💡Thought Shares

c/estheticians

2

the_jana•2h ago

I finally figured out why my extractions were leaving marks

I was working on a regular last Thursday, and she pointed out a few red spots from her last visit that took days to fade. That got me thinking, so I watched a video from an esthetician in Austin who said to always press straight down and release, never drag the tool. I had been doing a little scoop motion for years, thinking it got more out. Has anyone else had to unlearn a bad habit like that?

15

piper_kim•14h ago

Rant: I had to choose between a $300 facial steamer and a $80 one for my new spot

Went with the cheaper one because I'm just starting out, and honestly, the mist is too weak for a proper extraction. Anyone have a solid mid-range brand they actually trust?

19

kimmurphy•18h ago

PSA: That 'miracle' at-home chemical peel advice from a client's cousin was a disaster

A client last month kept telling me her cousin swore by using a certain percentage of glycolic acid from a beauty supply store for a 'professional level' peel at home. She was really pushing for me to try it on her, saying it would save her money. I was new to the spa and felt some pressure, so I gave in against my better judgment. Let's just say after about 90 seconds, her skin turned bright red and started stinging like crazy. We had to neutralize it fast and she left with what looked like a bad sunburn. It took a full week of calming treatments to get her skin back to normal. I learned my lesson about listening to random advice over my training. Has anyone else had a client try to give you really bad treatment tips?

1

kelly638•19h ago

Just realized that $400 'professional' LED mask I bought online is basically a fancy nightlight with zero real results after 90 days of use.

Save your cash and invest in a proper device from a legit supplier because this cheap knockoff from a random social media ad did nothing for my clients' hyperpigmentation, and has anyone else found a GOOD one under $800?

14

avery_ross•2d ago

Just hit my first $5k month and the thing that made it possible was a $400 investment

Okay, so I've been solo for about a year now, working out of a rented room. I was doing okay, but my booking system was a mess of texts, emails, and a paper calendar. I was losing appointments and wasting so much time going back and forth. I finally bit the bullet and spent roughly $400 on a year of a proper booking software. It felt like a huge risk, but it automated my reminders, took deposits online, and let clients reschedule themselves. My no-show rate dropped to almost zero overnight, and I stopped having those awkward 'you missed your appointment' conversations. I'm not saying it's magic, but it freed up so many hours I used to spend on admin that I could actually take more clients. What other tools have you guys found that actually paid for themselves like that?

9

lilya76•3d ago

Finally got a handle on those stubborn chin breakouts after a client's third visit

I have a regular who came in with deep, painful bumps along her jawline that just would not clear. We tried extractions and a salicylic acid peel, but they kept coming back. Last month, I suggested she switch her phone to speaker mode during long calls and wipe it down with an alcohol pad each morning. She just came in today, and her skin is almost completely clear. It took about six weeks to see the full change. Has anyone else found that phone hygiene made a big difference for a client with similar issues?

14

paul_taylor21•3d ago

A client in her 70s told me she still uses the same cold cream her mom did

We were doing a facial in my treatment room last Tuesday, and she pointed to the jar on my shelf and said, 'That one right there, my mother swore by it for 50 years.' It made me realize how much trust and routine gets passed down with skin care, more than any new trend. Do you have any clients who've stuck with one simple product for most of their life?

10

robins83•4d ago

Question about stubborn milia under a client's eye

A regular client came in with a tiny, hard milia spot right in the delicate area under her eye. I figured I'd just extract it during her facial, no big deal. That single spot took me over 25 minutes of careful work with a sterile lancet and comedone extractor, trying not to damage the thin skin. It was lodged way deeper than it looked. Has anyone else had a simple extraction turn into a major time sink like that?

6

avery_jackson•4d ago

I was steaming faces for 7 minutes until a client in Phoenix said her skin felt tight.

Has anyone else found a shorter steam time works better for dry skin types?

21

morgan.rose•8d ago

Had a major steam machine mishap during a facial in Portland

I was doing a standard facial at my station in the Pearl District last Tuesday, and my steam machine's hose popped off right as I was about to start the extraction phase. Steam went everywhere, including towards the client's face, and I had to quickly shut it off and apologize. I ended up finishing the extractions with a warm towel compress and a manual tool, which actually worked out okay. Has anyone else had a piece of equipment fail mid-service and what was your backup plan?

26

the_wendy•8d ago

Can we talk about steaming before extractions?

For the longest time, I'd steam a client for a full 10 minutes before starting extractions, thinking it was the only way to soften everything up. Then I had a client with rosacea who couldn't handle the heat. I tried a new method: a warm, damp towel compress for 5 minutes, followed by a thin layer of my regular cleansing oil. The oil seemed to help loosen things up just as well without the irritation, and my extraction time was actually faster. Now I'm rethinking my whole routine. Do you all stick with traditional steaming, or have you found gentler alternatives that work just as well?

3

ellis.faith•13d ago

Overheard a client in my chair say they only cleanse with micellar water at night, which explains their persistent congestion.

It made me wonder how many other people are skipping a proper second cleanse without realizing it's the key step they're missing.

