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- [00:00]
A
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C
Hello and welcome to ASCP Esteetalk. I'm Ella Cressman, licensed esthetician, forever student of the skin and content contributor for Associated Skincare Professionals.
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A
I am Maggie Stasik, licensed esthetician and ASCP's program director.
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C
Okay, Maggie, I know you're a big fan of reality tv, so you might not. I know you're not, but I am, as you know. And I don't know, maybe three years ago I had someone kind of scoff and ask me why I liked reality TV with an eye roll font, you know, And I said I love reality TV because it's really a study for me on human behavior because I watch it and I apply it to people I might know and I just love those interactions. Granted, now a lot of the reality TV is super salacious. There's a lot of fighting and it's not as much fun. So recently I was watching this Netflix series called America's Sweethearts. Have you ever heard about it? I haven't, no. It's the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Okay, so I started at season two. I didn't watch season one. Now I have, but I started at season two and what stood out, it wasn't just their talent, which is nuts. These girls go hard, they're so athletic, but it was their sisterhood. So even though they're competing for limited spots, I think there are thousands that audition and then hundreds come to Dallas to audition and 36 make the team. Of those 36, X amount are veterans. So there's only X amount of newbies coming in and they carry themselves with professionalism, grace and respect. It's very interesting because it was obvious that they know that their behavior, even before they get picked and then after, it doesn't just reflect themselves. It influences the team, but not just the dcc, as they're called, but also the entire organization of the Dallas Cowboys. And this really struck me as a lesson for estheticians, because we may be in the same industry, and sometimes we may even perceive that we're competing for clients or opportunities. But how we show up, especially on social media, it affects more than our personal reputation. One single careless post or one heated comment or exchange can create strife, shift the mood among colleagues, and change the energy in our professional community. Would you agree?
- [04:13]
A
Yeah, absolutely, I agree.
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C
And that's why mindfulness in our online presence matters so much. So, I know we think about it or we may talk about it, but I really want to share something that came to me. As estheticians, we know that our hands and our words shape the client experience, right? Yeah. But today, our professional image extends far beyond the treatment room, and it lives online. Social media is powerful. It can be a portfolio, it can be a classroom, even a waiting room full of potential clients, right? Yep. But it can also be a mirror that reflects more than we intend. That's why mindfulness matters. Every post, every comment, every story contributes to how clients, colleagues, and employers see us. One single unfiltered reaction or careless exchange can ripple into questions about professionalism or our credibility. And when you post anonymous, you're not anonymous. The group administrators can see that. So mindfulness doesn't necessarily mean censoring our personality. It means pausing to ask, does this align with the image I want to project? Does it serve my growth as a professional? Am I treating others with the same respect online that I give them face to face? Because I think there is a real confidence in being behind the keyboard that doesn't necessarily come with you when you're face to face. I want to encourage us all to approach this social media with intention, because it's more than marketing. It becomes an extension of our integrity. Clients trust us not only with our skin, but with their confidence. Social media interactions can really affect you. In fact, there is one thing I'm not going to say who, because it's gossip, but one brand owner did back in 2020 that had a lasting effect on her brand, almost ruined it. And then I've shared with you guys my own stories of different opportunities for exchanges that I haven't participated in. But there's things that I've seen that means I will never have interactions with some of these people who seemed so cool at first, but I watched them get into a entertaining exchange that I won't be able to work with them anymore. And then I had my friend, she wanted me to help her look through resumes for her. She was hiring for a medical. She has a medical spa, so she was hiring for an esthetician. And I'm like, oh, nope, nope. Because of this. So what do you think about just setting some points here for ways to manage Your social media Ps and Q's to protect your image and your brand?
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A
I think it's so important as a professional using social media to bring visibility to your business and help drive clientele.
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C
Yes, for sure. However, many of us have personal and professional profiles and sometimes that cross. So I think first and foremost we should talk about protecting professional boundaries.
- [07:20]
A
Yeah, absolutely. I think the biggest thing is avoid oversharing, personal struggles. Definitely avoid venting about your clients, your coworkers, your employees. And remember that your audience includes current clients, potential clients, colleagues and brands. It's not a private diary, so ask yourself, would I be comfortable if this post was read aloud in a job interview or client consultation?
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C
Oh, I love that. In fact, have you seen mean tweets when celebrities read mean tweets about them?
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A
No.
