Welcome to this week's episode of Beauty Babble.
Today we're talking about life after aesthetic school and we are joined by Maylene, certified
esthetician who's going to fill us in on how the last year and a half have been for
her.
Hi, Maylene.
Hi.
So, Maylene, it's been a year and a half after grad.
Tell us what it's been like.
Very interesting, lots of learning curves and...
Can you be specific?
What was your biggest, if you can say, or your top three learnings that you maybe were surprised
about or that you were pleasantly surprised about or shockingly surprised about?
Unpleasantly, yeah.
I'd say learning how it is in the real life world rather than kind of fake scenarios in
school, which has been a little bit different.
Do you have a story about that?
Not specifically right now.
I'd say kind of going with the flow of having cancellations and walk-ins rather than having
a set schedule.
So having to adapt quickly to the changes in your date.
And how did you find for preparing for those last-minute walk-ins?
There's not really much you can prepare.
You just kind of have to learn to go with the flow and always be ready for anything.
Expect the unexpected.
Exactly.
Yeah, that's so true.
It can be challenging, those walk-ins, especially if you're just finished off a treatment and
you're not cleaned.
Exactly, yeah.
You have to have things ready to go.
So did you find that you had to kind of change your mindset about how to prepare for these
things?
Was it an easy transition?
No, it took a few times to...
That's fair, yeah, of course.
And that's what this is about, is just being honest and helping others that are maybe in
school right now or just starting out to see the challenges are normal.
I had the same thing when I finished school 30 some years ago and it hasn't changed.
So if you look at it, when you finish school of any kind of training, these are the bumps
you go through and you get the best you can get out of the education side.
They try to give you what they can, but like you said, the real life world of it is a huge
teaching tool to go through and every person, every time, is going to be probably present
itself differently, right?
Yeah, I always think too, part of it is that thing, if you're not cleaning right after
your service and you're like, oh, I'm just going to go grab a snack, then I'll clean
first.
Exactly.
Then grab your snack because that's when your walk-in client will come in.
Yeah, when you at least expect.
Yeah.
And you think you have more time to do some.
Absolutely.
Get it done first and then...
Yeah.
Do you find that the clients maybe noticed that?
Yeah, I definitely...
That you didn't look prepared or you thought something you felt or...
Yeah, you can feel when they kind of see you maybe rushing a little bit or seem a little
unfocused with...
Right.
Yeah, so just make them pick up on.
Right, especially if you're in the hair salon and a client all of a sudden they put you
on the spot saying, yeah, maybe you have time for brow acts and the shape.
Yeah, and then it's like they're right there.
And they're right there in front of you and it's probably the first time you're meeting
them too, right?
Yeah.
So we all know how important those first impressions are to you, but...
And you manage to ease it into it and make it all good for them, I'm sure.
Yeah.
And then you actually practice.
You said there was a few other things.
So that was one challenge about those last minute, be ready for the changes.
And have you ever had it during a service where a client you think is coming in for
one thing and it turns out it's completely different and you're all set up and ready
to go?
That's happened, but more so with you think they are just getting one service and then
end up being a little more than that, which has been okay, like depending on your schedule,
sometimes you'll have to push back a few clients, which happens sometimes by a few minutes.
And how did you handle that?
It was okay.
I just kind of give a heads up to the next person to let them know, like you're running
a few minutes behind just so that they're prepared.
Good.
And did you have, like, did you have to do that yourself or did you have some kind of
contact?
No, luckily usually we had like a receptionist to call ahead.
So really important that communication, giving them heads up, especially if they're rushing
to come see you.
Yeah, exactly.
So you didn't find out you're 15, 20 years or half a month?
Yeah, it's better to let them know as soon as possible so they're not...
Right.
Do you have an example of that happening?
Yeah, like I've had, like, say a Brazilian wax and then they wanted to do their brows
on top of that, which isn't too much longer, but just to let the next person you have know.
Yeah.
