A fancy skincare routine is pointless without an educated professional.
Has this ever happened to you?
You head to a BIG hardware store because you need to fix something, You can’t find anyone to help you, or the person doesn’t quite seem to know HOW to help. You get frustrated searching for answers and the right items, so you just end up guessing what you need, or even worse, you were directed to the wrong item. Once you’re home, you realise you don’t have the right stuff and you can’t bear the thought of going back again, but you don’t know where else to find answers. It’s a frustrating cycle, wasting time and money.
This sadly is a VERY similar scenario I hear from my new clients when they tell me about their history and frustrations trying to find answers for their skin, whether they are dealing with a particular skin issue or just looking to care for their skin in a healthy and non-invasive manner. I hear the same experience time and time again. To understand why this is a common story, we need to look at the education estheticians are receiving.
Esthetician’s in any state, attend a specific program to learn subjects that are state mandated within a specific timeframe that is broken down by hours of education. These hours range from 260-1200hrs. Florida only requires 260hrs of esthetics education, while states like Washington and Utah offer a Master Esthetics licensure program at 1200hrs. Apprenticeship education requires more hours. Most states in the U.S. require 600hrs. Idaho requires esthetics students to attend 600hrs of education in the subjects of histology of the skin, muscles and nerves; structure of the head, face, and neck; diseases of the skin, glands and nails; massaging and manipulating the muscles of the body; a study of electricity as applied to esthetics; and Idaho laws and rules governing the practice of esthetics. Once a student graduates after completing both school and state requirements, they take a written and practical test with a state board approved testing company, and once they pass, they apply for their license to practice esthetics within the scope of practice in the state they are in. The state required esthetics education is mostly concerned with safety and sanitation, and is likened to attending a community college. You have to complete the basic requirements to be able to study and practice the specialty you are interested in. The diiference in the two educational systems, however, is that once you are able to choose your specialty in the skin healthy industry, continuing education is like a junk yard, with very few gems to be found. Estheticians end up wasting money, become frustrated, and either end up just practicing what they learned in school, or they leave the industry altogether.
There is way too much to unpack in this post, so I will continue very briefly…
Some of the modalities taught in esthetics schools, such as microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, and chemical peels are HARMFUL to the skin, but they are taught due to the state’s concerns of safety and sanitation. Not to mention, they have just been around forever. Some of the theory information is also incorrect. For example, in textbooks used, students are taught that there are four skin types; dry, oily, combination, and senstive. The truth is that there are only two skin types, lipid dry and oily, and people fall on a scale within their genetically determined skin type. Once licensed, estheticians practice what they’ve learned. To make any changes to education and licensing requirements, one would have to start down the arduous path to change government policy, statutes, laws, and rules. This would be a years long process, but one I personally think could be possible within the next decade as we learn more about the skin as an organ, consequences of these harmful treatments currently being practiced, and bringing awareness to the practice of Corneotherapy.
A short breakdown of other professions in the skin industry.
Dermatologist
Necessary and recommended for chronic, contagious, and life threatening conditions, diseases, and disorders such as skin cancer, impetigo, etc. These professionals are well trained in skin histology, pharmacology, and surgical procedures, I high recommend getting a yearly skin check. Locally, I recommend scheduling with Maggie Callan, PA with Advanced Dermatology in Coeur d’Alene.
MLM Reps
Not only is the business structure, in my opnion, un-ethical by preying on lovely people who simply want to have something for themselves, or help provide for their families; but the sales reps simply do not have the education of the skin and cosmetic chemistry. They are trained by the brand to sell products. More recently, there is an uptick of licensed professionals signing on with these brands. The problem with this is the information being taught is lacking in truth when it comes to the chemistry, i.e. “waterless products being better for your skin.” This is a common tagline that has so much more to it, and it is used for marketing to seem like you are getting a better deal because you’re not “paying for water.”
To learn more about water in cosmetics, I will refer you to the following publications:
The water balance in our skin: moistuirizers & Co.
Water and water - just not the same things: water qualities
DIY and Farmer’s Market Skincare
Much the same as the paragraph above, minus the dodgy ethics.
I wanted to share this information because you as the consumer, and also licensed professionals, deserve better care, and you deserve to know why the industry is the way it is. There is a reason your experiences have been the way they are. A fancy skincare routine is pointless without an educated professional. Simply put, you are in the safest and most capable hands when you choose to work with a dermaviduals®️ Corneotherapist, especially if they practice holistically and non-invasively.
I hope this information has been insightful and helpful.
If you are interested in working with me, you can schedule an appointment from the button below:
I work both in-person and virtually with clients in the U.S. If you are international, send me an email and I can connect you with a dermaviduals®️ Corneotherapist in or near your country.
