The Top 7 Skin Care Questions for Estheticians—Answered.
posted October 14, 2022National Esthetician Day is October 15, 2022. What better way to celebrate all things skincare than to get expert advice from a few of the estheticians and medical aestheticians at Austin’s favorite facial spa, Viva Day Spa + Med Spa.
The Top 7 Skin Care Questions for Estheticians
What Is An Esthetician?
What Is An Esthetician?An esthetician is a trained professional that specializes in skincare treatments and products that promote healthy, beautiful skin. Estheticians typically perform facials and HydraFacials. They also provide more advanced skin care services like microneedling, chemical peels, and waxing. It takes 750+ hours of training to become a licensed esthetician in the State of Texas.
Esthetician vs. Medical Aesthetician
What’s the difference between an esthetician and medical aesthetician? Both are trusted skin care specialists with the same aesthetics training. A medical aesthetician has additional clinical training and works alongside medical professionals to achieve your skincare goals. The medical aestheticians at Viva Day Spa + Med Spa are also trained in advanced skin treatments including IPL Photofacial, Morpheus8 RF microneedling, skin tightening, body contouring, and laser hair removal.
Now, let’s get to the skin-specific advice our in-house experts shared about their favorite products, services, and at-home skin care tips.
What Are Your Top 3 Must-Have Skincare Products or Tools?
Mallory: For a soothing and hydrating cleanser, there’s nothing better than all-natural Eminence Stone Crop Gel Wash. I love Skinceuticals Retinol 1.0 night cream for smoother, plumper skin. SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 is an amazing pick for Texas sun protection, with an even and glowing finish.
Morgan: Eminence Organics Stone Crop Cleansing Oil is my go-to for removing makeup dirt and debris, while cleansing and nourishing your skin. It’s also a great slip for delivering a fabulous facial massage. A tried-and-true antioxidant Vitamin C serum, SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF combats oxidative stress every day. While I sleep, Eminence Kombucha Microbiome Leave-On Masque restores my skin microbiome for more hydrated, healthier looking skin in the morning.
Ren: Skinceuticals Retinol 1.0 for anti-aging fine line and wrinkle defense and to keep my skin clear. Eminence Turmeric Energizing Treatment for detoxifying my skin, brightening any pigment and my overall complexion. It’s a spicy masque treatment and physical exfoliation. Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 for protection against those Texas UV rays, maintaining skin health, and preventing skin cancer.
Kelly: I absolutely love SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic to provide a protective layer on your skin against free radicals. It’s the gold standard of Vitamin C serums. SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier is an incredible humectant that helps attract hydration while holding it in longer, especially during colder dryer seasons. Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 is also my go-to moisturizing cream. It helps hold water in the skin and slows down the aging process.
Mackenzie: SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment is fantastic for helping with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). Eminence Stone Crop Oil Cleansing Oil is perfect for a first cleanse to get your makeup off gently. It’s also superb as a stand alone cleanser for dry skin people — it doesn’t strip the skin and is super nourishing. For acne prone skin, Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Masque is effective when used a couple times a week.
What Is Your Favorite Skin Care Service To Perform At Viva?
Mallory: Dermaplaning! Dermaplaning complements so many different treatments. It provides amazing exfoliation and reveals glowing, healthy skin. It’s a feature of our Dermaplane Facial, or you can add-it on as an upgrade to other services.
Morgan: Any of our HydraFacial treatments! They deliver incredible results and include a wide range of options to optimize the treatment for your individual skin goals and glow.
Ren: I absolutely love performing HydraFacials! In as little as 30 minutes, we can cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate the skin. Its patented Vortex technology also delivers personalized serums to achieve desired results!
Kelly: The results from IPL Photofacial can be very satisfying! During the healing process, little black dots (what we call “peppering”) form on the skin from pigment or sun damage. They come to the surface and flake off giving the skin a bright glow and more even skin tone. You can literally see the sun damage just “disappear”!
Mackenzie: I love Viva’s signature treatment, the High-Touch HydraFacial, because it is truly the best of both worlds — classic facial techniques and advanced HydraFacial technology! You receive hands-on experience with massage and extra extractions, while also getting exfoliation and glowing results with HydraFacial. My client’s skin always looks the best when they get to relax for an hour AND get an amazing treatment for the skin. It’s awesome!
How Often Do You Recommend Getting Skin Care Services?
Mallory: It depends on their concerns, but I typically suggest booking an appointment every 4-6 weeks for optimal skin health.
