
Advertise on podcast: Real Skin Pro Education
Rating
5from
This podcast has
24 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Lisa Waters, EstheticianExplicit
No
Date created
2026/04/14
Latest episode
2026/10/20
Average duration
22 min.
Release period
9 days
Description
Real Skin Pro Education is a podcast for skincare professionals and skin-conscious individuals who want real, science-backed education. Hosted by a licensed esthetician and educator, this show explores skin health, acne, barrier repair, nutrition, and holistic wellness—featuring expert interviews and practical insights you can actually use.
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Check latest episodes from Real Skin Pro Education podcast
Should You Extract At All? Skin That Isn't Ready, Lookalikes, and Safety and Sanitation
2026/10/20
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Not everything that looks like a clogged pore is one. This episode covers the lookalikes that shouldn't be extracted (sebaceous hyperplasia, milia, syringomas, sebaceous filaments, molluscum), the skin conditions that aren't ready for extractions, and safety and sanitation: gloves, standard precautions, implement disinfection, and sharps. Plus word-for-word scripts for telling a client what you're leaving alone and why.
Professional education for licensed estheticians, not medical advice. Follow your state board's scope of practice and your product and equipment manufacturers' protocols.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
How to Do Comedone Extractions Without Bruising: Prep, Technique, and Tools
2026/10/13
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The extraction is the part of the facial clients remember, for better or worse. This episode, part of our extraction series, is the hands-on part: how to prep skin so extractions are easy, which modality to use when, and when to stop.
We start with the one goal behind every extraction technique: empty the follicle through its opening without rupturing the follicle wall. Then prep: cleansing, warmth, and softening the sebum plug with enzymes, desincrustation solutions, or galvanic desincrustation (with the contraindications to screen every time). Plus an honest look at the ozone button on your steamer.
Then the techniques. The wrapped-finger method, with finger placement and the down-then-in-and-up motion that keeps pressure off the follicle wall. Cotton swabs, the loop extractor, and why it's easy to overdo. Lancets, why scope varies so much from state to state, and why milia can't be pressed out. Vacuum suction and ultrasonic spatulas, and where each one fits.
Finally, the two stop rules that prevent most extraction bruising, which lesions to leave alone, post-extraction care, and word-for-word scripts for the client who wants you to "get everything."
In this episode:
The one goal of every extraction, and what happens when the follicle wall rupturesThree jobs of skin prep, including desincrustation and saponificationGalvanic desincrustation contraindicationsSteamer ozone: what's known and what isn'tThe wrapped-finger technique: placement, motion, and changing anglesCotton swabs, loop extractors, lancets, suction, and ultrasonic spatulasLancet scope by state, and why milia need oneThe two-attempt rule and the 10–15 minute time capExtraction on deeper skin tones and PIH riskPost-extraction care and client aftercareScripts for "get everything," the stubborn comedone, inflamed lesions, and milia referralsProfessional education for licensed estheticians, not medical advice. Always follow your state board's scope of practice, your insurance carrier's requirements, and your product and equipment manufacturers' protocols.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Skin Barrier Repair for Estheticians: TEWL Causes, Signs, and Treatment
2026/10/06
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Your client is using "all the right stuff" — and her skin is tight, red, breaking out, and stinging from products that never bothered her before. She doesn't have dry skin. She has a compromised skin barrier, and every product she's adding to fix it is making it worse.
This episode is a deep dive into the skin barrier and transepidermal water loss (TEWL): what the stratum corneum actually does, why dry and dehydrated skin aren't the same thing, and why oily skin can absolutely be dehydrated.
We cover the four buckets of barrier damage — routine, environment, the body, and medical conditions — including the research showing psychological stress measurably slows barrier repair. Then the signs to look for in consultation and on your table, and a step-by-step barrier repair plan: removing the cause, building a moisturizer with humectants, emollients and occlusives, why a complete lipid mix matters more than "contains ceramides," the evidence for niacinamide, and an honest defense of petrolatum.
Plus the hydration myth worth retiring, and word-for-word verbiage for telling a client to pause the products she's proud of — without making her feel like she's been doing it wrong.
