If you’re fresh out of esthetician school, or even years in and still figuring things out, you’re not alone. School teaches you the basics, just enough to pass your exams and do a facial - but it doesn’t prepare you for the real world of esthetics. The part where you have to get clients, keep them, deliver actual results, and maybe even go out on your own.

If you’ve ever thought, Why didn’t anyone tell me this?—this one’s for you. Here are the seven things esthetician school didn’t teach me, but absolutely should have.

#1. Skincare Is Science (Not Just Relaxation)

Yes, facials feel amazing. Yes, people love a good shoulder massage. We are taught in school how to do fluff facials. The steam, the massage, the hot towels… it’s all nice, but it won’t fix skin.

Clients may come to us for relaxation in the beginning, but they come back for results. And results come from understanding the science of skin—barrier health, cell turnover, inflammation, and how ingredients actually work.

You don’t need to be a chemist, but you do need to know why something works instead of just trusting marketing. Otherwise, you’re just applying expensive lotion and hoping for the best. 

If you want to be results-driven, you have to understand skin function, not just spa protocols.

What you need to know:

• Massage is great for relaxation, but it won’t clear acne or reverse sun damage.
  

• Exfoliation is powerful—but overdoing it leads to a wrecked barrier.
  

• Everything comes back to skin health: hydration, inflammation control, and barrier repair.
  
  

Action Step: Think about your treatments. Are they result-driven, or are they more for relaxation? If it's the latter, start incorporating more education for your clients during services.

#2. How To ACTUALLY Analyze Skin

They teach us to slap people into categories like oily, dry, combo—but real skin analysis is so much deeper.

Just because someone looks oily doesn’t mean their skin is hydrated. Just because they’re breaking out doesn’t mean they have "acne-prone skin." You have to look at patterns, lifestyle, product history, and actual skin function before deciding what they need.

And don’t even get me started on combination skin. Most of the time, that just means their barrier is compromised, and their skin is overcompensating in different areas. Instead of labeling it and calling it a day, we need to figure out why the skin is behaving that way in the first place.

The better you get at reading skin, the easier it is to get results—and the less guessing you’ll have to do.

What you need to know:

• Dehydration vs. dryness: Dry skin lacks oil, dehydrated skin lacks water—big difference!

• Barrier health matters more than type: Many clients labeled as "combo" or "oily" actually have a damaged barrier causing imbalance.

• Lifestyle and habits affect skin: Diet, stress, medications, and environment all play a role—skin isn’t just what’s on the surface.

Action Step: The next time you analyze a client’s skin, go beyond "oily" or "dry" and ask: How does their skin react to products? What’s their hydration level? Any inflammation or congestion patterns? Treat the root cause, not just the surface issue.

#3. Ingredient Knowledge > Brand Names

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been asked, “What do you think of [insert viral skincare brand here]?”

Listen, brands don’t clear skin—ingredients do.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a drugstore brand or luxury—if the ingredients aren’t right for that person’s skin, it’s not gonna work. If you don’t understand ingredients, you’ll end up recommending (or using) things that sound good but don’t actually deliver results.

And when you can explain why an ingredient works (or doesn’t), clients will trust you more—and they’ll listen when you tell them what they actually need.

What you need to know:

• A "hydrating serum" can mean nothing—what’s actually in it?
  

• Marketing is designed to sell. Just because a brand calls something "anti-aging" doesn’t mean it works.

• When you understand ingredients, you can customize routines instead of relying on pre-made protocols.

Action Step: Pick one ingredient today (like niacinamide, mandelic acid, or beta-glucan) and research how it actually works in the skin. Compare two different products with the same ingredient and see how they differ.

#4. The Necessity of Personalization in the Treatment Room

No two clients are the same. Their skin history, their environment, their stress levels, their hormones—it all matters.

This is why a “one-size-fits-all” routine doesn’t work. Some clients need a slow, barrier-first approach. Some can handle actives right away. Some need to simplify. Others need to switch things up entirely.

The more you personalize treatments and routines, the better your retention will be—because clients will feel like you actually see them and their specific needs.

What you need to know:

• “Nourishing” for one client could mean breakouts for another. Not every soothing treatment is a good fit.
•  Skin changes constantly—your treatments should too. Don’t just follow a set routine; adapt based on what’s in front of you.
• Layering products isn’t a checklist. Apply them based on what the skin actually needs, not just because it’s “the next step.
  

Action Step: The next time you do a facial, pause and think: Does this step actually benefit this person’s skin today? If not, communicate with them, maybe switch it up! This builds trust. 

#5. How to Handle a Wide Range of Skin Conditions

School barely scratches the surface when it comes to real skin conditions. You learn about acne, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation—but what about fungal acne? Perioral dermatitis? Sensitized skin from over-exfoliation?

What you need to know:

• Clients often misdiagnose themselves (not everything is "hormonal acne").
  
  
• Sensitivity and barrier damage are more common than true dry skin.
  
  
• Skin can change drastically due to stress, diet, and medication—so what works now might not work later.

Action Step: Choose one skin condition you don’t fully understand and spend 10 minutes today reading about it. The more you know, the better you can adapt.

If you’re not continuing your education, you’re going to run into situations where a client’s skin isn’t reacting how you expect, and you won’t know why. And trust me—nothing is scarier than feeling stuck when someone is trusting you with their skin.

#6. How to Build and Maintain Client Relationships

Here’s the truth: Great skin = science, but a loyal client = trust. People don’t just come back for the results—they come back for you.

What you need to know:

• Listen more than you talk. Clients want to feel heard.
  
  
• Remember little details—ask about their trip, their dog, their job. These small moments build loyalty.
  
  
• Be upfront and honest. If something isn’t working, tell them. If they need a lifestyle change, help them adjust instead of just selling a new product.
  
  

Action Step: Before your next appointment, scan your notes on that client and bring up something personal they mentioned last time. Watch how much it strengthens the connection.

 #7. How To Work For Yourself

Most estheticians dream of going solo, but school doesn’t teach you how to do it. Booth rent, commission, opening your own suite—where do you even start? This is why so many estheticians struggle when they try to go solo. It’s not that they’re bad at skincare—it’s that they weren’t taught how to run a business.

What you need to know:

• Start by renting a room or suite rather than jumping into a big lease. Keep overhead low.
  
  
• Learn basic business finances—track expenses, price your services profitably, and set aside money for taxes.
  
  
• Get comfortable with marketing. Try to find a way that feels natural. Your skills won’t matter if no one knows you exist. (Social media, referrals, local networking—it all adds up!)
  
  

Action Step: If you’re thinking of going solo, research rental spaces near you and compare costs. Write down your bare minimum income goal per month to cover expenses and pay yourself.

Esthetician school gives you a foundation, but real growth happens when you keep learning, experimenting, and adapting. The more you understand skin, ingredients, and client relationships, the more confident and successful you’ll be—whether you’re in a spa or running your own business.

If this post resonated with you, let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram [@kennedeytheesti], check out my ebook and coaching services if you’re ready to level up your career.