• Techniques and products
  • Exfoliation
  • Waxing
• Your esthetician

Techniques and products

Techniques used by estheticians include exfoliation, waxing, pore cleansing, extraction, creams, lotions, wraps, clay or gel masks, and waxing. Machines may also be used to help deliver high-tech services.

Some common therapies:

• Exfoliation: The removal of dead skin cells manually (scrubbing, brushing, or using a system such as microdermabrasion), with a chemical peel (a product that causes dead skin cells to shed), or with an enzymatic product that digests dead skin cells.
• Extraction: This is the process of deep cleansing the pores, either manually (using gloved hands and cotton or tissue around the fingers, with gentle pressure to remove the impacted pore) or using a metal extraction implement designed to clear blocked pores. This can also include using a lancet (a small sharp blade to lift the skin's dead cells prior to extraction).
• Waxing: Waxing removes unwanted hair at the root. There are two different types of waxes: hard and soft. Soft wax is applied warm to the skin in a thin layer in the direction of hair growth. Cloth strips are then applied to the warm wax, rubbed in the direction of hair growth, and quickly pulled off in the opposite direction. Hard wax is used without cloth strips. It is applied warmly in thin or thick layers, allowed to dry, and then removed quickly in the opposite direction of hair growth. Hard wax is less irritating to sensitive skin and is excellent for the bikini, underarms, and facial areas.

Your esthetician

Your skin care treatments should be provided by a properly trained professional. Don’t hesitate to ask your skin care therapist about her background, training, and experience—especially as it relates to the treatment you are considering. Your therapist is a professional member of Associated Skin Care Professionals. Our members have been validated as meeting their state’s licensing credentials and/or core training requirements, and agree to follow a code of ethics that ensures you’ll be treated responsibly and with the utmost respect. ASCP also provides its members with comprehensive resources that allow them to keep up with changing trends, making certain you’ll receive the most up-to-date therapies available.