How do estheticians go from taking professional courses to managing clients to running successful salon suites? We’ve got you covered. This is a comprehensive article. Check out our table of contents and pick the starting point that best describes you.
Prefer to watch your content? PocketSuite has a dedicated video playlist just for beauty pros. It’s called the Bonus Pack for Estheticians. You can find it in the app at Settings>Tutorials or access it here!
- I want to learn everything I can about the industry and become a pro.
- Certifications and courses
- Specialties
- Books and podcasts
- I’m ready to set up my business offers and start taking clients.
- Offer high-value services
- Sell products
- Send Digital Contracts
- I’m an experienced esthetician looking for new tools to help manage my workflow.
- Professional esthetician equipment
- Automation tools and Software
- I’m a seasoned professional and ready to grow my business.
- Marketing
- Team and staffing
- Networking
- Franchise Opportunities
Is it worth it to start an esthetician business?
Absolutely. Being a professional esthetician can be an incredibly fulfilling profession. With soothing spa atmospheres, gentle mask applications, and skin techniques, working as an esthetician is a passion and a dream job for many people. Not only do estheticians help their clients look and feel beautiful, they help them find the confidence to live their best lives.
Being an esthetician is also a lucrative career where you can make over $100,000 per year helping people. Whether you are considering an esthetician career or working on bringing your spa business to the next level, this article will help you understand how to create your dream job and earn your goal income.
Many estheticians are making around $30,000 or $40,000 per year. However, the top 10% of esthetician businesses on PocketSuite are earning over $125,000! So, are you ready to level up your esthetician business? Reaching your goal income as an esthetician all comes down to your hourly rate and the number of appointments you take each week.
[Read more about How To Make Six-Figures as an Esthetician]
Become a pro
Certifications and Courses
Are you dreaming of going to beauty school but don’t have the time? Good news: You can go to an esthetician school online. Online esthetician schools offer high-quality training on your terms. Many beauty schools offer online esthetician programs. The caveat is that most online esthetician schools are hybrid programs, so a part of your course will be in person. In hybrid programs, students usually complete esthetics theory courses online and practical application of skin treatments in a classroom or student clinic.
Before enrolling, make sure you do research and verify that a program meets your state’s licensing requirements! If none of these programs are available in your area, check out our esthetician training directory for more great options.
[Read more about Online Esthetician School]
So now that you’ve gone through an Esthetician school and received your coursework completion diploma, let’s get you licensed on a State level! First of all, depending on what state you live in (assuming you’re in the US), you should be able to contact your local state licensing board in order to get licensed. This process is different in each state, but you can find all licensing info by state online.
[Read more about Esthetician Licensing]
From harsh chemicals to hot waxes, an esthetician’s work carries some risk. You’re an expert, but accidents happen, and so do lawsuits. If you want to protect your business from costly claims of negligence or malpractice, it’s time to look into esthetician insurance. Without esthetician insurance, you can end up paying out of pocket for legal fees and medical bills if an accident occurs.
Esthetician insurance helps you take on all the risks of running a successful spa business. Insurance providers sell “esthetician insurance” as a bundle of popular business insurance. So, each policy will be different.
[Read more about Esthetician Insurance]
Beauty Specialties
Beauty specialists are in high demand. And lots of solo entrepreneurs are looking to get in on the rewards of this ever-growing industry. They often choose between two of the most popular and high-earning beauty professionals: Esthetician vs Cosmetologist. But how are they different, and how can you tell which career is right for you? While cosmetologists are trained in a number of beauty disciplines, estheticians are experts in skincare. An esthetician is a licensed skincare specialist.
Estheticians usually work in spas or salons and may become:
- Spa technicians or managers performing general esthetics services like facials, chemical peels, etc
- Hair removal specialists skilled at waxing, threading, sugaring, or laser treatments
- Permanent makeup technicians with expertise in lip tinting, microblading, etc.