Because I'd have like...
Brows can take a while.
Yeah.
I'm not sure if you've never had that person before because they have to shape, figure
out their face, their contour, what would they like, you know.
So for sure I can see that taking some time.
I had, okay, side note, I had once a client come in to get their brows done and they brought
a picture, but their brows look nothing to like the picture.
And that was before I did microblading and I was like, how about we work with the shape
you have?
That's been something that comes up when your client wants something that you can't
provide that exact thing for them, but you can, you kind of have to communicate and let
them know how close you can get to that or it's better to always let them know beforehand.
Do you find that you learned that more so when you got out into the industry?
Yeah.
Because how do they prepare you in school for something like that, right?
We were always told to let our client know how long they need to grow their hair out
and things like that, but once I got into working in aesthetics, I don't know if we had a policy
up about it, so once I had a lady that came in and her hair was too short.
So that was something I had to prepare for.
To let her know it might not all come along.
So I think it's important to set your policies and instructions.
Yeah, that's absolutely.
And then it's consistent, especially if you're working with others.
So I have to ask the, a hard question now.
Okay.
That's favorite.
Have you had the situation of a disappointed or upset client for whatever it was that you
were running late or you couldn't provide the shape of the brow they wanted or you know
what I mean by the scenarios that are out there?
Did you have that happen yet?
I have.
I mean, I was just mentioning to the changing client that kind of makes you step back a
couple steps and say, whoa, what was I expecting this?
Yeah.
Though I was just actually mentioning part of it how one lady came in and her hair was
a little too short for the service.
She was getting a few waxes done.
So during her first one, I let her know kind of in the middle of the service that it might
not all come out, which was my mistake.
I should have let her know before because you always want to have them expect less and
then provide more.
Just so they're more.
Oh, I like that.
Yeah.
That's a good statement.
Just so they're not disappointed.
You always want to provide the best and sometimes their hair is too short.
There's nothing you can do about it.
Let's grow it out first.
But yeah.
And how did she?
She wasn't too happy with it.
I think more of the circumstances she was going on a trip, she was about to leave.
It was kind of, yeah, disappointing.
So part of it was my fault in not letting her know right away, but also another part was
not knowing myself if it would all come off too.
So I did, I could have let her know, but I guess I didn't know the rule of thumb on
how long it should be since shaping her.
Did you ask her like one of the last time you shaved or waxed?
Kind of did after I let her know that this might not all come off, but yeah.
Yes, we're going to have a discussion on the importance of consultation in all services.
Right?
We use a lot of it for maybe a briefing on the phone, for the waxing, make sure it's
half an inch longer, a quarter of an inch or whatever the policies are.
We definitely, I think, do a better job when it comes to facials because we sit down and
that's part of the training.
But I think it's a statement that we need to recognize that if you do it at the beginning
of a service or the pre-consultation on the phone, there's questions that you can ask
that client, like going on a trip, do you have a special occasion, you can start preparing
that client to what to expect.
What eases off you, the service provider, that that's already been given if possible.
Yeah.
Especially waxing.
I feel like waxing is one of those services where it seems like everybody thinks it's
really easy and you're just going to go in and out, but that is an important one too,
especially over the phone.
Especially as the service provider, you're used to doing it all the time so you kind
of know what's going to happen, but for them, they could be the first time ever.
Yeah.
So do you treat them like it's their first time every time?
Yeah.
Maybe, you know, we kind of fall into complaints and comfort and we forget to mention it.
Exactly.
We have a lot of databases every time and so I always found for me what helped was, you
know, having a busy day booked back to back.
I'd look in my morning, I'd come in a little earlier.
No, I wasn't on the clock.
I would just do it for myself so I was prepared and look at my day and say, okay, I've got
this going on, this, this, and then I kind of had my head ready for my morning, you
know, had my lunch and then sometimes have lunch.
You know, busy things are, I'm fine, this thing's happened, but there's always time
for it and then prepare myself for afternoon, right?
