How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Yountville CA

How to Select an Esthetician Program near Yountville California

Yountville CA esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Yountville CA, the process starts to find and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you pick not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your preliminary search, you may be somewhat puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are basically interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. We’ll speak a bit more concerning that in the next section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Yountville home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Yountville CA Cosmetology is an occupation that is everything about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states mandate that you take some form of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Yountville CA beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will start seeing clients either in their own residences or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many titles and work in a wide range of specialties including:

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

As already stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists must be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees

Yountville CA esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options offered to get esthetician training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 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 all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you want to focus on just one area, for example esthetics. A degree program will also probably feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Yountville CA business. More advanced degrees are not typical, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specializations as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you go with, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s approved by the California Board of Cosmetology. Numerous states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will review the advantages of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next section.

Online Esthetician Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Yountville CA Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Yountville CA students who are employed full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to enroll in a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs available that can be attended via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are typically fast paced due to the fact that many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending many hours away from your home or driving to and from classes. However, it’s important that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also get the hands-on training necessary for a complete education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetics Training Courses

Yountville CA models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any esthetician training program you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Yountville home, as well as the expense of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the School Accredited? It’s important to make sure that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not obtainable in 94599 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Yountville CA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Great Reputation? Every esthetician college that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses 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 companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Yountville CA salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to propose others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the California school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your ambition is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to launch a Yountville CA beauty salon, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not deliver the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering esthetician techniques and abilities demands lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore search for alternate schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it’s important that she or he gets help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance maintain relationships with Yountville CA employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and inquire which salons and organizations they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all 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 find out what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not discard it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Yountville CA?

Perhaps you live in the Yountville 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.

Yountville, California

Yountville (/ˈjɔːntvɪl/ or /ˈjaʊntvɪl/) is an incorporated town in Napa County, in California's Wine Country. It is in the North Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 2,933 at the 2010 census. Almost one-third of the town's population lives on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California.

Yountville was named after George C. Yount in 1867. Previously the town was named Sebastopol in 1855. However, a town in nearby Sonoma County had already laid claim to this name, so the town was renamed after George Yount’s death.

Among the restaurants in Yountville is The French Laundry, owned by Chef Thomas Keller, with a three-star rating from the Michelin Guide, and a two-time winner of the title "best restaurant in the world" by "The Worlds 50 Best" restaurant rating organization. Keller also owns another restaurant in Yountville, Ad Hoc. Michelin one-star restaurants in Yountville for 2015 also include Bouchon, another Thomas Keller Restaurant. Two other Yountville restaurants have Michelin's "Bib Gourmand" rating: Philippe Jeanty's Bistro Jeanty and Redd Wood.

Select the Right Esthetician Training Program near Yountville CA

Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician program is important to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel positive about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to contrast schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make sure that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional esthetician in Yountville CA.