Advantages of a licensed esthetician and disadvantages of an unlicensed esthetician

The skincare business has grown over the years, with many people wanting to look good and be comfortable in their skin. Most people have tried some do-it-yourself (DIY) procedures straight from their kitchen to try and get the perfect glowing skin to boost their confidence. Some of these procedures work for the few lucky ones, do not work at all, or have a negative consequence on the skin, some to an extreme of permanent damage.

A call for beauty has created a gap in which people have started providing the services at a small fee in their salons and beauty parlors. However, without proper knowledge of the skin products and enough training, the skincare products used can have negative repercussions. This has drawn a call for professionalism and a career path for recent high school graduates who have been drawn into the cosmetology field.

You need a license as a legal beauty owner before you can practice in some places. A license is required to prove that you have the skills and the knowledge needed to practice. This protects the general public from quack practitioners. It also helps in maintaining sanitation and preventing cross-contamination.

Additionally, operating without a license attracts fines and misdemeanor convictions, and consequences may be severe if a practitioner accidentally hurts someone. Licenses are different for different states depending on the law. The practitioner needs to renew their rights once they expire.

To get a license, a skincare practitioner has to go through a training program in a beauty school or apprenticeship, take a licensing exam and then receive your license. The training program is six months in most states for one to be issued a license to operate.

What are the benefits of being a licensed esthetician?

Estheticians are skin care professionals who work in salons, spas, and makeup counters. For those who enjoy flexible hours, discounts on beauty products, being their own boss, and various career options, there are many perks to being an esthetician.

1. Flexible schedules: 

Many estheticians, especially those who are self-employed, enjoy the benefits of having flexible hours. Self-contained within a living room allows you to create your own schedule tailored to your lifestyle. For example, if you have children, you can open your work hours during the hours they are in school or on the weekends so that you don't have to sacrifice paying extra money for a babysitter while you're at work. Having a flexible schedule also allows you to schedule in days off when you need them, without having to request time off from a supervisor.

2. Discounts on beauty products:

For those who are addicted to beauty, discounts on beauty products provide a great advantage of being an esthetician. Once licensed, beauticians have the benefit of free membership in a number of licensed beauty professional's only stores. These stores offer discounts of up to half the retail price to licensed estheticians.

3. You become your own boss:

A lot of estheticians are self-employed, which means you can be your own boss. If you are the type of person who likes making your own career decisions, start your own business from scratch and schedule, then you will enjoy this profession.

4. Diverse career options:

Estheticians also have the opportunity to choose their desired career within the field. Some estheticians choose to work as skin care experts within a salon or spa setting, while others become makeup artists for big brand names in department stores. Some even become medical estheticians within a medical office. According to the Austin-Weston Center for Cosmetic Surgery website, estheticians who have partnered with a surgeon make a career change that offers great growth potential.

Advantages of a licensed esthetician

• Estheticians consult with clients to develop a skincare routine to help them look and feel better about themselves with a touch of beauty. Facials, microblading, waxing, extractions, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and more services are available.

• Licensed esthetician distinguishes themselves in the market by showing professionalism in their services. They practice what they learned in their coursework and training. They know all the products in the market and how to use them to attain the required results.

• Clients always fear the unknown when it comes to skin routines. There might be a chemical reaction or no reaction at all. Practitioners who display their licenses give their consumers’ confidence and faith that they can deliver on their promises. This is a marketing approach as well. There's a chance that professional outcomes will increase your niche through referrals.

• A licensed skincare professional will always assist their clients and make product suggestions based on their skin type, as they have been specifically taught to do. They also offer make-up services that benefit a client’s skin rather than breaking it.

• Being an esthetician means dealing with different people daily, and for additional services, this means that each day will offer new challenges. Clients have special and unique needs for their skin. When a practitioner provides solutions to those specific needs, clients feel the attentiveness and will continue working with the practitioner for long-term engagements. Most people prefer having one expert on their contact, someone who understands your skin and is on call.

• An esthetician can spend ample time with the client, allowing them to properly analyze the skin and offer a professional skincare routine for perfect glowing skin, as per the client’s requirements. They also give their client a home care routine, which they can always carry out on their own at home, with the correct products until the next visit.

• An esthetician can assess issues like dry skin, redness of the skin, oily skin, and dark or brown spots and recommend a professional solution. Using the right combination of skincare products and treatments as advised can help improve skin appearances to a great complexion. Their professional course, work experience, and practice make them perfect for aiding in skincare needs.

• You derive great benefit of relieved stress and total relaxation. When people have time to care for themselves, they destress physically and psychologically. Healthy skin is beautiful skin, so it’s essential to book a visit to an esthetician to get pampered and establish healthy skin.

• Visiting a licensed esthetician will also save clients money on products. Most of the time, people tend to buy products over the counter in a cosmetic shop without proper consultation. After spending lots of money on products, the results may not be visible or short-term. This can be tiring, and with the many options to choose from, one may not know the right products for their skin type. An esthetician will professionally propose the right products, saving more money and time spent choosing the right products.

• Most licensed estheticians have insurance for their services, in case of an accident, their licenses won’t be cancelled, and they can also cater to the client’s medical expenses. This is a rare case when dealing with a professional.

Disadvantages of an unlicensed esthetician

• Skin is a compassionate part of our body, and it requires great care in a clean and bacteria free environment, that is, a spa or a salon with a high level of cleanliness. Clients pay for service accordingly, mostly high price. More so, dealing with a professional will call for good pay. People tend to dodge these expenses and opt for cheaper skincare providers who are unlicensed. 

• Unlicensed skincare practitioners are typically folks who have recently opened a salon and have no prior experience of the products in the market and how to use them and are also evading taxes.

• In most cases, when a practitioner is identified as unlicensed, a client likely experiences negative results after the service offered. In the unfortunate event, the client can suffer an infection or reaction on the skin. This could be permanent or long-lasting damage to the skin, thus lowering someone’s confidence and self-esteem.

• The practitioner will then be liable for the medical costs associated with recovery. This will also jeopardize the possibility of the unlicensed skin caregiver being licensed in the future. And in other cases, they may be jailed for operating illegally.

Final thoughts

As much as we want a beautiful complexion and feel good in our skin, it’s essential to check out if the esthetician is licensed. A professional will always be attentive to detail while carrying out the skincare procedures and provide a detailed guide on the products at home for the perfect glow.

They are knowledgeable of the products in the market and are up to date with new procedures. They enjoy helping their customers feel comfortable in their skin. They are proud to showcase their licenses, gain a client’s trust and present themselves with confidence. As a client, you will go home a happy person, with confidence that you consulted a pro and the services you got were satisfying.