Skin Coaching 101

May 1, 2021 | by Astrid Makenzi

A Holistic Approach To Understanding Your Client & Their Skin

Holistic is defined as “the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.” And so comes Holistic Esthetics, where we believe that looking at the whole picture will help us determine the various things that may be affecting our client’s skin. We evaluate so many factors when creating a plan of action for a client, including skin history, health history, lifestyle, stress levels, diet, allergies, and more. By having a comprehensive understanding of your client’s lifestyle, you can help guide them in making healthy decisions for their skin and decide what treatments would best suit them!

I always start my Skin Coaching Sessions out with a few simple questions: “How does your skin make you feel? What do you feel you need help with?”… this way, you can get a sense of how your client feels and better support their skin healing process. By understanding your client’s skin from their perspective, you can better understand how to interact with them!

“One of the best ways to help your clients feel supported would be to touch base with them every few weeks and ask them for a skin update!”

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Below I breakdown a few areas of importance for me when talking with my clients!

Mental wellbeing

Acne has been proven to have a great deal of impact on certain people and their mental health. It can impact the way we view ourselves and the way we believe others few us. In a 1998 study through Psychiatry OPD of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan 50 called “Prevalence of mental health problems in acne patients,” they observed 50 subjects, ages 13-25. They found that an overwhelming 50% of patients were suffering from depression. In the same study, they noted a high percentage of general anxiety in acne sufferers [1]. By touching base with your clients after and between treatments, you can remind them that they aren’t alone in the process and that you are here to support them the best you can!

Hygiene

Whenever I tell a client that I want to discuss their hygiene habits or diet, there is usually a brief pause. I guess it’s not a common question to be asked what your hygiene habits are, but it should be when it comes to the skin! With hygiene, I tend to start by asking if they have a habit of touching their skin throughout the day. Usually, I am met with a “yes” because let’s face it, we are humans, and we pretty much have all been guilty of either touching our skin throughout the day or popping a pimple that is by no means ready to be popped! I then ask how often they change their pillowcase if they’re washing their hands before starting their skin routine and using a separate towel for their face vs. body. You’d be surprised how many people are making these tiny mistakes that may very well be impacting their skin!

Diet

When we get into diet, I check to see if they have any allergies or food intolerances and explain the importance of hydrating throughout the day. I also explain that for some people, things like dairy are known to cause inflammation and release a hormone called IGF-1 that can cause the sebaceous glands to produce excess oil, causing more inflammation in the skin. I make little suggestions to remove certain triggers for the skin, but leave it to the client to make those decisions for themselves! It’s important that no one feels like they have to restrict themselves too much because this can actually lead to people not being as invested in taking care of their skin!

After you’ve gotten a good understanding of where your client is at with their skin, it’s important to remind them that the flaws they see are so minuscule compared to what others see. Remind them that their skin is beautiful and that it is possible to bring their skin into a healthier and happier state with time, patience, and the correct care! One of the most important factors as an esthetician is to make sure that we make our clients feel cared for and supported because giving advice and working with someone’s skin is a very personal and vulnerable process. One of the best ways to help your clients feel supported would be to touch base with them every few weeks and ask them for a skin update!

Hopefully, by the end of your next meeting with a new client, you have a fuller picture of where you will begin in terms of their skin treatment plan. Helping guide a client with their skin is so much more than just recommending the right skincare regimen. As we have learned, there are so many contributing factors that impact the health of the skin. Once we have as much information as possible, we can guide our clients down the road to healthier and happier skin while also making them feel supported and cared for along the way!

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