And then those last minute, doing a pedicure in Susandia, time for like a quick brow shaping.
It's like, you know, let me just check my schedule and sometimes I could do it and I
was like, because that's something I always tried was like you said, what was your statement
again about to help them to expect?
You want to prepare them for kind of less than what you're going to give them?
Yeah, so when you deliver more, it's like a big, bigger statement.
It's, they're more grateful to it kind of.
You don't want to over promise.
Exactly.
Over promise under deliver that statement.
Do you find that, I'm not sure if you know of anyone else, if you kept in touch with
anyone from school, but do you think this is common like for a lot of grads after?
Yeah, definitely.
We kind of had an idea, like for the waxing one again, how long it should be, but there
was never really like the rule of thumb.
So at that moment when I had that client, I didn't know the three to four week period,
which I couldn't tell her.
So I kind of had to say, I don't think it's going to all come off.
Oh yeah.
That's true.
Yeah.
So what has been one of the most positive surprising, these are actually all good though, because
it helps you grow as a service planner.
It's so important because you've learned tools now, what to use and how to say things and
maybe different people's personalities.
I mean, that's something that they never touch on in school is personalities and how to speak
to different people and how to work with different people and still honor yourself.
You're still you and you're the professional, you're the provider, but you will have to
deliver the message probably 10 different ways in its day.
So what is something that you felt was surprisingly positive that whether you have a story or
a scenario or something that you discovered that was like, wow, I didn't realize how important
that was and how good it feels to be this way or to say this or does that make sense?
Yeah.
I think it was always important to be confident during your service, during consultation service
and then afterwards as well if you have to give it aftercare, just because I think the
client will feel more confident and better about how the service is going to go when
you feel like you're going to give a good service.
And when that feeling, when you finally had that full connection, how did it make you
feel?
Really good.
Yeah.
Really good like, yes, nail that one.
That was a good one, right?
I know those are the best feelings.
I mean, you got to celebrate those moments because sometimes it's not the case.
Exactly.
So you could have done everything if you had that happen yet.
You've done everything and what you could do and you thought it went really well and
whatever reason it's still, I mean, I could go on with many stories.
Not that it was a horrible thing, but in the end what I learned from all that is a lot
of times it's not us, the provider, it's what's going on in their day.
And I remember that first, you know, aha moment if you wish, if, oh, it's not me, it's them.
And that was quite a while ago, but I remember the client and all of a sudden she was just
really, really upset and I can't remember what the reason was.
That's too long.
I just remember the experience and the feeling and she said, you just don't understand.
And I actually said, well, help me understand what's going on.
And then she broke down and cried because I just found out my mom was sick and like,
it was a lot of personal.
And then just ironically, I said, why don't you just come sit down over here and I'll
make you a tea.
You don't need to leave yet.
And like, because I don't, I said, no, no, come over here.
I'll find you a space.
I sat her down and said, have a tea in a private room and then the music was going and I said,
you know, take your time and if there's something else we can do, I'll come check in on you
in a few minutes.
And she just said, oh my God, that was the best thing you could have done and I had nothing
to do with the service anymore.
It was just, that is what the final.
How you taught you on the cake was cherry.
Yeah.
But I mean, you can still try it and it's still.
Yeah.
You can do everything right in the service, but still have someone unhappy, which is what
happens, but as long as you did everything.
And then the other within your ability to do.
Yeah.
And then what about like, how did your day go?
Like when it doesn't settle and how do you like shake that off and be ready for your
next client who comes in all excited to say, hi, Milly.
Right here.
Right.
And you're just like, oh God.
Yeah.
Okay.
Sometimes you try and like think, what did I do wrong?
But I don't know.
Sometimes it's not always you, but it isn't.
And I think sometimes it's personality.
Yeah.
Sometimes you just don't click with your clients or they don't click with you.
You're just not the right fit for them and they have to find somebody who is the right
fit.
