Ep 295 – The Business of Skin Care

Summary

ASCP Esty Talk – Episode 295: The Business of Skin Care

Host: Alec Cressman
Guest: Maggie Stasik, Licensed Esthetician and ASCP Program Director
Release Date: December 11, 2024

---

In Episode 295 of ASCP Esty Talk, host Alec Cressman engages in a comprehensive dialogue with Maggie Stasik, ASCP’s Program Director and a seasoned esthetician, delving deep into the current landscape of the skincare industry. Titled "The Business of Skin Care," this episode offers valuable insights into industry saturation, demographic trends, marketing strategies, and future growth projections, making it an essential listen for both budding and established estheticians.

1. Industry Saturation: Myth or Reality?

A central theme of the episode revolves around the debate on whether the esthetics industry has become oversaturated. Alec initiates the discussion by highlighting concerns voiced within the profession about an influx of new estheticians leading to increased competition.

Alec Cressman [04:03]: "There's a lot of talk on chit chat, on social media, and especially this year, and I think there's a lot of contributing factors for it. But there is a... there's an over saturation."

Maggie concurs, acknowledging the sentiment but adds depth by exploring underlying factors contributing to this perception.

Maggie Stasik [04:50]: "It's exploded, though, I think."

2. Demographics of Estheticians

The conversation transitions to the demographics within the industry, shedding light on the average age and tenure of estheticians in the U.S.

Alec Cressman [06:26]: "The average age of estheticians in the United States is around 41 years old."

Maggie provides a comparative perspective with the broader cosmetology field, noting similar age averages among hairdressers and cosmetologists.

Maggie Stasik [07:30]: "In our sister industry, we have hairdressers and the average age of male hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists in the workforce is 44. And female hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists is 40."

This demographic insight sets the stage for discussing the challenges faced by newer entrants versus established professionals.

3. Challenges for New Estheticians

Alec and Maggie delve into the hurdles that new estheticians encounter when entering a seemingly crowded market. Maggie attributes high turnover rates to factors such as inadequate marketing skills, financial constraints, and the emotional toll of building a clientele from scratch.

Maggie Stasik [14:33]: "A lot of people enter this industry...because this is not a salaried position. It takes time to build that client base...you end up leaving the aesthetics industry."

Alec reinforces this by emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and diversification beyond traditional facial treatments.

Alec Cressman [16:28]: "You have to have a plan and you have to roll with things, and you have to be ready to scale."

4. Marketing and Differentiation Strategies

Addressing the saturation concern, Alec and Maggie discuss actionable strategies for estheticians to stand out in a competitive market. They stress the significance of finding a niche and leveraging both online and offline networking to build a loyal client base.

Alec Cressman [08:54]: "What would you say then? What if somebody said, how do I differentiate myself?"
Maggie Stasik [08:58]: "You differentiate yourself by finding your niche."

Alec adds, highlighting the principle of "Community Over Competition," encouraging estheticians to build genuine relationships within their communities.

5. Gender Diversity in Esthetics

The episode also explores the evolving gender dynamics within the esthetics field. While traditionally female-dominated, there is a growing presence of male estheticians, which Maggie observes through her experiences at trade shows and educational settings.

Maggie Stasik [10:14]: "I think it has already changed... there are always male estheticians."

Alec notes the positive impact of this shift, anticipating that increased gender diversity will stimulate demand across various service lines.

Alec Cressman [10:36]: "...a more diversity in gender... will encourage even more demand across many different lines."

6. Industry Growth and Future Projections

Contrary to fears of saturation, Alec presents data illustrating robust growth within the esthetics industry. From 2018 to 2023, esthetician employment saw significant increases, with projections indicating continued expansion at a rate surpassing many other professions.

Alec Cressman [19:00]: "In 2018 there was 70,000, 71,800 estheticians employed... projected to grow by 10% from 2023."

Maggie contextualizes these numbers by highlighting the industry's relative youth and the surge in popularity of esthetic services in the past decade.

Maggie Stasik [13:14]: "Aesthetics has been around for decades... in the last 10 to 15 years, people really started to seek out aesthetics as a career."

7. Impact of Influencers and External Competition

The duo examines how influencers and medical professionals entering the skincare space affect traditional estheticians. Maggie expresses concern that the glamorized portrayal of the profession on social media may mislead aspiring estheticians about the realities of the business.

Maggie Stasik [19:23]: "Someone's watching this thinking, oh my God, I want to do that. I could do that."

Alec counters by emphasizing the importance of comprehensive training and authentic client relationships, which influencers may overlook.

