A great facial isn’t just a sequence of steps—it’s a curated experience that blends science, skill, and a little bit of ritual. Here’s what goes into it, and why each part matters.

1. Intake + Consultation: Before anything touches your skin, we talk about your skin’s history, your current routine + any changes you’ve noticed. This ensures your treatment is tailored to your needs and goals.

2. Treatment Planning: Think of this as your facial’s blueprint. Based on your skin’s condition today, we decide: • What’s the focus? Treatment | Repair • What’s the best method? Active | Gentle.

3. First Touch | Cleansing Ritual: Often a double cleanse, starting with an oil or balm to dissolve impurities, followed by a deeper clean. This step also begins the relaxation process and sets the tone. We might also use a Toner in this step. 

4. First Look | Skin Analysis: We take a close look at your skin. We do this after cleansing for more accuracy and at every appointment. This reveals your skin’s current condition including hydration levels, congestion, texture, tone and overall health.

5. Exfoliation: Dead skin cells are removed to reveal smoother, brighter skin, and boost results. • Manual: gentle scrubs to nanoneedling • Chemical: enzymes or acids that dissolve buildup and cellular adhesions.

6. Pore Readiness + Detox: Prior to Extractions - the skin is prepped with a solution - sometimes in the form of a liquid or gel and sometimes with a warming mask - this opens the pores and allows us to perform extractions more gently and easily. 

7. Extractions (if needed or requested): Safe removal of blackheads, congestion or milia, done hygienically and thoughtfully to protect the skin. Bleeding = scars. I use light pressure and modern tools to maximize both safety and results. 

8. Mask Application: At this point your skin is at its cleanest and most receptive. Masks deliver targeted, potent ingredients for your biggest skin concerns (while preventing some concerns you likely haven’t even thought about yet). 

9. Mask Time = Massage Time: While the mask does its work, you might enjoy a facial massage, scalp massage or a hand and arm massage. Depending on the work being done, any or all of the above are typically utilized during the masking time. 

10. The Facial Massage: This is where you relax the most and I work the hardest. The right knowledge combined with the right tools and techniques can erase lines, contour, lift, snatch and sculpt your face while you bask in the bliss of it all. 

11. Lock-In the Results:  • Serums: concentrated actives like vitamins and skin-transforming ingredients   • “Moisturizer” or Oil: hydrates and seals  • SPF: a protective shield from UV damage  • Lip & Eye for extra polish.

12. The Send Off: We finish with aftercare tips (I email them so you can stay in relaxation mode), product recommendations, and answers to your questions so you can maintain results at home. 

Why This Matters: 

Understanding the anatomy of a facial does more than just satisfy curiosity—it transforms the entire experience.

• Reduces anxiety: When you know what’s coming next, you can relax into the process. There’s no guessing, no awkward “what’s happening now?” moments—just a steady flow you can trust.

• Maximizes your results: Each step has a purpose, and when you understand that purpose, you can better communicate your needs + goals. That makes your facial more effective—today and long-term.

• Makes you an active partner in your skin health: Knowledge helps you choose your focus, products, and home care that support your investment and the work we’ve done in the treatment room.

The Alchemy | Skin Difference: Clarity | Intention | Results

• Every treatment is BESPOKE—meaning no cookie-cutter protocols. Your skin gets exactly what it needs on the day of your visit, from product selection to tools and techniques.

• ALL-INCLUSIVE care: No “extra charge” for things like advanced exfoliation, targeted masking, Gua Sha, Nanoneedling or extractions—they’re simply part of the experience if your skin needs them.

When the experience is both personalized and transparent, you’re not just lying on the table—you’re in partnership with your esthetician, confidently knowledgable in every step taken toward your healthy, radiant skin.

I’m going to call out some problems in a moment. Ones that I don’t yet have solutions to. I’m warning you of this in advance because I am nothing if not transparent - sometimes to a fault. I don’t have answers because I haven’t found them yet. I believe they will come in time, but at the moment I don’t know enough to know how to solve all of them. Only that I’ve recently identified why I think the skin care industry is broken. 

