What is an Esthetician?
Job Description of an Esthetician
The role of an esthetician is mainly to improve the quality and the texture of her or his patient’s skin. Before one patient is advised on the treatment procedures that must be fulfilled, the job of this professional is to check the appearance with other words the health of their client’s skin.
An improved skin is mainly the produce of facial, lotion, scrubs, peels or masks that are being put on the skin. In the end, the effects can be very remarkable, and the quality will be seen. Estheticians use different methods in order to remove any unwanted facial hair, such as laser or the most common that is encounter is wax.
After the skin is cleansed, the makeup process can start. According to the type of service that one client needs, these professionals can perform neck massage or even or body wraps, this being one of the treatment procedures that is very used.
Those estheticians that are working in health care offices are known under the term of medical esthetician, and they also have additional duties and tasks. For instance, they might show to their clients that have certain burn how to use a makeup that will lead to a natural appearance. The role of an esthetician is also to keep the area in which he or she works clean and disinfected. Their equipment needs to fulfill all the sanitary procedures that are required.
If you are working as self-employed, then your work can involve ordering supplies, keeping an accurate inventory, advertising, and the hire employees. Most of the estheticians will increase their income by selling cleansers and creams that they usually recommend in various skin treatments.
How to Become an Esthetician?
If your ideal is to become a great esthetician and if you like working with people then here you can find some great suggestions that will lead you on that path. Keep in mind that like any other professionals that deal with cosmetology, an esthetician must complete the training classes and then become according to the state in which he or she practices state licensed.
Before taking any serious decision, try to find out what are the daily tasks that an esthetician must fulfill. If you have a friend who operates as one of these professionals, try to spend some time with her and find out more about her job. You can also discover – while you are observing things around her – if you have the necessary traits for this job.
If you don’t have a friend then just search for a local esthetician that will show you, and that will speak with you about her job. Being an esthetician many times involves being able to work well with your hands. You are also asked to have a certain expected dexterity and have those set of skills that will make people feel relaxed and comfortable while you are working with them.
The first step in the educational requirements is to have graduated high school, and you need to possess a diploma or have a GED. The second step is to enroll into an esthetician training program that suits you the most, and that is accredited by the NACCAS else known as the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences.
You can find programs that are full-time or part-time at many of the community colleges or technical schools and cosmetology schools. Many of these training programs will require you to have high school transcripts, admission application, as well as an entrance exam along with a registration fee, and a photo identification. There might be other schools that will require the candidate to pass through an interview.
The next step is to earn an esthetician certificate from an accredited school. The length of these certification programs is comprised of 6 months up to one year, and they are designed to satisfy the demands of the state licensing certification. The classes that you’ll have to follow involve topics such as anatomy, facial treatments, physiology, safety and sanitation, hair removal, color theory and other.
In the certification programs, there are very usual lab courses and experiential courses that offer hands-on training. Such training will lead you to get accustomed working with patients and forming certain abilities required in this field as well as developing your hands dexterity. You are also provided with business management courses, as well as courses in marketing.
According to every state, there are certain requirements to be fulfilled that vary from each state. The majority of these states require earning an esthetician certificate along with passing a written and practical state license exam. You’ll have to have at least 300 hours of supervised experience. To find out what specific requirements you must fulfill, try contacting the state licensing department in which you are.
For the licensure exam in order to be a qualified candidate you must pass an approved state skin care course and an esthetic course at a beauty or cosmetology school. Another tip that will help you a lot to make good decisions when it comes to your future job is that in many of the esthetician programs and cosmetology schools you’ll get assistance in job placement. You can look for jobs in resort centers, as well as spas or salons. If you don’t find that fast employment, you can work as an apprentice with an esthetician that already has years of experience.
Work Environment and Schedule
The work environment of an esthetician always varies according to the site in which she is working. One can find work within a spa, or it can be home based business, or sterile place, or even inside of a resort. These choices of sites give these professionals the opportunity to work anywhere there are enough clients.
In this field, there is less room for career advancement but with right certifications in the new technologies – including, but not limited to laser hair removal – your skills will be quoted higher and so will your salary. Courses on management training offer the opportunity to open your own business. Of course, that you’ll need training and licensure but this job has very great reviews and clear advantages.
