There are many available career paths available after esthetics school.

You could choose to specialize in a specific area of skin care and beauty, or you can opt to do a little bit of everything. There are a variety of work environments, and most jobs focus on helping people to look and feel more beautiful.

Learn about the top five career paths of skin care professionals after esthetics school.

Esthetician

By providing general skin care services, estheticians are in-demand in today’s workforce.

Jobs are expected to grow by 11 percent within the next decade. That’s twice as fast as the average of all occupations.

Most estheticians work in salons or spas. Some estheticians work with dermatologists to get client referrals for cosmetic services. There is also a new trend for mobile skin care that’s performed at clients’ homes or in the workplace. The anti-aging beauty market is expected to grow by 32 percent in just five years, and estheticians can expect a growing demand for anti-aging facials and chemical peels. Plus, the increased interest in men’s grooming has opened up opportunities for men’s skin care.

Additionally, estheticians are seeing strong interest in skin care services focused on relaxation and stress relief. A recent poll found that Americans are among the most stressed people in the world. Not only are relaxing esthetician services helpful to the skin, but they’ve also been found to reduce blood pressure and heart rate.

Microdermabrasion Specialist

Microdermabrasion is a popular skin care service that can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, unclog pores and minimize signs of aging.

Because of its benefits to skin appearance, microdermabrasion is increasingly sought after. Skilled microdermabrasion specialists can earn strong salaries. Jobs are most commonly found at spas, salons, and other beauty facilities.

There are also emerging trends in microdermabrasion services. For example, hydrafacials have been named as the top beauty trend of 2019 by Yelp. Rather than the typical crystal or diamond exfoliation, hydrafacials use a similar exfoliation process but with liquids such as an antioxidant serum.

Waxing Professional

Hair removal services are an essential part of grooming and beauty care. As a waxing professional, you’ll help people to improve their style and get smooth flawless skin. Typically, waxing professionals work in a spa or waxing salon.

In esthetician school, students learn a variety of waxing and hair removal services. You’ll become skilled in the best types of waxing products, techniques to get the best result, and other hair services such as threading, tweezing and eyebrow shaping.

Makeup Artist

As a professional makeup artist, you’ll spend your career helping people look beautiful. You’ll have freedom for creative expression, and you can have flexibility in your work schedule.

Many makeup artists work in beauty salons, and there’s also a great need for special events makeup artists for weddings and other major events.

Makeup artists can also work for movies, television, theatre productions and fashion runways. These environments can be diverse and exciting, including creating cutting edge styles, developing stage characters or creating illusions with special effects makeup.

Permanent makeup artist jobs are also an interesting career that blends traditional beauty services with long-lasting results similar to a tattoo artist.

Beauty Salon Owner

Starting your own beauty salon is an exciting esthetician career path.

As an entrepreneur, you’ll be able to provide beauty services to your community. Your workday will also include managerial tasks such as hiring, scheduling, finance, facility care, esthetician regulations, marketing and more.

Salon entrepreneurs have the freedom to develop their own vision, and successful business owners can earn impressive salaries. Entrepreneurship can be a challenge, and estheticians frequently look for training programs that include business classes. This training can provide a framework for how to succeed as a salon owner.

Learn more about how to get started in esthetics school and what you’ll learn in the esthetics curriculum.