I think that has a lot to do with it.
So you try your best and sometimes it's not in your control.
Yeah.
In the moment, it kind of, you turn into a chameleon a little bit so that at least they
have something positive to say.
Yeah.
Right.
And I think that's a huge part that I think we missed just in our customer service in
general today.
Yeah.
And when you're building a clientele and you're trying to grow your clientele or your business,
you have to recognize that, no, the customer is not always right.
They're almost always right.
Almost.
Within reason.
Yeah.
And if you work for someone else, then you have that ability to pass that on when they
want to see a manager, right?
Or someone above or someone who they can speak to about it.
But when you're your own boss, you're a self employed, you're doing your own thing, you
are it.
So you even have to have more tools in your toolbox on how to handle those things.
But like you said, it's so important to have those policies and procedures in place of
what to expect.
And that's a huge thing, I think that a lot of trial and errors when you discover how
important they are to have it preset up before you even begin is really important.
Yeah.
I think when you have a different, like a wide set of clientele, you kind of have to
adapt your personality to fit with them and their needs.
Yeah.
Like if you have a little bit of an older client, the topics you discuss, kind of, if
you talk during your appointment, kind of what you discuss and how you say things is
a little bit different for each person.
And did you always know that?
No, it was something I learned as I went on.
Yeah.
Very interesting.
Yeah.
Like culturally, my upbringing was a level of respect for someone older than me.
So I already had that in my life, but I knew friends or colleagues that never had that
and they would just get reamed out by the client.
I was like, well, why would you talk to the client?
Like I was shocked and I realized, oh, my upbringing helped me with my career and my
job experiences and everything that I was doing prior to this industry, even though
I started young, but I started working really young.
But I was just kind of curious if that's part of it because that's how I'm sharing
it because sometimes if you don't realize that it's, you know.
Yeah.
And some people don't maybe have that as they grew up, but for me, I kind of felt like I
tried to be respectful to everyone, but then with some people I didn't have to feel as
reserved if that makes sense.
Yeah.
And yeah, just kind of mesh with their personalities more.
Do you find that now I'm on to another thing?
What about the conversations behind the door with the client?
Because I know, I mean, the stuff that my clients would say, I would just listen and
huh, mm-hmm, okay, and no judgment.
I knew that, they'd click, never judge, and it's okay.
Or when they were having very difficult times, and I remember young clients, I had them for
10 years and then hearing their terrible things that are going on in their lives and how it
just like, it's heart-wrenching to hear it.
And some of the conversations were, you know, they would get inappropriate too.
Have you had that happen?
Yeah.
Okay, how do you handle that?
Oh, I want to know what the details though.
Okay.
Sorry.
I've had a group of these two ladies who came that were under the influence a little bit.
You have to say it.
Yeah.
And so they were a little bit, don't know how to word it.
Inappropriate?
Yeah, a little bit.
Like the topics they were talking about?
Yeah.
Like with each other or to you?
With each other and kind of...
With you.
With me.
They included you.
Yeah.
A little bit with the space.
It was, you know, moving around, touching things.
Oh.
Like supplies.
Oh, I think it's the object.
Yeah.
So I did one of the ladies and then I just let my manager know that that was going on
just so she knew and she said as long as everything was safe then it was fine to continue.
So just proceeded to do so.
It was interesting.
It was nothing bad.
It was kind of funny and...
Yeah.
They were having a good time.
Wow, that's funny.
Yeah.
Interesting.
So I know when you've been to, like you've worked at other salons and spas and your latest
venture where you're working.
You get to experience a little different things happening.
Yeah.
And you said that you were surprised of, you know, oh, I get to learn a little more of
the backs side of the business.
Yeah.
Do you want to share a little bit of what you do on that?
Yeah.
So you mix, you've got a unique situation, right?
You're mixing doing clients and you're in your day and then all of a sudden, you know,
you're jumping on a podcast with Jareena myself.
