Life as an Aesthetician
Hi! I figured it was about time to connect with some of my fellow aestheticians, and to bring those who aren’t aestheticians deeper into the world of what it’s like.
I ventured into the world of Aesthetics in 2016, graduated, competed, but didn't officially begin my Aesthetics career until in August 2017. After years of growing up with problematic skin, learning about skin care and how to properly take care of skin became a forefront passion for me, which is exactly why it led me into this world of self care. I have never looked back since. This career has filled my cup up so much that it never feels like work when I’m in the room. I get lost during the treatment, and completely focus my attention on being present and providing the best service to whomever is lying in front of me. It’s been 5 years of working with skin hands-on, and I have grown even more love for being an Aesthetician.
Here’s why:
Connection. The amount of personalities, stories, passion and connection that comes with this line of work is incredible. I thought about being a Psychologist instead of an Aesthetician at some point, and with this career you get a little bit of both. Human connection is a huge part of life, and one that I cherish significantly - ensuring people feel impacted by me, and the team of JRAD SKIN is our top priority.
Always something new. Every individual has different concerns with their skin, which brings lots of action to the room as we consistently feel challenged (in a good way).
New technology and techniques. If you are thinking of entering into this world, be prepared to always keep learning. The learning is endless - something that I consistently tell my team is “we can always be better”, and the beauty of this industry is it continuously gives us the tools to become more advanced.
Gut (body), mind and skin. Through my own personal experiences with diet, lifestyle, birth control, oral and topical antibiotics, supplements etc, I have gained a wealth of knowledge that we love to incorporate into our daily practice at the clinic. Everything is one. Everything is connected. We talk about the importance of all of these things, and 9/10, our newest members only think about what they see with their skin rather than all of the other factors that could be contributing. We have found it so powerful being able to educate our clients on all of these topics.
Touch. The power of touch brings us back to connection. Connection in all forms, through touch, smell, voice, our eyes and more. The overall feeling of being in the presence of someone and being taken care of. For some this is hard, and for others they don’t allow themselves to fully relax and become submersed in the feeling of touch, but when you do, it is so powerful.
I am never bored. There is always something to research, learn, expand or master in this industry. I feel incredibly fortunate to have found this career that completely lights me up. Even though I am 5 years in, I feel like I am just getting started. I have so many more faces to touch, people to educate, and ways to expand within this industry and I can’t wait for all of the opportunities to flourish forward.
With all the love I have, I figured I would share some more of my Pro’s to being an Aesthetician:
PROS OF BEING AN AESTHETICIAN
Always making an impact of people's lives
Continuously changing and evolving
Many different places to be employed - remember to pick an environment where you will be most passionate
Commission or salary options
Flexible schedule - depending on the work environment
If you do not see yourself as a service provider after all, you could venture into being a representative for a skin care line or a trainer
Lots of opportunity to grow and learn
Now even though all of the Pros outweighs the Cons in my opinion, I want to be fully transparent with you:
CONS OF BEING AN AESTHETICIAN
Lots of competition - although, my motto is always “stay in your own lane”
It takes time (anywhere from (2-5 years), to build a solid clientele base
Working evenings and weekends
Have to be “on” - always have a smiling face and pretend your personal life is not happening during the service appointment
You have to accept that you will not connect with everyone
DO I WANT TO BE AN AESTHETICIAN?
This industry has grown so much over the past 2 years. So many more people in the surrounding areas are watching on social media, finding inspiration for this industry and going to school. Some have graduated and still are either unsure about where they see themselves, do not feel well educated enough to perform certain treatments, or find they are not the “service provider” type. All of the messages that I receive on a weekly basis inquiring on what school to attend, or that they’ve graduated and need guidance on the next steps… I always like to say, “ensure that you know your passion, where you see yourself, what you see yourself performing, and the environment you want to be in ''. That is truly my greatest advice. Being a service provider is not easy - it can be emotionally draining (especially for empathic people), physically exhausting and there is a lot that happens behind the scenes to prepare for each client.
Being a business owner while also a full time Medical & Holistic Aesthetician has been a lot, but what I’ve learned over the last four years of being both is…
I want JRAD SKIN to be known for making an impact on people's lives - that it is so much more than just skin. I want depth, intentional words, thoughts and feelings brought into each conversation. I want kindness. I want knowledge. I want to never stop pushing myself past the limits - just like the skin can do. I want to be known for being someone who can guide our clients in a safe space to feel confident in themselves.I show up everyday ensuring that my team feels supported, and our clients know that I want them to feel instantly connected, drawn in and seen. I want everyone to feel already in good hands, and excited to come into a safe space, see us and build a relationship.
I want you to experience depth, uniqueness, understanding and professionalism. I want you to see calming energy and creativity - facial treatments like you've never experienced before. What I've learned personally is, running a business is hard. It's tiring. It's stressful and emotionally draining. What I've learned is to show kindness to myself. To take breaks when breaks are needed, and to know that everything will work out. I've learned that I would go through all of the hard things that happened the past four years, to be in the space we are today - and you are all a huge part of what's kept me going and kept the passion alive. I've learned to make tiny agreements with myself and to follow through with all of them. By doing this, I have found even more passion for this industry, and what we can do with our hands behind the chair.
I would not change a thing about becoming an Aesthetician, and for those who are considering coming into this industry, I hope to be a small inspiration for you and wish to offer future training in order to make this career choice just a slight bit easier along the way.
“It is so much more than just a facial, it is an experience”
Jordan Radke