Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/225798
your niche Skin Care Coaches Estheticians who specialize in advice, not treatment by Rebecca Jones A small but growing number of estheticians are blending skin care advice with life coaching. They combine their esthetics training with knowledge of psychology and motivational techniques. Esthetician Iris Mata is a personal skin care coach employed by product manufacturer Skin Authority. She advises clients by email, phone, Skype, text message, or any other way a client prefers to communicate, as well as in person at the company's San Diego salon. Changing Clients' Mindsets When one client complained she was experiencing breakouts, Mata was able to provide highly detailed, professional advice by phone. First, she had the woman walk into her bathroom, pull out every product, and read every list of ingredients to her. Mata then had her describe what she was doing, step-by-step, while she applied each product. They also spoke about what was causing stress in the client's life and her eating and sleeping habits. Armed with all the information that could be discovered without seeing the client in person, Mata was able to narrow down the probable causes of the problem. She then proceeded to guide her client not only through some better skin care routines, but some options for lifestyle changes as well. "We don't just talk about products," says Mata, who got her esthetician's license three years ago, following a five-year career in sales. A skin care coach may delve into everything from family dynamics to family history to time-management skills. "It's more about changing the mindset to help our customers understand what a healthy-skin lifestyle means." An Emerging Career Path Celeste Hilling, CEO of Skin Authority, sees skin care coaching as a new frontier in the future of the esthetics profession. "A lot of estheticians don't feel like there are a lot of opportunities to take what they know to the next level," Hilling says. "But I think there are amazing career opportunities. In other aspects of selfIris Mata is typically in contact with 40–50 improvement, a coach or trainer is at customers a day. the center of it. Why not a personal A skin care coach may delve into trainer for everything from family dynamics to your skin?" Hilling family history to time-management skills. is emphatic about what skin coaching is not: a substitute for medical Mata is typically in contact with 40–50 care or counseling. She makes sure the customers a day. She follows up on every coaches she employs are clear about scopesession with an immediate email and then of-practice limitations. a phone call in 14–30 days if the client has "We're not here to replace a physician," not already responded in that time. she says. "We always encourage people, In addition to a thorough if they have concerns about something understanding of skin care and a variety of going on physically, to seek a physician's other wellness topics, skin care coaching guidance. We can talk about the side effects requires excellent written and oral of a prescription medicine. But it's not our communication skills, a high comfort level job to tell them not to take that medicine." with technology and social media, and a servant's heart. Training in counseling, More Clients, Less Burnout psychology, or allied fields is a plus. Skin care coaching is one way for It's also about being able to make estheticians to combine a higher client clients feel comfortable enough to share load (and resulting higher income) with the truth about what's going on in their the chance to extend their career. "Your lives. "You have to be continually in touch body doesn't burn out," Hilling says. with that person," Hilling says. "This isn't "There's a limit to how many hands-on a one-time conversation." treatments you can do in a day. This lends value beyond the physical treatments. You're not limited to 10 people a day." Rebecca Jones is a longtime newspaper reporter and freelance writer based in Denver, Colorado. Contact her at killarneyrose@comcast.net. 11