October 27, 2023
How to Become an Esthetician in Colorado

Estheticians are called to help people with the health and beauty of their skin. It is a unique role halfway between a beauty stylist and a dermatologist. You will find estheticians in salons, clinics, and health spas across the world, providing expert advice and delicately administering therapeutic skin treatments to clients in need of their specialized services. Some estheticians live lives of glamour, helping celebrities and stars stay naturally beautiful, while others lead noble professions of healing alongside medical professionals.
But, what does it take to become a licensed esthetician? Each state has slightly different requirements in terms of education and licensure. To become an esthetician in Colorado, you will need 600 hours of training and to pass the licensing exam. If becoming an esthetician is your dream, then Stacey James Institute is here to help.
Understand the Role of an Esthetician
Estheticians are the skin experts in the beauty industry. Their colleagues, cosmetologists and barbers, focus mainly on hair. Cosmetologists may also provide nail art, makeup, and simpler facial treatments. But an esthetician is who clients turn to when they need high-end skincare advice and expertly applied treatments. Without estheticians, spas and high-end salons would go without their best beauty treatments and therapies.
Treatments Performed by Estheticians:
- Facials
- Face and body masks and wraps
- Waxing, threading, and hair removal
- Pore cleansing and exfoliation
- Laser skin rejuvenation
- Light therapy
- Chemical peels
- Microdermabrasion
- Moisture treatments
- Acne treatments
- Scalp massage
- Laser resurfacing
- Light therapy
Estheticians are trained in the differences in skin type and how each has unique needs. They can advise clients on proper diet for good skin health, skin cleansing, which beauty products are right for each type of skin, and how to safely apply (and remove) beauty products at home.
Estheticians can also specialize in styling or in the medical side, helping patients to heal from scars, or how to recover or cope with dermatological conditions. Estheticians play an important role in health and beauty because they help people achieve natural skin-healthy beauty as well as makeup styling skills.
Five Steps To Become An Esthetician In Colorado
Becoming an esthetician in the state of Colorado requires training, licensing, and pursuit of your new career. If you have a passion for skincare and helping people achieve their best selves, the path is simple to follow and will be a joy to complete.
1. Enroll in an Accredited Esthetics Program
First, you will need to enroll in an esthetics program, which will cover the 600 training hours you need for licensing.
Training and hour dedication include:
- 210 hours: Skincare and Facials
- 210 hours: Disinfection, Cleaning, and Safe Practices
- 90 hours: Hair Removal
- 30 hours: Facial Makeup
- 30 hours: Laws, Rules, and Regulations
- 30 hours: Management, Ethics, and Business Skills
Through these courses, you will benefit from hands-on training and practical experience that will prepare you to administer treatments to your clients when the course is through.
2. Prepare for and Pass the Esthetician Licensing Exams
Once you have completed your Esthetician coursework, it’s time to get ready for the licensing exam. Exams are split between written testing and a practical test that will show your skills in action.
You will need to register for an exam date and arrive at the designated facility at the scheduled time. There is typically a testing fee, and you will need 2 forms of ID. You will also need to bring a list of specific supplies, which you can look up when you register for the exam. These supplies typically include things like hand sanitizer, toner, gloves, tweezers, and so on.
Use your study skills such as reviewing and re-writing your notes, quizzing with a friend, and practice tests to help prepare you for the written portion. For the practical exam, trust your training and perform your skills on volunteers (friends and family) to ensure you can show your stuff without being nervous on test day.
3. Submit License Application
Once you receive your exam results, you can submit your application for the esthetician license. The Colorado Department of Licensing has an online application form where you can send all the necessary documentation. You will need to submit:
- Licensing fee
- Training transcripts
- Exam results
Use the Colorado Cosmetology Licensure Portal to submit your license application.
4. Secure Your Esthetician License
Once your application is approved, you will receive your Esthetician’s license in person or by mail. From there, you can begin your career helping people with their skin in all sorts of ways.
Every two years, you will need to get your license renewed. You can go through online renewal for an easy way to keep up with your practice licensure. You can also take additional coursework for specialties like chemical peels and microdermabrasion treatments and re-certify with these specializations on your license.
5. Explore Esthetician Career Opportunities
As a licensed esthetician, you are free to explore your career opportunities. Estheticians work in a wide range of settings, applying their specialty equally to health, beauty, and hospitality services.
If you choose to work in salons, you will be the resident expert on skin treatments, delicate skin, and wax or chemical hair removal. Should you work in spas, you will likely take the lead in facials, body wraps, and other skin-focused therapeutic treatments. You can even work alongside dermatologist medical professionals, providing skincare therapies to people in need of epidermal healing that your craft can provide.
Decide which setting has the most appeal to you and begin building a professional network to find your ideal job opportunities.
Embark On Your Journey to Become an Esthetician
If the world of skincare and natural beauty calls to you, you can begin your esthetician training at the Stacey James Institute. Our state-of-the-art beauty training facilities and educational programs will instill the knowledge and hands-on skills you need to launch your career as an esthetician in just a few months. Contact us to learn more about the program and how to build your future.
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