How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Carmel ME

How to Select an Esthetics Training Program near Carmel Maine

Carmel ME esthetician client with cucumber facial Once you have decided to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Carmel ME, the task starts to locate and enroll in the best program. It’s important that the program you select not only provides the proper education for the specialty you have decided on, but also prepares you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same type of school. We’ll speak a little bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to find a school that is within driving distance of your Carmel residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the least expensive it’s not always the ideal option. There are various other considerations that you should weigh when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning the cosmetology schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of training programs are available.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Carmel ME Cosmetology is a profession that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful with the use of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term 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, most states require that you go through some type of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Carmel ME beauty salons and barber shops, but also such places as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gotten experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates have many names and are employed in a wide range of specializations including:

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

As earlier mentioned, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In certain states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people working in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.

Esthetics Certificates and Degrees

Carmel ME esthetician client with face mask There are basically two avenues available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually require 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in each of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are available if you wish to focus on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to manage a salon or other Carmel ME business. Higher degrees are not prevalent, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s important to make certain that it’s recognized by the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Many states only approve schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will cover the benefits of accreditation for the school you decide on in the next segment.

Online Esthetics Classes

woman attending esthetician school online in Carmel ME Online esthetician programs are convenient for Carmel ME students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it difficult to enroll in a more traditional school. There are numerous web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed by means of a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More conventional cosmetology schools are frequently fast paced given that many courses are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours outside of your home or travelling back and forth from classes. However, it’s imperative that the school you select can provide internship training in local salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to obtain the skills necessary to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

Questions to Ask Esthetics Training Programs

Carmel ME models benefit from esthetic treatments Below is a series of questions that you will want to research for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Carmel residence, together with the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Program Accredited? It’s essential to make sure that the esthetician college you select 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available in 04419 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Carmel ME businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 companies for reviews along with the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Carmel ME salon owners or managers, or any person working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And last, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you pick a school that focuses on 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 well regarded for that program. If your dream is to launch a Carmel ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Hands-On Training Provided? Learning and mastering esthetician skills and techniques demands plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program provides limited or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s essential that she or he gets assistance in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with Carmel ME businesses that are looking for qualified graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and organizations they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for cost, do not eliminate it as an option before you learn what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Carmel ME?

Perhaps you live in the Carmel Maine 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.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid-13th century. They built in the midst of their hermitages a chapel which they dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, whom they conceived of in chivalric terms as the "Lady of the place." Our Lady of Mount Carmel was adopted in the 19th century as the patron saint of Chile, in South America.

Since the 15th century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Brown Scapular. Traditionally, Mary is said to have given the Scapular to an early Carmelite named Saint Simon Stock. The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated on 16 July.[1][2]

The solemn liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was probably first celebrated in England in the later part of the 14th century. Its object was thanksgiving to Mary, the patroness of the Carmelite Order, for the benefits she had accorded to it through its difficult early years. The institution of the feast may have come in the wake of the vindication of their title "Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary" at Cambridge, England in 1374. The date chosen was 17 July; on the European mainland this date conflicted with the feast of St. Alexis, requiring a shift to 16 July, which remains the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel throughout the Catholic Church. The Latin poem "Flos Carmeli" (meaning "Flower of Carmel") first appears as the sequence for this Mass.[1]

Choose the Right Esthetics Vocational School near Carmel ME

Finding and enrolling in the right esthetician school is imperative to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to in order to feel certain about your decision. Be sure to compile all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you pick are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are ready to begin your career as a professional esthetician in Carmel ME.