Skills
Esthetician Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in estheticians, and how to build and show them.
What skills do estheticians need?
Estheticians need technical skills such as skin analysis, facial techniques, and waxing, plus people skills like gentleness and communication. They also use tools such as Facial steamers and Magnifying lamps.
Technical (hard) skills
- Skin analysis
- Facial techniques
- Waxing
- Chemical exfoliation
- Sanitation
- Product knowledge
People (soft) skills
- Gentleness
- Communication
- Professionalism
- Attention to detail
Tools, equipment and technology
- Facial steamers
- Magnifying lamps
- Wax heaters
- Extraction tools
- Microdermabrasion machines
- Disinfectants
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how estheticians put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Skin analysis” and “Facial techniques.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “gentleness,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as State esthetician license near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our esthetician glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Esthetician training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.