Skin Care, Facials, Makeup, and Hair Removal
Skin basics
Epidermis (with the stratum corneum on top), dermis (collagen and elastin), subcutaneous layer. Sebaceous glands produce oil; sweat glands regulate temperature. Skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination, sensitive. Fitzpatrick I through VI describes how skin responds to UV and guides treatment intensity and sun-protection advice. Recognize comedones, papules, pustules, cysts, milia, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, and dehydration - and stay inside your scope by treating none of them medically.
Facials and massage
Service order: cleanse, analyze, exfoliate, massage, mask, moisturize, protect. Massage movements are effleurage (light, rhythmic, always toward drainage), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (percussion), friction, and vibration. Contraindications include sunburn, open lesions, bruising, recent waxing or peels, contagious conditions, and recent surgery. Extractions are limited to non-inflamed comedones as your license allows - never pustules or cysts.
Makeup
Match foundation to undertone, not to the bottle's name. Sanitation is the tested point: never double-dip mascara or lip gloss, spatula product onto a palette, sharpen pencils, use disposable wands, and wash brushes.
Hair removal
Wax must be 1/4 inch of growth; test temperature on your inner wrist first; patch test 24 hours ahead. Contraindications: isotretinoin (Accutane), topical retinoids or acids on the area, recent peels or sun exposure, varicose veins, moles, diabetes without clearance, and inflamed or broken skin. Growth cycle phases are anagen, catagen, telogen; only anagen hair responds well. Laser and electrolysis are outside cosmetology scope.
Traps
- Waxing over a mole or over retinoid-treated skin.
- Double-dipping any product.
- Assuming a facial is safe on a sunburned or cystic client.
Rule of thumb
Inflamed, broken, or infected means no facial and no waxing - refer and reschedule.