Seeing all that.
And then all of a sudden, you've got to run off and go fix a little something on a website
or, you know, help with an order that came through.
Yeah.
Or social media.
Social media.
And you're, all of a sudden, you're taking reels.
And how do you find that balance in your day of, you know, tell us a little more about
all that?
It was interesting, like, working just doing aesthetics.
I kind of just had, like, one or two lines to work with and that was all I knew.
And then coming here, I get to kind of hear the backstory of how these products are made,
the importance of ingredients and quality.
And then with the marketing side, I guess, or the website, you got to kind of get to
see how customers and clientele would take in that information, how you want to present
it is really important.
Yeah.
So just learning kind of more product knowledge about everything, comparing different lines
to each other and how they kind of all have similar aspects, but just put in different
ways, if that makes sense.
Yeah, it absolutely makes sense.
And I want to clarify by here, you mean beauty cults?
Yes.
Yeah.
We can say it.
We can say, yeah.
So you're working for beauty cults, so you get a blend of doing aesthetics on clients,
that you're also at that back end beauty supplier, learning about products, about, you know, like
you said, how clients interact with the products.
Yeah.
Do you find that learning ingredients is really important?
Because sometimes that's a common thread between different lines.
So if you know one ingredient, you might know how it works, regardless of what line it's
with.
Yeah, it's important, I think, also for clients to know what they're using, and it helps if
you can educate them more, that can help convince them that they need the product or whatever
it is.
Yeah, because you think that your goal would be to your own spot, one bit, right?
Yeah, eventually.
And this kind of, we've had some good chats about it.
That's much future though, that's down the line.
Yeah.
That's easy.
Tell me about it.
I don't know the goal.
Tell me about yourself.
I would like to have like my own space one day.
I think this helps to see all aspects of business.
And then meeting people, right?
Because some do it at other homes.
Yeah.
Do rental for a room.
Yeah.
Different ways that it's set up.
Yeah, exactly.
Is there any way that you're looking that you kind of went, oh, I didn't think of that.
That's very interesting about that way of doing it.
Like were you always set on a location on its own, have a spa, staff, that type of idea?
Or where were your thoughts on your own business one day?
I don't know if I would have it where I'd employ and have it as a big area.
I think, especially within the last few years, it's been a little easier to do it home based.
And just.
And do you know that coming out of school already?
Not really.
I would see different spas and they have like 20 employees or whatever it is.
And you kind of think.
And you hear all the challenges going on?
No.
You can say it.
Yeah, it just seemed like a little bit more doable.
I think when I was in school and now it's kind of more realistic that it can't be that
big right away at least.
Yeah, stepping stones into the different goals.
And I also, I think coming out of school, I kind of thought I could start it right away,
but I realized it's a lot different when you get out of school.
You kind of have to help lead yourself.
If that makes sense, be a little bit more independent, gain actual experience and really.
Yeah, and build your clientele.
Yeah.
And build yourself in the industry.
So I wanted to just being aware of time.
I just wanted to find out from you why you chose aesthetics.
What was the driving goal or desire or passion behind your choice to get into this industry?
I always had an interest in it.
I took a course in high school for it and was really into it and then found out about
all the other services that there was.
I only knew like facial waxing.
And then.
Oh right, because that's all that was at school.
Yeah.
At high school, right?
Yeah.
And then I heard about the course that I was going to take and there was a lot more services
that I didn't know about.
So.
Okay.
So just a general kind of interest in the entire industry.
Was there one service when you started that you're like, this is my favorite?
I'd say facials.
It started off that way.
And what is it now?
It still is.
But I got a lot more into the brows, waxing, nominations, tinting, especially like within
the last couple of years when everyone would wear a mask.
It was kind of the only defining signature.
Yeah.
That's so neat.
You've got to try it.
Yeah.
And yeah, I don't know.
I really like it.
So on that note, it's important to keep an open mind.
Yeah, definitely.
