Top 18 Aesthetician Careers For Beauty Professionals

Updated 5 April 2023

Aesthetician are skin care professionals who perform cosmetic procedures to help clients enhance their beauty and skin health. Aestheticians can also offer a variety of services to their clients depending on their requirements, like helping create customised beauty regimens. If you are thinking of pursuing a career in the beauty and wellness industry, knowing about the different roles and professions that an aesthetician can pursue can be beneficial. In this article, we discuss 18 top aesthetician careers option for beauty and make-up professionals, along with their salary information and typical responsibilities.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.

Top 18 Aesthetician Careers For Make-Up Professionals

Here are the top 18 options for aesthetician careers:

1. Beauty Consultant

National average salary: ₹19,625 per month

Primary responsibilities: Beauty consultants work in the retail industry, counselling customers, offering personalised services, demonstrating different cosmetic products and answering customer queries. They use their comprehensive knowledge of cosmetics, hair care and skin care to help customers choose relevant products. They might also maintain client relationships via follow-up calls and emails, build and maintain attractive store displays, manage product inventory and perform administrative or clerical tasks.

2. Salon Manager

National average salary: ₹22,259 per month

Primary responsibilities: A salon manager oversees a salon's operations. Their role is to manage the store by keeping the salon fully staffed and supervising everyday activities. They may also market services, goods, and deals to customers. Aesthetician can work as hair or beauty salon managers without extensive professional training or experience. A professional salon management certification can help aestheticians start their careers as salon managers.

3. Bridal Consultant

National average salary: ₹20,696 per month

Primary responsibilities: Bridal consultants are professionals that specialise in helping brides plan their weddings. By learning about fashion trends, designing and styling, aestheticians can work as bridal consultants to help clients select their wedding costume, make-up or jewellery. They help brides, and even grooms, find the right clothes, shoes and accessories by assisting them in choosing the right look for their wedding. Bridal consultants can work for retail stores or operate as self-employed professionals.

4. Waxing Expert

National average salary: ₹23,269 per month

Primary responsibilities: Wax experts use different skin-safe waxes for hair removal. A waxing expert also gets training regarding sanitation, temperature management, pre and post-treatment care and skin problems. They might work at waxing salons, spas, hotels and resorts or offer at-home services.

5. Aesthetician

National average salary: ₹24,896 per month

Primary responsibilities: Aestheticians are cosmetic professionals that specialise in medical skin care techniques. They are certified to propose intensive skincare regimens and recommend medical products for their customers. They also usually assist patients with skin damage to regain or retain healthy skin. They may work at salons, skin spas, medical spas or dermatologist clinics. Aestheticians can obtain the required licenses, certifications and training to perform medical procedures and work as certified beauticians offering specialised services.

6. Eyelash Specialist

National average salary: ₹15,233 per month

Primary responsibilities: An eyelash specialist is a qualified beauty practitioner who may add semi-permanent, thread-like extensions to a person's eyelashes to make them look thicker and longer compared to their natural ones. They typically learn theory and fundamental skills like first aid, regulations, sterilisation, sanitation, bacteriology processes, eyelash extension application and removal. An eyelash specialist may be self-employed and provide treatments at clients' homes, or they may work at a salon.

7. Skin Specialist

National average salary: ₹27,702 per month

Primary responsibilities: A skin specialist uses scrubs, peels and masks to remove dead skin cells and enhance the skin's appearance and health. They may also offer waxing or laser hair removal treatments. Some specialists may also offer special skin care products to use at home at their spas or dermatological clinics. A skin care specialist usually attends a post-secondary or vocational school. These courses include skin care, cosmetic regimens and treatment options and deliver both practical and conventional classroom training.

8. Aesthetician

National average salary: ₹31,627 per month

Primary responsibilities: Aestheticians are skin care experts who provide facials, massages and other cosmetic beauty treatments to treat issues like dry skin, blemishes and wrinkles. They help clients identify the skin type and recommend suitable cleaning and maintenance processes as per individual requirements. Aestheticians require strong interpersonal skills and demonstrate patience while working. While many people assume that the role of an aesthetician and aestheticians is the same, the significant difference is that aestheticians primarily perform cosmetic treatments, aestheticians have a more medical-oriented role and can undertake certain clinical beauty procedures.

