Esthetician
How to Become an Esthetician
Estheticians specialize in skin: facials, peels, waxing, and increasingly med-spa adjacent services.
Income range
$35k–$90k/yr
Training
260–1,500 hours (varies by state)
Who it's for
People who love skincare science and want a clean, calm work environment.
What you'll do
- Facials, chemical peels
- Microdermabrasion, dermaplaning
- Waxing and brow shaping
- Acne treatments and skin coaching
Pros
- High repeat-visit rate (4–6 weeks)
- Retail product commission boosts income
- Pathway to medical aesthetics + injectables
Cons
- Continued ed required to keep up with treatments
- License scope varies wildly by state
The path, step by step
- 1
Enroll in an esthetics program
Avoid programs that skimp on peels and waxing practice — clinical hours matter.
- 2
Complete training hours
Texas: 750. California: 600. Florida: 260.
- 3
Pass the state board exam
Written + practical (facial + waxing).
- 4
Apply for license
$50–$150 + background check in most states.
- 5
Decide your path
Spa employee, booth in a salon, med-spa support, or solo skin studio.
- 6
Stack credentials
Add certifications in chemical peels, microneedling, oncology esthetics, or LED to expand your menu.
Estheticians at med spas earn $60–$90k. Solo skin coaches with private clientele clear six figures.
State licensing requirements
Each state sets its own training hours, fees, and exam structure.
See Esthetician licensing by state →After you're licensed
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Whether you rent a booth, work from home, run a mobile business, or own a multi-chair salon — join thousands of beauty pros using Beautifyx to take bookings and get paid.
Everything Beautifyx actually does
One place to run bookings, payments, clients, staff and marketing — built for beauty, wellness and birth professionals.
Online booking
A booking page clients can use 24/7, with deposits, reminders and no double-bookings.
Payments & checkout
Take cards, cash, tap to pay and payment links, with receipts sent automatically.
Client records
Visit history, notes, photos, consent forms and intake forms in one client file.
Marketing & reminders
Automatic appointment reminders, review requests and campaigns to past clients.
Inventory & costs
Track product use per service so you can see the real profit on every appointment.
Your own website
A booking-ready site and public profile that gets you found by new clients.
Start free, grow into the full platform
Pick the door that fits where you are today. All three lead to the same place: a business that books itself.
Claim your free profile
Free profile: add your services, photos and hours so clients can find and book you.
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