An Esthetician....what is that!?!?!

When I was in Esthetics School, my husband, who is a barber, would always cringe when one of his clients asked about me.  Inevitably the conversation would turn to where I work and my husband would have to explain that I had recently returned to school and was studying to be an Esthetician.  Nine times out of ten the client would ask, "An Esthetician....what is that?"  Even my Mom, who is a very intelligent woman, had no idea what that was when I informed her of my decision to change careers.  As it turns out, a lot of people don't know who or what an Esthetician is.  So, if you're one of the many who have no clue, I'll tell you:  An Esthetician is a Skin Care Specialist.  You may see an Esthetician working at a Day Spa, Medical Spa, Cosmetics Store or even a Medical Office (usually a Plastic Surgeon's or Dermatologist's office), depending on their level of training, area of interest and expertise.   They may work as freelance Make-up Artists, Waxing Specialists or Skin Care Brand Representatives as well.  There are a lot of paths someone with an Esthetics background can take, but the most traditional and most recognized one is that of the Day Spa Esthetician who performs facials.  Those wishing to pursue a career as an Esthetician must first look into their particular state's training requirements.  The best place to do this is on each state's Board of Cosmetology website.  This site will give information on how many hours of training are required to be able to sit for that state's licensing exam.  There is a huge discrepancy in training hour requirements between states (as low as 250 to over a 1,000 hours) making any future plans to move out-of-state a potentially difficult task.  If an out-of-state move IS in your future, you will want to make sure you check out the State Board of Cosmetology's websites in both your current state and your future one to ensure that reciprocity is an option for you.  If it's not, you may be required to return to school in your new state to make up the difference in training hours.  Some states allow you to undergo an apprenticeship in place of traditional school training; however, the hour requirements are usually greater and the length of time spent apprenticing a lot longer than attending school.  Check with your state's Board of Cosmetology to see whether this is an option.  If an apprenticeship is available in your state and you choose to pursue that option you will need to find someone who is willing to oversee your apprenticeship.  This will most likely have to be an experienced Esthetician or in some cases, it may be a Cosmetologist.  If you choose to attend a school, do some research first.  You will want to make a list of all the schools available to you, talk to previous/current students, research each school's website and determine if the school's reputation, location and price all meet your expectations. Once you've done sufficient research and have narrowed your search down to a school or two, visit the school(s) and if you are able, sit in on a class and ask permission to speak to the students during a scheduled break so that you can get a feel for their satisfaction with the level of training they are receiving.

Although I am a recent Esthetics graduate (not an Esthetician yet!) and can certainly not be considered an expert in my field, I do love everything that pertains to healthy skin and I plan on maintaining a regular blog where I can write about any and all health-related things that fascinate me.  Here are some upcoming themes:  pH and why it's important, specific product ingredients and what they do, the importance of exfoliation, etc..  I also enjoy yoga, Ayurveda, healthy eating and anything 'green', so you may see some not-so-skin-related articles as well. Speaking of 'green' things and skin care, I have recently discovered a Skin Care line called BlackBox Cosmetics that is not only great for your skin, it's good for the environment, too!!  The products, which are aloe-based, are packed full of skin-friendly nutrients, are highly effective for both acne and age-related problems AND come in gender-neutral acrylic dispensers that are REFILLABLE!  Once you're finished with the product, you just pop open the top of the acrylic container, take out and RECYCLE the empty cartridge and put in a new one!  After your initial purchase of each product (they are sold individually and in kits), you will only need to purchase the more cost-effective refills ever after!  So, not only are they good for your skin and the environment, they're good for your wallet, too!!  If you are interested in learning more about these products, I have attached the link below:
https://shop.blackboxcosmetics.com/JB1943

I hope this article helps to clarify what an Esthetician is and encourages a few of you to start a career that you will love!!   Please let me know if you have any questions or comments!

~~Jessica Barahona