I haven’t done the research on the next fact that I’m going to share, and I’m not 100% sure how I would even attempt to do so. So again, I’m going to have to ask for you to give me some grace and a wee bit of latitude. 

I’m not like most estheticians. This became obvious while in my esthetics programs, both for my basic license and my master license, when looking around the room of my classmates who were 20 somethings, some younger. I estimate that about 20% of us that were in, or close to, our 40s or older and maybe 10% were college graduates. My undergraduate degree happens to be in Business. I spent the better part of 15+ years working for corporate America.

The connecting theme of all of my corporate years at Microsoft, T-Mobile and Expedia was that I worked as a go-between from my company to other businesses; some small and some industry giants. In 2015 after my divorce, I left my corporate life, and in 2020 I became licensed in esthetics. If you want to know about the journey in between - this will get you up to speed. 

I am telling you all of the above so you know that when I say this industry is broken that I have the experience and credentials to make such a claim. When you spend over a decade working in business with small business owners you get a feel for what works and what doesn't. You get a sense of the focus and determination it takes to be successful. I don’t really care what industry it is, each one is nuanced in its own way, but there are some consistent elements that stand out with some of the companies that I’ve worked with across time, but that’s for another blog article.

When I found aesthetics as my passion I was delirious with enthusiasm. I had FINALLY found my thing. So to get INTO the workforce and start working as an esthetician and realize what the industry was like was a punch to the gut. I originally wrote and published this article in 2023. It’s 2026 now and nothing has really changed. This is the first edit I’ve made. The things that made me uncomfortable three years into my esthetics career still exist. Here they are: 

1. Almost everyone you talk to that works for a skin care business is paid on commission. As an end consumer, it’s difficult to find someone to talk to who isn’t being paid to sell you on something. 

2. There’s no requirement for industry continuing education. I love learning. It’s at the core of who I am. I’ve also worked with estheticians who have been in the industry for over a decade and have no interest in taking classes. If their company isn’t providing/requiring it, some estheticians are not actively evolving their skills. 

3. There is a significant amount of contradictory information available and no shortage of written or confusing documentation. There’s also scientifically based papers that are challenging to understand if you don’t have an advanced degree. There’s not a lot of easy to understand, easy to digest science-based information. Most articles in consumer-accessible magazines have dermatologists or well known estheticians weighing in on a topic but even there, I’ve found it lacking in actual scientific back-up. 

4. There are people on social media claiming their chance in the spotlight regardless of whether what they are saying is actually good for your skin or not. It can be challenging to sort out those that actually know what they are talking about, from those that are truly in it for the attention/follows/likes.  

5. Esthetics education is not standardized. Some schools are better than others. And the price range varies significantly. For example, you can take a masters program that’s 100% theoretical or you can take a masters program that’s hands-on with a working clinic. It honestly comes down to what you can afford. My 1 year of schooling for my two licenses cost me almost $30K. That’s the equivalent average of one year of university. 

6. Each state has a different set of things they can /can’t do. Each state has a different licensing model, testing structure and different hourly requirements for licensure. WA State is one of the highest at 750 hours of training for basics plus 450 more hours for your masters license. By comparison, it’s 1,550 hours in Wisconsin and 260 hours in Florida. Let that one settle in. 

7. Because of the youth and relative inexperience of most newly licensed estheticians, who might be working their first real job, they don’t know enough to push back when things don’t make sense. There’s also not a lot of resources or help available if you do have questions unless you’re working with someone who’s been in the industry longer - and even then, who knows where their information came from. A surprising amount of information is passed on from more established estheticians and not all of it is accurate. This industry is fast paced and constantly innovating. If you’re not participating in education, you’re not keeping up. (See 2.)

8. The education / experience estheticians DO have is highly undervalued. My first job in a med spa started at minimum wage plus tips and commission. I literally could have gotten paid more to work at Target and I was putting a laser to skin all day. 

9. The industry is filled with people who were never “classically trained” in management. They are great doctors, excellent estheticians, maybe even awesome business people, but that doesn’t mean they know how to handle HR issues or prioritize the culture of what they are creating. For the most part when a technician is with a client, it’s a 1:1 experience. Depending on where you end up, instead of the compensation model creating a collaborative environment, it could create a competitive one and you know who loses here? The client. 