In this episode:
What TEWL is, and the bricks-and-mortar model of the skin barrierNatural moisturizing factor, filaggrin, and the acid mantleDry vs. dehydrated skin, and sensitive vs. sensitized skinThe causes of barrier damage: over-exfoliation, harsh cleansers, environment, aging, stress, and medical conditionsThe signs of a compromised barrier, including the #1 early warningA step-by-step skin barrier repair planHumectants vs. emollients vs. occlusives — and why the order mattersCeramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, niacinamide, and petrolatum: what the research supportsWhy "drink more water" isn't a barrier treatmentWord-for-word scripts for over-exfoliators, oily-dehydrated clients, in-treatment changes of plan, and referralsProfessional education for licensed estheticians, not medical advice. Follow your state board's scope of practice and refer clinical concerns to a physician.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Dermaplaning Myths: Why Hair Doesn't Grow Back Thicker- And the Client Where It's Not a Myth
2026/09/29
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Dermaplaning Myths: Why Hair Doesn't Grow Back Thicker — and the Client Where It's Not a Myth
"My mom says the hair grows back thicker." Every esthetician who offers dermaplaning has heard it — and "that's a myth" has never once convinced anyone.
This episode gives you something better than a denial.
We start with the mechanism: hair thickness, color, and whether a follicle produces vellus or terminal hair are all determined inside the follicle, below the skin surface. A dermaplaning blade removes stratum corneum and the visible portion of vellus hair — it never reaches the follicle. Vellus-to-terminal conversion is hormonal, driven by androgens. That's why it happens at puberty. A blade is not an endocrine event.
Then the evidence: the 1928 Trotter study and the 1970 Lynfield and MacWilliams study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, which found no significant difference in hair width, weight, or growth rate between shaved and unshaved skin. We cover the limitations of both honestly — small samples, all male, decades old — and explain why the conclusion still holds anyway.
Then the part that matters most in the treatment room: why the myth feels true. Blunt tips versus tapered tips, the contrast effect after exceptionally smooth skin, attention bias, and hair that hasn't been lightened by sun yet. Four effects stacking at once. Your client isn't imagining it — she's accurately reporting a real sensation and drawing the wrong conclusion.
And finally, the client for whom this isn't entirely a myth. Dermaplaning skews toward women in the exact age window where perimenopause, PCOS, and other androgen shifts can produce genuine terminal facial hair. If your answer is a brisk "that's a myth," you've dismissed her and missed a clinical signal. We cover how to redirect to a medical referral without ever stepping outside your scope.
In this episode:
Why the myth is structurally impossible, not just unsupportedThe 1928 and 1970 studies — methodology, findings, and honest limitationsFour perceptual effects that make regrowth feel thicker when it isn'tParadoxical hypertrichosis after laser and IPL: the one place this concern is real, and why it doesn't transferThe client whose hair genuinely changed — and how to refer without diagnosingWord-for-word verbiage for the consultation, the skeptical returning client, and the referral conversationProfessional education for licensed estheticians, not medical advice. Follow your state board's scope of practice and refer clinical concerns to a physician.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
I Nicked My Client- What to Do (and Say) When a Treatment Goes Wrong
2026/09/22
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The blade caught instead of gliding. Then there was a tiny bead of red on my client's jaw — and I had two choices: quietly dab it and hope she didn't notice, or stop and tell her.
This episode is about why you always tell her — and exactly how to do it.
If you do this work long enough, something will go wrong. A dermaplaning nick. A wax lift. A peel reaction. It doesn't mean you're bad at your job. But how you handle it decides whether you keep the client or lose her trust for good.
We're covering why clients don't leave over injuries (they leave over how you handled them), what to physically do in the first sixty seconds, word-for-word scripts for owning a mistake in the treatment room, and what to do after she leaves — aftercare, follow-up, documentation, and insurance. Then we get specific about dermaplaning safety and the habits that prevent nicks in the first place.
Because your clients don't need you to be perfect. They need you to be honest.
In this episode:
My dermaplaning nick story — and the choice every esthetician faces in that momentWhy hiding a mistake turns a small injury into a trust problemThe first sixty seconds: stop, name it, treat it, toss the blade, adjust the serviceThe 4-beat formula for talking to a client after an injury: own it, action, expectation, follow-upWord-for-word scripts for a dermaplaning nick, a wax lift, a peel reaction, and the client who finds it at homeHow to apologize the right way (and what not to promise on the spot)The 24-hour follow-up text that turns a complaint into a trust storyIncident documentation and why you should check your insurance policy nowDermaplaning safety: face mapping, blade angle, skin tension, and why you should stop talking during blade workResources mentioned: the in-the-moment scripts, the 24-hour follow-up text, and the aftercare checklist are in the show notes.