Estheticians can go on to specialize as medical estheticians or master estheticians if they want to perform advanced treatments and earn more money. They might even work in a medical facility.
[Read more about choosing between an Esthetician career]
As an esthetician, your career options are as varied as your services. The sky’s the limit! You can work in the spa of a cruise ship, assist the medical team in a hospital, or branch out and start your own business.You can find good esthetician jobs in spas and physician offices, but you’ll make the most money by starting your own business. Either way, you need to know how to attract and retain clients.
[Read more about Which Estheticians Jobs Make The Most Money]
If you want to take your esthetician business to the next level, consider becoming a medical esthetician.Medical estheticians perform advanced skin care services in clinics and hospitals. Doctors and nurses treat thousands of patients with severe skin traumas, burns, and other conditions. They call a medical esthetician when they need a specialist to manage post-op skin care and other related duties.
If you become a medical esthetician, you’ll help patients heal and rejuvenate their skin. Your day could involve anything from applying permanent makeup to performing a manual lymphatic drainage massage.
[Read more about Medical Estheticians]
More and more, clients want their favorite services in the comfort of their own homes. And yes, that includes facials and waxes! Why not give them what they want? You can become a mobile esthetician, whether you’re new to the beauty industry or an experienced pro looking to expand your business offerings.
Plus, it’s not just a good choice for clients. As a mobile esthetician, you’ll have more flexibility to work from anywhere. Mobile estheticians can also cater to a luxury clientele without paying for a luxury office lease.
[Read more about Mobile Estheticians]
Do you dream of becoming a full-time lash technician? Are you already a licensed cosmetologist eager to expand your skill set and add a new service to your business? The lash tech business is booming. Lash technicians can earn six figures per year by starting their own business. Some states will require you to obtain a specialty license to become a lash tech, a general cosmetology license, or a lash technician certification. It’s important to understand your local regulations to avoid any hefty fines. For example, you must obtain an Eyelash Extension Specialist license to become a lash tech in Texas.
[Read more about Becoming a Lash Tech]
You can practice eyebrow threading, also known as epilation, in most states without an esthetician or cosmetologist license, but you’ll still need training to do good work.Not all states require a license to offer eyebrow threading. The best way to protect yourself and be sure of the requirements is to contact your state’s cosmetology board and find out what regulations apply in your area.
[Read more about How To Become a Threading Technician]
Sugaring may be the ideal option for people who’ve experienced pain from waxing, microblading and other hair removal techniques that can leave sensitive skin feeling raw. Because many clients prefer a low-impact beauty treatment, most spas and salons offer sugaring as part of a comprehensive suite of services. If you don’t have a sugaring tech on the team, you’re potentially turning away business.
[Read more about How To Become a Sugaring Technician]Microblading is both the hottest trend in the beauty industry and the highest paying. Working consistently with as few as two clients per day you can still earn more than $300,000 a year. Of course, that kind of income isn’t possible without extensive training, licensure and certification.You can learn the fundamentals in as little as three days. Unlike cosmetologists and estheticians who must complete longer training programs and clear regulatory hurdles set by state boards, microblade artists can begin working much faster and earn considerably more because the service is in hot demand.
[Read more about How To Become a Microblade Artist]
A great eyebrow technician can enhance the natural beauty of the eyes through a variety of techniques that remain in high demand. As a result, a brow tech can build a good career and make a solid income. Plus there’s the professional satisfaction of being an artist who makes clients feel better about themselves by enhancing their appearance. Depending on where you live in the United States, you may not need certification as a brow tech, but you will need formal training to offer quality services.
[Read more about How To Become a Brow Technician]
Learn from experts
As an esthetician, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest skincare trends and research studies. But it can be tough to find the time. Esthetician books are your secret weapon as a skincare professional. They arm you with practical, science-backed knowledge to grow your business and improve your treatment techniques. Plus, you’re clients may be reading these books to aid their own skincare journey. So, it’s best to stay in the know. We’ve got you covered with some A+ book recommendations.
