How To Become An Esthetician

Becoming an esthetician provides you with a varied and exciting career path in an incredible sector of the beauty industry. An esthetician is a skincare expert, someone who is able to advise people on what to do to help encourage healthy skin, solve skin conditions and take better care of their skin. Does that sound like something you could do? Well, let’s see! We’ve gathered answers to the most important questions we’re sure you have about getting into this exciting career and put it all together in this handy guide. Here is how to become an esthetician.

What Is An Esthetician?

An esthetician is a professional who specialises in skincare. They can evaluate their clients’ skin, recognise any issues and advise on cleansing routines to suit every skin type and its requirements. With this job, they can reduce or prevent skin conditions and boost the overall appearance of their client’s skin[i].

Alternatively, there are medical aestheticians. As well as specialising in skincare, a medical esthetician is qualified to perform medical skin procedures. For example, they may work with people whose skin has been damaged from burns, surgery or other health issues.

Esthetician Responsibilities

An esthetician is a type of beauty therapist who specialises in skincare. They are usually based in salons and typically offer a varied range of services.

Some of an esthetician’s typical duties and responsibilities on a day to day basis include:

Examining clients’ skin to find any issues
Discussing treatment plans and available services with clients
Instructing clients on the most valuable skin care products and routines for their skin type
Providing a range of facial treatments
Offering hair removal procedures, including waxing, threading and laser hair removal
Providing treatment for a range of skin conditions, including acne
Promoting overall health and wellbeing through the use of essential oils and aromatherapy
Referring clients to other professionals, such as physicians, for more advanced treatments when necessary

Good Skills For An Esthetician To Have

Although receiving the proper education is paramount when looking to become an esthetician, there are specific skills that will make you an ideal candidate for the role. Here are some good skills for an esthetician to have:

Interpersonal Skills – Empathy and interpersonal skills are essential in the position of an esthetician. Part of their role is to build a quick rapport with clients and other professionals, so listening and gaining a quick understanding are vital. As well as this, empathising and discussing with clients will help quell any self-conscious feelings and put clients at ease.
Communication – An esthetician needs to be able to communicate well with others. They will explain skin types, products and complicated procedures to their clients, and estheticians need to approach this in a friendly, understandable way.
Precision – Estheticians provide services that depend on accurate precision. For example, they may be required to apply chemical peels to clients’ faces and be careful not to harm the clients’ skin or eye area.
Creativity – Possessing a certain creative flair allows an esthetician to find their own style and stand out in this fast-paced industry. If an esthetician can develop their own products, brands or specialised routines, they can be perceived as a cut above the rest.
Problem-Solving – An esthetician help solve clients’ skincare problems, so problem-solving is beyond essential. Finding solutions to a client’s issue and laying them out in an easy-to-follow treatment plan is an integral part of the job, and natural problem-solving skills will make it that bit easier.
Attention To Detail – An esthetician must be precise and attentive, particularly when carrying out treatments for clients. Attention to detail is vital to avoid any errors when providing their services. Increase your attention to detail for the role by focusing on concentration, taking necessary breaks and ridding yourself of distractions for complete focus.
Business Skills – Of course, knowing how to discuss treatments with and take care of clients is paramount, but business skills are certainly a favour as an esthetician. For example, an esthetician knowledgeable in running a business is likely to be able to set up their own business in the future. Having strong objectives, a clear vision, planning abilities, and leadership skills can help you hold up the business side of the job.

How To Become An Esthetician

Unfortunately, there’s no step-by-step guide that can answer ‘how to become an esthetician.’ However, there are several routes that can lead you to this interesting and varied career path. Naturally, becoming an esthetician will require plenty of training and education, but how you go about getting the right experience is completely up to you. These are some of the steps you can take to get started on your way to becoming an esthetician.

Complete A Specialist Qualification

Naturally, you can study to become an esthetician. Unfortunately, there aren’t many certificates or diplomas that focus specifically on becoming an esthetician. However, you can instead complete a qualification that covers skincare or any of the services an esthetician offers. For example, a licensed certificate IV in Beauty Therapy or a certificate III in Beauty Services will provide you with the right skills and education to become an esthetician.

On top of this, you may want to further your education by studying for an advanced diploma in skin therapy or a similar subject. Basic qualifications from TAFE usually take around six months to complete, although further education courses can take up to a year.

Gain Hands-On Experience

If you decide to complete a specialist qualification, employers will likely value hands-on experience just as much as your degree. In the role of an esthetician, knowing how to handle day to day responsibilities from the off is vital, and nothing can get you this know-how like experiencing it for yourself.

Usually, you will gain hands-on experience during your qualification course, as there will be plenty of practical opportunities throughout the course. However, if you don’t wish to complete a qualification, you could gain work experience by joining a practising esthetician to watch them perform their duties and hone your own skills. Alternatively, you could search for esthetician apprenticeships.

Of course, when you get a job as an esthetician, you will receive plenty of on-the-job training, so don’t be too worried about cramming everything in at once. New employers will definitely appreciate an eagerness to learn!

Take Some Online Courses

An esthetician offers a range of services, and becoming an expert in all of those can be difficult in the few months a regular esthetician schooling course provides. Online courses are a great, accessible way of learning all you need to know to bolster your knowledge and find your niche in the field. Facial courses are a perfect exploration of a popular service that estheticians offer, or general skincare courses may give you the information and experience you need.

Find Your Job

Once you’ve gained plenty of training or education, it’s time to start looking for a proper job! As an esthetician, you can choose whether you’d prefer to work full time or part-time. Once you know what you’re looking for, tailor your cover letter and CV to incorporate stand-out words in the job description for each role you apply for. There are plenty of physical and online employment services, such as Indeed, that can help you secure the job role best suited to you.

How Long Does It Take To Become An Esthetician?

Depending on the route you take to becoming an esthetician, the time it takes for you to be able to enter the job market can vary. For example, if you choose to go for an apprenticeship, you can expect to be in training for a little longer than a year. On the other hand, if you train to become an esthetician via a professional school or degree course, you can expect to be in training for around six months. Finally, if you go into further education beyond this qualification, you may be in training for a further one to three years.

However, on average, it can take six months to one year to become an esthetician.

What Is The Average Esthetician Salary?

The average esthetician’s salary depends heavily on training, experience, level of expertise and practising location. However, in Australia, an esthetician with the right qualifications can expect to make an average of $54,582 a year, or $26.24 an hour. This makes it one of the highest paid jobs in the beauty industry!

And That’s How To Become An Esthetician

An esthetician is a fantastic beauty career that allows you to help people in a huge way. Being able to advise people on how to look after themselves and their skin will give both you and your future clients a massive confidence boost – and that benefits everybody! Although it may not be a journey completely free of twists and turns, if the career path is right for you, it’s certainly one that you will enjoy.

Do you have any tips or advice to help people learn how to become an esthetician? Share your wisdom with us in the comments below!