10. Estheticians have a legal “scope” of what they are and are not allowed to do. Master Estheticians can do the basics plus. Some things are not licensed at all. Dermaplaning for example was a full day course plus a few hours of online training for an extra fee. It’s not something we learned in school and not something that’s well regulated. Micro Needling is another example where the state language in my home state of WA is muddy at best. 

11. The cosmetic / med spa space, thanks to the popularity of Botox and filler, is now filled with nurses. This is excellent as I believe it elevates the industry. That said, it doesn’t mean that these nurses are trained to understand laser technology, fluence, hertz or any of the deeper science or technology behind lasers. This is taught in a master esthetics program. They are however, because of their degree, automatically allowed to work with them and use them. 

As I started this piece, I had a vague idea of where it was going but now that it’s in black and white I’m a bit overwhelmed by the collection of gaps I’ve noted, most of which I’m fairly certain the general public doesn’t know or understand.  

I also need to say that this doesn’t mean that the person you’re working with isn’t amazing at their job, practicing safely and very knowledgeable. It IS to say that not everyone is, and that’s the plain truth. 

I also started this piece by saying that I personally didn’t have the answers. While I’m getting closer; I still don’t. However, by highlighting these gaps, I’m hoping to make the problem more visible - because things can’t be fixed until you know they are broken. 

If you are a consumer considering esthetics services, here are some helpful tips:

• Find out your technician’s credentials. Do a consultation with your technician, especially for more advanced treatments and ask questions until you feel comfortable. Then double check the answers they give you. 

• Do research on the company and ask your friends who are “in the know” for referrals and recommendations. Or ask the company for clients willing to talk with you. 

• There is tons of consumer information available if you look - both good and bad. I like RealSelf. https://www.realself.com/. It’s a site that gives you the pros/cons of advanced cosmetic procedures as well as a place where you can read Q & A from real customers and real doctors. 

For my part, I take at least 2 classes a year in the industry. That’s the standard I hold myself to - some years it’s been 4 or 5. I also offer skin care consulations to people who need an unbiased second opinion. I don’t work for a med spa any more. You’ll be paying me for my time and expertise but not for a recommendation or a referral. I will help you understand your goals, what you’re looking to achieve, and what options you have to get there. I’ll help you develop questions to ask (along with the types of answers you would be looking for)  We discuss your options until you feel confident you’ve chosen YOUR specific path, not the one your provider will get paid the most to take you down. Maybe your person is the best and most trusted. I am not here to second guess their experience or expertise. I am here to help the end consumer make informed decisions, without anyone’s compensation model or monthly goals getting in the way. 

Clarity, intention and results are my top priorities. Make sure you understand the priorities of who you’re working with and if you need another set of eyes on it - I’m here to help.  Book Alchemy | EXPLORE and let's get started!

NOTE: This document is not intended to treat any skin conditions or be a replacement for medical advice. It is solely for information purposes and to guide your conversations with your health care providers and facial practitioners. 

Perimenopause is a natural process where the creation of an egg for fertilization is less frequent until menopause where it stops completely. This entire process is controlled by hormones. 

During perimenopause hormones shift erratically causing a host of sensations in the body. High spikes can lead to breast tenderness and bloating, while lower than normal dips lead to hot flashes, sleep disturbances and vaginal dryness - which can lead to a host of other issues. 

It also affects how often one cycles; the cycle length itself can be erratic, as is the frequency or time between cycles. 

Changes in skin are also affected by perimenopause and menopause as estrogen receptors in the skin are higher than in other parts of the body (Source).

Estrogens (there is more than one kind) have an effect on the following parts and processes in the skin:

• How frequently skin cells turn over (slough off the top and grow from the basal layer)

• The production of collagen and elastin through the fibroblasts, and control of the enzymes that break these two proteins down (collagenase and elastinase) 

• Melanocytes and skin color changes begin to increase (due to thinning of skin, increase in inflammation, weakened barrier is more susceptible and recovery is slower)

• Hair growth (and the hair follicles throughout the body) shift and change

• How much oil is created in the skin changes

• Skin healing slows

• A thinning of the skin barrier can lead to a host of irritations and rashes, pH shifts can exacerbate already existing conditions like eczema and psoriasis 

• Skin becomes more sensitized to everything

• Increase in number and depth of wrinkles.