8. Opportunities Beyond Traditional Roles

Highlighting the versatility within the esthetics field, Maggie underscores the myriad career paths available beyond standard facial treatments, such as roles in education, med spas, and product formulation.

Alec Cressman [16:28]: "You've played different roles in the industry... you've been a director of education for school and now you're program director for ASCP."

Maggie encourages estheticians to explore these diverse opportunities to sustain and grow their careers.

9. Conclusion and Listener Engagement

Wrapping up, Alec invites listeners to share their perspectives on the industry's state, reinforcing the community-driven ethos of the podcast. He reiterates the optimistic outlook for the esthetics field, despite concerns of saturation, backed by strong growth metrics and evolving market dynamics.

Alec Cressman [19:52]: "I still say there is a place for every face now listeners."

---

Key Takeaways:

• Industry Growth: The esthetics industry is expanding rapidly, with employment projections outpacing many other professions.

• Demographic Insights: The average esthetician is around 41 years old, with a significant proportion having less than five years in the field, indicating a blend of seasoned and newer professionals.

• Challenges for New Entrants: Building a clientele, effective marketing, and financial stability are primary obstacles for newcomers.

• Strategies for Success: Differentiation through niche specialization and robust networking are essential for standing out.

• Gender Diversity: Increasing male participation is enriching the industry and broadening service offerings.

• Influencer Impact: While influencers can raise industry visibility, authentic training and client relationships remain crucial for long-term success.

Notable Quotes:

• Alec Cressman [06:26]: "The average age of estheticians in the United States is around 41 years old."

• Maggie Stasik [08:58]: "You differentiate yourself by finding your niche."

• Alec Cressman [19:52]: "I still say there is a place for every face now listeners."

Stay Connected:

For more insights from Alec and Maggie or to share your thoughts on the esthetics industry, reach out via Instagram, Facebook, or email at [e-mail]. Explore additional resources and connect with ASCP through the show notes linked to the episode.

---

This episode serves as a vital resource for understanding the intricate dynamics of the skincare business, offering both reflective analysis and practical advice for estheticians navigating the ever-evolving beauty landscape.

Transcript

[Danae Montague King]

DMK is unlike any skincare company on earth. Named after visionary founder Danae Montague King, DMK is committed to providing individualized products and treatment plans that heal skin on the cellular level, whether the condition concerns pigmentation, acne, inflammation or signs of aging. DMK is home to the original Enzyme mask, the game changing formula that sends oxygenating, tightening and explosive exfoliating signals into the skin to enact changes in skin structures from the inside out. At dmk, we believe everyone deserves to feel the confidence that comes with healthy, beautiful skin. Learn [e-mail] that'S-A-N-N-E-M-Com are you interested in providing results driven treatment services? Join a team of like minded individuals who share your passion and and support your success. With more than 1,000 franchise locations in 49 states, Massage Envy is not only the nation's number one provider of massage services collectively across its franchise network, but also a national leader in skincare. Start or grow your career at a Massage Envy franchise location. Visit massagenv.comSDcareers for full details.

[Alec Cressman]

Hello and welcome to ASCP STTalk. I'm Alec Cressman, licensed esthetician, certified organic skincare formulator and content contributor for Associated Skincare Professionals.

[Maggie Stasik]

I am Maggie Stasik, licensed esthetician and ASCP's program director.

[Alec Cressman]

Hey, do you, do you watch Love is Blind?

[Maggie Stasik]

No.

[Alec Cressman]

You don't? Okay.

[Maggie Stasik]

Reality tv?

[Alec Cressman]

Yes, my fave. So what? You know I watch all the seasons and this last season just wrapped up recently but it got me thinking about a couple of things and the most, the reason that this is appropriate is because one of the, I don't want to call it contestants, but one of the people who participated in the experiment is an esthetician.

[Maggie Stasik]

Okay.

[Alec Cressman]

So just so you know, it's like people who, there's X amount of females, X amount of males, they get together, they meet in these pods and in these pods they're supposed to develop non visual attraction and then from there they get decide, you know, if they're compatible, they get engaged, then they see each other for the first time. You have to watch just try one season, one episode.

[Maggie Stasik]

Does it work?

[Alec Cressman]

That's the experiment and that's like the whole thing is, is love blind? Are you able to have these connections developed in the pods that, that with sand once you see each other visually. And so I think earlier in the season there was a higher success rate or I don't know, maybe like two or three people throughout each season out of five or six Couples make it to the altar and then afterwards.

[Maggie Stasik]

And then they get divorced.

