The Future of Skincare: Why Estheticians Are in High Demand and How to Become One

In short, the population is aging — in less than 20 years, older adults will have children outnumbered for the first time in U.S. history, according to the Census Bureau — but Americans don’t want the effects of aging to show on their faces. To wit, the market for cosmetics and beauty products is projected to grow 5.6% in 2021 alone. Consumer demand for skincare and beauty services is on an uphill climb, and increased job opportunities are expected to follow.

If you’re thinking about seizing this opportunity and embarking on a career as an esthetician, you need to be clear on a few questions: What is an esthetician, and how does it compare to a medical esthetician’s role? How can I become an esthetician, and what do esthetician school programs entail? Do I need an esthetician license to practice in Florida? Where do I start? We have you covered. Read on for all the basics about how to become a licensed esthetician and launch a skincare career in Florida. What Is an Esthetician? First, let’s have the DTR — or “define the responsibilities” — talk about an esthetician’s work. Estheticians are also known as skincare specialists because they have specialized skills in applying beauty treatments to improve the appearance of a client’s skin. Those services might include skin cleansing and toning; facial and spa treatments; hair removal through exfoliation, waxing, chemicals, or threading; face and scalp massage; laser therapy; microdermabrasion; body wraps; and even makeup application.

Estheticians aren’t medical professionals and don’t diagnose or treat skin disorders — that’s a dermatologist’s job — but they do have some knowledge of dermatology in order to best treat their clients’ concerns. In a similar vein, medical estheticians might support a dermatologist’s or plastic surgeon’s work; they often work with clients who have more serious skin concerns, including burns, trauma, or plastic surgery prep and recovery.

How to Become an Esthetician

Florida is among the top five states for employing estheticians, with more than 2,000 skincare specialists working across the state and demand remaining high. So what does it take to become an esthetician in Florida? Estheticians in Florida need to be licensed as facial specialists through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, also known as the DBPR. To become licensed in order to find work, estheticians follow these basic steps: • Complete an esthetic training program — You can enroll in an esthetician school in Florida as soon as you’re 16 years old. To attain a facial specialist license, the Florida Board of Cosmetology requires that you attain 260 hours of training. Many esthetics and cosmetology programs offer extended training and advanced courses to put you well above that requirement. In an esthetician program, you’ll study skin analysis, makeup artistry, exfoliation, nutrition, the science around product ingredients, business and career skills and planning, and more. The combination of classwork and hands-on training will prepare you for a career as an esthetician.

• Submit an application to become a facial specialist — Once you’ve completed the necessary coursework, you’re ready to submit an application. You can apply for a license online through the DBPR, or you can submit a paper application. With that application, you’ll need to remit an $85 application fee and provide evidence that you’ve completed a four-hour board-approved course on HIV/AIDS prevention with a 20-question exam you may be able to take online. You’ll need your school to submit the “certificate of eligibility” for your application.

• Find a job as an esthetician in Florida — Once you have a skincare specialist license in hand, you’re ready for the esthetician job hunt. You may find openings that appeal to you at beauty salons, spas, medi-spas, hotel and resort spas, plastic surgery offices, dermatology clinics, and more.

• Stay current and renew your license by completing continuing education — Once you have your facial specialist license in Florida, you’ll need to renew it every other year before Oct. 31 for a $55 fee. During each period between renewals, you’ll need to complete 16 hours of continuing education as mandated by the Florida Board of Cosmetology. You can find a list of continuing education providers on the DBPR’s website.

Are you ready to discover your future in skincare and help Florida’s sun worshippers retain their youthful good looks? We can help you become a Dermalogica-certified licensed esthetician in as little as three months. Request more information today.