c/estheticians

8

emma_clark•3d ago

My LED lamp crapped out mid-facial yesterday

Just had my go-to LED lamp flicker and die right in the middle of a client's treatment yesterday afternoon. I had to scramble to finish with a backup that barely had any power. Has anyone else had this happen and found a reliable replacement under $200?

2

claire_ramirez•3d ago

Overheard a client say she dries her face with a paper towel, not a cloth

I was at a coffee shop last week and this woman at the next table was telling her friend she switched to paper towels for her face because she got tired of washing her regular towels. Said her skin cleared up in like 2 weeks. I've always told my clients to use soft cotton cloths but now I'm wondering if paper towels are actually better for acne-prone skin? Has anyone else noticed this with their clients?

7

simonh74•5d ago

Can we talk about how IPL before and after pics are sometimes misleading?

I did a series of IPL treatments on a client with light sun damage about 6 months ago. Most people rave about the results after 3 sessions, but I honestly saw more change after the first 6 weeks of strict sunscreen use than the actual IPL. The clinic lighting also makes a huge difference-same face looks totally different under natural light vs their fancy treatment room lights. Has anyone else noticed the results are less dramatic when you see clients again in normal daylight?

6

lindaowens•6d ago

That extraction on a cystic client took me 45 minutes yesterday

I had a client come in with a deep cyst on her chin that I thought would pop in like 5 minutes. Ended up spending almost an hour just on that one spot and barely got it all drained. Has anyone else had a single extraction eat up your whole session time?

19

dylanmurray•6d ago

Switched from cotton rounds to reusable pads for extractions - total game changer

I used to go through a whole bag of cotton rounds during a single facial, especially when doing extractions. After I picked up a pack of 20 reusable bamboo pads on Amazon for like 12 bucks, I noticed my extractions actually go faster. The texture grabs better and I don't have to keep grabbing new disposables. Has anyone else made that swap or do you have a different hack for extraction prep?

9

lane.eric•8d ago

Caught my client sneaking drugstore serum into my treatment room

Had a regular come in last Tuesday with her own bottle of some $8 retinol serum from Walmart. She tried to hide it but I spotted her pulling it out of her purse when I stepped away for a second. When I asked about it she said she 'just wanted to see if it was as good as mine.' I told her straight up that the pH balance and formulation are totally different from professional grade products. She got a little defensive but I showed her the ingredient list differences side by side. Now I keep a laminated sheet in the room with common drugstore vs pro ingredients so I can explain it without sounding mean. Anyone else dealt with clients sneaking outside products into sessions?

1

lane.cameron•9d ago

A client's offhand comment at my booth made me rethink my whole routine

Honestly, I was working out of a shared studio downtown last Tuesday, doing a hydrafacial on a repeat client around noon. She just casually said 'you know, I felt really refreshed last time, but my skin got oily again by 3pm.' That hit me hard because I never asked how long my results actually lasted on different skin types. So I started tracking my own clients' feedback over the next week, and it turned out about 30% of them had similar issues with my standard post-care routine. Has anyone else had a client say something simple that totally changed how you approach your treatments?

3

jamie_white•10d ago

That esthetician who told me to skip hydrafacials on sensitive skin was completely right

I did one on a client with rosacea anyways last Tuesday and she broke out in red welts that took 3 days to fade, has anyone else seen this reaction with sensitive types?

8

max415•11d ago

DAE realize they were massaging the wrong lymph direction for months?

I was doing upward strokes on the neck for lymphatic drainage until a client brought in a diagram from her surgeon that showed it's actually supposed to go downward, and now I feel like I gotta re-train my whole hand memory.

7

averywilliams•12d ago

Spent 6 months comparing LED therapy masks versus panel lights for my clients

I have been using LED therapy on my clients for about two years now, and I finally did a real side by side comparison between a high end mask and a tabletop panel light. The mask felt more convenient at first, but after treating a dozen clients with each, the panel won by a long shot. The panel covers more surface area at once, so I can treat someone's whole face and neck in one go instead of repositioning a mask. Also the intensity is much stronger with the panel, so my clients with acne saw results in half the time, about 8 sessions instead of 16 with the mask. Downside is the panel takes up more space in my treatment room, but I just moved some shelves around to fit it. Has anyone else tried both and landed on one over the other?

11

max_ross•16d ago

Was dead wrong about those LED light therapy masks

I used to think those LED masks were just another overpriced gimmick for estheticians to push on clients. Kept telling people to save their money. Then about 6 months ago I tried a cheap one on a stubborn breakout after a bad shift on the road, and the inflammation was way down after 3 days. Now I use it on clients for post-extraction redness and it actually calms things down faster than anything else I had. Anyone else end up caving on a tool they swore they'd never touch?

22

jamie_white•17d ago

Found out my favorite moisturizer has been expired for 6 months

I was cleaning out my esthetics cabinet last night and noticed the little jar icon on the back of a cream I use daily. Turns out it shows how many months it's good after opening, and mine was at 18 months past. I checked the batch code online and found out it was actually manufactured 3 years ago. Who else forgets to check those little symbols on the bottom of their products?