[Alec Cressman]

I don't think there. I don't know if there's been a divorce, but there's been babies, but probably. So I guess the answer is love blind is for the ages, but here we go. One of the things that is interesting about the show is that they take different sections of society. And on this show in particular, there was an esthetician, very successful esthetician, gorgeous, really cute. But what jog for me is like, I was like, oh, we're being represented as a profession, because I think for a long time we. We were there and we were known, but it was such a small profession early on. Would you agree?

[Maggie Stasik]

Oh, yeah, totally. Totally would agree. It's exploded, though, I think.

[Alec Cressman]

Totally. And so that got me to my next point is here's the thing, Maggie, the streets are talking and a lot of what they're saying is on social media. And I know you're not on these. I'm gonna tell you, you know, I'm your translator for what's going on there.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yes, loop me in, girl.

[Alec Cressman]

Your reporter. So there has been a lot of talk on chit chat, on social media, and especially this year, and I think there's a lot of contributing factors for it. But there is a. I'm not busy, I'm not getting my books. Why could that be? And we have to acknowledge that there's a lot of things that happen, we've seen it time and time again, is that things do slow down in an election year, and we're just coming out of that now. And there's also this. I don't know, just there's inflation, there's all these other considerations. But what we're blaming, or what I wouldn't say our profession, but what a lot of practitioners are saying is that there is an over saturation. And so because the industry is now saturated and there's more estheticians than ever before, that's the reason. Not everybody's busy.

[Maggie Stasik]

Interesting blame game.

[Alec Cressman]

Yeah, that must be it, because everybody else went to school. And so there's a couple of thoughts that I had on the subject, because when we went to school, there were a. Like a lot less professional estheticians, but there was also a lot less people who wanted professional aesthetic services.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, I think the idea of what an esthetician was when we went to school is so different than what it is now, you know, and you're right. The idea of going to an esthetician, even, I think when we were in School was like, that was like you had something that needed to be treated. Or it was like special occasion, you were getting a facial. Oh, it's your birthday, you know, and now you do have them on every corner. And it could be this one's a waxer, this one's doing your lashes, or it's a resort spa.

[Alec Cressman]

Yes. Way different, way diversified. I would agree. I can see how some people would blame, as you said, her words, that you would blame every other reason than just maybe some other, other circumstances. But if you look, there's also people who are booked solid and they're booked out for weeks now. Some of those people are still saying, I'm not as booked as before, but I think that's just circumstantial. And it's this wave of up and down. So today I thought it would be really great to like take a real look at our industry and maybe we call it the state of the industry. Deep dive, if you will. What do you think about that?

[Maggie Stasik]

Love it.

[Alec Cressman]

So here's some statistics. The average age of estheticians in the United states is around 41 years old.

[Maggie Stasik]

That sounds right.

[Alec Cressman]

That feels good to me. Feels great to me. Because we're in. One of us might be a little bit older than that. But there when I was looking into to the statistic, I do want to point out that there is no age limit for beauty professionals, but they're around our age. It's interesting too, because I had a conversation with the brand the other day and it was this younger, younger employees. And they were saying to the owner, like, I just don't know if it's going to jive with our demographic. I'm like, what is your demographic? Can you define what your demographic are? Who are you going to be, you know, targeting? And so they were thinking that they wanted to target younger estheticians. So I came back with this statistic. I was like, well, did you know? So it was very interesting, the perspective. In our sister industry, we have hairdressers and the average age of male hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists in the workforce is 44. And female hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists is 40. So I'm curious if that's the average age. Of course, we don't have a statistic on the gender difference in aesthetics, but what that has to do with also people getting in the industry younger and then moving on to a different field.

[Maggie Stasik]

I wonder if people are hearing this stat and saying, well, these 40 year olds, these 40 year old estheticians have been in the industry for a long time. Of course they're booked solid. They've had all of these years to learn the industry, build their client base. Here I am, the 20 something, and I've lost my opportunity.

[Alec Cressman]

Ah, interesting. I didn't take it like that. Mm, no, I don't think. I wonder, I wonder if it's not because when we went to school and we're, let's just say it, we're in that age group, but that was like the dawn of the popularity and so we have been there a long time. But I also think esthetics is a career where you, you kind of enter in as a second career.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah. Oh, totally. I agree, Absolutely. But if people are arguing that this industry is now saturated, then I can see the argument for if I'm entering it now, how do I find a place for myself in the industry, that there is an esthetician on every corner?

[Alec Cressman]

What would you say then? What if somebody said, how do I differentiate myself?

[Maggie Stasik]

You differentiate yourself by finding your niche.