[Read more about Books for Estheticians]
Books aren’t your thing? No problem! We have a number of podcast interviews for pros who prefer to listen as they learn. We have talked to Estheticians and Beauty Professionals across the industry. Here are some of our favorite episodes for estheticians:
More podcasts from PocketSuite:
Set up your business
Services
From facials to waxing to laser therapy, estheticians are skilled in a wide range of services. If you want to stand out from your competition, there are essential esthetician services that keep clients coming back.
To attract more clients and boost your income, make sure you have the right esthetician services on your booking page.
Of course, you should stick to traditional treatments. But you also want to add trendy and exclusive services to make your spa stand out. For example, clients may learn about new skin treatments on social media and look to other estheticians if you can’t provide the service. So, it’s best to be prepared.
[Read more about Esthetician Services]
Online Products
Whether you’re a solo esthetician or spa owner, you can boost your revenue by selling products to clients. And with PocketSuite, it’s easy to set up an e-commerce store and sell products to your clients online. According to a 2020 spa profitability report, retail sales can average anywhere from 5% to 30% of spa revenue. So, there’s massive potential for retail products to make a significant impact on the financial performance of your spa business.
Selling products to clients doesn’t have to be difficult. You can set up an e-commerce store in minutes with the PocketSuite app. You don’t need any other app or integration.
You may be tempted to use e-commerce giants like Etsy or Shopify to sell your spa products. But these platforms don’t offer solutions specifically for service-based business owners. And as an esthetician, your online store has to work double duty. PocketSuite is an all-in-one platform. You book clients for services and sell products in one app.
[Read more about Online Products for Estheticians]
Do you have high-quality services or products that you sell at a premium price point? These are known as your high-ticket sales. These items have an X-factor or unique value that makes them significantly more expensive than your other offerings or those of your competitors. Remember, the phrase “high-ticket” varies between industries. A high ticket sale for spa and beauty professionals may cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.
[Read more about High Ticket Sales for Estheticians]
Contracts
Client contracts are great for estheticians because they help create clear expectations with clients. With a client contract, you can establish a clear understanding at the beginning that you expect your clients to notify you in a timely way if they need to reschedule or cancel an appointment. You can also use them to protect yourself and avoid disputes with clients.
Having a contract in place will protect you from legal ramifications and will, as stated earlier, lay out all expectations for the client in black and white. While it is rare that you will be sued as an esthetician, it is possible, and it is up to you to protect yourself and your livelihood.
The best part of all is that our research has shown that having contracts makes you appear more professional to new clients and increases the chances of creating more regular clients who rebook often.
[Read more about Contracts for Estheticians]
Manage your workflow
Equipment
Are you ready to invest in equipment for your spa business, but don’t know where to start?
No problem! We know just what you need: An esthetician chair.
An esthetician chair is essential to your spa setup, whether you’re renting a space or own your spa. Your clients will spend a lot of time in this chair (and leave reviews about it). So, it’s essential to choose the right one. . You might know them as esthetic chairs, esthetician chair beds, or facial beds. Whatever you call it, an esthetician chair should be a comfortable space to treat your clients. Esthetician chairs come in all shapes and sizes. So, you’re sure to find one that can accommodate your services and match your aesthetic.
Lucky for you, we’ve put together this guide to help you find the perfect esthetician chair for your spa business.
[Read more about Esthetician Equipment]
Software
Whether you’re a solo esthetician or you manage a team of spa professionals, you need software to help grow your small business. There are dozens of spa software for small business management on the market. So, you’ll need to look into features, pricing, and support to determine the best fit for your business.
PocketSuite is an all-in-one platform to run your spa business. We have a range of dynamic features to grow your business and improve your client’s experience. From automated appointment scheduling to flexible payment options to an e-commerce solution, we have everything you need to manage a successful spa business.
We even created industry-specific templates just for estheticians. You can get set up in minutes with our default services, forms, products, and more made with spa professionals in mind. If you’re already booking with another app, reach out to our dedicated imports team to transfer your data to PocketSuite.
