Mine is a bit of a different question from the typical “how much do you make a year” and “is it worth it” questions.
Based on typical esthetician salary, how are you fairing day to day financially? Are you struggling to make ends meet living on your own or with kids? Do you have just enough to pay bills but not enough for extras? Or are you doing very well for yourself relying on salary & or commissions/tips? This question is for employed estis, not business owners.
It’s very, very, very tough to support yourself in this industry. Often times facials are considered extras and the first thing to get cut out if budgets are tight. Plus you have all these influencers showing you how to DIY, or tools and products that used to be professional only being sold for home use. I’ve been through multiple recessions and during all of them I’ve had to take a second job to get by.
There will always be a few die hards who can’t live without lashes, waxing or facials so that part is good (and shows why it’s desirable to diversify your skills). But with the beauty industry you don’t have a stable paycheck and are completely dependent on clients, so it’s a tough business model for “financial stability.”
This is exactly what I came to say. There’s so many “professional” diy stuff you can do at home now. Or you have estheticians/lash techs that aren’t licensed and doing services for cheap- but they tend to get shut down pretty quick because they mess up someone’s face or lashes and will end up getting sued big time. I work as a wax tech right now and do my facials/lashes on the side. It’s definitely a very hard industry. You have to know how to make it. I have been homeless, been on drugs, been a single mom full time with no help.. so doing this is honestly a breeze to me. It could always be worse. Just have to work twice as hard but eventually the hard work will pay off. I’m only seeing 2-3 clients right now on the side. It took me a year to finish a 6 month program at school because I don’t have help. But I got it done and graduated in November last year. I applied to over 50 salons. And I didn’t hear back from anybody- i did call backs and everything. So I invested in my self. I took my advanced classes and paid out of pocket for those (1,800) because in my state they don’t include microneedling, dermaplaning, microdermabrasion, or chemical peels. It’s all considered advanced. And that law changed a couple years ago. So no salons would call me back. But as soon as I updated my resume and got those on it- I got 3 call backs. And am working as a wax tech now. It’s not ideal but it’s definitely money and stability. Once I get more experience under my belt I want to go solo full time. But the machines and products are incredibly expensive. Can anyone tell me how they were able to get the machines and products? I’m a one income single mother. No child support. I have no chance of getting a credit card because of student loans. Does anyone have any advice for that?
I feel like going solo is the best way- but you really have to market yourself well and have a good product line/retail license. So you can sale products in your suite. I also want a good hydro facial machine. That comes with all of the goodies. I want to learn laser too and eventually get a good laser machine- any suggestions for this? I know I would have to have a doctor above me. Maybe I should look into working at a med spa? I have a few tattoos and worry I won’t be hired because of that. Any advice on how to get in a med spa? I would absolutely love this for a career.
Also- I have been sober for 4+ years, have my own place, have full custody of my daughter and am doing really well. If anyone is wondering if they can do this- I promise you can.
KUDOS to you mama!!!!!! You are amazing!!!!!!! Sending love your way and praying for your success. You’ve been up against so many challenges and pushed through. Now you’re doing it your way and that’s awesome! As a solo practitioner I had to figure out what machines were actually worth it and going to make a visible difference. I researched all of them and scoured the internet to find affordable machines, went to all the trade shows, talked to all the estheticians that would talk to me. I think a hydrafacial machine or a laser is a really tough investment for solo. I would definitely recommend working at a med spa or something to get access to them. If you can bring some clients in, that’s something to mention on your med spa interview. Best of luck!
You rock. Good job getting out of homelessness and off drugs. I’ve been sober 7 years yay to us both being off drugs!
struggling to make ends meet big time. i’m semi stable but definitely not making what i used to
I’m pretty stable right now even though it has been slow the last few months I think because of the economy but it took me about 4-5 years to get to stability.
I have another job and am currently at that one more than at the spa because it’s that slow right now 😕 making $60-100 a day two days a week at the spa isn’t cutting it.
Do you do more than facials?
Yes, permanent makeup, lash lifts, brow laminations, waxing.
I’m a single person living on my own with no partner or kids in an expensive mid Atlantic big city. I work for commission and get tipped. I’m paycheck to paycheck roughly half of the year. Q2 and Q4 are more profitable and I have extra funds around then, but I make enough that I can travel occasionally and only work 32 hours a week generally.
Exact same here. I do work about 36 hours a week and pick up some extra weekends here and there if need be.
Got out of the industry cause of the instability, have just now got back into it but I got really lucky with a high hourly that covers my bills, and then the ability to bonus.
Hours are guaranteed, and I have benefits. But I was at 3-4 places before getting out where I didn’t know if I’d be able to pay my bills. My current job is not the norm for the industry.
I think it's hard when you're just starting out. But the senior esthie at my job was a single mom paying her own way and doing pretty well and she works ~32 hours per week and takes off every other Saturday. I've been at the company for years but only just became an aesthie so I have my other position to help fill in my hours, but it's starting to get better. I could probably support myself alone, but it would be tight. With my husband's income and mine we own a home and are expecting a baby and we aren't too worried financially, although things may be tight for a little bit.
It is not what people on social media glamorize it to be. Majority of people working for someone in the industry are living paycheck to paycheck. Everyone at my salon is except the person that has been here the longest.
I hardly see places around me hiring.. once in a while for receptionist or manager positions. Besides Hand and Stone and Massage Envy. They seem to always be hiring which obviously is not a good thing. I've never known anyone that has worked at either place. I do know someone that worked at Ulta, she also worked for me one day a week. Is she hardly ever had clients at also it was more of a floor position in one facial here and there and she worked there 3 or 4 days a week.
Honestly, it’s hard financially right now for me. I work as the only esthetician at a spa in a casino and I’m living paycheck to paycheck. If I didn’t have my fiancé to back me up financially I would not make it on my own. I’ve been the slowest I’ve ever been and it’s tough but I make it work. I just miss having that extra spending money