This episode is professional education for licensed estheticians, not medical or legal advice. Always follow your state board's infection control and scope-of-practice rules, your insurance carrier's incident reporting requirements, and your product manufacturer's protocols. Refer to a medical provider for anything beyond a superficial injury.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Before You Pick Up the Blade: Dermaplaning Decisions Estheticians Need to Make
2026/09/15
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Dermaplaning is one of the most popular treatments in the esthetics treatment room, but is it appropriate for every client?
In this episode of the Real Skin Pro Podcast, Lisa breaks down dermaplaning from a barrier-first, professional esthetics perspective. We’ll look beyond vellus hair removal and talk about what dermaplaning actually does to the stratum corneum, how it functions as a form of mechanical exfoliation, and why skin analysis should always come before picking up the blade.
We’re also diving into dermaplaning and corneotherapy. If corneotherapy focuses on preserving and supporting the stratum corneum, where does a treatment that intentionally removes superficial corneocytes fit? Lisa shares why understanding corneotherapy doesn’t necessarily mean eliminating dermaplaning, but it can change how estheticians think about exfoliation, barrier health, and treatment selection.
We’ll cover barrier impairment, sensitive skin, active acne and inflammation, home-care considerations, treatment stacking, dermaplaning technique, pressure, skin tension, and knowing when NOT to perform the treatment.
Because being a skilled esthetician isn’t just about knowing how to perform a service. It’s knowing how to look at the skin in front of you and ask:
Does this treatment make sense for this skin today?
Perfect for licensed estheticians, esthetics students, new estheticians, and skin professionals who want to strengthen their skin analysis and treatment customization skills.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
What Actually Makes Someone a Good Esthetician?
2026/09/08
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What actually makes someone a great esthetician? Is it advanced certifications, expensive devices, trending treatments, or a packed service menu?
In this episode of the Real Skin Pro Education Podcast, we’re looking beyond the tools and techniques to talk about the skills that truly matter in the treatment room.
From client consultation and skin analysis to critical thinking, treatment planning, communication, and knowing when NOT to treat, these foundational esthetician skills can make a bigger difference than simply adding another modality to your menu.
Whether you’re a new esthetician, esthetics student, experienced skin therapist, or beauty professional working to build more confidence behind the treatment bed, this quick episode is a reminder that becoming a better esthetician isn’t always about learning how to do more. It’s about understanding the skin, making intentional treatment decisions, and knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing.
In this episode:
• What separates a good esthetician from a great one
• Why consultation and skin analysis matter
• Developing critical thinking and professional judgment
• Why more devices and certifications don’t automatically make you a better esthetician
• Knowing when to modify or skip a treatment
• Building confidence as an esthetician
• Creating thoughtful, client-centered treatment plans
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
The Contraindication Talk- How to Reschedule a Client Without Losing Them
2026/09/01
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Your client is in the chair and just told you she started Accutane. Now what? This episode covers the esthetician contraindications that catch you off guard, the pre-treatment advice that prevents them, and the exact word-for-word verbiage to reschedule a client without losing her trust.
Every esthetician has been there: the client is in the chair, her jacket's off, she took a half day off work — and then she mentions the medication, the filler, the sunburn, the retinol she never stopped. And you've got about four seconds to decide whether you're going to say the hard thing.
This episode is about being the esthetician who says it — and having the words ready so it doesn't cost you the client.
We're covering the difference between absolute and relative contraindications (and why that distinction changes how you talk to clients), the contraindications that ambush you most often in the treatment room, and the pre-treatment advice and pre-care texts that stop the ambush before it ever starts. Then we get into the part nobody teaches you in esthetics school: the actual verbiage. Word-for-word reschedule scripts for five real scenarios — the Accutane client, the fresh filler, the client who didn't stop her retinol, the cold sore, and the sunburn.
Because "I can't help you" and "I can't help you today, and here's when I can" are two completely different sentences — and clients can hear the difference.
In this episode:
Absolute vs. relative contraindications, and why almost every conversation you're dreading is a relative oneIsotretinoin (Accutane): where the research actually stands, why you should still hold the conservative line, and what to do about written clearanceThe two-week rule for neurotoxin and filler — and why clients never think to tell you about injectablesRetinoids, recent sun exposure, cold sores, pregnancy, blood thinners, and the honorable-mention contraindications that get missedHow to write an intake form that gets honest answers (hint: ask by name)The exact pre-care text to automate 48–72 hours before every appointmentFive word-for-word scripts for rescheduling a client due to a contraindicationThe one sentence to keep in your back pocket for any contraindication conversationWhy documentation protects your license — and why turning a client away is the best referral engine you haveThis episode is professional education for licensed estheticians, not medical advice. Always follow your state board's scope of practice, your insurance carrier's requirements, and your product manufacturer's protocols.