Studies show that women’s skin loses about 30% of its collagen during the first five years of menopause. After that, the decline is more gradual. Women lose about 2% of their collagen every year for the next 20 years. (Source)

It’s about this time, typically between 40-50 years old,  that women will search out for various skin care solutions. 

Important factors to note in perimenopausal skin:

• It will be changing until menopause (1 full year after the stopping of menses) so a product that used to work might suddenly stop

• Symptoms can come and go so you won’t 100% feel certain that using anything is causing the results you’re looking for

• Due to skin thinness, it’s important not to over-strip and to be cautious about new product introductions

• Introduce new products one at a time so you can sort out any skin responses or sensitivities

• Avoid harsh chemicals, overdrying or overstripping the skin

• Don’t over treat menopausal skin -a slow and grow approach is best here. 

LIFE FACTORS THAT AFFECT MENOPAUSAL SKIN:

• Diet and nutrition - glycation is more visible and more likely in menopause

• Stress Levels - cortisol levels affect oil and skin recovery is already slowed

• Sleep Quality

• Exercise and Circulation - a healthier body = healthier skin

• Skincare Habits - see what to Avoid and Reach For below

• Sun Exposure - lifetime habits will show more readily in menopausal skin

WHAT TO AVOID:

• Aggressive treatments

• Retinoic Acid in high percents

• Harsh physical exfoliants

• Ingredients that dehydrate skin: alcohols, astringents

• Overuse of hot treatments

• Anything that exacerbates sensitivity

WHAT TO REACH FOR:

• Gentle Skin Resurfacing Actives: Niacinamide, Lactic Acid, Azelaic Acid

• Retinol Alternatives during the day or night; retinol in lower concentrations for nighttime

• Hydrating Creamy, Milky and Oil Cleansers (vs. gel or foaming)

• Barrier Protecting / Restoring Ingredients like facial oils and humectants

• Tyrosinase Inhibitors: Licorice Root, Bearberry, etc.

• Antioxidants: Vitamins C, E, polyphenols

• Phytoestrogens: Lavender, Soy, Red Clover Extract, Ginseng

• Anti-Inflammatory Helpers: Adaptogens, Probiotics (Pre & Post) 

SKIN GOALS for MENOPAUSAL SKIN:

• Improve Barrier strength through protection (both SPF & occlusive based products) as well as microbiome focused products. 

• Prevent Dryness - Oils are a girl's best friend. 

• Maintain as much collagen and elastin as possible with peptides and more active ingredients: stem cells, growth factors and collagen induction therapies

• Maintain skin cell turnover rate with gentle and regular exfoliation at home and consistent professional treatments for deeper work.

• Ensure skin is not deficient in vitamins and minerals by working with a skin care professional

DISCOLORATION SPECIFIC INFORMATION

• Estrogen affects : melanocyte activity, skin structure and barrier function

  • Melanocyte activity:

  • HYPER:

    • Erratic - leads to uneven pigmentation / more reactive

    • Skin can’t recover as quickly from UV damage so pigmentation lasts longer

    • Cellular turnover rate slows so pigmentation stays longer

    • Melasma can reactivate (if existed during puberty, pregnancy or on hormone-based birth control)

    • Skin is more susceptible to PIH

  • HYPO:

    • Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis- small flat white benign spots on skin that affect 50-80% of people over 40 years of age regardless of gender, phototype or ethnicity /race. (Source)

    • Vitiligo can occur or be exacerbated by menopause

To Treat Discoloration Specifically :

• Mult-faceted approach includes:

  • SPF - ideally UVA / UVB and Blue Light HEV

  • Tyrosinase Inhibitors

  • Antioxidant Support

  • Skin Cell Turnover Boosting Ingredients

  • Gentle Resurfacing: Enzymes, Chemical Peels, Lasers etc. 