The working hours for esthetician vary between a full-time job and a part time job. There are plenty of estheticians that will work only on weekends while others on nights when their clients will be available while other will work with a steady clientele during the day on spas, salons or resorts.
Among other abilities and skills, an esthetician must be able to stand a lot on his feet during the working hours and have physical endurance. Their duty is to wear protective clothes since they are exposed, and they are working a lot in an environment that is filled with chemicals. For instance, the estheticians that are performing skin peels are usually using substances that are acid or other such as salicylic acid.
Pros and Cons of Being an Esthetician
Being an esthetician has a lot of advantages. The best reward is that you’ve helped a lot of people to feel better in their own skin and make some improvements that will affect their lives for the best. Without any other words, this career has a very fast growth due to the number of demanding in this field. You’ll be the one that will provide services such as facial waxing, which many women will apply to, massages as well as skin analysis.
Another good reason for becoming an esthetician is the fact that you’ll have a schedule that many times is very flexible, not to mention the educational requirements that in this field are few. However, there are certain cons that might make you think twice when you start thinking about a career like this. For instance as an esthetician there will be some periods in your schedule when you’ll often have to do long hours of work, as well as stay at work on weekends.
Your job can involve as well an environment in which you usually have to stay on your feet for extended periods of time. When it comes to the educational training and requirements, you’ll need to have a license in order to practice in this field.
The starting point in this career can often be low with an entry position that is paid not that much but as you advance the salary can increase.
Esthetician job growth
The employment growth for estheticians is projected at a 40% rate of increase for the next five to ten years or so, according to the BLS or else known as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This brings us an estimated average that is situated to be faster than all other occupations. This increase is mainly due to the higher demand for skin treatments for plenty of cosmetic and medical purposes. There are many good job opportunities with a growing number in facilities such as spas or salons and other as well. On the other hand you can also find some of the best job possibilities that are influenced according to the years of experience factor.
When it comes to the type of employment, the industry that has hired the majority of estheticians was the personal care services. Top above payments are encountered in facilities such as surgical hospitals or general medical hospitals. With other words the present and the future outlook for these professionals has a very favorable status with the new service offerings rising continuously, providing more and more work opportunities and possibilities for these specialists. Bottom line is that in case you want to provide for your family and you have the qualifications, an esthetician career is a good option.
Esthetician Salary
The salary of an esthetician in the United States reaches at $31,721 per year, with an hourly wage that is estimated to reach about $13.92 per hour. An esthetician salary varies according to several factors such as the type of setting in which one works. It also depends on the state in which he or she is located, as well as the years of experience that one has gathered.
For instance, according to the type of work setting an esthetician that works at health and care stores that are personal will take home an annual salary that reaches about $31,121 per year. At the same time, one who is hired at a medical hospital or surgical hospital will earn an annual income of about $40,510 per year.
The figures will continue to increase and decrease according to the sites in which one is working. Working in recreation industries as an esthetician can lead you to a salary that reaches about $33,921 per year.
In the US, the median annual esthetician salary is estimated around $31,721 per year with an average salary that usually ranges from $18,217 per year and up to $48,538 per year. To this, you can add a yearly bonus estimated to reach about $1,552 per year. The commissions that are granted are estimated to range between $13,005 and up to $24,833 per year. This will lead in the end to a total annual income that ranges from $21,694 per year and up to $50,597 per year.
According to the years of experience, those estheticians that have less than one year of experience at the working site will earn a salary that ranges between $12,102 per year and up to $35,609 per year. Also, those that have between 1 and four years of experience are expected to earn an income between $11,987 and up to $50,336 per year.
The estheticians that have between 5 and nine years of experience will take home an income that is comprised between $17,453 and up to $51,558 per year. At the same time, those who already have more than ten years and are heading towards 19 years of experience can expect to a higher wage. Their income is estimated to range between $12,167 per year and up to $49,317 per year.
When it comes to the factor of the geographical location, the best paying states are to be found in the US in California, Alaska, Texas, Connecticut, Montana and other. For instance in California the salary for these professionals is reaching at $48,672 per year while in Alaska the income reaches about $47,172 per year. Those who are working in Connecticut can expect to take home an income of about $54,021 per year while those working in Montana can earn a salary estimated at $53,410 per year.