Every esthetician has been there: the client is in the chair, her jacket's off, she took a half day off work — and then she mentions the medication, the filler, the sunburn, the retinol she never stopped. And you've got about four seconds to decide whether you're going to say the hard thing.
This episode is about being the esthetician who says it — and having the words ready so it doesn't cost you the client.
We're covering the difference between absolute and relative contraindications (and why that distinction changes how you talk to clients), the contraindications that ambush you most often in the treatment room, and the pre-treatment advice and pre-care texts that stop the ambush before it ever starts. Then we get into the part nobody teaches you in esthetics school: the actual verbiage. Word-for-word reschedule scripts for five real scenarios — the Accutane client, the fresh filler, the client who didn't stop her retinol, the cold sore, and the sunburn.
Because "I can't help you" and "I can't help you today, and here's when I can" are two completely different sentences — and clients can hear the difference.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
"But I'm Certified" — The Most Dangerous Sentence in Esthetics
2026/08/25
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Your certification is not a license — and confusing the two is the fastest way to lose one.
In this episode we take on esthetician scope of practice: the topic almost nobody in the industry explains clearly, because almost nobody selling you training has an incentive to.
Estheticians are marketed advanced treatments in weekend certification courses, sold devices by reps with financing plans, and left to assume that a certificate on the wall means legal authorization. It doesn't. Certificates are issued by private companies. Licenses are issued by states — and only states get to define what you're allowed to do.
We break down the one question most state boards actually use to draw the line: does the treatment work on the surface of the skin, or does it wound living tissue below the epidermis? Once you understand that principle, every confusing rule about peel strength, needle depth, and laser classification starts making sense.
In this episode:
Why there is no federal esthetician license — and why two different state boards can both have authority over the same treatmentThe chemical peel percentage myth: why depth of action, not the number on the bottle, is the legal standardMicroneedling laws by state — how the same treatment can be flatly prohibited in California, capped at 0.5 mm in Arizona, and permitted to 1.5 mm for master estheticians in UtahWhat the FDA's 2018 reclassification of microneedling devices from Class III to Class II actually means for youWhy RF microneedling is the biggest red flag in esthetics training right nowThe medical director myth: what legally valid delegation requires, and why a name on a wall isn't supervisionThe professional liability gap — why out-of-scope services may leave you personally uninsuredThe one question to ask any trainer or device rep before you sign upA four-step method to verify your own state's rules and get the answer in writingThis episode is general education, not legal advice. Scope rules vary by state and change regularly — North Carolina reversed its own dermaplaning position in two years. Always verify with your state board directly and request written confirmation before adding any service to your menu.
If you've ever asked a Facebook group what percentage peel you're allowed to use and gotten forty different answers, this episode is for you.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
The Consultation Is the Treatment: Why We Ask What We Ask
2026/08/18
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Welcome to Season 2 of Real Skin Pro Education, the podcast for estheticians, skincare professionals, and esthetics students who want real, practical guidance for the treatment room. In this episode, your host — a licensed esthetician and esthetics educator with over 17 years of hands-on experience — dives deep into one of the most overlooked parts of any esthetics appointment: the client consultation.
You'll learn why the client consultation process is just as important as the facial itself, the essential skincare consultation questions every esthetician should be asking, and the clinical reasoning behind each one. This episode covers esthetics best practices for client intake, skin analysis, informed consent, and documentation — plus the common client consultation mistakes that can cost estheticians repeat business. Whether you're a licensed esthetician, a skincare student, or an aspiring esthetics educator, this episode will change how you approach every client consultation from now on.
Topics covered in this episode:
Why the client consultation is the foundation of every successful esthetics treatmentEssential client intake questions — and the clinical reasoning behind each oneHow to ask better skincare consultation questions that build client trustEsthetics best practices for skin analysis, informed consent, and documentationHow to avoid common client consultation mistakes in the treatment roomReal talk from 17+ years as a working esthetician and esthetics educatorWhether you're building your esthetics career, growing your skincare business, or studying for your esthetician license, this episode is packed with practical, real-world guidance on client consultation best practices you can use in your very next appointment.