9

tessa_murray•14d ago

Shoutout to the client who asked for a 'gentle' extraction in Denver last month

I used to just go in with my fingers, but after her skin got red, I switched to using a comedone extractor with a warm towel first. Anyone else have a client that made you totally change a basic step?

24

charlescraig•17d ago

Went against the grain and left a clay mask on for 25 minutes on a client with oily skin, and the results were surprisingly not a disaster.

The mask dried completely, but instead of over-stripping, it actually helped regulate her oil production for a full three days, so maybe the standard 10-15 minute rule isn't a one-size-fits-all for that skin type?

19

vera_johnson9•17d ago

A client had a really bad reaction to a peel I did last Thursday

I was working at the spa in the mall, and I used a 30% glycolic acid peel on a regular client. About two hours after she left, she called saying her face was bright red and felt like it was burning. I told her to rinse with cool water and use a plain moisturizer. She came back the next morning and her skin was still super irritated, with some small bumps. I felt awful and comped her next three facials. Has anyone else had a peel reaction get that intense, and what did you do to help the client heal?

8

phoenixw11•17d ago

Bought a cheap steamer for $60 that barely lasted a week.

The thing started leaking during a facial and shorted out. Now I'm out the cash and had to cancel two appointments. Anyone have a steamer that actually holds up?

12

the_jana•17d ago

Spent $200 on a fancy 'crystal' facial roller that broke on the third client

I saw this rose quartz roller online and thought it would be a nice upgrade for my gua sha treatments. The handle snapped right off when I was doing a jawline contour on Mrs. Henderson, and the little ball went rolling under my cabinet. Has anyone found a really sturdy one that can handle daily use?

7

nancyn69•18d ago

Just hit 500 clients in my home studio book and it's making me rethink everything

I was just updating my records and saw the number... I always thought I'd need a fancy downtown space to get that many people. My friend told me 'people just want good skin, not a zip code' and she was right. How do you guys handle growth when your original plan goes out the window?

3

seth_shah•18d ago

I finally stopped trying to pop every single blackhead I see

Back when I started, maybe 5 years ago, I felt like my job wasn't done unless I got every last one, even the tiny ones that weren't ready. I'd spend an extra 15 minutes on a client's nose, leaving it red and angry. The turning point was a regular who looked in the mirror after a facial and said, 'My face looks like it lost a fight with a bee.' That hit me hard. Now, I focus on the ones that are truly ready to go and leave the rest for next time. It's better for their skin and my schedule. Anyone else have to unlearn that 'perfectionist' pressure?

25

skyler_jackson27•18d ago

Showerthought: I used to think a facial was just a facial until a trip to a spa in Sedona changed my whole view

I was at this spa in Sedona about 5 years ago, getting a treatment myself for once. The esthetician there did something so simple but it stuck with me. Instead of just going through the motions, she spent a full 10 minutes just talking to me about my skin's history and my daily stress before she even touched a product. She said, 'Your skin tells a story, and I need to read the first chapter before I can help write the next one.' That blew my mind, lol. I realized I was just treating skin types, not people. Now I always block out that extra time at the start of every new client visit to just chat. It makes the whole service way better. Has anyone else had a moment like that, where a simple chat changed your routine?

3

charlescraig•21d ago

Just realized I've done over 500 extractions this month

My booking software tracks add-on services, and the number popped up when I ran my monthly report. It's way more than usual, mostly from clients adding a deep cleanse to their regular facial. Are you all seeing a big jump in extraction requests lately?

26

robin591•21d ago

Appreciation post: The client who brought her own sheet mask to a facial

Had a lady last Friday who pulled a foil packet from her purse halfway through her hydrating facial. She said, 'I brought my own, the one you use is fine but this one has gold flecks.' In my experience, you just have to smile and explain the protocol for using only our tested products. It made the rest of the service a bit awkward, but we got through it. Has anyone else had a client try to supply their own single-use treatment item during a service?

8

avery_ross•23d ago

Hot take: manual extractions versus using a lancet for every single clog

I used to be a lancet for everything person, thinking it was cleaner and faster. After a workshop in Denver, I forced myself to do manual only for a full 30 days on clients with mild to moderate congestion. The difference in healing time and skin irritation was huge. Clients who got manual work had way less redness and the pores stayed clear longer, like weeks longer. I'm talking maybe one or two lancet uses a week now, only on the really deep, stubborn stuff. Anyone else make this switch and see better long-term results for their clients?

3

jessica130•23d ago

I thought those LED light masks were just a gimmick for influencers.

A client brought her own from home for a facial add-on, and after 20 minutes of red light, her post-acne marks looked noticeably calmer the next day. Has anyone else actually seen solid results with these, or did I just get lucky?

23

mia700•23d ago

Warning: I tried a 15% mandelic acid peel on a client with mild rosacea

I had a client in yesterday who wanted to address some texture, and her rosacea was calm, so I thought a gentle mandelic peel would be fine. About 30 minutes after the treatment, she called saying her cheeks were bright red and stinging, way more than usual. I learned that even 'gentle' acids can be a major trigger if the skin barrier is compromised, which hers must have been. Has anyone else had a similar reaction with mandelic acid, and how do you now test for barrier function before a peel?