Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1542457
62 ASCP Skin Deep Winter 2026 The advent of the gig economy, with estheticians often working as needed, can also put personal lives on hold. This often leads individuals to prioritize work over their own self-care needs or the needs of their families. All these factors lead to burnout and physical fatigue, which isn't just detrimental to estheticians' lives but also to the well-being of those they care for. "When estheticians are emotionally drained, they may provide less empathetic and attentive care, negatively impacting the client's experience," says Morag Currin, founder, international director, and educator of Oncology Training International. "While technical expertise is essential, an often overlooked aspect [of the job] is the mental and emotional well-being of the estheticians themselves," says Jayson Agaton, a board-certifi ed nurse practitioner in psychiatric and mental health at the Frame of Mind Clinic in Las Vegas. "The mental state of an esthetician can infl uence their focus, precision, and ability to engage with clients, which are all critical components of successful beauty treatments. "Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or burnout can impair an esthetician's performance, leading to diminished attention to detail, a lack of creativity, and reduced empathy toward clients." Conversely, estheticians who maintain good mental health are more likely to perform consistently, innovate in their practices, and build strong rapport with their clients, thereby enhancing the overall eff ectiveness of their beauty interventions. Understanding the signs of burnout and adopting an appropriate self-care program are of the greatest importance to provide yourself, your loved ones, and your clients with the attention they deserve. That's why self-care is essential to being an esthetician. SELF-CARE IS ESSENTIAL Many estheticians experience mental stress. Many work alone and don't have family support. Practicing daily self-care is important in any occupation, but it's signifi cant for service providers like estheticians who may treat up to 10 clients daily. When you listen to clients' stories and provide facial massage and treatments, you naturally absorb their energy and pain. So, how do you handle this aspect of the job? By creating a structured framework for proper self-care. No matter how much we love what we do professionally, life can't be all work and no play. When we want to fi t in one more client, we must remember that we work to live, not live to work. If we constantly give to others but fail to take care of ourselves, we will have nothing left to off er. Breathing for Self-Care We can't avoid all sources of stress, but we can develop healthier ways of responding to them. According to Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School, stress fl oods your body with hormones, causing increased breathing, heart rate, and muscle tension. 5 This stress response is a normal reaction to threatening but challenging situations in daily life, such as the burnout experienced from daily esthetics practice. Controlled breathing promotes a relaxation response. Studies have found that slow breathing techniques benefi t emotional control and well- being in healthy subjects. 6 STOCKSY