- [07:55]
C
Oh, it's so funny, but it's true. Would you be able to read this out loud somewhere and would you say it? Sometimes in the group that I run, people want to post negative things about an employee or an employer and it's against the. It's against the group rules because that's just subjective and the argument always comes back, well, I want to share my experience so others don't have to go through this. That is all well intended, but it doesn't look good for you long term. The other thing is there's always going to be the opportunity for conflict. So I think it's important when that arises is that you engage with respect and positivity. I feel in human nature sometimes you want to just bite back if you feel like you've been bitten. But tone matters. Things like sarcasm, heated replies or subtle digs, those can really shift the energy of the entire professional community and people see it and it's not being seen with a positive eye. Support your colleagues instead of criticizing, uplifting them really strengthens the industry as a whole. And you see this with questions people ask online and the I don't know if it's fear based. I don't know if it's trying to posture your own knowledge. I don't know if it's ego, I'm not quite sure, but it doesn't help. If somebody asks a question that you think is basic or they should know, just help them. Obviously they don't know or they wouldn't be asking. And then keep in mind that one negative post can create unnecessary strife, while one supportive can inspire unity. And I would love nothing more than to have a sisterhood of estheticians or think of our colleagues like that.
- [09:37]
A
Yeah, I think the most important thing for estheticians to remember and really in any industry is that there is plenty to go around and it shouldn't feel like a competition. Even if there is another business on the next block over or even from across the street from you, if you are marketing to your demographic appropriately, you have niched down on your business. That other esthetician should not be seen as competition. They should be viewed as support. And if there is strife and negativity within a community, whether it's on a chat room or somehow through social media, that's really unfortunate because we're all here to help support each other. Everyone's at different phases of their business, different phases of their career. And to your point, if somebody doesn't know something, you don't know where they are in their career, what their experiences have been to that point. So boost them up and in doing so, you are boosting yourself.
- [10:35]
C
Yeah, I think it's important to resist the urge to publicly dispel another practitioner's opinion. For sure, we're not gonna agree. You can have five estheticians in a room with one client, there's gonna be five opinions and all five are right for the most part. And we might think ours is the most right, but it's not always the only right. And healthy debate is cool. You can do that. It's part of professional growth. But social media rarely is the best place for it. Publicly calling out or correcting a colleague. I saw this recently on an exchange when it was about advice. And the advice was so benign and it was so well intended and this two other practitioners went on the campaign, which sparked a response, and I was like, whoa, you know, give me the popcorn. But also, oof, this is bad. So that it just stirred defensiveness. It shifted the mood in the whole community because other people see that and they're like, I'm not doing that. I'm not going to give any advice. No way. So instead, choose respect. If the information is dangerously inaccurate, respond with evidence based resources in A professional way, or send a dm, take it offline if possible. It's just a different perspective and let it be. Clients and peers respect professionals who demonstrate grace just as much as knowledge. I see this all the time, like I want to silently in my head, comment. When people say I'm a medical esthetician, well, that's their choice to say it. I know it's not right, but I'm not going to type it in a comment section for others to see because that's not the point of what this person was trying to say. They were trying to say, wear sunscreen, you know, and that's not bad.
- [12:17]
A
I think also it's really important to align your online presence with your brand. So showcase professionalism by curating content that reflects your values, your expertise, and even client care. So use social media as an extension of your treatment room. And that means being approachable, being knowledgeable, being trustworthy. I think trustworthy is a really good word here because if you are creating animosity online, you are not breeding trust. And you never know where your next client's gonna come from.
- [12:49]
C
Absolutely. I think that's important because they're watching you thinking, I don't wanna go to someone like that. Who's exchanging like that. Or that's on my list of do not hire even. Yeah, for sure. I think what's important to remember is silence in the moment can often say more about your professionalism than a heated response ever could. So when you approach social media with intention, it can become more than marketing. As Maggie said, it becomes an extension of you, of your integrity. Clients trust us not only with their skin, but with their confidence. So let's make sure our digital presence honors that trust. Staying mindful online isn't about restriction. It's about reflection, connection, and professionalism that lasts beyond the scroll. Now, listeners, we really want to hear from you. How do you mind Your social media Ps and Q's? What would you do to uplift your community? Reach out via Instagram, Facebook, or send us an email@getconnectedcpskincare.com we want to know all the details and go Broncos. In the meantime, thank you for listening to ASCPST Talk. 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 ASCP STTalk.