Career Center - Esthetician Tips

Top Ten Career Tips from an Esthetician

Are you starting a career as an esthetician or considering one? To help you develop your career, here is valuable advice from a professional esthetician who has created her own successful skin therapy business.

Fauzia Morgan is a licensed esthetician in Seattle, Washington. She graduated from the Euro Institute of Skin Care in 2005 and offers facials, resurfacing peels and body treatments through her own business, Sacred Skin Therapy.

"I still can't really get over how lucky I am to do what I love for a living," says Fauzia. "I give facials the way I would want to receive one. I love how good people feel after a facial with me."

Fauzia offers the following advice for new estheticians and those considering a career in skin care.

1. Do what you love.

Fauzia Morgan, Owner
of Sacred Skin Therapy

When it comes to choosing a school or creating a focus for your practice, Fauzia's advice is consistent – be yourself and do what you love.

Her own approach to aesthetics is holistic and rooted in her own experience. After struggling with chronic, severe acne from ages 13 to 26, Fauzia learned to heal her body from the inside out through acupuncture and dietary changes. Then, while working at an integrative pharmacy, she realized that she was able to help other people with their skin by recommending natural skin care products and making referrals to naturopaths, nutritionists, acupuncturists and herbalists. She decided to translate this talent into a career as an esthetician.

Understandably, Fauzia chose a school that emphasized the whole body and the ways in which internal health affects the skin. Other schools may emphasize waxing or medical esthetics, both very lucrative options. In her practice, however, Fauzia offers only facial and body treatments – no waxing – because that's what she loves.

2. Buddy up.

Sharing space and clients with other professionals can be a great way to build your business. Fauzia partnered with a massage therapist in order to open a larger practice space.

"Financially I wouldn't have been able to offer a larger space by myself, so it was really helpful for both of us," she explains. "We're not competitive – we really complement each other. It's great for people who want to come in for a spa day and bring a friend. One person gets a massage while the other person gets a facial, and then they switch off."

In addition to helping build your business via referrals, partnering with other professionals can be a source of support. You can do joint marketing and bounce ideas off each other. Massage therapists, acupuncturists, nutritionists, nail technicians and electrologists can all be great potential partners. And, of course, many estheticians share salon space with hair stylists.

3. Network! Network! Network!

When she first started as an esthetician, Fauzia joined an online business networking group called Biznik and spent six months participating in a referral-based networking group called Business Networking International (BNI).

"I had to stand up and give a commercial about myself every week. It really helps you get clear about who you are, what you do and how to confidently market yourself. It's so important to have a good answer when people ask you what you do. It's also important to know other professionals in related fields – nutritionists, homeopaths, massage therapists and others – so you can make informed referrals."

4. Get online.

"Everybody wants to go to your website," says Fauzia. "I don't even have brochures right now, because I think it's just a waste of paper. I've gotten so many new people who just found me online. They were really drawn to my website . I'm so lucky that it portrays who I am so well."

Your website is a unique opportunity to communicate who you are, what your style is and what you're really all about. To portray a professional image, Fauzia highly recommends working with a professional web designer and copywriter. Working with professionals is expensive, but you may be able to work out a trade. Fauzia traded dollar for dollar with the designer who built her site.

5. Be product-savvy—and sincere.

Fauzia uses a high-end line of organic skin care products in her practice and makes a significant portion of her income selling them to her clients. Above all, she says, it's important to choose a professional line of products that clients can't buy in retail stores. She says her products are "expensive but not ridiculous" and cautions that "if things are too cheap, people wonder why."

"I can only sell something I believe in 100 percent," Fauzia explains. "I'm not pushy, but people want products that will really work for their skin. People trust me, because I'm so passionate about the products and I know them well."

6. Know your own worth.

"When they first get out of school," says Fauzia, "people often feel they have to discount their products. But—that can attract the wrong kind of client. It's sending a message that you're not worth what the spa next door is worth—even though you went through all the training and set up your own business. You get into trouble if you don't recognize your worth and the value of the service."

She advises new estheticians to look at the industry standard, which is at least a dollar per minute, and then look at what other people are charging locally. Settle on a fair price that makes you feel properly compensated.

According to Fauzia, a lot of people price their services lower because they expect tips. While tipping is common courtesy at a salon, where clients know you're only getting a portion of the price they pay for a service, it should not be expected when you work for yourself. "About 75 percent of my clients tip me," says Fauzia, "because they've been getting facials for a long time and that's what they're used to. But I don't expect tips. I'd much rather someone be happy and satisfied and keep coming back."

7. Good boundaries make good clients.

"Boundaries can be difficult, especially when you're a private practitioner in a very intimate setting," says Fauzia. "It's very easy to go over time with people. Sometimes you get people who want to be your friends and invite you out. And some people don't respect your time. They show up late repeatedly, don't show up at all or cancel at the last minute."

Clients depend on an esthetician to create and maintain professional boundaries, so they can relax and enjoy their time. So when people ask personal questions, Fauzia gives general answers and steers the focus back to the client.

She also strongly encourages new practitioners to write out clear policies about everything before they start, including returns, cancellations and pricing. If someone cancels at the last minute, Fauzia lets them off the hook the first time but reminds them of her 24-hour cancellation policy. If it happens again, she charges full price for the session.

"It's hard to be firm when it's such a feel-good service," she admits, "but if you respect yourself, other people will respect you. You're responsible for setting and maintaining your price, your hours and your policies. If you believe in them and uphold them, people will take you more seriously."

8. Keep your finger on the pulse.

Like many estheticians, Fauzia gets her insurance through Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP). She gets great information about developments in the field through their website and quarterly publication.

Trade shows – such as The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa – can also be a great option for connecting to the latest news in the skin care industry and taking advanced training courses.

9. Keep on learning.

Continuing education is not as readily available for estheticians as it is for many other professions, but it's important to keep building your skills. In addition to trainings available at trade shows, many skin care lines offer courses to the professionals who use their products.

You can also enhance your practice by developing related skills and knowledge. Fauzia reads a lot about nutrition because she talks to her clients about how important diet and supplements can be for healing the skin. Classes in massage or aromatherapy are also helpful to many estheticians. Or, if you're a medical esthetician, you may want to take courses in Botox or laser hair removal.

10. Never sacrifice self-care.

"Taking care of yourself is so important when you're in a field where you take care of other people," says Fauzia. If you work in a larger salon or spa, you may be under a lot of pressure to get as many people into one day as possible. There isn't always a lot of room to take care of yourself.

But even if you only get short breaks between clients, make them count. Create "sacred space" for yourself. Stretch, eat, go for a quick walk, meditate or do whatever helps you avoid being frenzied and stressed out. And in terms of your overall lifestyle, it's impossible to overestimate the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise.

"People are coming to you for a peaceful experience and for their monthly or bi-monthly treat. You have to be super grounded. You have to be in a good mental, physical and emotional space."

Related Articles:

• Find the Field that Fits
• Paying for Massage & Beauty School
• Inside a Spa: Who's Who

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