You go in thinking that you're only going to do one thing or like one thing maybe, but
you end up seeing a lot more.
Well, you also end up really cocooning yourself into one thing when, you know, your brow client,
you develop that relation, could turn into that waxing.
Yeah, exactly.
Or could turn into your facial client.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
So when you, you know, kind of, I think that mistake I'm going to be a, it's not a mistake.
It's just, you've got to think about broader if you're putting yourself into it.
I find a lot of people, they start out like doing everything and before they know it,
they're specializing.
Yeah, exactly.
Right?
But you stay open to others.
But that happens organically too.
That's right.
Yeah.
Like I, for myself, I got more and more people into, with facials just because the amount
of learning you've got to do.
So I was very passionate about it as well.
Yeah.
I went that way a lot, but it kind of went that way for me because then the clients talked
about it.
But I mean, I did waxing, I did nails, I did makeup, I did, like I always tried to make
sure my hands were involved in everything.
Yeah.
So, but I do understand how you can almost navigate to an area because there's so much
to learn in this industry and it's always ongoing, isn't it?
Yeah.
I think it's important to specialize in something to be your main attraction.
If you, to set yourself apart.
Yeah.
And then, but also keep your services open so that you don't close yourself off to opportunity.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Excellent.
So if you could tell someone in school right now.
Or considering going to school.
I actually don't know what your question is.
I don't know why I interjected.
No, but that's true.
It could go either way.
What do you wish you knew or someone had told you at school that you found out, figured
out, went through it here?
If someone just told me, oh, I wish someone just might have said, why wouldn't someone
told me that?
Yeah.
Like that was so important.
What was that for you?
I think the biggest thing was to practice.
Practice.
Practice is your service.
Oh, okay.
I think like it was told to us, of course, but you don't really realize how much you
need it until you get out.
And then- So the skills- Yeah.
And just be more confident in your movement.
What you're doing, even talking to real clients, is really important to practice.
And then someone who's thinking of joining.
I'd say even if you don't want to pursue a career in it, it's a really nice hobby to
have.
Or even just to kind of do it on the side if it's not your main thing that you want
it to.
Yeah.
Or start out with one thing that they think they enjoy.
Because now you don't actually have to go to school here in Canada.
We'll be very specific to this.
There is no regulations in our industry.
That's only over.
Isn't it different provincials?
No, it's right across Canada.
That's all gone now.
Like when I went to school, I had to be licensed in BC.
And see the schedule, wasn't it?
It's all gone now.
But in the States- That's a whole other episode.
Yeah, we won't go into that.
Just saying that.
So here we have that, I guess that benefit of doing that Alucard style of learning.
You can still work full time and take apart time.
Or if you're really passionate, I'm just going to dive in and do the whole thing.
Because this is definitely what I want to do.
But I've met people who have taken just a small course, testing it out.
I think I'd enjoy this.
I think I'd enjoy working from home.
So they try it out with one or two services.
And then they go from home.
And also the financial aspect.
And that too.
Like you can do one, say you start with waxing.
You start that.
And you slowly build, if you're transitioning careers or if you're just starting out, you
can slowly build it out without having to have that big time and financial investment
to go to a full time program.
Yeah.
That was excellent.
Thank you so much for doing this.
Because I think it's important for people to hear.
It's been too long for me to notice like those bad.
And it's changed our society.
It's changed a lot.
I've noticed the difference from 30 years ago to 20, to 15, to 10, to the last five,
to the last three, to one.
Yeah.
And I think it's a unique perspective.
Because a lot of times when we talk to people in the industry, they're always talking to
people who have years and years of experience.
But that's not always relatable to somebody who's thinking about getting into the industry.
So thank you for sharing your insight with us.
Thank you.
About your first year and a half.
Yes.
Nice.
Overall positive it sounds.
Yeah.
That's excellent.
Thanks, Meleane.
Thanks so much.
Thanks for listening to Beauty Babble.