I found this guide genuinely useful, but I wish it had gone deeper on some things. The salary table was helpful — I had no idea entry-level estheticians make so little, and the chapter on daily work was exactly what I needed to picture the job. The self-assessment checklist felt a bit basic for me, but it did make me realize I'm not cut out for the sales-heavy part of working in a spa. Overall, it's a solid reality check, but I wanted more detail on the med-spa track.

I've been reading beauty school websites and blog posts for months trying to decide if this is worth it, and this guide answered every question I was too embarrassed to ask. The day-in-the-life chapter alone was worth it — I finally understand that this job is mostly sanitation, timing, and problem-solving under pressure, not just 'doing facials.' The salary numbers were sobering but honest, and the first-job chapter gave me a concrete plan. If you're on the fence, read this before you spend any money on esthetics school.

This is a fair guide, but I think the tone undersells the physical demands of the job. The author talks about standing for hours and repetitive hand movements, but I don't think it fully captured how exhausting it is to be 'on' for eight hours straight. Still, the chapter on what you actually do day to day helped me confirm I want to pursue this — I just wish there was more about managing burnout and how to negotiate your salary when you're starting out. Worth reading, but I'd supplement it with conversations with working estheticians.