Definitions and Ingredients:

Estrogen: (a family of more than 20 hormones)

Phytoestrogen (plant versions) found in soy, wild yam, raspberry & licorice root

On skin: collagen stimulator, combats thinning skin, photodamage and dryness. Upregulates  collagen and glycosaminoglycans (including HA) decrease TEWL

Xenoestrogens - industrial and cosmetic chemicals (sunscreens, preservatives, solvents and fragrances) that have estrogen-like effects.  Cause bad things in the body including fibromyalgia, cancers of the breast, reproductive organs and colon. The body in menopause is more susceptible to xenoestrogens.  Ideally avoid: Parabens, Phthalates, Benzophenones, Triclosan, plastics containing BPA, conventional meats and dairy that contain hormones. Eliminating all is impossible - aim for limiting the load. 

Progesterone:

• Key player in conception / pregnancy

• Steroid hormone

• Stimulates production of moisture factors and sebum

  • Too much progesterone - breakouts / hyper sebaceous secretions (overly oily skin)

  • Plumps skin, reduces pore size

• Can help combat menopause’s effect on skin in older women

  • Improves elasticity and firmness. Available OTC - transdermal penetration can improve levels in blood and tissues. 

Insulin: 

Often associated with sugar hormone, plays an important role in the circulatory system and heart, brain and nervous system and immune system.  

Insulin for skin:

Critical for growth and maturation of skin cells and fibroblasts, helps skin to heal from burns, wounds and other cutaneous traumas and the production of collagen and connective tissues. Elevated insulin can cause skin tags, oily skin, acne and hirsutism (excessive growth of hair). 

Insulin resistance can lead to:

• Psoriasis

• Hidradenitis suppurativa (painful skin condition resulting from blocked hair follicles)

• Vitiligo- a skin disorder that leads to patches of differing skin color

• Glycation - tissues stiffen from an interaction of glucose and collagen/elastin resulting in deeper wrinkles and vascular issues

• delayed wound healing

• hair loss

Vitamin D:- actually a hormone - directly modifying biochemical reactions inside cells.  - involves the intestines and absorption of calcium. 

Vitamin D in Skin: Plays a major role in the keratinization cycle from basal cell layer (creation of new skin cells) to the upper most stratum corneum.  Directly affects cell turnover rate (CTR). Critical for treating acne, eczema, psoriasis and skin cancer. 

Vitamin D is critical in fibroblast functionality, suppresses inflammation and for melanocyte functionality - can help with vitiligo or stabilize skin while more susceptible to melanocyte disruptions. 

DHEA - dehydroepiandrosterone - prized by weight lifters for muscle building and performance enhancing. Known for its immune system properties and decrease as we get older. 

DHEA For skin: stimulates collagen and elastin

 ©Alchemy Skin, LLC 2026

Being a solo esthetician isn’t what I thought it would be. I’m writing this three years into this adventure and I’m just now starting to feel like I have my feet underneath me and a solid path forward. Maybe I’m a later bloomer; but all I have is my own story, so it’s all I can tell.

First a little context/history will be helpful. I have a business degree (Bachelors) and had a very lucrative corporate career before changing paths to become a licensed esthetician. I got my license in 2020. I live in WA state and we have something called a Master License in Esthetics which is an additional 450 hours on top of the 750 hours required for the state basic license so I did 1200 hours of education plus two rounds of license testing. 

I started my esthetics career by working at a really beautiful high-end resort spa. I then wanted to use my master license and went to work for a plastic surgeon. I also took on a second job working freelance for a skin care brand as a rep/trainer which was a little closer to my former career. Each successive move I made, disappointed me further and had me wishing to go back to where I started. Regret is a painful emotion. 

After working at the med spa for a year, I found a different med spa - more my speed and better humans to work with and for, which promptly closed 6 weeks later after the investors pulled their funding after the spa lost their full-time injector (side note: esthetics can’t compete with an injector who can generate thousands of dollars an hour). I was then left with two choices; step out on my own, or try and find another box to fit myself into. I decided to set out on my own, hoping my freelance work would help float me and my family enough in the meantime. 

