c/estheticians

Client walked in with a beard of fake tan, I dont even know where to start

I had an appointment this morning at my studio in Austin and this woman came in with this orange line all around her jaw like she tried to do a mask with self tanner. She said she watched a TikTok at 2am and thought it would 'contour' her face. I mean, I spent like 15 minutes just trying to scrub it down before I could even do her actual facial. Has anyone else dealt with DIY tan disasters like this, or is it just me?

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wendy_wilson•19d ago

She asked for a full face but left her 'makeup' spots untouched

Had a client last month, booked for a 60 minute facial and insisted I do a full service. Halfway through the exfoliation step she stops me and says, 'wait, dont go over that darker patch near my jaw, Ive had it for years and I like it.' I froze with the scrubber in my hand. I asked if she meant a scar or hyperpigmentation, and she said no, she just thought it gave her face character. I finished everything else, skipped that patch, but I felt weird about recommending any treatment after that. Anyone else get clients who want you to fix everything except the one thing youd actually flag for a closer look?

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charles508•24d ago

The $60 LED face mask that made my client think I got botox

So I bought one of those red light therapy masks off Amazon on a whim, $60 on sale. Used it for like 2 weeks, 10 minutes a day while I made coffee. Then this regular comes in for her facial and goes, 'You look different, did you do something?' I said no, maybe just good sleep. She kept pushing all session. I finally told her it was a cheap mask and she tried to order one right there on her phone. Honestly I have no idea if it actually works or it was just the lighting in the waiting room, but it paid for itself in that one conversation. Anyone else ever have a cheaper tool get you more credit than it deserves?

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mary_schmidt•25d ago

Facial massage vs. gua sha tools, the results speak for themselves

I spent 6 months using a rose quartz gua sha every single morning, then switched to 10 minutes of manual facial massage with just my hands and some jojoba oil. The gua sha felt nice but I honestly saw more puffiness reduction in 3 weeks with the massage, especially around my jawline. Manual massage lets me feel the lymph nodes directly and adjust pressure based on what that area needs that day. My clients at the studio in Austin started asking what I changed after I did the switch on myself. Has anyone else ditched tools for hand work, or am I the odd one out here?

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saraho48•27d ago

Dermarolling at home made me eat my words

I used to think at-home dermarolling was a total gimmick, like those $15 jade rollers. Then my coworker in Tampa showed me her results after 6 months of doing it twice a week with a 0.5mm roller. My skin texture was honestly so patchy that I finally caved and tried it myself. Has anyone else been surprised by an at-home tool that actually worked, or am I still just lucky?

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mary_schmidt•29d ago

My facial steamer cracked mid-treatment last Tuesday

I was doing a hydrating facial on a regular client when the glass chamber on my steamer just split right down the side, water everywhere. I had to switch to warm towels and finished the session, but now I'm second guessing my whole setup. Anyone else had a steamer fail on them, and what did you switch to that actually lasted?

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grayh60•1mo ago

Hit 200 facials in a row and honestly it changed my mind about booking back to back

I always thought cramming clients was the way to go, but after my 200th facial last Thursday in Austin, I realized my extraction quality tanked by the end of the day. Now I leave a 15 minute gap and my hands feel way less fried. Does anyone else notice their pressure gets sloppy after 6 straight appointments?

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the_shane•1mo ago

Salon waxing vs. at-home kits: is the $65 really worth it every time?

My salon is in Portland and last week I had a client come in with a burn from a home wax kit she got at Target for $18. She asked me straight up if I was just upselling her when I charged $65 for a full brow and lip wax. I told her about my own mess 3 years ago in Austin, I tried a microwave wax pot and ended up with second degree redness on my cheek for a week. But I also get it, doing it yourself saves cash and time, and some of those kits are decent for legs or arms. So here's the debate: are we just protecting our income, or is there real skill in knowing skin types, heat temps, and hair growth patterns? Has anyone else dealt with a client who thinks a YouTube tutorial beats 500 hours of training?

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river351•1mo ago

Had a hot stone disaster during a facial yesterday, here's what I learned

I was doing a hot stone massage on a client in my back room in Austin when I realized the ceramic warmer was running way hotter than usual. The stone hit her shoulder blade and she flinched hard, I saw a red mark forming right away. I grabbed cold compresses and aloe gel fast, apologized, and ended up comping her whole service which was $85. Anyone else have equipment that fails at the worst possible moment and how do you test it before every session?

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veramartin•1mo ago

Hydrojelly masks vs sheet masks for sensitive skin - no contest

I spent 3 months bouncing between sheet masks for my clients with reactive skin, and kept getting complaints about redness afterward. Switched to hydrojelly masks with a calming base like aloe or chamomile, and the difference was immediate. Sheet masks just sit on top and the serum can drip everywhere, plus the fabric can irritate. Hydrojelly actually seals in the ingredients and cools the skin down as it sets. One of my regulars in Phoenix told me her face felt less tight after 2 sessions with hydrojelly than 6 months of sheet masks at home. Anyone else find hydrojelly works better for rosacea or post-peel recovery?

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the_derek•1mo ago

I used to push extractions way too hard on every client. Here is why I stopped.

I used to think deep pressure meant better results, but after 3 clients got bruised and complained, I realized light, slow passes work way better for clearing pores. Has anyone else had to change their extraction technique after getting burned by bad reactions?