[Alec Cressman]

Yep, I would say that too. I'd also say it kind of goes back to what we spoke about with Tina in our Community Over Competition podcast. And that was that your people will, will find you too. And so getting out and not, I think a lot of times newer estheticians think if they put it on Instagram, then if you post it, they will come, but it's not necessarily true. The majority of your business is gonna come from people in real life that you contact or you have interaction with too. So keep that in mind, find your niche and network. So we don't have a statistic for male estheticians necessarily like we do hairstylists, because I think as the industry grows, so does the interest and the, the idea of the opportunity. So 98% of estheticians are females. Do you think this is changing, like with Mecca? Mecca is that Men's Esthetician Conference and Associates that is hosted by Modo in Arizona. There's a more awareness or I think there's a growing opportunity. I see a lot more male practitioners and they seem to be in higher profile roles. What do you think?

[Maggie Stasik]

I. I think it has already changed. I don't have anything to base this on, but the trade shows that I go to, the classes that I go to, there are always male estheticians. So maybe these men that I'm seeing out in the industry are only that 2%. I'm not sure. But it certainly seems like more and more men are entering the industry.

[Alec Cressman]

I think so too. And I wonder how that will. As we said, we've seen it change. We've seen the, the desire or the need for esthetic services, the demand grow. I wonder if having a more diversity in gender roles in this industry, not gender roles, but in gender, will encourage even more demand across many different lines.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, no, I, I totally agree with you. I think so.

[Alec Cressman]

I remember early on having male clients being so clandestine about coming and they would look around and see who saw them come in and, and I would have to tell them it's a treatment, it's not a facial, you're okay. And now like the male clientele I have are just so not concerned about that.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, no, it is normal.

[Alec Cressman]

So the perception has changed. Yes, just same as saturation. Hold that thought. We'll be right back.

[Danae Montague King]

Ellie Banna, Australian born, globally loved. Ellie Banna's story is simple. They love lashes and brows. They shoot for the stars and lift lashes to new heights. Their addiction is real. Their passion is popping. And there is nothing more they crave than offering excellence, service and innovation in products. Ellibana Lash Lift allows you to offer your customers luscious lifted lashes that can last up to 12 weeks in one safe 20 minute treatment. Learn more at elliebana-usa.com okay, here we go.

[Alec Cressman]

Let's get back to the podcast. Here's an interesting statistic we you mentioned, like these older estheticians having been more established, but did you know 90% of estheticians have actually been in the field for less than 12 years and 73% have participated fewer than five years?

[Maggie Stasik]

I can believe that because I think the industry is still very young. So to be in the field for less than 12 years, you know, esthetics has been around for decades. It's a very ancillary. At the time, it was a very ancillary profession. And so I would say in the last 10 to 15 years, people really started to seek out aesthetics as a career. And in the last 10 to five years, it has become more and more popular and it's gaining traction. And so now we're seeing all of these young students who are wanting to become estheticians. And I think these stats support that.

[Alec Cressman]

Yes, because of the 73%. Yeah. Okay, that makes sense to me. Why do you think. Okay, so that I was thinking in a different way. I was thinking, are people leaving the industry? But I'm glad for your perspective, but can we look at the glass half empty for a second.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah.

[Alec Cressman]

And say, could it be that they just don't know how to market themselves, or they're not waiting long enough to build their clientele, or are they burning out early? What do you think of that?

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, all of the above. I think that a lot of people enter this industry for whatever their personal reason is and because you are. This is not a salaried position. Right. You know, so it takes time to build that client base. And depending on your personal situation, you maybe can't wait for that client base to build, and you don't have the funds to wait, and you have to leave industry or you have to get that second and third job. Or maybe you're not in a position to have two or three side gigs. You have a family to support, you've got kids, or whatever your situation, you end up leaving the aesthetics industry. Or you had a glorified idea of what aesthetics was and it's not coming quick enough.

[Alec Cressman]