I found an absolutely adorable space to rent - fully furnished and ready for hanging my own shingle for an incredibly reasonable price. I cashed out some investments, decided on a skincare line and within a month I was up and running. But since I launched the whole thing on a shoe string (financially speaking), there wasn’t a lot of extra. I didn’t have hundreds to spend on marketing on a monthly basis and hoped that if I built it, they would come. It’s foolish I know, but spending money on marketing to me felt (and still feels like) throwing spaghetti against a wall; I didn’t know what was actually going to work. I did a few ads on Instagram and that was ok but never amounted to much of anything. I’m not big on social media in general so this is definitely on me and perhaps if I was better, posted regularly and invested in some ads I’d be further along than I am. 

The business, throughout the three years I've been running it, has paid for itself, but it hasn’t paid for much else. I’ve read books, learned about operating financially and worked hard to establish myself, and a good healthy business operating infrastructure. Keep in mind I also have a degree in Business…it still doesn’t mean I know how to do all the things. I’ve developed a rhythm of generating leads and engaging with my client base regularly. The business has grown and continues to grow. I’m proud of it. But in hindsight, I really learned by doing. It felt almost selfish to not write down what I know now; because I can admit that along the way, I made a lot of mistakes. This list of mistakes is by no means complete but I’m sharing them in the hopes that maybe you won’t have to go through them as fully (and painfully) as I did. 

• Point of Sale: Don’t underestimate the importance of reporting and operational tracking. My first point of sale made reporting a nightmare (Zettle). Also transfers into my bank were painfully slow and in the start every dollar counts. A year in, I invested in moving to Square - way better reporting on the financial side but was terrible at reporting at a client level. It was also very expensive to have all of the different features I was looking for. For example, it didn’t have a place for inventory costs (unless I paid extra for it) so it made tracking inventory costs more challenging. I did a lot on excel spreadsheets as that’s comfortable for me given my history but it required a lot of time that could have been automated or used for other purposes. I’m not on GlossGenius and I'm a huge fan! It’s still not perfect but SO much better than anything else I’ve found. 

• Visibility is key: I didn’t have a ton of visibility in my first location. The spa was visible but I wasn’t necessarily visible inside the spa. My business grew by referral and word of mouth. My second location (closer to home) is even worse visibility-wise as it’s hidden above a hair salon and a bike shop. You can’t see it from the street. I have signage on the door and in the window, an A-frame I put out when I’m open and both help but it’s not enough. I feel visible on the internet but not in real life. This continues to be a problem I’m working on. 

• Inventory:  I originally brought in one line and then added a second when I found some gaps in the first from what people were asking for/about. Both of these lines required me to purchase in packs - meaning that when I reordered, I had to order 3 or 6 of one item at a time. This got me in trouble as I hadn’t managed inventory before so I wasn’t exactly sure how to make this work and before I knew it I had thousands of dollars just taking up space on a shelf. The more expensive the skin care line, the higher amount of money you have just on the self waiting to sell. If I was going to start again; I’d go with a higher buy-in, on products I knew I could move quickly that didn’t have a re-order minimum. It’s what I’ve eventually moved to but not without a lot of expired products and lost money along the way. 

• Hours: I can only make as much money as I have hours/appointments a day: As a woman who found my love for all things skin later in life, I started my career without the vigor of youth. Doing back-to-back facials multiple times a day, multiple days in a row is exhausting. I increased my workouts to keep my body as fit as possible for the work I’m asking it to do. The more appointments I can do, the more money I can make in a day but if I wear myself out; I need time to recover. If my income is tied to my hands being on someone’s skin then there’s only so much I can ever generate. Period. That brings me to the next point. 

• Time is money: If you don’t value your time, your clients won’t either. In the beginning, I got to have longer conversations with my clients and answer their questions without too much of a worry. Now, I’ve trained them that they can have their questions answered and their full hands-on time too. I had one client who came in, spent an hour asking questions and then still expected her full service. This was a bad habit to get into and it’s now biting me in the behind. Don’t do it. If clients have lots of questions, either suggest that they schedule a session to answer them (and have them pay you for a consultation fee) or get them on the table and have them ask while your hands are on their face. Either way, get paid for your knowledge and wisdom. It’s valuable. And it’s often undervalued in the market. 

