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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
