How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Los Olivos CA

How to Enroll In an Esthetics Program near Los Olivos California

Los Olivos CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Los Olivos CA, the process starts to find and enroll in the ideal program. It’s imperative that the school you choose not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be a little bit puzzled about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll speak a little bit further regarding that in the upcoming section. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Los Olivos residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when assessing prospective schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the best choice. There are many other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are available.

What is Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Los Olivos CA Cosmetology is a profession that is everything about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be almost anything that improves the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, the majority of states mandate that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Los Olivos CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have acquired experience and a customer base, launch their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s residence, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As already mentioned, in most states working cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exception. Only those offering more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.

Esthetician Certificates and Degrees

Los Olivos CA esthetician client with face mask There are primarily two pathways offered to obtain esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to complete, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in each of the main areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you want to concentrate on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also likely incorporate management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Los Olivos CA business. Higher degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you decide on, it’s imperative to make certain that it’s certified by the California Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only approve schools that are accredited by certain reputable organizations, such as the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you choose in the following section.

Online Esthetics Schools

woman attending esthetician school online in Los Olivos CA Online esthetician programs are convenient for Los Olivos CA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed through a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology programs are often fast paced given that many programs are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not devoting many hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. However, it’s important that the program you select can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors to ensure that you also receive the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s impossible to gain the skills necessary to work in any area of the cosmetology profession. So don’t forget if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetician Programs

Los Olivos CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a list of questions that you need to look into for any esthetician training school you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Los Olivos home, as well as the expense of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have compiled some of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final determination.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make certain that the esthetician training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 93441 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Los Olivos CA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews together with the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Los Olivos CA salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the California school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to start a Los Olivos CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly rated school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that enable students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a beauty academy furnishes little or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So search for other schools that offer this type of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish assistance maintain relationships with Los Olivos CA employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and establishments they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be available.

Attending Esthetician School Near Los Olivos CA?

Perhaps you live in the Los Olivos California area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Los Olivos, California

Los Olivos (/loʊs oʊˈliːvoʊs/)[3] is a census-designated place in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California. The ZIP Code is 93441, and the community is inside area code 805. The population was 1,132 at the 2010 census.

Sometime around 1880, on a bluff overlooking Alamo Pintado Creek, just north of the town of Ballard, a two-story house was built, with a wide, covered front porch and neatly symmetrical arched windows in the center gable, situated on prime farmland. It became the property of twenty-two-year-old Alden March Boyd, of Albany, New York, when he paid $8,000 for "157 acres, more or less, together with the dwelling house," in 1885. He planted five thousand olive trees, and called it Rancho De Los Olivos. The 1880s were a boom time for California. On November 16, 1887, the Pacific Coast Railway line extension from Los Alamos was completed. The developers of the narrow-gauge railway first named their town El Olivar, then El Olivos, and finally Los Olivos, after Boyd's nearby ranch.[4]

Los Olivos is one of five communities (with Ballard, Buellton, Solvang, and Santa Ynez) that make up the Santa Ynez Valley. The town is near SR 154, a scenic road from Santa Barbara over San Marcos Pass, through the coastal Santa Ynez Mountains. Los Olivos was connected by the narrow gauge railroad to points north as far as San Luis Obispo until the train made its last run in 1934. The southern terminus of the railroad was in front of Mattei's Tavern, where a stagecoach line continued over San Marcos Pass into Santa Barbara. The tavern is still in operation, and is one of the highlights of the area, with a well-respected restaurant and historic charm.

Find the Right Esthetician Program near Los Olivos CA

Finding and enrolling in the ideal esthetician program is imperative to receive the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to collect all of the responses you get from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional esthetician in Los Olivos CA.