Morgan: For the majority of my clients, I recommend booking professional skin care services with me every 4-6 weeks. For more challenging skin care issues, a standing weekly or bi-weekly appointment might be necessary.
Ren: I usually recommend investing in your skin once a month with a regular facial or Hydrafacial service. An effective at-home skin care regimen is important to keep your skin happy and healthy in-between services — which we love to help plan!
Kelly: For best results, I recommend monthly superficial treatments like facials and HydraFacials. Plus, a series of medical-level treatments like a chemical peel, microneedling, or IPS once per year.
Mackenzie: Monthly. That’s about how long it takes for most people’s skin to cycle — new skin cells pushing to replace dead skin cells on the service. Once a month skin care services help regenerate cells for smoother, glowing skin.
What Is Your Favorite Spa Or Med Spa Treatment To Get When You’re Not Working?
Mallory: The Viva Vital Facial comes with absolutely everything your skin needs, from an enzyme/chemical peel to a cocoa butter hand hydration treatment! pro-tip: add on a dermaplane
Morgan: When I am off the clock, I’m taking care of myself with a HydraFacial for glowy skin and Dysport to prevent those unwanted wrinkles.
Ren: Such a difficult question! I love the results from the Morpheus8 RF Microneedling Series at our med spa. And am always up for a 90-Minute Viva Signature Massage at the spa.
Kelly: I’m partial to massages! The Viva Signature Massage is my favorite so I can get a mix of deep work on my problem areas, then relax the rest of the time. For my skin, I like HydraFacials or our skin-sensitive hydrating lactic peel — both for that instant glow!
Mackenzie: I’m all-in on HydraFacials!
What Do You Love Most About Being An Esthetician?
Mallory: I love helping others feel confident in their skin. As someone who struggled with acne from my early teenage years into my early twenties, I know how it feels to battle with self-love. The journey to achieving your skin goals is not necessarily easy, but it is so worth it. I get just as excited as my clients when we start to notice results!
Morgan: The thing I love most about being an esthetician is getting to connect with so many beautiful individuals.
Ren: I love being an esthetician because I get to help others be confident in their own skin through an endless variety of treatments and home care regimens.
Kelly: My favorite thing about being an esthetician is the clients! Being able to boost someone’s confidence with skincare or just let them talk, vent, or relax makes them feel better. That alone makes me happy. Clients also have a positive effect on me. Learning about others can turn any negative day into a happy one.
Mackenzie: Helping people feel and look their best! Also, providing a space for clients to unwind and find me-time in their busy lives. Very rewarding!
What’s A Surprising, Fun Fact About Being An Esthetician?
Mallory: A lot of creativity goes into what we do! We put together a treatment plan for the client’s day-of service and create an overall treatment plan that may range from six months to one year. In addition, we hand-pick and pair together skin care products from the 100+ SkinCeuticals and Eminence Organic Skin Care options that Viva carries. It takes a creative brain and lots of experience to curate this for each individual client!
Morgan: A fun fact about being an esthetician that might surprise someone? We struggle with our own skin issues, too!
Ren: The continued learning and certification opportunities for estheticians are truly endless. An esthetician can be much more than just a waxing specialist or a relaxing facialist.
Kelly: We’re not scared of gross stuff! Doing extractions is extremely satisfying to us.
Mackenzie: We love when people fall asleep on our table. It’s a sign of a job well done!
What Is One Skin Care Tip You Can Offer Everyone?
Mallory: HYDRATE! And I’m not just talking about drinking more water. Implement a hydrating cleanser, use a hydrating essence (hello, Eminence Microbiome Kombucha Essence!), or start on a hydrating, barrier-supporting serum! When the skin is hydrated, the skin barrier is functioning at its best. This leads to amazing benefits and that glow we are all searching for!
Morgan: Wear your dang SPF sunscreen every single day! It’s the best and easiest way to protect your skin from damaging UV rays and environmental pollutants over your lifetime.
Ren: Skin is the largest organ of the body. You have to be consistent when it comes to taking care of it. Try to be disciplined with your daily skin care regimen. The long-term results are a direct reflection of the work and commitment you put toward healthy, happy skin.
Kelly: Consistency is key to great skin! It’s a common issue, so I tell my clients to leave their skin care products next to their toothbrush — a visual cue for them morning and night.
Mackenzie: Listen to your skin! It is probably telling you something. Dryness? Your skin might need more moisturizer. Redness? Your skin might be irritated. Give your skin what it is asking. Also, less is most often more!