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The Top Esthetician Programs to Consider

The Top Esthetician Programs You Need to Know About 
Everything You Should Know About Becoming an Esthetician  


If you’re interested in becoming an esthetician, you probably already know exactly what kind of skills, talents, and knowledge it requires.

You probably also already know the serious benefits this type of career has, how you can change peoples’ lives for the better, and the affect you could have on all the clientele you come into contact with. Being an esthetician is a challenging, but be a deeply rewarding career path.

Are you prepared to begin your career as an esthetician?

It’s likely you know that in order to be a practicing esthetician at a day spa, resort, medical spa, or any other type of treatment facility, you’ll need to have passed your state board exams and have a verified license. 

What You Need to Know First about Esthetician Programs

Before you can dive into this line of work, you’ll need to ensure that you have all the skills necessary to pass your board and receive your license, so it’s important to ask yourself this: “am I educated enough to pass these required tests?”

Often, if you’ve not been enrolled in a program or trained by a licensed esthetician, you’re not entirely prepared for these exams. The best way to do this is to enroll in an accredited, respected esthetician program at a top beauty school.

This isn’t as easy as it sounds, in fact, with hundreds of esthetics schools, it can be hard to narrow down which is the right program for you.

On top of that, esthetician school can take up to a year to complete, costs money, and can challenge you on many different levels.

While we can’t help you with the actual program work, we can make your life a little easier, and we have!

Check out our list below of the top five esthetician schools and programs!


The Top Esthetics Programs to Consider

Aveda

It makes sense that this would be one of the most well-respected esthetician programs in the country, doesn’t it?

A company based on healthy care and plant-based products, Aveda might seem like the obvious choice for a skincare and esthetics education. This school has over 64 locations throughout the country with this program, offering cosmetology, skincare, massage, and more.

The Aveda Institute is well-respected, has plenty of name recognition and provides students with both hands-on experience and classroom attention in order to ensure they’re ready to participate in the real world of esthetics.

This school has over 7,000 graduates each year from their combined locations, making it one of the most obvious choices for a program for a budding esthetician

Aesthetic Science Institute 

Just like the name suggests, Aesthetic Science Institute puts enormous emphasis on the scientific approach to esthetics. Just like other programs, ASI walks soon-to-be estheticians through everything they need to know about becoming estheticians, but they also focus on things like the art and theory behind beauty. 

Their largest hallmark? Their long list of advanced classes that focus primarily on taking esthetics to new heights. 

Intensely focused on cutting-edge technology, ASI programs offer courses that dive into things like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, anti-aging treatments, electric current, laser, LED light, micro-current, radio frequency, infra-red, and other esthetic tools that look toward the future of the industry

Empire Beauty

Though Empire Beauty is not listed as our number one pick, it’s certainly a quality school that’s well earned its place on our top five list for aspiring estheticians. One of the best and most convenient aspects of Empire Beauty is its availability and accessibility. With over 100 Empire Beauty Schools across the country, it's easy to pin down a location that is convenient for them.

Even better, this school has a long history that stretches over nearly eight decades, making it a pillar in the cosmetology community, but especially in the esthetics industry.

Not only will you learn all the basics necessary to pass their state board courses, they’ll get hands-on experience, in-class training, and post-graduate opportunities that only come with the Empire Beauty School name.

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Regency Beauty

This is one of the most well-respected programs in the entire country.

An industry giant in the esthetician world, Regency Beauty Institute programs offer prospective estheticians over 90 locations in the United States (a number that is undoubtedly going to expand in the coming years), a wide range of courses, and classroom experience to prepare them for their boards. More than that, though, all Regency locations pride themselves on putting their students through real esthetics and spa training, meaning you will learn what it’s like and how to function in an actual environment practicing and perfecting their skills.

The best part about this program?

Although it’s rigorous and demanding, you are able to start their programs within 30 days of application, making their process quick, efficient, and convenient.


Bellus Academy

With campuses in New York, Kansas, and California, this academy focuses on a unique, proprietary teaching programs that empowers students to focus on visual, written, verbal, and hands-on learning. Focusing on every aspect of skin rejuvenation and care, this program is designed to train you for whatever post-school outcome they desire, from medi-spas to their own studios.


With about 1,000 hours of practical and hands-on work required to graduate from this institute, Bellus Academy puts extra emphasis on professional training, practical application, and theory. 

Xenon Academy

While the name of this program sounds very space-agerest assured knowing that this esthetics program is incredibly down-to-earth.

This program has locations in Missouri, Colorado, and Kansas, and offers you the opportunity to train with some of the best in the esthetician business. More than that, they’re top in their industry for providing you with modern, state-of-the-art technology, tools, and techniques. The school does all it can to ensure that you’re prepared when your time comes to take your exams, but it goes even further, too.

Xenon arranges for their students to visit trade shows, invites professionals in the industry to speak at their campuses, and even arranges placements in top tier salons and spas after you graduate.

Hollywood Institute of Beauty

This program is, without a doubt, a tough one, but one of the best programs you can enroll in if you’re looking to be a top-dog esthetician. Though they only have locations in Florida (which makes out of state attendance a tad difficult), they provide you with the opportunity to learn from some of the best estheticians in the state, give you the hands-on experience you need, and ensure that you’re more than prepared when your time comes to take your state exam.

As a full-time esthetician student, you can complete this program in ten months, but you are required to complete 1200 hours (if you’re a part-time student, rest assured you can complete this in a span of 17 months).

This school has locations and campuses all over Florida, including Hollywood, Miami Beach, Orlando, and West Palm


Love the advice we are offering you? We sure hope so–it's kind of our life goal to make sure you've got the info, insight, and advice you need to succeed. So, tell us, are any of these estheticians programs on your list?

Drop a comment in the reply section below and let us know what program you're eyeing. Already been through a fantastic esthetic program? We love to hear it. Let us know which you attended and why it was the best–we love updating our list! 


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