• Outsource or Find Help: If you’re good at a few things and not others, either set up systems to help you handle the things you’re not good at or hire someone else to do them. There are times on this path that I’ve downright hated my business because of the work I felt I absolutely had to do - (psst: I didn’t) - it’s cheaper and less costly in the long run to get help, even if you’re trading for assistance, then it is to trial and error your way through it and hate yourself and your business along the way. Discourgement is real. Don’t let it ruin what you love. 

• It can be Lonely: This one was super surprising to me but as a solo esthetician,  in my own practice I’ve found it to be a very lonely experience. There’s not a lot of available people for me to bounce ideas off of and anyone who loves to help or is kind enough to offer typically doesn’t have the full picture. Create a network of fellow industry people you can rely on when you’re feeling this way. It makes a huge difference to get an idea from someone who knows and to feel seen in what you’re building. 

I’m sure I’ll add to this list more as time moves forward but if you ever need to talk or want someone to bounce a business idea off of, I’m here and happy to share what I know if I think it will be of any use. 

Good luck  + you’ve got this!!

I wrote the original blog post with this title about my personal story - it turns out that it’s a topic of interest if you’re looking to study esthetics and so, I’ve renamed my original story and I’ll dedicate this one to answering the question that’s expected to be answered by the title.  

A couple of caveats before we dive into this data:

• I can only speak about WA state because that’s all I’m familiar with. Why does this matter? Keep reading. 

• Each state has its own rules and regulations about what is allowed (or covered) under an esthetics license. It is crucial that you do your own research on this information. 

  • For example in WA state, we can perform extractions - in the state of CA, that is not something estheticians are allowed to do - they can’t break the skin’s surface. 

• WA state also has an additional license called a Master Esthetics License which is extra training above and beyond the basic license for working with lasers and other more medically advanced technology. This is not available in every state. Another example for advanced education is Texas, I believe, where there’s a different license for each type of technology. 

• Different esthetics tools are allowed or not allowed by license, by state and by training. 

All of the above to say - please, please do your own research. The best place to do your own research is to start with the state licensing board - they usually have all of the legal information as they are responsible for granting and managing licenses. 

Now that I’ve done my due diligence in warning you that this will be incomplete at best; here’s what I think most people who stumble upon this title are looking for. Please head to my Instagram (@alchemy.and.skin) and send me a DM if you’re looking for something else or text me at 724 - ALCHEMY. 

If you’re curious about a career in esthetics, here’s what I think is important to understand. 

The term esthetics covers a fairly broad umbrella. In WA state you can get a Cosmetology license and give a modified facial - Cosmetology training in WA is specific to hair and a longer program - 1600 hours vs. 750. Skin is talked about but it’s a small fraction of the curriculum. Said differently, different licenses have different things they include so again… (you’re going to get tired of me saying this) - do your own research. 

Generally included under the “esthetics” umbrella are the following activities. This list is surprisingly big. It’s part of the reason I love this industry. It’s filled with caring and creative people and a ton of amazingly fun things to do. 

• Skin - maybe this is obvious but maybe not. Specifically caring for skin of all types. You will evaluate the state the skin is currently in, understand where the client wants their skin to be, and, using your education, knowledge and experience, help to set a plan to get your client to their desired destination (or communicate why you can’t) with in-spa treatments and at home product recommendations. 

  • This includes a wide variety of study not only of the basic physiology of skin but also cosmetic chemistry and infection control all the way to esthetics massage techniques and business + soft skills as part of the curriculum in school. 

  • Skin includes both facials and body services like wraps and scrubs (again, depending on state licensing). 

• Lashes - from lash lifts and tints to applying false lashes. Although you can apply lash extensions without a license. 

• Brows - from waxing and shaping to tinting and laminating. 

• Hair Removal - waxing and sugaring on every place you can possibly grow hair.

• Makeup - while you might not need a license for this, it is taught as part of some programs. 

At a very high level, those are the fairly common categories of work that an esthetician could possibly be requested to do. Then there’s the next level of nuance. 

