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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Aestheticians: Stick to your guns!

Below is an email I received from an aesthetician who was purchasing one of my books. As you will read, she exemplifies someone who is running up to the somewhat crazy, sometimes concocted world of skin care, an industry we both share. I am including it here because I think it’s important to give a voice to those who may feel like she does: almost shaken in her confidence by the overwhelming business of skin care and the endless amount of things a person can do in this field. In my opinion, and this lady’s too, when it all gets stripped down, skin care is really just very simple.



Hi Carolyn,

I am a fellow aesthetician, for 17 years now, and live in the St. Louis, Missouri area. I have had your book, Timeless Skin, for a long time and recently picked it up again and flipped through it the other day. I then decided to see if you had a website and found your web page. I’m always looking for inspiration, and I found you.

 I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. I feel we have a similar view on skin care, and we also share a love of ballet, as I once danced—not professionally though. I am a  fellow kittycat mommy who had to put my kitty to sleep in June. I have since adopted a new 7 month old kitten.
I only give facials (and love it). I do find it hard to compete with all the other places doing high-end treatments with machines, lasers, etc. I have a great, loyal client base, but find I lose my confidence at times as there is so much out there now for people to try and do for their skin. I find it best to keep things simple and offer skin care advice my clients will understand and adhere to.

 I am eager to read the book you are sending me [Skin Care A to Z]. I find that even being in the business for some time it’s good to brush up on learning and refresh my mind. Your blog post, Axioms for Life, was just wonderful, and I thank you for all that you shared.


Thank you for the nice email. It’s always gratifying to hear that the things I write about are well-received, even when they don’t have to do with skin care (in the case with the axioms article). I’m glad you enjoyed it.

I’m sorry for the loss of your kitty, but congratulations on adopting a new fur kid. I’m sure you’ve seen my blog posts about my animals—there are several. The book I recommend at the bottom of Moving Through Loss really is a good one.

Although you have been in business for 17 years, you still may find some benefit from my professional blogsite, Help for Aestheticians. I actually started it to give my ex-Chicago employee all of the info I could on how to start her new skin care business up there. And if anyone else can glean some benefit, well, all the better. I still have 20 or so articles to complete and post, but even now there are a lot of articles already published.

As far as your comment about losing confidence amid all the crazy procedures and products that abound in the skin care world, my advice to you is this: stick to your guns. I continue to keep out all of the hype and just give good content and recommendations to those clients who need it and who I see in my salon. Our bodies, skin included, haven’t really changed that much over time. Therefore the advice stays pretty simple, in my opinion. Come from your heart and those who can hear it will be attracted to what you have to say.

Thank you for purchasing and enjoying my books, and best wishes for your continuing successful career.


I love getting mail from my readers. And I especially like hearing from aestheticians who have found help through my work. It’s nice to know that the things I write about have some positive influence in the world of skin care, both with laypeople and aestheticians alike.

Although this article was written in response to an aesthetician, for all of the skin care clients out there the advice is just the same. Try not to get too bogged down in what might feel like complicated skin care available to you, whether in a salon or with products. Keeping things simple is usually the better way when it comes to handling your skin.

For every individual aesthetician there is probably an equally individual way of thinking when it comes to treating your skin, including salon procedures. Whether you’re a professional or a client, my best recommendation is do what feels right to you, no matter what. If you follow that simple advice I believe you can’t go wrong.

UPDATE:

Carolyn, Thank you so very much for the link to [this] blogpost. I hope that through reading my email and your response, any other aesthetician feeling the same way finds your words to be inspiring as I did. You simply have to be your own person and do what feels right to you. Thank you for reiterating that to me! I faithfully keep up with your blog for aestheticians. Thank you for the time and work you put into each one you publish. Maybe one day I can get to Colorado and come get a facial from you. In the meantime, I will take in all the advice you share and strive to be the best I can be for my clients. 

You are welcome! 

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