What do you learn in esthetician school?

Courses may vary slightly from school to school, but here is a list of classes you are likely to take in most esthetician schools:

• Aging and Advanced Body Techniques. This covers the stages and management of aging theories and focuses on practicing body techniques such as wraps, scrubs, body masks, and sunless tanning.

• Anatomy and Physiology. This class will have you learn about the physiology and histology of skin cells and tissues, so you can better understand how skin operates.

• Business. Business courses at an esthetician school include resume crafting, interview strategies, career opportunities, job searching, and professional development.

• Color Theory and Makeup. In this course, you learn about the basic principles of colors and the application of makeup. You also learn how to apply makeup in different kinds of situations, including formal makeup, everyday makeup, and corrective makeup application.

• Cosmetic Chemistry. This course includes the foundational principles of chemistry and biochemistry. It also deals with the physical and chemical elements of products, including common ingredients in skin care products that can aggravate sensitive skin and allergies.

  Other focuses include pH and how all these variables affect skin care treatments and products.

• Dermatology. Dermatology educates you on how to identify skin conditions and helps you to understand how to treat them properly. In addition, you also learn to know when is the right time to refer a client to a dermatologist.

• Electricity. This class covers the basics of electricity, including safety protocols, and introduces you to the various kinds of equipment used in the esthetics field.

• Masks. Here, you learn about masks; this includes mixing masks from natural ingredients, as well as application techniques and other mask therapies.

• Massage techniques. This course informs you on general massage techniques, as well as the positive effects of facial massages, body mechanics, reflexology, and lymphatic drainage.

• Medical esthetics. This course is designed specifically for students who want to work in a medical spa or doctors' offices. You learn about the range of a doctor's practice and the variety of pre-operative and postoperative treatments that estheticians utilize.

• Methods of hair removal. This course includes how to properly prepare a client for hair removal. It also goes over standard waxing techniques and waxing safety protocols, including both male and female specifications. Sanitation and first-aid processes in emergency situations are also covered.

• Sanitation, Bacteriology, and Infection Control. This course includes the stages of decontamination, including sanitation, sterilization, and disinfection. It also includes information about how to properly sanitize an esthetician's office and workspace.

• Skin analysis. This class educates you on how to identify and define specific skin types and skin conditions. It will also give you pertinent knowledge on what the causes of specific skin conditions are.

• Skin clinic. This is the class where you take all of your knowledge, skills, and craft you've learned in esthetician school and utilize it in hands-on application. Your instructor will oversee the process as you practice esthetician treatments on volunteers from the public.