9. Stylist

National average salary: ₹21,898 per month

Primary responsibilities: Stylists work for individuals, fashion houses and apparel businesses. Their job mainly includes giving fashion advice, picking and coordinating outfits for models or actors, picking props and accessories and preparing them for shoots. They usually have a degree in fashion merchandising, style or design, though it may not always be necessary. Aestheticians can complete a short-term course on fashion design to offer their services as a stylist. Stylists may also work with individual clients, media publications and e-commerce businesses.

10. Nail Technician

National average salary: ₹18,660 per month

Primary responsibilities: Nail technicians offer nail treatments to consumers in salons and spas. Some technicians may also own and manage their businesses. Their primary job is to clean, file, trim, polish and mend the fingernails and toenails of clients in a professional setting. They consult customers regarding different services and treatments available, such as adding nail extensions or performing manicures and pedicures. There are specialised nail care and styling courses that aestheticians can consider to work as nail technicians.

11. Influencer

National average salary: ₹24,918 per month

Primary responsibilities: An influencer works as an affiliate marketer, usually online, by influencing the buying choices of their audience. Their online presence, especially on social media and blogs, allows them to work with cosmetic businesses and generate content that promotes their goods or services. With comprehensive knowledge of make-up and skin care, aestheticians can build their online brand. As professionals with expert knowledge, they can earn higher credibility with their audience and business collaborators.

12. Hairstylist

National average salary: ₹19,995 per month

Primary responsibilities: A hairstylist washes, cuts, colours and styles hair. They may also educate customers on how to care for their hair and scalp, remove unwanted hair or wear a wig correctly. They also perform different treatments, like hair straightening. While most hairstylists are versatile, many specialise in one niche. Aestheticians who wish to work as hair stylists can train at salons and learn how to handle different types of hair, suggest different styles as per the hair texture and length and perform routine treatments.

13. Make-Up Artist

National average salary: ₹21,828 per month

Primary responsibilities: A makeup artist enhances a person's appearance by enhancing complexion and highlighting features. Makeup artists also create characters and special effects for film, television, photoshoots and theatre. They are usually in high demand during weddings, fashion shoots, corporate headshots and other special events. A competent make-up artist requires excellent customer service skills, creativity, time management skills and an awareness of the latest trends.

14. Laser Technician

National average salary: ₹20,524 per month

Primary responsibilities: A laser technician is a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetologist specialising in conducting speciality treatments for skin and hair using laser technology. The first step to becoming a qualified medical laser technician is to complete a course in cosmetic laser technology. Laser technicians collaborate alongside dermatologists, aestheticians and cosmetic surgeons and require special certifications and licenses. Hair removal, tattoo removal and cellulite reduction are some common treatments that laser specialists perform.

15. Brand Representative

National average salary: ₹23,414 per month

Primary responsibilities: Brand representatives are people who promote a company's brand and products. The representative of the brand does this by endorsing, recommending and referring the company's brand and products to people in their personal network. Aestheticians who manage their own stores and have access to a large network of customers can work as official representatives of cosmetic and beauty brands. The most important skills for these representatives are excellent communication and interpersonal skills, time management and networking.

16. Cosmetologist

National average salary: ₹27,134 per month

Primary responsibilities: A cosmetologist offers cosmetic and specialised skin care treatments. This includes hair cutting and style but may also include facial treatment, skin or nail procedures. Cosmetologists usually work at clinics, salons, spas and resorts. A licenced cosmetologist can also offer medical-oriented processes at their establishments.

17. Spa Manager

National average salary: ₹22,067 per month

Primary responsibilities: A spa manager oversees the daily operations of a spa. They manage the spa's finances, workers and inventory. They also hire staff, offer training sessions and design attractive offers for customers. Spa managers are also typically responsible for ensuring the health and regulatory compliance at spa centres.

18. Hair Colour Specialist

National average salary: ₹28,874 per month

Primary responsibilities: Hair colourists specialise in offering hair styling and colouring services. These specialists trim and style hair, discuss client colour preferences and apply hair care products, such as treatment oils and masks. Hair colourists usually require specialised certifications and training to operate, and aestheticians can complete the same while working with their regular clients. Higher experience can help these specialists earn more by offering personalised services.