Salary of an Esthetician in 2015
The majority of the personnel that is working in the United States in 2015 is mainly comprised of women. The hourly payment in this industry is estimated to reach at about $12.63 per hour and even higher with the opportunity of increase in time. The estimated hourly rate is comprised between $8.67 and up to $19.76 per hour.
The yearly bonus that is granted reaches at about $1,979 per year while the commission can reach up to $19,157. Therefore, the total payment in 2015 for an esthetician is comprised between $18,232 per year and up to $47,127 per year.
Esthetician Salary in 2016
In 2016, in the United States, the median salaries for estheticians are estimated to reach at 40,005 per year, according to Indeed. When it comes to the incomes of jobs with related titles, you can clearly spot differences. For instance an individual that is working as an Esthetician Cosmo, or as an Esthetician Associate Wax, takes home around $56,010 per year while one that is working as a Medical Spa Esthetician will take home only around $29,010 per year. A Laser Esthetician receives $24,010 per year while a Master Esthetician gains around $51,010 per year.
These incomes are usually influenced by several factors that impact and affect the salaries. The most encountered factors that are associated with a decrease and with an increase in the wages of these professionals are the demographic factor, geographical location such as state, city, and area, type of employment, industry, and years of experience as well. The vast majority of those who are working in the U.S. as estheticians are women rather than men.
According to each state, city or region the earnings tend to vary due to two main factors that impact these figures: one being the costs of living and the other one the living expenses that are to be found in that particular area.
Taking into account the hourly payment for this group the average wage is situated at 12.56 per hour, with an hourly range that starts from $8.62 per hour and goes up to $19.81 per hour, according to the salary data survey information provided by PayScale. The median income for estheticians is estimated to be at $30,345 per year, with a starting point from $14,792 per year and up to $50,390 per year or even higher.
The bonuses that are usually granted in this field tend to go up to $2,535 while the commission is comprised between $0.35 and up to $16,510 per year. This leads in the end at a total payment that starts from $18,627 per year and may go up to as high as $47,978 per year. The payment correlated with the years of experience tend to have its variations in the salaries. For instance, an esthetician with up to or less than five years of experience in the field can expect to take home around 29,010 per year. At the same time, one with five and up to 10 years of working experience and practice will gain around $32,010 per year.
On the other hand an experienced esthetician with 10 and up to 20 years of work experience in the field can expect to earn up to $38,010 per year. Furthermore, the veterans in this field with more than 20 years of experience and with plenty of work activity will gain around $42,010 per year.
Esthetician Salary in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom
- Estheticians that are working in Canada can expect to an average hourly starting salary that ranges from C$10.03 per hour and up to C$15.14 per hour. These salaries have the opportunity for increase, the extra amount ranging from C$0.93 to C$6.52 per hour. This can lead in time to an estimated hourly wage of about C$19.14 per hour. The yearly bonus that is granted in Canada for these professionals has an average of around C$490.46 per year while the commission is estimated at a value that reaches about C$6,557 per year. This will lead in the end to a total annual esthetician salary in Canada estimated from C$20,867 per year and up to C$38,467 per year.
- In Australia, the starting hourly wage has an average that ranges from AU$15.29 per hour and up to AU$24.42 per hour. Over time, this will gradually increase to an average that is comprised from AU$13.51 per hour and up to AU$26.61 per hour. For an esthetician, the yearly bonus in Australia has an average estimated at AU$818 per year and with a commission that reaches at about AU$6,552 per year. This will lead to a total annual salary estimated to be between AU$30,159 per year and up to AU$51,626 per year.
- In the UK, on the other hand, the median salary is expected to be around £21,510 per year while the average salary that is expected to be received reaches about £20,305 per year. Yearly bonus that is given can reach up to £205 per year. The total payment for these professionals will range between £12,145 per year and up to £50,032 per year. The salary of an esthetician in the United Kingdom also varies according to the age factor. For instance, those who are in their 20s will take home an income that is estimated to reach up to £15,226 per year. Also, those who are in their 30s will take home an income that reaches at £19,896 per year. Over time the salary increases leading to an expected income of about £23,549 per year for those who are in their 40s and 50s.
Conclusion on Esthetician Salary
The number of demanding is continually growing since these professionals have a great impact when it comes to skin care. In the US based on a various number of surveys the average esthetician hourly wage that is expected reaches at $13.91 per hour while the annual salary is estimated to reach at $28,921 per year.