My First Facial: What I Learned

There’s something exciting and nerve-wrecking about doing something for the first time. This can be especially true for something you’ve studied and practiced for months. As a student esthetician, giving my very first facial for a client wasn’t just a requirement for my studies, but a milestone. And like all “firsts,” I learned along the way. 

Of course, I had done facials on my fellow classmates, but one for a client is an entirely different experience. Whether you’re a fellow student, curious future client, or just a skincare-junkie, I want to share my experience of doing my first facial. 

Prepping Is Everything 

Every esthetician and student esthetician knows how much prep and cleaning is part of treatments. No matter the treatment, you’re sanitizing your tools, setting up your station, and mentally going through each step to make sure you have everything you’ll need. From gloves to products to water bowls, there are just so many tools and supplies you need to prepare, clean, eat up, and possibly even charge. 

Not only is this prep essential for your facial going smoothly, but it also helps keep me calm and focused. Setting up my space with only what I needed and nothing extra helped keep me focused and dulled the nerves. Rather than feeling nervous, I was able to focus on the steps I’d learned during theory and practiced with my prosthetic head. These moments of setup helped ground me before the service. 

Skin Is Personal 

Taking the time to look at my client’s skin while asking her questions, even before taking a look at her skin under the mag lamp, helped me begin customizing the service. While she had minimal sensitivity, there was some acne and congestion. I incorporated the skin scrubber instead of manual extractions. After the scrubber, there was a bit of redness, so I picked Dermalogica’s Conductive Masque Base, which has aloe, brown algae, hyaluronic acid, radish root, and more to hydrate the skin and bring nutrients. 

Touch Matters More Than You Think 

Touching the skin can be one of the most important things you do during a facial. While I prefer to wear gloves for most parts of the facial, especially cleansing and exfoliating, skin analysis truly requires no gloves. Without gloves, I can feel far more texture on the skin than with gloves. While that barrier allows me to do a smoother cleanse, it prevents feeling smaller bumps and rough patches. 

Confidence Comes With Practice

Was I nervous? Absolutely. But I’ve learned you have to fake it till you make it to succeed at esthetician school. As I moved through the steps, the nerves faded and the confidence grew. It was clear to me that with more clients, will come more confidence. To some extent, muscle memory takes over. As I finished up extractions and moved into massage, my hands went into autopilot. They knew all the massage techniques and movements I had learned and practiced. I smoothly went from effleurage across the forehead, adding pressure to the temples, to sliding down the face for petrissage along the jaw. Of course, I made a few minor mistakes (forgetting to start the steamer), but I stayed calm, corrected myself, and kept going. 

My first facial taught me that being an esthetician isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence, care, and growth. Every client is a new opportunity to learn and grow more confident in your craft. If you’re a student like me, I hope this gives you some comfort and inspiration. And if you’re thinking of booking your first facial with a student esthetician, go for it! We’re trained, supervised, and passionate about what we do. 

Here’s to many more facials, more lesions, and a journey full of glow.💗