Resources & Links
Real Skin Pro Treatment Room Companion App
Become a subscriber for instant access to skin analysis guides, treatment room resources, consultation tools, ingredient education, skin condition references, and continually updated professional education designed for licensed estheticians and esthetics students.
🔗 Subscribe here: https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
Website
Learn more about education, resources, workshops, coaching, and upcoming opportunities.
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com
🎙 Connect with Me
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Private Facebook Group for Pros: https://www.facebook.com/groups/930389736385647
Email: [email protected]
📚 Free Resources
Download free cheat sheets, educational tools, and other esthetics resources here:
🔗 https://www.realskinpro.com/app-landing-page
⭐ Enjoying the podcast?
If this episode helped you become a more confident esthetician, I'd truly appreciate it if you would:
• Follow the podcast
• Leave a rating and review
• Share this episode with another esthetician or esthetics student
Every share helps grow our professional community and allows me to continue creating free educational content for our industry.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Information shared is designed to support professional learning and should always be used within your scope of practice and in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Episode 12: Chat with Katie Marshall of MBK Acne Detective
2026/07/14
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For our Season Finale, I'm joined by Katie Marshall, creator of the MBK Acne Detective course for estheticians. In this conversation, we dive into holistic acne management, investigative approaches to stubborn acne cases, and the importance of looking beyond the surface when supporting acne clients.
Join us as we discuss education, critical thinking, and empowering estheticians to become true acne detectives in their treatment rooms.
Take advantage of the special pricing for the MBK Acne Detective Course Here:
https://www.mebykatie.com/mbk-acne-detective-professional-estheticians-course
And get your: The Holistic Acne Business Checklist (free guide)
https://www.mebykatie.com/business-checklist
You can find Katie on Instagram @mebykatie
For Real Skin Pro Education Cheat Sheets:
FREE Acne Assessment Cheat Sheet:
https://www.realskinpro.com/coming-soon-02
FREE Skin Barrier Cheat Sheet:
https://www.realskinpro.com/registration
See you in a few weeks with fresh episodes of the Real Skin Pro Education Podcast!
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Real Talk with Lisa: Why I Started This Podcast
2026/07/07
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Before the science, the treatments, and the education, there was a journey.
In this special solo episode, I'm stepping away from the textbooks and sharing the story behind Real Skin Pro Education. I talk about how I got started in esthetics, the experiences that shaped my career, the challenges I faced, and why I became so passionate about raising the standard of education in our industry.
If you've ever wondered why I'm so passionate about evidence-based skincare, honest conversations, and helping estheticians grow with confidence, this episode is for you.
Whether you're a new esthetician, a seasoned professional, or someone who simply loves skincare, I hope this episode reminds you that every expert has a story... and sometimes the hardest seasons become the reason we can help others.
Thanks for being here and for being part of this journey.
@real_skinpro
[email protected]
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Episode 11: The Holistic Acne Management Framework
2026/06/30
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Ep 11: The Holistic Acne Management Framework | A Science-Based Roadmap to Healthier Skin
Acne management isn't about finding one miracle product. It's about creating a plan.
In this episode of Real Skin Pro Education, we're bringing together everything we've discussed throughout our Acne Awareness Month series and introducing a holistic, science-based framework for managing acne.
You'll learn why successful acne management goes beyond cleansers and spot treatments, and how home care, professional treatments, skin barrier health, nutrition, stress, sleep, hormones, and realistic expectations all play a role in achieving healthier skin.
We'll also discuss how to build an effective acne routine, the best ingredients for different acne concerns, treatment room modalities that support acne-prone skin, and why consistency is one of the most overlooked components of successful acne management.
Whether you're an esthetician, skincare professional, or someone navigating your own acne journey, this episode will help you move away from chasing quick fixes and toward a long-term strategy rooted in skin science.
In This Episode:
• The five pillars of holistic acne management
• Building an effective home care routine
• Professional acne treatments and treatment room modalities
• Why skin barrier health matters
• The role of nutrition, sleep, stress, and hormones
• The best skincare ingredients for acne-prone skin
• LED therapy, chemical peels, enzyme therapy, and extractions
• Setting realistic expectations for acne improvement
• Creating a personalized acne management plan
Key Takeaway:
Healthy skin isn't built by attacking acne. It's built by understanding how the skin functions and creating an environment where it can heal, recover, and thrive.
Connect with Lisa:
Instagram: @real_skinpro
[email protected]
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow skincare professional or someone struggling with acne.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Ep 10: Acne Scars, Acne Marks & Hyperpigmentation: What's the Difference?
