How To Find The Best Esthetician For You

5 Steps to Professional Skincare Services

Having a good skincare professional you trust is just as important as having a reputable hairdresser, and arguably a good doctor or therapist. After all, an esthetician is dealing with one of your most visible features – your face! But how do you go about finding the best esthetician for you, one that you can trust, especially if you are new to town or have never visited an esthetician before? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! An esthetician, or aesthetician, is a licensed skincare professional that improves and maintains the appearance of your skin. There are two subsets of estheticians – a general esthetician and a medical esthetician. A general esthetician performs minimally invasive treatments such as facials, light peels, extractions and waxing. A medical esthetician works under the supervision of a dermatologist and performs more invasive procedures such as chemical peels. Both hold the same esthetic license. However, finding the right esthetician for you will require more than just a Yelp search (though that is a good place to start).

1. Know What You Want

In order to find the best esthetician for you, you have to first know what you want to get out of their services. Here are some good questions to ask yourself before you ever pick up the phone to make a facial appointment:

• What are my skin concerns? Are you seeing more wrinkles, deep creases, dark spots, sun spots, loss of elasticity or a combination of some or all of those? You’ll need to communicate your most pressing skin concerns to your esthetician to ensure the right strategy, and outcome, from your service.
• How sensitive is my skin? Do most products burn, irritate or make your skin itchy or blotchy? Again, you’ll need to communicate this to your practitioner to ensure the right products are selected for use on your skin.
• What am I looking to get out of a visit to the esthetician? Do you want to see a more even skin tone, firmer skin, more voluminous skin or clearer pores? Again, make sure you’re clear before you go so you’re sure to get what it is you want.
• Am I open to more invasive procedures like chemical peels? Not sure? Do your research before you go. There’s some downtime involved with more invasive procedures so best to know what you’re in for and how well it works with your lifestyle.
• What is my budget? There are so many different types of facials – everything from a basic facial (30-45 mins), to a more targeted facial (60 minutes), and even facials that can last 2 hours or more, so it makes sense that the costs would vary greatly. Get clear on your budget and how much you want to spend before you walk in.

2. Ask For A Recommendation

The best place to start your search is through personal recommendations. Let them do your research for you! Reach out to friends and family to see if they have any spa or esthetician recommendations. Or look on social media to see if any friends have checked in at a local spa or skincare studio. Still coming up short? Be bold. If you see someone who has beautiful skin, ask where they go to get a facial or other esthetic service

3. Do Your Research

Now that you have a few recommendations from your friends and family – or even if you don’t – check to see what other people are saying about that esthetician. Much like any other service you are researching, Yelp is a great place. But read those reviews carefully and take them with a grain of salt. A bad Yelp review could be about a different service provider at the spa, or even the service at the front desk. Make sure the reviews you are reading are about the esthetician you are going to see specifically.

4. Check Their Credentials

Requirements to be an esthetician vary by state, but generally applicants must be 16 years or older and pass their state board examination in order to obtain a license. To qualify to take the state board exam, applicants must pass a hands-on state-approved skin care and esthetics course at a beauty or cosmetology school. Make sure the esthetician you are researching has the appropriate state license, and that it is in good standing. If you are in California like us, you can check for a valid esthetic license here.

5. Schedule A Consultation

Once you find an esthetician that looks promising, schedule a consultation where you can get your skin assessed by a professional. Many spas will do these for free. This will help your esthetician create an action plan that is specific to you and your skin concerns. And don’t forget to bring the list you made from tip #1 with you. Remember, you can find a certified Stemology skincare professional near you on our website: https://stemologyskincare.com/store-locator/. Have an esthetician that you love and trust? Give them a shout out in the comments! Sources: Refinery29, Study.com