c/estheticians

$70 for a microderm tool that barely did anything

I got suckered into buying this at-home microdermabrasion wand off Instagram like 2 months ago. It was $70 and the suction was so weak it barely picked up dead skin. I followed the directions exactly, did 3 sessions over 2 weeks, and saw zero difference in my texture. Honestly I got better results just using a konjac sponge with my regular cleanser. Has anyone else wasted money on those handheld suction devices?

Finally gave in on enzyme peels after years of fighting them

I used to swear enzyme peels were a waste of time compared to chemical ones for 6 years. Then I had a client last month with super reactive skin who couldn't handle even gentle acids, and the glow after three enzyme treatments made me completely change my mind. Has anyone else had a situation that made you ditch your old favorites for something you used to hate?

Spent 45 minutes trying to fix a steamer that just needed the cap loosened

I was in the middle of a facial and my steamer started sputtering and dying. grabbed my tools, took the whole thing apart, checked every hose and seal. After wasting almost an hour and getting water everywhere, i realized the fill cap was just screwed on too tight and creating a vacuum. Has anyone else had a panic moment over something that simple?

Changed my mind about glycolic peels after 6 weeks of sticking with it

I used to think glycolic peels were too harsh for my oily skin, kept getting red and irritated after one try. But a esthetician at a shop in Austin told me to start with a lower concentration and work up slowly. After 6 weeks of doing a 20% peel every 2 weeks, my texture is way smoother and my pores look smaller. Has anyone else had a slow burn with a product that paid off?

Had a brutal 12-client day last Tuesday and my hands still hurt

I booked back to back facials for 8 hours straight and by client 9 I could barely feel my thumbs from all the extractions and massage work. Has anyone else found a way to handle marathon days without wrecking your hands and wrists?

Went with Cupping over Microcurrent for a Client's Puffiness

Had a client come in last Tuesday with serious under-eye puffiness after a bad night's sleep. I was torn between reaching for the microcurrent device or trying silicone cupping on her face. Picked the cupping because she was sensitive to electrical stuff, and after 10 minutes the drainage was so visible she asked what I did. Has anyone else had better luck with one method over the other for lymphatic work?

Spent 45 minutes tracking down a red glow on a client's face after a VI peel yesterday

Turns out it was just the reflection from her bright pink water bottle sitting on my cart, has anyone else had a stupid lighting issue trick them like that?

I finally figured out why my LED face masks were breaking out my clients

Went to a skincare conference in Austin last month. Sitting in a talk about blue light and skin. The speaker mentioned how some LED devices trap bacteria if you don't sanitize them between uses. Had a lightbulb moment. My clients kept getting pustules after treatments and I couldn't figure out why. Has anyone else had issues with their LED tools causing breakouts?

Rant: People keep using facial oils before moisturizer and ruining their skin barrier

I've been doing facials for about 5 years now and I keep seeing estheticians online telling clients to apply oil before moisturizer. That's backwards. Oil creates a barrier that stops the water-based moisturizer from soaking in. Last week a client came in with dry, flaky cheeks and tiny breakouts around her chin. She said she followed a routine from an influencer with 200k followers. I asked what she was doing and she said oil, then moisturizer, then sunscreen. Her skin looked like lizard leather with clogged pores. I switched her to moisturizer, then oil, then sunscreen and she texted me 5 days later saying her skin felt normal again. Who started this whole oil-first trend and why are we letting it spread? Has anyone else seen this causing problems in their practice?

Warning: hit 200 client facials in one week and my hands still ache

I just finished a week where I did 200 facials back to back. I thought I was tough, but my wrists and fingers are screaming. It made me realize how easy it is to ignore repetitive strain until you hit a big number like that. I started using better body mechanics and taking micro breaks, but I wish I had done that sooner. Has anyone else dealt with hand pain after a heavy booking week? What helped you get through it?

Shoutout to my cosmetology school instructor for warning me about those cheap LED lamps

My old instructor told me last year that budget UV/LED lamps under $50 don't cure gel polish evenly and would wreck my clients' nails. I ignored her and bought a $35 lamp off Amazon, and after 3 months I had 4 clients with lifting and one with an allergic reaction on her cuticles. Has anyone else had a lamp fail on them like this and switch back to a mid-range brand?

Am I debating if extraction time really matters as much as we think?

I spent like 45 minutes on a single cystic breakout last week trying to get it to release clean. Some clients swear by the 10 minute rule for extractions, but I had one that took nearly 20 minutes with alternating steam and pressure. My mentor says if it's not coming out in 5 minutes, leave it alone and try again later. But that red mark stayed for days anyway, so what's the real difference? Anyone else feel like the timing rules are way more flexible than they teach in school?