2026/06/29
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Ep 10: Acne Scars, Acne Marks & Hyperpigmentation | Treatment Room Solutions, Modalities & Realistic Results
Do you actually have acne scars... or are they acne marks?
Many people assume every mark left behind after a breakout is a scar, but that's one of the biggest misconceptions in skincare. In this episode of Real Skin Pro Education, we're breaking down the important differences between post-inflammatory erythema (PIE), post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and true acne scars, and why correctly identifying each condition is the key to successful treatment.
We'll discuss how acne scars form, why some people develop pigmentation while others develop redness, and which professional skincare treatments, modalities, and ingredients are most appropriate for each concern. You'll also learn when acne scars require referral to a medical provider and why realistic expectations are one of the most important parts of the healing process.
Whether you're an esthetician, skincare professional, or someone recovering from acne, this episode will help you better understand what you're seeing in the mirror and how to create a treatment plan based on skin science instead of guesswork.
In This Episode:
• The difference between acne scars, PIE, and PIH
• Why not every acne mark is permanent
• How inflammation contributes to redness, pigmentation, and scarring
• Ice pick, boxcar, rolling, hypertrophic, and keloid scars explained
• Treatment room modalities including LED therapy, chemical peels, enzyme therapy, microneedling, and nano infusion
• Home care ingredients that support healing, including azelaic acid, retinoids, niacinamide, vitamin C, and ceramides
• Why sunscreen is essential for post-acne healing
• When estheticians should refer clients for advanced scar treatments
• Realistic timelines and expectations for improving acne scars and acne marks
Key Takeaway:
Not every mark left behind by acne is a scar. Understanding whether you're dealing with redness, pigmentation, or structural scarring allows you to choose treatments that are appropriate, effective, and based on the biology of the skin.
Connect with Lisa:
Instagram: @real_skinpro
[email protected]
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow esthetician, skincare professional, or anyone navigating life after acne.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Bonus Episode- Accutane Explained- What it is, How it Works, and What You Need to Know
2026/06/18
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Accutane is one of the most effective and most misunderstood acne treatments available.
In this special bonus episode of Real Skin Pro Education, we're taking a deep dive into isotretinoin, commonly known by its former brand name, Accutane. We'll discuss how this powerful medication works, who it may be appropriate for, what the treatment process looks like, common side effects, and the growing trend of low-dose or "microdosed" Accutane.
You'll learn why isotretinoin is unique among acne treatments, how it targets all four major contributors to acne development, and what clients can realistically expect before, during, and after treatment. We'll also cover the iPLEDGE program, considerations for both male and female patients, and how estheticians can safely support clients undergoing treatment.
Whether you're an esthetician, skincare professional, or someone considering isotretinoin for acne management, this episode will help you better understand the facts behind one of dermatology's most powerful acne treatments.
In This Episode:
• What Accutane (isotretinoin) is and how it works
• Who is a candidate for isotretinoin treatment
• The Accutane treatment process from start to finish
• Understanding the iPLEDGE program
• Why pregnancy prevention is critical during treatment
• How isotretinoin affects male patients
• Expected treatment timelines and outcomes
• Common side effects including dry skin, dry lips, and increased sensitivity
• Less common but important side effects that require monitoring
• The relationship between Accutane and mental health
• The rise of low-dose and microdosed Accutane
• Professional treatment considerations for estheticians
• Barrier-supporting ingredients that may help improve skin comfort during treatment
• How to safely support clients receiving isotretinoin therapy
Key Takeaway:
Accutane isn't a miracle and it isn't a monster. It's a powerful medication that can significantly improve acne for the right candidate when used under proper medical supervision. Understanding the benefits, risks, and realities of treatment allows patients and skincare professionals to make informed decisions and provide appropriate support throughout the process.
Connect with Lisa:
Instagram: @real_skinpro
[email protected]
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow esthetician, skincare professional, or anyone considering Accutane treatment.
Real Skin Pro Education is dedicated to helping estheticians think differently, treat skin intentionally, and create real, lasting results.
Follow along for more advanced skin education and insights.
Instagram: @real_skinpro
Podcast reviews
Read Real Skin Pro Education podcast reviews
Steph228 2026/09/09
Ready to binge
Informative, solid advice with a down to earth approach. Love it!
sofialiberace 2026/04/28
Very informative
Love it definitely recommend
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