WHEN I FIRST EARNED MY ESTHETICIAN LICENSE in the late 1990s, Facebook did not yet exist and there were no online message boards. Internet access was available by dial-up only. So I didn’t have anyone to bounce information off of other than my schoolmates, and since my classmates had the same limited training I did, we weren’t particularly helpful to each other.
Eventually, of course, the Internet became more advanced. In my ongoing quest to further my esthetic education, I found my way to a couple of fledgling spa-related online message boards. Finally, I had somebody to “talk” to! This form of instant communication allowed me to network with other estheticians. These boards enabled us to compare notes, ask questions, figure things out and grow together. This was extremely helpful to my esthetics career.
Fast-forward to today’s spa industry. Esthetics is much more specialized and diverse than it was back then. Equipment is extremely high-tech and skin care products are scientifically advanced. Regrettably, esthetic education in many schools and licensing requirements in most states have not kept up with the accelerated growth of esthetics, which leaves a rather large void between estheticians’ preparedness and the real world of esthetics. Of course, the Internet is a valuable source of learning and networking, but there are some serious drawbacks. I love that I can have a question and with a few keystrokes, answers appear! But how do we know which answers are correct?
Eventually, of course, the Internet became more advanced. In my ongoing quest to further my esthetic education, I found my way to a couple of fledgling spa-related online message boards. Finally, I had somebody to “talk” to! This form of instant communication allowed me to network with other estheticians. These boards enabled us to compare notes, ask questions, figure things out and grow together. This was extremely helpful to my esthetics career.
HOW RELIABLE ARE YOUR SOURCES?
These days, anyone with a computer can present themselves as an authority on any subject. In the field of esthetics, all it takes is an esthetician’s license, a computer and voila! An “expert” is born. Sadly, the ones most harmed by these pseudo-experts are new estheticians. They have invested a substantial amount of time and in some cases money to obtain training, and then — with all the best intentions — they seek out further education online. In their search, they find their way to various social media sources where they eagerly soak up everything they read. Therein lies the problem.The worst infraction — which I see regularly on social media — is advice given by those who have no understanding of their own state’s laws and regulations, much less the rules in all 50 states. Too often, incorrect information is shared relating to the use of esthetic equipment and highly active products. Misinformation on these important topics can lead an esthetician outside the scope of his or her license, which could result in injury.
This is precisely why it is so important to always qualify whoever is giving you advice, as the safety of both you and your client is at stake. While you have no control over who gives advice, you can certainly decide for yourself whether the advice is worth taking. Here are some factors to assess, along with suggestions to evaluate reliability:
VARIABLES
Even if advice sounds good on the surface, delve deeper. Remember that what works well for one may not work for all. Much depends upon your location, demographic, specialty, product line and level of training.TIP: Ask the source about their personal experience with the suggestion they are offering and how successful it was for them. Be specific. For example: “Have you actually used this marketing technique? How many people did it bring in and how many of those resulted in profit for your business?”
VENDORS
Purchasing an exhibitor booth and a classroom at a trade show does not make someone an expert on anything other than their own product.TIP: This is one example of how helpful social media can be. You can collect information from vendors you are interested in and then check with your online sources to get reviews, pros and cons and general feedback about them.
TRADE SHOWS
These events are such a great resource for continuing education opportunities and exposure to products, services, equipment and supplies. However, trade shows are often international events, so the vendors who are exhibiting and presenting lectures and demonstrations could be from anywhere in the country or the world.TIP: If you know what your license allows, you can easily assess which products, services or equipment fall within the scope of your esthetics license.
KNOW THE LAW
It is the esthetician’s responsibility to know what is legally allowed under their state’s licensure. Don’t assume you will get reliable information about whether or not you are legally permitted to perform a service or use a product on clients from a representative at the exhibitor booth or someone you are talking to online.TIP: It is the esthetician’s professional responsibility to check with their state’s licensing board and liability insurance provider to confirm coverage.
SEASONED ESTHETICIANS
Don’t assume that an esthetician is an expert just because he or she has been licensed longer than you. The opposite can actually be true if their information is outdated. This is also true about anyone who does not regularly attend esthetics and spa trade shows or read trade magazines. Our profession evolves constantly and serious professionals consistently evolve as well.TIP: Ask questions of your online sources and sort through all information available on social media sites to determine how advanced and up-to-date the esthetician offering advice truly is.
ROLE MODELS
Just because a spa or skin care business seems (or professes to be) extremely busy, popular or well known does not mean that it is profitable. Unless you see their Profit and Loss information, you cannot assume profitability.What you can assume, however, is that the owner of a struggling business will never admit that they are financially unsuccessful, especially not online. Bear that in mind when assessing any advice being offered, especially if there is a fee associated with their advice. Being “busy” is not the goal; the goal is financial success.
TIP: While we can’t ask specific questions about income, we can ask general questions about business strategies, such as: “What has been your most profitable promotion, and by what percentage did your clientele increase?”
PROTECT YOUR CAREER
Today’s consumers are extremely skin care savvy due to the abundance of information available online. For the esthetics industry, there are pros and cons to this development. On the one hand, every YouTube video and Facebook group that offers esthetic education to the public potentially teaches untrained esthetician wannabes and multi-level-marketing salespeople everything they need to compete with us. The more details we give publicly, the faster we are neutralizing our power and reputation as professional estheticians.On the other hand, we can utilize social media sources to educate consumers about the many benefits of having a relationship with a licensed esthetician. We can remind them that skin care is not a “one-size-fits-all” concept, and a well-trained esthetician can guide them to optimal skin health through professional services and customized home care protocols.
With careful thought, estheticians can use social media to their advantage. If you share a video or a protocol, be certain that you do so with the goal of driving viewers to your website, encouraging them to try your services, buy your products and seek out professional estheticians — not simply teaching them how to do something on their own.