That one esthetician told me to stop using facial oils before extractions

A senior esthetician at my last job in Phoenix kept insisting I skip the oil cleanse before doing extractions on oily skin. I thought she was wrong because I learned oil dissolves oil, so I kept doing it my way for about 6 months. Turns out she was right. My clients with acne were breaking out worse after their sessions, and I lost 3 regulars before I figured out the link. Now I only use a gel cleanser before extractions on oily skin types. Has anyone else had a mentor give advice that seemed backward but actually worked better?

Vent: Watched a new esthetician double-dip a spatula into a pot of cream at a workshop yesterday

I sat there cringing as she went back in for more product with the same spatula, and nobody said a thing, has anyone else dealt with people not understanding basic cross-contamination in a professional setting?

Struggling with extractions on oily skin - aggressive or gentle?

I was working on a client last week with really congested oily skin, and I couldn't decide if I should push harder to get those deep plugs out or back off and risk leaving them behind. Ended up going too hard on one spot and it left a little red mark that took 20 minutes to calm down with some aloe. She didn't complain but I felt awful about it... has anyone else faced this split second choice in the treatment room?

Hot towel on a broken capillary - worst idea I ever had

I'm at my station in Seattle about 3 months ago and this client comes in with really reactive skin. She wants a hydrating facial. I grab my hot towel to do the steam step and she immediately gets this broken capillary on her cheek. Looked like a tiny red lightning bolt. I felt so bad. I told her straight up I messed up and gave her a discount on the service. She was cool about it but I learned my lesson - always check for broken caps before using heat. Anyone else had a similar oops with heat?

Spent $250 on a used high frequency machine and it's already paid for itself

Had a client in Miami totally change how I do eyebrow mapping

That esthetician at a conference said microneedling at home was 'fine' - thought she was joking

I was at the ASCP event in Phoenix last month and overheard two estheticians chatting. One said she uses a microneedling pen from Amazon on herself every month at home with no issues. I nearly choked on my coffee because we learned the COMPLETE opposite in school. She claimed as long as you disinfect the needles and use a numbing cream it's basically the same as a clinic treatment. Has anyone else run into clients or peers who think DIY microneedling is safe?

Warning: Those 'retinol alternatives' from the drugstore are a total waste of money

I was super skeptical about paying $60 for a real retinol serum from my derm's office. For like 6 months I just bought those gentler OTC creams with bakuchiol and stuff. They did basically nothing for my fine lines even after I used up a whole tube. My esthetician friend begged me to try the real deal from her supplier. After 4 weeks of using a proper 0.3% retinol at night my skin texture is totally different. I feel dumb for wasting close to $80 on fake stuff that didn't work. Has anyone else had this happen or found a good budget retinol that actually does something?

That time a client in Austin had a full-on allergic reaction to a 'clean' brand mask

I was doing a facial in my old treatment room, using a popular clay mask from a brand everyone said was super gentle. Halfway through, my client's face got bright red and puffy, like a balloon. She had to take Benadryl right there. It was the aloe vera extract, which I learned can be a major irritant for some people. Now I patch test EVERY new product, no matter how 'natural' the marketing is. Has anyone else had a client react to something that was supposed to be totally safe?

I switched from a basic steamer to a nano-mist device for extractions and the results were crazy

For about six months, I used a standard facial steamer for softening skin before extractions. It worked okay, but I felt like I was still fighting with some pores. A client who is a nurse told me about a nano-mist device she saw used in a clinic, so I rented one for a month to test it. The difference was in the particle size. The nano-mist puts out a much finer, cooler vapor that seems to get deeper without overheating the skin. I timed extractions on similar clients and with the nano-mist, I was done in almost half the time because everything was so much softer and easier to clear. My clients also said their skin felt less red and irritated after. Has anyone else made a switch like this with their prep tools?

Showerthought: I was over-exfoliating for a solid year because my client's skin never felt 'smooth enough'.

A dermatologist at a seminar in Phoenix said 'smooth' isn't the goal, 'healthy barrier function' is, and that clicked. Anyone else have a similar lightbulb moment about a basic technique?

A simple trick for getting stubborn blackheads on the nose

I had a regular client with those deep, stuck blackheads on her nose that just wouldn't clear with normal extraction. After two facials with little change, I tried something different last month. I applied a thin layer of my enzyme mask, the Green Tea Peel from Image Skincare, and let it sit for only 5 minutes instead of the full 10. Then, I used a warm, damp washcloth to gently wipe it away with a little circular pressure. The combo of the mild enzyme action and the physical wipe loosened everything up so much that extraction was way easier and cleaner. Has anyone else found a specific product or timing tweak that helps with those stubborn nose pores?

I used to think chemical peels were too harsh for sensitive skin, but a client's 8-week transformation changed my mind.

She had mild rosacea and we did a series of 4 gentle lactic acid peels, and the reduction in baseline redness was huge. Has anyone else had success with a specific acid for redness-prone clients?