10

alicecooper•18d ago

Picked a manual mask over a machine for my extraction facial today in Sacramento

My hands were way more tired but I got way less redness on her skin than with the machine, has anyone else found manual extractions work better for certain face shapes?

5

the_cameron•1mo ago

That one client who swore by double cleansing at 7am changed my whole routine

I had a regular named Diane who kept insisting I try her method for months. She comes in every 6 weeks for extractions. One Tuesday she came in with a $45 bottle of oil cleanser and basically handed it to me. I finally used it that night and woke up with my pores looking way less congested. The whole 'oil then water' thing felt like a gimmick to me before that. Has anyone else had a client totally shift your perspective on a technique?

22

jamie_white•1mo ago

The day I realized my steam towel warmer was cooking my towels

I was two years into my business in Denver when a client asked why her face felt so dry after a hydrating facial. I blamed the serum... but then I noticed my towels had this weird, brittle texture. Turns out I had the towel warmer set to 180 degrees and was literally baking the moisture out of them. A rep from a supplier dropped in for a demo and pointed out that steam towels should only hit about 120 to 140 degrees max. I felt like an idiot for wasting product and making clients uncomfortable for that long. Now I keep a thermometer in the warmer and check it every morning. Has anyone else accidentally wrecked their towels with too much heat?

24

christopher_wells4•1mo ago

Had a client last week who insisted on a full-face wax right before her vacation

I'm at a small studio in Portland and this woman came in asking for a brow, lip, and full-face wax 2 days before her trip to Hawaii. I warned her about the redness and potential breakouts but she didn't care and said she always does it. How do you guys handle clients who ignore your professional advice on timing?

14

the_hayden•1mo ago

Vent: That time a lash lift went sideways on me

Was doing a lash lift on a regular client in my home studio last Tuesday and the perm solution sat maybe 30 seconds too long. Her lashes turned into little crimped zigzags. I had to use a conditioning serum and curl them manually with a spoolie for 10 minutes to get them looking halfway normal before she left.

24

emmaallen•1mo ago

That one Thursday last month where everything went right

I had this random Thursday where 3 clients no showed in the morning and I was so stressed about money. Then in walks this walk in who had been referred by someone I treated like 6 months ago. She ended up buying 2 packages and tipped $40 on top. Then my 2pm regular brought me a coffee and said I saved her skin from a breakout before her wedding. Just a weirdly good day after a rough start. Anyone else have a day that totally flipped on you unexpectedly?

15

henderson.vera•1mo ago

Had a client last week insist I use her husband's beard oil as a facial moisturizer

She handed me a bottle labeled 'Lumberjack Blend' and said it did wonders for his psoriasis, so I had to explain why pine tar and wintergreen are not great for your T-zone without being rude about it, has anyone else dealt with clients bringing in partner's products?

10

allen.ivan•1mo ago

That time a client told me to just use her 'face cream' as eye cream

She said it was the same thing and I'd save her money, but after 3 days she came back with milia all around her eyes. Any other estheticians have clients who argue about product placement and then learn the hard way?

12

kelly_west74•1mo ago

TIL my mentor was dead wrong about using steam on acne clients

My boss at the spa in Austin told me to always do 10 minutes of steam before extractions on acne clients. Said it softens everything up and makes it way easier. I did that for like 8 months straight and clients kept coming back with more breakouts the next week. Finally a dermatologist who comes in for facials told me steam can actually inflame active acne and spread bacteria. Switched to using a warm towel for like 2 minutes max and the difference has been unreal. Has anyone else gotten bad advice from a senior esthetician that just didn't hold up?

16

the_patricia•1mo ago

Noticed a lot of estheticians skipping the patch test before lash lifts

I had a client come in last Tuesday from Oak Park who said her previous esthetician never did a patch test. She ended up with red, swollen lids for two days after that service. I always do a 24 hour patch test behind the ear before any chemical lash service. Has anyone else run into clients who didn't get tested beforehand?

28

fiona_young•1mo ago

Finally figured out the right eye cream pressure after a client in Austin gave me feedback

Honestly, I've been doing eye treatments for like 2 years and always thought firmer was better. But last week, a client named Sarah told me I was pressing too hard during her lymphatic drainage session. She said it felt more like a massage than esthetics work. So I tried a super gentle touch on the next three clients, and two of them commented that it felt way more relaxing. Ngl, it's a small change but it's making a big difference in client feedback. Anyone else had to unlearn a technique they thought was standard?

28

taylor.amy•1mo ago

Had to pick between LED and UV lamps for my gel nails setup...

I was setting up my home studio about 3 months ago and got stuck deciding between an LED lamp and a UV lamp. I went with the LED because it cures gels in 30 to 60 seconds versus the UV's 2 to 3 minutes. At first I thought it was great until I noticed my top coat wasn't fully hardening on some clients with thicker layers. Turns out LED doesn't penetrate as deep for certain brands of gel, which I learned the hard way after a redo on 4 clients last week. Has anyone else run into this issue and found a workaround for thicker gel applications?

3

caleb262•1mo ago

Facials vs peels for acne clients what are you leaning towards more

I had a client last week with mild acne and I went back and forth between doing a high frequency facial and a mild peel. I ended up going with the facial and she broke out worse for two days has anyone else seen that happen with one over the other?