What Does a Beauty Therapist Do? A Detailed Insight for Career Seekers

A beauty therapist is a professional provider of beauty, skincare, and makeup services. With an everyday goal of making clients look and feel their best, it’s no surprise that becoming a beauty therapist is #careergoals for many.

But before you dive into this new profession (makeup brush first), you need an understanding of the role. So, today, we’ll discover the duties and responsibilities of a beauty therapist, how they work, and the educational and professional pathways that can launch your career.

The many roles a beauty therapist can have

A beauty therapist works on the faces and bodies of their clients as a provider of beauty services. These professionals offer non-invasive and non-medical treatments to improve skin appearance, aid relaxation, and help achieve specific skincare goals.

Interested in becoming a beauty therapist? Here are a few career options that might appeal.

• Beautician

A beautician provides various beauty and personal care services, including spray tans, waxing, hair extensions, and facials. Commonly trained with a Certificate III, they may work as a generalist in beauty services.

• Aesthetician

An aesthetician focuses predominantly on skincare, including examining clients’ skin and providing facial treatments to improve them. A medical aesthetician is licensed to work in clinical settings, treating more serious skin conditions like burns and scarring. 

• Beauty therapist 

A beauty therapist is similar to a beautician but is considered more senior. They hold a certificate IV or higher, allowing them to perform a wider scope of services.

• Dermal therapist

These advanced skincare professionals provide a broad range of non-surgical treatments, including laser and light-based treatments, microdermabrasion, and skin needling.

As the beauty industry booms in Australia, the timing is ripe to consider this career. But first, let’s explore the basics of what this role entails.

What does a beauty therapist do?

With so many career opportunities in beauty therapy, there’s no single job description to cover it all. However, these are some of their key duties and responsibilities for an idea of what a beauty therapist does in a typical work week. 

• Skincare treatments like facials, masks, and hair removal.
• Massages, spray tanning, and body treatments.
• Skin analysis of the face and body.
• Makeup and cosmetic application.
• Customer service and building a trusting relationship with all clients.
• Managing appointments, general administration, and finance management.

As an extensive and flexible career, there are many skills to master in beauty therapy. The right qualifications and real-world experience will ensure you build a skillset that helps you excel.

Qualifications and career pathways in beauty therapy

Before launching a career as a beauty therapist, a nationally recognised beauty therapy course is the best place to start. More specifically, a reputable qualification that suits the beauty pathway you want to follow. 

With courses available at certificate and diploma levels, future beauty therapists can shape their careers with the right qualification. Depending on your goals, these are some worth considering.

• A Certificate III in Beauty Therapy can be used to become a beautician or other entry-level beauty therapy role. From here, you may pursue further training and qualifications or continue to specialise in popular generalist services.
• A Diploma of Beauty Therapy [SHB50121] is the best qualification for those training to become a qualified beauty therapist. This qualification provides skills and expertise that allow you to work at a more senior level, including starting your own beauty business.
• The Certificate III in Beauty with Makeup Speciality Dual Qualification [SHB30121 & SHB30221] covers beauty salary treatments and makeup artistry for those wanting a more comprehensive qualification, adding makeup to their skillset. 

With a basic qualification in beauty therapy, you can begin to explore the possibilities of this profession. For many beauty therapists, developing an area of interest and expertise helps them make this career their own.

Turn your career goals into a reality.

A career as a beauty therapist can be rewarding, broad and ever-changing. Consider the study pathways to help you reach your dream profession and speak to Demi International about the next best steps.