Can we go back to that glorified idea? Because I think that's key. I think there's a place for all these new estheticians, male, female, everyone. But I think that there is an idea that there is. All I have to do is rent a room and decorate it cute. And we're good. And we've talked to other guests about that before, too. Like, that's a perception. Like it just then you put your hand out and wait for people to come in and see you. And I think what was interesting is yesterday I was talking to my financial advisor and solidifying some things. I was rolling over an ira, and I wish that I would have done that earlier. I wish I would have been contributing since I was younger, but here we are. However, my mindset was still in that of a newer esthetician, financially, of, okay, that scarcity, almost mindset, where I'm like, okay, what if everybody stops coming to me tomorrow? And so I had this conversation with. With my financial advisor too, and we're able to work through it. But even now, I'm established. I'm good. But thinking that it's more than just how things look. You have to have a plan and you have to roll with things, and you have to be ready to scale. You have to have those things in place. And then on the flip side of that, this is an aesthetic industry. You briefly mentioned a few different procedures. But let's talk about. Each of us have played different roles in the industry too. So if a practicing esthetician may feel limiting, there are so, so many other opportunities. And you. I can just think of at least four roles that you've played. You've been an esthetician in a spa, you've been in a med spa, you've been a director of education for school and now you're program director for, for ascp. So there's a lot of opportunity there. And I think if that's something that interests you, you don't be afraid to seek that out.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, 100%. My perspective, which is a little bit biased, but you have people entering aesthetic school because they want to be an esthetician. They're not entering esthetic school thinking, I can't wait to become program director. Right. To use that as an example. But, you know, it's very easy to look at the industry and say, wow, look at this trend. It is huge. People are book six solid. They're charging X amount of dollars. I want to get in on that. Or medical aesthetics, for instance, is booming. Everybody wants in on that. And they're seeing the dollar signs. Let's be real. It's very easy to dream about this and think, wow, how easy would it be? I'm just going to rent this little room. I can do it too. School is only so many hours. I want in on that. I would be amazing as an esthetician. I would be amazing business owner. But then you actually get your feet dirty and you dig in and you do it. It's not easy. It's work. Even if you are working for a spa, however, they're paying you hourly commission. It doesn't matter. You truly are still a business owner. And that's not easy either. You have to put yourself out there. You have to get those clients coming in to see you to then wanna come back.

[Alec Cressman]

Yeah, absolutely. It's, it's. You don't just sit there and wait, whether you're an employee or a solopreneur. Absolutely, I agree with you wholehearted, wholeheartedly. So let's, let's just assume that this is oversaturated, this industry. So I have another question. Let's look at job outlook. Is the industry becoming oversaturated or harder to break into because of influencers, doctors and other people that you're saying they also see this and they're skipping that step. They're either established physicians who now want a piece of that pie, that aesthetic pie, or they're influencers who are taking an easier route on social media and gaining followers and presenting these things. So what do you think about that?

[Maggie Stasik]

I don't know if they are making it harder for the new esthetician to break into the industry, but I think they are skewing perspective for that prospective student or prospective esthetician. You know, you get on social media and you see that influencer who doesn't necessarily have the training, but they're holding up this bottle of whatever, selling it essentially is what they're doing as an influencer. Getting all of these followers and then also getting kickback and again glorifying the industry. And somebody's watching this thinking, oh my God, I want to do that. I could do that. I'm going to go to aesthetic school. I want to be an influencer. I could sell product.

[Alec Cressman]

I could do it better.

[Maggie Stasik]

I could do it better. Yeah.

[Alec Cressman]

Well, let's take a look at just this growth. Let's start with 2018. According to some statistics, the it's obvious that the number of estheticians has grown significantly, especially we keep mentioning in the last 10 years. And here's the thing is that it's projected to continue growing at a faster rate than many other occupations. So in 2018 there was 70,000, 71,800 estheticians employed.

[Maggie Stasik]

That's crazy.

[Alec Cressman]

It's crazy. It also doesn't sound like as many. In 2020, the number of estheticians is expected to grow another significant amount and then which basically having an 11% increase and then keep going on the next 10 years relative to other professions, they're seeing like 5, 4, 3% increase. And then in 2033, the employment of skincare specialist is projected to grow by 10% from 2023. So 10 years from. So nine years from now, or almost eight years. So this is much faster than all other the average for all other occupations. And it's expected to continue as more men seek out aesthetic services as millennials, Gen Z, gen Alpha age and they become less preventative and more corrective, which is interesting. Then also that generation is already acceptant of self care. It's already interwoven. We don't have to sell them on that. So something to keep in mind is that estheticians can work in a variety of settings. We kind of mentioned that. Spas, salons, hotel hotels, dermatologist offices, but also cruise ships and even on film sets, which is interesting. So here's the thing. The industry is always changing, especially in the last 20 years. Look at eyelash extensions, spray tans, specialists, makeup artists, med spas. Those are all parts of our industry that have grown incredibly. If anything, I predict that the recognition will continue. And does that mean a type of saturation will take place? Maybe. But I still say there is a place for, for every face now listeners, we really want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on the state of the industry? Reach out via Instagram, Facebook, or send us an [e-mail] we want to know all the details. In the meantime, thank you for listening to ASCP STTalk. For more information on this episode, or for ways to connect with Maggie or myself, or to learn more about ascp, check out the show notes and stay tuned for the next episode of astp.