As a licensed esthetician you can be a generalist or a specialist. As a generalist you’re doing a facial in one appointment, waxing in the next and possibly a lash or brow service at the next, continuing throughout the days/weeks/months/years. You’ll learn almost everything your license covers (or your state board tests on) while in school - well, ideally you will. I had to take a few supplemental classes when I got out of both programs and also learned a few things “on the job” through training opportunities that came up while I was working. Definitely, take advantage of these. 

As a specialist - essentially you’re just picking your favorite activity and focusing on that one task. I, myself, am a skin specialist. There are a few pros and cons I’ll cover next. 

As a generalist

Pros:

• More job opportunities - the more skills you have that you are competent in, the higher your chances of getting hired in a full-service spa. 

• Daily variety - this industry is never boring- but it CAN get boring to sugar legs all day long. 

• Physical movement variety - if you’re doing more than one type of service, your body is moving in various ways throughout the day. While this might not seem important, trust me, when you’re seeing upwards of 6-10 or more clients a day, having variety feels good in the body. 

Cons:

• I come from the mindset that if you’re good at everything you can’t truly be great at any one of them, as your experience is spread across many different skills. There is absolutely nothing truly wrong with being a generalist, there are some seriously solid pros, it just doesn’t suit my personality. 

• If you do happen to love one thing, you’ll be possibly asked to do things you don’t love on a day-to-day basis. 

As a specialist

Pros:

• You get to do something you love all day and get paid for it

• You get really damn good at the thing you love

• You’re going to potentially build a portfolio of before and after photos to use for marketing yourself in that one category faster (as that’s all you’ll be doing). 

  • Not that you can’t build a portfolio of all of your activities - I suggest you do - but for the sake of specializing, you’ll have a deeper set of clients in your chosen category assuming your business allows for before / after photo opportunities. (Don’t forget a photo release form and permission from your clients!)

Cons:

• If you are not changing up your physical demands regularly, or staying strong, you could risk a repetitive stress injury (ask any stylist who’s been doing hair for many years - many of them suffer from wrist / shoulder injuries). 

• It could potentially make you a less than ideal candidate at a full-service spa. 

• The economy has a different impact on a specialist than a generalist. Most of the solo esties that I know that do really well on their own or ramp up really quickly out of the gate, are generalists - which makes sense as there are more appointment types they can take so more people will find their spa across different search parameters. 

  • As an example, if a client loses their job, they are much more likely to cut back on facial services than on their routine waxing appointments. 

I’ll be really candid here, I know a fellow esthetician who was working as a generalist and opened her own space in December - she then left her job at the full service spa within five months. I’ve been a skin specialist on my own for three years and still won’t walk away from my other source of income (a trainer for a skin care brand). The spa wouldn’t support me even if I wanted to. Not yet anyway. Other solos I know are doing a significant amount of their business in waxing (over 70%) even if they still offer facials, it’s not a majority of their bookings. 

This article is getting fairly long so I won’t continue much farther but also know that your esthetics license can also be a platform or a jumping off point for heading down additional paths. 

For example, you can get a license to teach in a school for aesthetics and become an instructor. Or work for a skin care brand, like I do. I need my esthetics license to work for the skin care brand - it’s a job requirement. Some skin care brands allow you to freelance without a license. You can potentially get another advanced degree like nursing and head down the injectables path. (In WA state you need a nursing license to do injectables like neuromodulators (Botox and the like) and filler). I know some estheticians that are dual licensed as massage therapists and go back and forth between both types of services throughout the day, and others that are dual licensed as a medical assistant and work in dermatology offices or phlebotomists and have a back up skill set for when the industry slows.  And while some licensed practitioners love their practice, they also find themselves more behind the scenes running spas instead of working in them. 

I love this industry and I love all of the ways it has to offer someone to succeed. Each path is unique and as I have the gift of doing, you can blend different parts of it together to suit your own needs and desires. 

There’s never a dull day or a dull moment. The trick is to find what you love and spend more time doing it so the inevitable highs and lows become easier to weather.

 ©Alchemy Skin, LLC 2026