Being a cosmetologist is a dream come true for some people. There are over 196k licensed cosmetologists across the US. If you want to be one of them, then you’re lucky because it’s not just a job you do with mundane tasks. You have a lot of specialty options to choose from once you graduated from a cosmetology school.
And the best part is that there are new techniques to learn every time. Cosmetology is a part of the beauty industry, and the industry is full of new trends each year. There are new skin care routines, hair care tips, and even nail care techniques just about every year.
To learn more about these, we list down some skin care techniques for you to get acquainted with. Some of these are basic techniques you’ll learn in cosmetology school. While that is the case, it will help you a lot in your profession to refresh your memories about these.
What Does a Cosmetologist Do?
Before we can dive further into skin care techniques, it’s important to know your role as a cosmetologist. But first, what is cosmetology?
Cosmetology is a field in the beauty industry that deals with treatment related to:
- The skin
- The hair
- The nails
That means you’re responsible for hair care, skin care, and nail care techniques. You can also specialize in applying make-ups and removing hair through waxing. These are just the basics of what cosmetologists can do. The profession has a wide array of specialties, which means there are other skin care techniques to learn.
What Skin Care Techniques Do You Need to Know as a Cosmetologist?
Before you become a cosmetologist, you need to get a license in cosmetology. States need you to pass the cosmetology board exam before you can get a license. These exams include a written exam and a practical exam.
You can ace the written exam by going over your notes or reading through online guides. For some, they also use a free cosmetologist practice exam to test their current knowledge. These cosmetology state board practice tests include cosmetology areas you should focus on. That’s because the questions are based on previous state board exams.
The practical exam is more performance-based rather than theoretical. Reviewing how you perform each technique can help you get through it. Not only that but it boosts your confidence, which lessens your chances of making mistakes.
Once you become a licensed cosmetologist, here is the list of skin care techniques that you should know about and how you can perform each of them.
- Facial Treatments
The purpose of a facial is to thoroughly cleanse and moisturize the delicate skin on the face. Cosmetology schools taught you how to prepare and apply different facial treatments.
It’s also part of their programs to teach you how to choose the right facial for your client. For instance, a client with acne needs a facial technique that treats acne. Some may also need an anti-aging facial, which helps them achieve timeless beauty.
a. Acne-Clearing Facials
Acne-specific facials need a lot of applications throughout three to five visits. But clients often expect immediate results after one application. You’ll need to inform them that all acne treatments cleanse the skin over time, not just one time.
The primary concern of facials is to remove blackheads and whiteheads. To do this, you’ll be using a little extraction tool. You’ll apply a face lotion to the region and let it sit on the skin after removing the blackheads. For better results, you should adjust the formula depending on your client’s skin type.
b. Anti-Aging Facials
Some clients might need facials to combat wrinkles and aged skin. You can recommend an oxygenated or collagen treatment in this situation.
Oxygen treatments use a high-pressure oxygen stream combined with vitamins and essential oils. This will help brighten and lift the skin. A collagen facial will help your clients achieve clear, youthful-looking skin.
- Body Wrap Treatments
There are different techniques for doing body wraps. You can offer mud therapy, a herbal treatment, or a body wrap filled with essential oils. You can use them together with moisturizing creams and balms to permeate the skin more.
Cosmetologists use wraps as a weight loss tool. They tighten the skin and make it appear like your customers lose weight. To get better results, tell your clients to use body wraps while also engaging in a healthy lifestyle.
a. Mud Therapy Body Wraps
Mud therapy often uses mud from the Dead Sea, which is well-known for having calcium, magnesium, and iron. After applying the mud in layers to the body, the skin will absorb the minerals. This helps detoxify and lessen cellulitis, wrinkles, and blemishes.
b. Herbal Body Wraps
Herbal body wraps use natural components including clay, essential oils, sea salt, and crushed herbs. You’ll soak these ingredients in water then mix them up to create a paste. After leaving it at a warm temperature, you’ll spread it on a cloth before applying it to your client’s body.
This type of body wrap often includes a light massage, music, or aromatherapy. For the greatest therapeutic effect, leave the wrap on the body for at least twenty minutes. This treatment calms your client’s mind and body.
c. Aromatherapy Body Wraps
A full aromatherapy body wrap uses towels soaked with fragrant essential oils. You can also have a small heated pad with a scented bag. While it doesn’t cure anxiety, it helps relieve some of its symptoms. The scent of essential oils can improve the mood or relieve stress. You also want to familiarize yourself with different essential oils and their effects.
- Skin Polishing and Exfoliating
If you’ve seen some salons offering “skin polishing,” it’s the same thing as exfoliating the skin. It’s one of the most recent skin care techniques, and you need to know how to perform it.
More people are becoming aware of the chemicals that are present everywhere. That’s why detoxification treatments are gaining in popularity these days. By polishing their skin, you can remove all the dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin. This timeless skin care technique will leave your clients with a smooth, radiant look.
Before doing body polish, you should advise your clients to drink a lot of water. Hydrated skin has a healthy glow and recovers from exfoliation more quickly.
- Waxing
Waxing is a common hair removal technique that requires accuracy and close attention to detail. As a cosmetology student, you’ll receive training in different body waxing techniques. Some schools also teach you the best strategies to remove tough hair.
While there are other techniques to use, waxing is best for removing hair from huge areas. This includes the legs, backs, and intimate areas.
- Laser Hair Removal and Electrolysis
Before you can do these techniques, you will need specialized tools and training. That’s because they can damage the skin if you don’t know how to do it properly.
Laser hair removal is as effective as electrolysis if your client can commit to multiple laser treatments. Despite this, electrolysis is the only FDA-approved method for permanent hair removal. Additionally, they cost more than waxing and other similar techniques.
- Applying Make-Up
A skin care specialist does more than just paint people’s faces for a living. Applying makeup is an art, and you’ll be reinventing each face that you will work on.
You can change how the skin reflects light, which features you need to highlight, and how to make the skin look smoother. Some techniques focus on making some parts of the face lighter or darker to get the right finish.
While applying make-up seems easy, it’s a lot harder when you’re doing it on other people. There are a lot of things you need to consider before you put on make-up on others.
You have to know which makeup products are safe to use on your client’s skin. Some cosmetics have harmful ingredients that can damage the skin, so take note of that. You also need to check their best features. The main goal of putting on make-up is to highlight the right features and remove blemishes.
Other things include your client’s face shape, preferred style, and skin tone.
Final Thoughts
A cosmetologist’s job isn’t just about creating the right skin care routine for their clients. It’s also about finding the right treatment for different skin concerns. Some skin treatments are more advanced, so you’ll need to be a medical esthetician to perform them. But even so, cosmetologists can perform treatments for acne and aging.
Not only that but you can offer other skin care services such as hair removal and make-up application. The world of cosmetology is huge, and there are a lot of opportunities waiting for you. Understanding how each skin care technique works and when to use them is key to a successful career in the field.
