How to Become a Certified Facialist

If you want to help people look and feel their best, learning how to become a facialist may be the first step in a rewarding career in the beauty industry.

Not just anyone can step into the field, however. Enrolling in facial school is the first step to embarking on this rewarding and exciting career. You may be wondering, “Is there a facial school near me?” Beauty schools are popping up across Florida. But before you get started, make sure you are learning from experienced professionals in the skincare field who possess top-notch teaching and training tools. They can you give future clients get beautiful and healthy results.

What is a facialist?

Simply put, a facialist is a beauty professional who provides skincare therapy without any surgery. A facialist can stay busy thanks to the many treatments that fall under the label. Some examples of services provided by a licensed facialist include:

• Facials: a process that includes cleaning pores with steam, exfoliation to remove dead skin and applying custom masks

• Peels: applying acids to the skin to make it feel smoother and firmer, while at the same time looking brighter

• Microdermabrasion: the use of small crystals that exfoliate and polish the skin, used to offset the damage done by the sun or reduce wrinkles

• Waxing: removing hair from all over the body without causing any pain or damage to the skin

• Tanning: using spray tan to help create the look of a tan, which is much safer than the classic tanning bed

What do I need to do to become a facialist?

If you have decided to make the leap into the industry, getting started in a training course with the opportunity for hands-on experience is essentially how to become a certified facialist. Enrolling in beauty school will give you the opportunity to learn about the different elements of skincare and potentially what areas in which you would like to specialize.

Classes combine a mix of textbook learning and theory with practical application. Students often first practice on mannequins and then move to a salon experience, where students may practice on real-life customers.

How do I get my facial specialist license in Florida?

In the Sunshine State, you need a minimum of 220 hours of training to earn your facial specialist license. You must be over the age of 16 years old. Over the course of a few months, you can gain the skills you need to enter the field and make a difference in clients’ lives. Once you receive your license, you must renew it every other year. Also, certain practices like microblading, permanent cosmetics and electrology require their own licenses.

Where can I work?

According to the laws of Florida, facial specialists can only work in licensed salons; however, there are some exceptions to this rule. Medical offices can also receive salon licenses, which means that some facialists find work at plastic surgery or dermatology practices.

What if I want to learn facial massage?

Massage is a key component to the spa treatment experience. But a facial specialist is limited to working on the head, scalp, neck and face. Anything beyond that requires a massage therapy license, which requires more training and completion of the massage therapist licensing exam.

Where can I find facial classes near me?

An esthetician program like the one Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers can be found in Orlando, West Palm Beach and Hollywood, FL. You can learn more about our facial specialist classes either through a call or you can schedule a campus tour to get a first-hand look at the coursework available.

Becoming a facialist is an exciting career choice. It’s one that is in high demand. By taking the right courses within a highly trained organization, you’ll be ready to step in and start your work with confidence and clarity.