My work as a beauty and lifestyle journalist means lots of chances to try out the most innovative new beauty treatments, such as skin-tightening regimens and treatments. Barely a month passes without some trusted esthetician telling me about a new procedure or product that offers superior results. There’s no denying it: beauty is an incredibly fast-paced industry, evolving all of the time.
As a result, the value of the U.S. aesthetics industry is expected to hit $90.82 billion by 2030. A 2024 report also showed increasing demand for the varied options for noninvasive aesthetic treatments. I myself have added treatments such as Profhilo and other skin boosters (e.g., polynucleotides) into my regular skincare regime.
Some of the challenges for beauty entrepreneurs? Keeping up to date with current beauty trends, treatments, and the demands of clients. Not to mention carving out clinical time to properly train your team members. Read on to find out how beauty education can grow your business, and for tried-and-tested strategies to help give you an advantage over your competitors.
What Is Beauty Trends Education?
Beauty trends education typically refers to your team’s needed ongoing professional development, beyond basic beauty training. Consider prioritizing training topics according to current trends and consumer demand. For estheticians, these can include skin-boosting injectables, LED light therapy, mesotherapy, and chemical peels; nail techs can train on, say, hard gel nails. You and all of your staff members (even those with the most experience) generally need this training, so that all players understand new techniques and communicate your brand effectively.
To illustrate, Emma Coleman strives to remain at the leading edge of skincare trends by ensuring that the full crew gets all training, including herself. This gives her the edge over competition, allowing her to offer customers a wide range of face and body treatments, including Morpheus8, skin threading, and dermal filler.
Benefits of Continuous Beauty Education
Many clinic owners consider continuous beauty education vital for their ongoing success and client retention. “It’s important to stay abreast of the latest trends, and also the newest clinical trials, so that I can advise clients on how to get the best possible results for their skin concerns,” Emma told me. She says that clients often come into her clinics to inquire about new treatments. “If I don’t know what they are talking about, they may question my professionalism,” she said. They may also opt to shop elsewhere.
Expanding your services, retaining loyal clients, and offering higher-cost treatments can all help to boost your revenue. However, be sure to consider your future ROI when purchasing new equipment and providing the time for training.
Approaches to Beauty Trends Education
You can access beauty trends education in three effective ways:
1. Digital learning platforms and online workshops
Many beauty brands offer online workshops across dedicated platforms created for beauty professionals. L’Oréal ACCESS, for instance, provides learning resources for its L’Oréal Professional brands, while the Brow Fixx Academy teaches trends such as brow lamination and lash lifts. Online resources are a great way to refresh your knowledge and learn how to use new products without spending too much time away from your clients.
2. Industry events and peer networking
The collective knowledge picked up through industry events and networking can be really valuable to your business. Attending regular beauty events, conferences, and panel discussions will help keep you at the forefront of industry news and peers’ best practices; plus, you get to share your expertise and pick up prospective customers as well. Perhaps your neighbor on a panel has had great success with a new treatment you’ve been considering adding to your roster or shares similar pain points.
3. Supplier and brand education programs
Running a busy clinic or salon usually means all hands on deck, so if you can’t spare a staff member for a weeklong training course, there are other options. Emma shared stories of on-site training offered by the suppliers of Dermalux LED and Sofwave, included with the purchase of new equipment at the time.
“They also provide ongoing support and marketing materials,” Emma said. “Most may also have a medical hotline, which we can call in case something unusual happens or we have a specific question.” This allows busy beauty entrepreneurs to learn new techniques and trends without disrupting their business schedule.
Implementing a Practical Beauty Education Strategy
It’s vital to stick with top-quality beauty training and resources. Be sure to use only reputable educational platforms, preferably in conjunction with a beauty school or brand, and have a clear idea of your desired learning outcomes in advance. Ensuring you are up to date on the latest training can also help reduce the risk of potential claims.
As such, you should consider revisiting training each year with the latest product releases and emerging beauty trends in mind. For instance, I recently took a course on PRX peels at a local clinic. The esthetician told me about its latest formulation, PRX+, which can lessen flaking and is said to produce a better outcome. This increased my trust in her knowledge and expertise.
Measuring the Business Impact of Your Education
Once you’ve invested in beauty education, you should track simple metrics to keep an eye on your ROI. These could include client retention rates, average service pricing, and new service adoption rates.
For instance, you could track the number of clients that rebook after each visit and the amount of revenue created by the addition of a new treatment. Compare these numbers to the cost of the related equipment and training. Another metric could be client satisfaction, reflected in positive online reviews and new client referrals.
Investing in Your Professional Growth
When your clinic or salon is busy, it can be easy to put training and beauty education on the back burner. But don’t forget that continuous learning can help drive client retention, revenue growth, and competitive advantage, so it is time well spent.
Plus, full external training courses aren’t your only option. Look into online and supplier-provided training: some of these classes come to you. Expanding your knowledge of the industry and the latest technology can also help build professional investment within your team, improving employee retention.
Put some time aside today to brainstorm a range of new treatments you’d love to offer, or areas where you or your team members might have knowledge gaps. If your business has slower seasons, such as early January or late summer, you can plan to schedule training then. It could be just what you need to boost your business this year.