induced exercising and then follow that with the usual protocol by using barrier creams, showering as quickly after a ride as you can. If you can’t then cleanse the area with tea tree oil diluted with water, applying an ointment like A&D ointment not cream or even Aquaphor and put on clean, dry garments will help tremendously. If you’re prone to the saddle-sore problem then I would always keep a pack with the dry clothes, diluted tea tree in a spray bottle and the ointment in case you’re not able to shower.

Tea tree oil is found over the counter at most drugstores or health stores. It works best when diluted with water, do not put tea tree directly on the skin as a pure oil can burn the skin. Ointments following help keep the skin moisturized which is important to avoid any further irritation. After you are able to shower, you should follow the same steps to keep the skin clean and free of bacteria and sweat.

Posted: January 7, 2018 By:

Brows…to sit or lie

Back in the early 90’s when I was in school for esthetics the instructors trained us to wax the brows sitting up just like you would if you were applying makeup to someone’s face. As the years went by and I worked in a large spa/salon I witnessed the newer estheticians waxing clients brows while they were lying down. Myself and a few other co-workers looked at each other perplexed and said what the heck are they doing and why!?

I really was in awe that someone would take the risk of sitting behind the head of a client and literally waxing their eyebrows upside down! Think about it, you don’t walk around with your chin where your forehead is and your brows where your mouth is so why would you have someone wax you as if this was going to turn out good for you?

My co-workers and I that didn’t believe this method was a good idea started calling these works of non-art, gravity brows. 8 out of 10 times the brows came out uneven and crooked. Our faces are typically not symmetrical so by not looking at the face straight on causes this shift to happen. Some estheticians will wax standing next to the bed and lean over the client while they are lying down, then the problem becomes a big fat backache for said esthetician.

Later I realized that the newer generation of estheticians that came out of school were taught to make more money by “adding” a waxing service to a facial, namely a lip, brow or chin. I get the making more money concept but not at the expense of messed up brows. A lip or chin is easy as your goal is to remove all the hair not “shape” anything that includes an arch. The newer estheticians goal was to not disrupt the client who was already lying down to have to sit up to have their added service.

Now that I’ve been an esthetician for over 20 years I can usually spot right away what client has laid down for their brows, because of course the brow line is off. When I ask if they laid down for their last brow wax the answer is yes 99% of the times. I may just still be set in my ways of how I learned but as I type this out it really is the most logical choice and if you received a brow laying down and it turned out well, then I’d say you got lucky. For now, I stand by my word and observation and I say definitely sit if you can!

Self-care = self-awareness, which makes you feel good!

The topic of grooming prior to being in a relationship has come up over the years. I find it interesting that people who were into waxing before marriage and kids tend to fall off after they get into that comfortable relationship. My other friends in the business have confirmed the same insight.

I was told by a female client that she waxed until she got the man hooked and then once she hooked him said he wasn’t going anywhere. This comment makes it sound like waxing means your partner won’t cheat on you and this isn’t even remotely what I want to emphasize. I do on the other hand want to emphasize that more than likely the point of waxing was to make you feel good about yourself and promoting self-confidence and sexiness from within which is what your partner was attracted to.

Anyone that’s been in a relationship knows that over the year’s people tend to “let themselves go” which does frustrate and disappoint the other partner. In my mind, beauty services such as hair removal, mani/pedi’s and haircuts/color are equal to going to the gym. Self-care is important for ourselves and our intimate relationships, not just the shallowness that seems to be associated with doing this.

Whatever you did before you got the guy/girl you should still keep doing. Women still need to keep the sparkle and men still need to appreciate that you do this. Men are not exempt from this either, if he was grooming before he should still be at it after he’s gotten the girl. I even have husbands and wives that come in together, I think this is so awesome. Partners that wax together stay together!

Posted: August 31, 2017 By: