The short answer for this is no. In fact many estys (estheticians) out there usually specialize in just a few key services. In this article, we’ll attempt to cover off some of those areas of specialization and look at some of the pros and cons of each.

The 6 main areas we see people specialize in in esthetics are:

• Waxing
• Electrolysis
• Facials (and only facials)
• Nails
• Chemical peels
• Massage
• Specialized treatments (usually with equipment)

These areas are often able to be specialized due to either specific knowledge and training or because it’s an easy express service that can be done relatively quickly and inexpensively. Deciding what type of business model you want to adopt, such as starting with the basics and growing from there, or specializing in just one area of esthetics, is going to be an important starting point in creating your business.

Waxing:

Waxing is definitely one of the best areas in which to specialize. Many people nowadays, especially in Vancouver are very concerned with taking care of all that hair down there, under there, and preserving their two identical eyebrows. This is also a service that has been seen being introduced into nail salons as well thanks to its simplicity, and speed of service. I mean what’s 5 minutes for a brow wax right? About 15-20$ is what. I mean really check out Stripped Wax Bar…

Electrolysis:

The only permanent form of hair removal, electrolysis does typically require training outside what most esthetics courses teach. This can be found through the Canadian College of Electrology or through TAPE B.C. .  However again the high demand for the service of removing unwanted hair is very high!

Facials:

Focusing on just this aspect is similar to what Skoah does with their skin care training. Some people might just be looking to restore a bit of that radiance to their skin with your magic healing touch. What we like about focusing on this area is the big opportunity for retail upsells. Plus you can really customize your menu with different treatment options…

Chemical Peels:

Probably not the most main stream specialization, however we have seen businesses that do just chemical peels (with the follow-up treatment of course). Similar to focusing on facials, doing chemical peels offers a lot of potential for the retail upsell. Just make sure you have a good chemical peel to do that with though…

Nails:

Everybody knows the mani/pedi places! I don’t think we need to go into much detail but this has definitely proven to be one of the most successful business models in the esthetics industry. Chemicals can be a bit harsh, but if you love doing nail art (or just generally nails) this could be the right opportunity for you.

Massage:

Like nails, I think we all understand the business of massage therapy to some degree. Here you really are focusing on your services for income however with some opportunity for more wellness focused retailing, such as essential oils and nebulizers.

Specialized Treatments:

Here we generally are referring to 40,000$ machines that show you a business opportunity. Definitely an area to look into if you’re searching for a turn-key business in medical esthetics (provided you have the actual esthetics experience), always do your research beforehand, always buy quality equipment with a warranty, and make sure that you know it works!

So those are probably the most prominent areas of business specializations that we see in the industry. How much can you make at each of them? Well that depends a lot on you as an individual or team but with the right vision and leadership anything is always possible.

Until next time!

Taylor