Beauty Therapist Job Description - Tasks, Duties, Skills and Requirements

A beauty therapist (or beautician) is a trained professional who provides expert personal care services to clients with regard to skin, hair, make-up and nails.

Let’s take a detailed look at what the job of a beautician involves.

Beauty therapists provide a wide range of beauty services and treatments, including waxing and hair removal, face masks and peels, body scrubs and wraps, anti-stress massages, anti-aging treatments, manicures, pedicures and tanning treatments.

As well as offering various beauty and wellness treatments, many beauticians also perform services such as nail reconstruction, nail extensions and professional make-up services (including eyelash extensions, permanent and semi-permanent make-up, wedding make-up and make-up for other special occasions).

Beauty therapists may also be trained to provide other specialist services, such as skin analysis, anti-aging treatments and the removal of skin imperfections (e.g. acne and cellulite), using techniques including laser and ultrasound therapy, microdermabrasion, oxygen therapy, intense pulsed light therapy and electrotherapy. Beauticians are, however, not trained to provide medical advice or perform medical procedures and must refer clients experiencing health or medical issues to a specialist, such as a dermatologist.

One of a beautician’s key tasks is identifying the needs of their customers (mainly women, although there are a growing number of male clients) and proposing services that meet those needs. They also advise customers on personal care products that will help them look and feel their best (such as face and skin body creams, lotions, beauty masks, scrubs, nail varnishes, make-up and many other products besides) and encourage them to buy the cosmetics and beauty treatments sold at the salon.

In addition to a knowledge of the manual techniques and equipment used to administer beauty treatments, beauty therapists also need strong interpersonal skills and empathy, so that they can establish relationships of trust with their clients, as well as a talent for sales.

Beauty therapists often perform a number of other tasks related to the everyday running of the business. For example, they may maintain diaries of appointments with clients, handle payments for products and services, clean and sanitize the salon and all tools and equipment in accordance with the required standards of hygiene, carry out stock controls and place orders for materials.

Beauticians usually work at beauty salons, wellness clinics, health clubs, spas, thermal baths, massage centres, tanning salons and perfume shops, as well as in hotels and other hospitality venues equipped with beauty and wellness areas. They may be employed or else work in a self-employed capacity - often together with other beauty professionals, such as hairdressers and massage therapists. Mobile beauticians on the other hand typically perform beauty and wellness services in clients’ own homes, bringing the tools and equipment they need with them.

The working hours of a beauty therapist may vary depending upon the requirements of the salon or center in which they work. For example, larger beauty salons with a significant number of regular customers may operate a 2 or 3 shift system to ensure that evenings and weekends are covered. Mobile beauticians, meanwhile, are generally able to agree their appointments directly with their customers.

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A beautician’s core responsibilities mainly consist of administering body and skin care services and treatments to customers, e.g.:

• Waxing and hair removal
• Manicures and pedicures
• Face peels, masks and scrubs
• Body treatments
• Massages
• Make-up and permanent cosmetics
• Nail reconstruction
• Tanning treatments

There are a variety of schools and courses offering professional training for aspiring beauty therapists.

Courses typically consist of a blend of practice and theory, designed to prepare students for the world of work, and deal with a range of technical and scientific topics (including anatomy, physiology, dermatology, cosmetology, hygiene and safety).

They also include professional workshops focusing on subjects such as manicure, pedicure, make-up, facial care, massage, hair removal and nail reconstruction. At many schools and training centres, students are required to undertake a placement at a reputable hair and beauty establishment before earning their beautician diploma.

In some countries, there may be a legal requirement for beauty therapists to obtain a license before they can practice. In addition, beauty therapists may be required to obtain additional qualifications or permits in order to use certain tools or techniques, such as laser therapy.

With the beauty industry continually changing and evolving, beauty therapists need to regularly update their knowledge and ensure they stay on top of the latest trends in beauty and personal care. For instance, by attending refresher courses and workshops, they can find out about the latest developments in cosmetics and also learn how to perform innovative new treatments. This not only helps them keep track of developments in their sector, but also enhances their CV and enable them to take advantage of all the best job opportunities.

Beauty therapists typically require the following skills:

• Strong knowledge of beauty therapies and body and face treatments
• Ability to identify and assess skin imperfections
• Knowledge of techniques employed for therapeutic, beauty and relaxing massage
• Ability to perform manicures, pedicures and nail reconstruction
• Knowledge of make-up application techniques
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Client-centred approach
• Selling skills
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Organizational and problem-solving skills
• Discretion, empathy and tact
• Flexible approach to working hours
• Well-organized and well-presented

Becoming a beauty therapists may be the first stepping stone in a career in the beauty and make-up industry.

Possible career options for newly-qualified beauticians and estheticians include joining a full-service beauty salon offering a wide range of treatments and services or, alternatively, specializing in a specific area - for instance becoming a nail technician (a beauty professional who provides nail reconstruction, nail extension and nail art services) or a professional make-up artist for fashion, TV or the cinema industry.

Experienced beauticians with strong managerial and business skills may progress to become the manager of a beauty centre, spa or the health and wellness facility of a hotel, or choose to open their own beauty salon.

Finally, beauty therapists with a talent for selling may wish to consider a career in beauty and personal care sales, for example as a beauty advisor or beauty sales assistant.

A job as a beautician or esthetician is particularly suited to anybody with an interest in beauty and cosmetics and a passion for taking care of people and helping them to look and feel their best.

As well as providing treatments, beauty therapists and estheticians also offer beauty advice to customers and contribute to their overall wellbeing. The work is varied and stimulating and offers the chance to meet people with a variety of needs and characteristics and to help them find the beauty products and treatments that best suit their requirements.

Finally, the beauty industry is continuously growing and offers numerous employment opportunities for beauty therapists. There are beauty salons, health clubs, wellness centres and spas across the country, making it relatively simple to find work close to home, with flexible working hours available where necessary.

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