[Read more about Spa Software for Small Business Owners]
On the surface, GlossGenius is a decent option. But when you dig in, the platform seems to be more style than substance. It’s an aesthetically pleasing app, but it’s missing some basic functionality. With all the limits to GlossGenius, you may find yourself shopping around for other apps to fill those gaps. You can avoid that with PocketSuite. We’re an all-in-one app to run your beauty business.
If you’re already using GlossGenius (or another booking platform), let our dedicated Imports Team upload your client and appointment data from GlossGenius into our app. It’s easy!
[Read more about GlossGenius vs. PocketSuite]
We know there’s more to running an esthetician business than facials and chemical peels. Someone has to write up sales promotions, draft invoices, and create contracts … ugh!
You became an esthetician to connect with clients and master your craft, not spend your days glued to a computer screen. What if there was a way to do all that busy work in just a few clicks? Great News! Open AI’s brand new chatbot, ChatGPT, is here to help.
Whether you’re drafting training manuals or stuck writing email copy, ChatGPT can save you time and money.
[Read more about ChatGPT for Estheticians]
Grow Your Business
Marketing
The beauty industry waits for no one! As an esthetician, you can take steps to keep up with the ever-changing demands of clients. Even if you’ve been a skincare professional for years, it’s good to keep your clients happy with fresh offers. Your competition is sure to stay up to date with changes in the industry. So, you should too!
To grow your esthetician business and maintain a steady stream of clients, you’ll have to keep up with some industry trends. From tamanu oil to virtual consultation, make sure you offer top-tier, unique services to stand out from your competition.
[Read more about Esthetician Business Trends in 2024]
Skincare influencers share their personal tips, advice, and stories in order to help their audience find what works for them. It is honestly not much different than what you already do on a daily basis as a licensed esthetician. So why not take all that knowledge, passion, and experience and translate it into another form of income?
In a sea of beauty and skincare influencers, you will set yourself apart by making sure you let your growing audience know that you are a true expert. As a licensed esthetician, you have the education to back up your opinions. The vast majority of current skincare influencers are hobbyists. They are skincare enthusiasts, but they don’t have the education to put weight behind their words.
With your education and knowledge, you can really bring a lot to the table, and you need to make sure people know that. It can be hard to talk about yourself, but there is no better place to hype yourself up than on social media
[Read more about Skincare Influencers]
Are you a solopreneur Esthetician or an Esthetics business? Then you’ve probably noticed (in between ordering more facial scrubs and checking your inventory of lancets) that Estheticians are killing it on Instagram. Why do you think that is? In this article, we’ll cover the absolute need-to-know tips for crushing it on Instagram with your Esthetics business.
[Read more about Marketing Your Esthetics Business on Instagram]
Team staffing
PocketSuite Teams has a tool for managing teams and organizing the booking for all of your staff. You can also mentor your staff to provide the atmosphere and the quality your business demands. When your business has multiple beauty pros working with full books every week, the sky is truly the limit in enjoying your life and making a great living.
Networking
As a busy esthetician, we know you’re looking for ways to level up your business. Luckily, there are dozens of spa business events each year. At a spa conference, you can learn from industry experts on how to grow your business. The spa industry is competitive. Conferences and events give you an advantage as an esthetician. You can learn about emerging trends or products and make connections with business owners and other spa professionals.
[Read more about Conferences for Spa Professionals]
From viral posts to targeted paid ads, Facebook is a gold mine for small business owners. Some professionals overlook one of the platform’s best tools for business growth: Facebook groups. Facebook groups are the perfect place to connect with other estheticians, learn from your peers, and attract new clients.
The only problem is that there are literally hundreds of Facebook groups to choose from. So, how do you know which ones are worth hitting “join”? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered!
We put together a list of the top Facebook groups for estheticians to connect, share, and grow their businesses.
[Read more about Esthetician Facebook Groups]
