The Ultimate Guide: How to Become an Esthetician

Dec 16, 2021

If you have a passion for skincare and cosmetology, then at some point you may have thought about how to become an esthetician. This line of work could help you explore your interest, and help you acquire the skills to become a true professional.

 

But once you have considered the possibility of becoming an esthetician, you may be lost on how you can move forward. What are the first steps you need to take to become an esthetician? Well in this post, we will provide you with the insight necessary to help begin your journey.

 

While not everyone’s path to becoming an esthetician will be the same, there are some general milestones that everyone should consider. Let’s break them down here.

Should You Become an Esthetician

The first thing you need to address in your journey to become an esthetician is whether or not you truly want to follow this career path. Some people enjoy exploring things more as a hobby, and some people have an idea about what to expect but discover that reality is much different.

 

So, before you go down this path, you should ask yourself a few key questions:

  • What do I want to accomplish?
  • What job prospects will I be pursuing?
  • What will I need to do to reach my goals?

Answering these few essential questions can go a long way in determining if this job path is the right one for you.

What do I want to accomplish?

For the first question, think about what your goals to become an esthetician are. Some people enjoy makeup and want to help people explore new looks and feel comfortable in their skin. A professional makeup artist position is a good thing to reach for.

 

Others have a passion for skincare and find a facialist career to be fulfilling. There are even options for medical estheticians if you have an interest in the medical field and skincare and don’t know how to decide between the two. Do more research into what options estheticians have for work and decide what you want to pursue.

What job prospects will I be pursuing?

Once you decide what your goals for being an esthetician are, you can then move forward by narrowing down the specific careers that you can apply for. Having some general goals is a good beginning, but you need to focus your efforts on preparing for specific responsibilities.

 

Luckily, estheticians have access to a wide variety of different job opportunities, so you are very likely to find some career path that can fit your goals. And even if something doesn’t fit perfectly, never rule out the possibility that you can use your knowledge and credentials to advance the field where you want it to be.

What will I need to do to reach my goals?

Finally, when you have decided on what sorts of jobs you would like to pursue, you can then determine what education and/or training you will need for your desired career. Different positions and locations will have different requirements, but our esthetician overview page gives a good general breakdown of what you can expect.

Qualifications You Will Need

With your career path in mind, you can now start to find the programs necessary to receive your training/education for professional esthetician work. Though differing programs will have different approaches and requirements, there are some consistent aspects you should consider to help find the right fit.

 

So, here’s what you need to keep in mind when finding an esthetician program:

  • Accreditation
  • Course Offerings
  • State Board Preparation/Licensing
  • Additional Skills

Accreditation

Accreditation is important because it establishes the legitimacy of the program you are going into. If your program is not well established, reputable, and accredited, then employers may not view your time there as worthwhile.

 

Finding a program that is trusted and experienced with full accreditation is important to having your education/training taken seriously, and for you to be seen as properly qualified for a job.

Course Offerings

When you have found a program that seems appealing to you, you must look for their exact curriculum so that you can identify what courses they are offering that are relevant to your career path. A program may be well established and qualified, but if their training is not relevant to your desired role then it is not worth it.

 

On top of just finding courses relevant to preparing you for your specific career roles, some programs may even go a step further, and offer more specialized and advanced courses and even insight into running an esthetician business of your own.

State Board Preparation/Licensing

Most states will require you to receive a license to conduct work as an esthetician. This will involve you taking a state licensing exam to prove your qualifications for work. When finding your esthetician program, it is good to determine if they have the appropriate experience to prepare you for the exam.

 

A good idea is to look up reviews of past students and see how they felt about their preparedness. If students are reporting leaving the program without proper preparation for licensing, then that might be the sign for you to look elsewhere.

Additional Skills

Now on top of all of the professional education and training you will receive, it is also important to keep in mind some personal requirements to become an esthetician. This field is very close and interactive with customers, so how you represent yourself is very important.

 

What can go a long way for you, is being very personable, professional, and easy to work with. You may be dealing with lots of different clients/patients, and so being understanding and amicable are very appealing traits.

What to Expect in the Job Market

After you have completed your program and received your license, you are ready to secure a professional esthetician position, and there is some good news on this front; the demand for licensed estheticians is growing much faster than the average for other jobs.

 

Depending on your chosen career, your work environment may be in a doctor’s office, on the go to various sets and shoots, or in a salon or spa performing skincare treatment. You may even be more entrepreneurial-minded and be running your own business!

 

Figure out where you want to be based, what you want your lifestyle to be like, where you want your work to be focused, and go from there to identify the ideal role and environment for you.

Conclusion

Becoming an esthetician is an inspiring goal. There are many possibilities in this line of work, and what they all have in common is that they help provide comfort, confidence, and/or healing for those who seek out its benefits.

 

You may have a passion for the field now but are unsure if it is the right choice for you, or what you can expect moving forward with it. If the information in this post didn’t go quite far enough, then it would be a good idea to chat with an advisor of a program, which you could do on our page here.

 

If you have any desire to consider this career path, then do not hesitate and start your journey now! The sooner you begin studying and training, the sooner you can begin helping people in a career that you love.

 

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