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kai602•1mo ago

Took me 6 months to admit that LED light therapy actually does something for my clients' acne scars

After watching a regular with deep pitted scarring come in twice a week for 8 weeks and seeing maybe 30% improvement in those pits I finally stopped rolling my eyes at the whole thing, but now I'm second-guessing if the $600 price tag on my panel was worth it or if I could have gotten the same results with a $200 knockoff anyone have experience with the cheaper brands?

2 comments

charlie_ellis•1mo ago

Had a bride breakdown during her trial yesterday

She started crying because I used a different brand of setting spray than what she saw on TikTok, and I had to talk her down for 20 minutes. Has anyone else dealt with clients getting super specific about products that aren't even on your menu?

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king.jordan•1mo ago

Picked a lash lift kit over getting extensions done at a salon

I had to decide between buying a $35 lash lift kit from Amazon or paying $120 for extensions at a place in Portland. Went with the kit and did it on myself last Saturday. Took about 40 minutes and honestly the results look pretty close to what I get from a pro. Anyone else here try doing their own lifts at home or is that just asking for trouble?

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harris.uma•1mo ago

Hydrafacial machine hype had me rolling my eyes for years

Every esthetician I knew was dropping $15k+ on those things and I was convinced it was just marketing fluff making people feel fancy. Then I tried one for free at a trade show in Dallas last spring, got to see the before and after photos on a client with actual congested pores, and the waste canister was filled with real gunk. Has anyone else been dead wrong about a tool or treatment that ended up winning you over?

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sullivan.riley•1mo ago

Heard a client say I 'just push cream on faces' and it stung worse than any chemical peel.

I was booking her next appointment and she casually said it to her friend on the phone, so I took a beat and asked her what she thought I actually did during a 60 minute session, has anyone else had to defend their whole scope of practice to a regular?

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lindaw12•1mo ago

Showerthought: Dermaplaning at home with a $15 pack of razors

I tried those fancy dermaplaning tools from the beauty store for like $30 each, but then I picked up a 6-pack of eyebrow razors for $12 on Amazon. They do the same job without the markup - has anyone else found a cheaper alternative that works just as well?

2 comments

brookekelly•1mo ago

Spent $350 on a 'premium' facial steamer that broke in 4 months

I splurged on the Medixa Pro Steamer from a beauty supply site thinking it would be a game changer for my extractions. After maybe 30 uses the heating element just stopped working and customer service ghosted me. Anyone else get burned by overpriced equipment from those reseller sites?

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gray_perez52•1mo ago

Had a client last week who made me rethink how I push retinol

I was with a 45 year old woman who said her previous esthetician told her to use 1% retinol every night. She had raw, peeling skin and was convinced it meant the product was working. I spent 20 minutes explaining that more is not better and that her barrier was destroyed. It hit different because she trusted that advice for 6 months. Any other estheticians deal with clients who got pushed into way too strong of a formula too fast?

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anthony426•1mo ago

Bought a $300 LED therapy mask and learned it needs way more prep than I thought

I splurged on a high end LED mask three months ago thinking I could just slap it on after cleansing. Turns out if my skin isn't completely dry and product free, the light doesn't penetrate right and it's basically a waste. Found out the hard way after four weeks with zero results. Anyone else have to change their whole routine to make one of these things work?

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tyler_white42•1mo ago

DAE blow $200 on a fancy LED face mask and then realize it's basically just a nightlight?

I dropped $200 on one of those red light therapy masks last month and it just sits on my bathroom counter glowing at me while I do my actual skincare routine, has anyone else gotten burned by a gimmick tool that sounded legit?

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william407•1mo ago

Got talked into a new enzyme peel by a supplier and it totally nuked a client's face

I tried this pumpkin enzyme peel from a new brand at the last trade show and tested it on my regular client Sarah. She was red and peeling for like 4 days after instead of the 24 hours they promised. Anyone else find that stronger enzymes are just not worth the risk?

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seanlewis•1mo ago

Rant: wasted $180 on a facial steamer that barely worked

I bought this cheap steamer off Amazon back in March thinking I was saving money. After 2 weeks the steam started sputtering out like a dying kettle. I checked the return window and it was already closed. Has anyone else gotten burned by buying equipment online instead of from a pro supplier?

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rowanbennett•1mo ago

TIL less pressure on the facial massage actually works better

I had this regular client last week who's always tense in the jaw and neck. I used to dig in hard thinking I was breaking up knots, but she finally told me it made her clench more. So I tried a lighter touch with slower strokes, and she literally fell asleep on the table for 15 minutes. Now I'm rethinking my whole approach to pressure points. Anybody else have a client change how you work?

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skyler_fox72•1mo ago

A client told me my facial massage was too rushed, and she was totally right

Last week I had a regular come in and she flat out said I was going too fast during the massage part of her facial. I felt defensive at first, but then I watched myself in the mirror during my next session and wow, she was spot on. I was gliding through strokes in like 10 seconds each when they should take closer to 30 seconds for the lymphatic drainage to actually work. So I slowed way down and started doing deeper, more deliberate movements around the jaw and neck area. Now I spend a solid 15 minutes on massage instead of the 7 I was doing before. Has anyone else gotten feedback that made you totally reset your technique? I feel like I needed that slap of reality.

2 comments