Ep 297 – The Pressure of Skin Care: Well-Being Burnout

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0:01:00.8 Maggie Staszcuk: Hello and welcome to ASCP Esty Talk. I'm your co host Maggie Staszcuk and ASCP's program director.

0:01:05.6 Ella Cressman: And I'm Ella Cressman, licensed esthetician, ingredient junkie, and content contributor for Associated Skincare Professionals.

0:01:13.3 MS: Ella, Happy New Year.

0:01:14.6 EC: Happy New Year. How are you?

0:01:18.2 MS: I am good. Glad to see you back here 2025.

0:01:22.0 EC: Are you excited for the new year?

0:01:23.4 MS: I am so excited.

0:01:24.8 EC: Me too. I can't wait.

0:01:25.9 MS: In 2024, I'd like to point out, we talked so much about self care and gratitude and finding balance to avoid burnout, all those things. But it turns out despite everyone focusing on their wellbeing, it's actually not improving. I know. In fact, Lululemon put out this report just this past year, I think it was in September. They reveal the pressure to keep up with all these wellness trends is actually making people feel more unwell and it's leading to what they're calling, wellbeing burnout. It's creating a lot of stress actually. And if you can believe it, 61% of people say they feel this overwhelming pressure to appear well.

0:02:11.2 EC: I'm in there. I am part of that 61%. I think it's stressful to find time to journal, to, like you talk to people and they're like, I wake up in the morning and I take a cold plunge and then I get out and I journal my feelings and my thoughts and then I stretch and I do some yoga and then I do some deep breathing meditation. I'm like, I don't. I get out of bed, I wipe the remaining mascara out from under my eyes, I let the dog out, like make coffee half awake and I feel like I'm not doing enough.

0:02:45.0 MS: I am right there with you. Like hearing these people's regimens, to, quote unquote, be well, makes me feel this pressure, like, should I be doing that too?

0:02:56.3 EC: And even some of the appointments, like four or five years ago. And I hate COVID as the marker, but I would go to the chiropractor X amount of times a month, I had acupuncture, I had... So I still do some of those, but the time to do the rest of them, even the gym, I do not go to the gym as much as I used to. The time and also the money. Because sometimes, like, 2024 was a tough year for, I think, a lot of people, but a slow year, a scary year. So what does that really mean? And I know we've also talked a little bit about, we've kind of dropped in some of our podcasts, making wellness unique to you. You don't have to follow these things. But then we maybe part of our rituals, getting on social media and looking at all these other things people are doing and the highlights of their life and thinking, oh, dang, maybe I could be stretching right now instead of creeping. But it's just a lot of pressure.

0:03:47.8 EC: And so that goes into our industry when we think of the pressure that we have as consumers and then also perhaps for our clients, like the perfect skincare routine and then keeping up with the latest products, the latest solutions, the latest trends, trying to stay ahead of those as a practitioner and being ready to answer questions from our clients, then we add on that, aiming for the perfect skin. I'm at that age where I am having... My skin is not... My cell metabolism, it's definitely slowed. It's one of those parts of that. It just kind of slows down. So if I do get a pimple, the recovery time is a lot longer than it used to be, including, like, the dark mark. And I'm an esthetician, so the perfect skin, or even the perfect body, especially now that it feels like the trends are moving away from what I was hoping was the ideal shape. But Alice, so all of this is just adding even more stress. What do you think?

0:04:46.6 MS: I totally agree with you. And it's not just about looking well. So the report even says that 53% of people are confused by all the conflicting advice out there about what's best for their wellbeing. So it's like what you said, wellbeing is gonna be different for everyone. So wellbeing for me may be taking a wet wipe to my face and scrolling my social. I feel good doing that. But for the other person who is doing their hot yoga and they're drinking their green tea and then they're going for a five mile run. Good for you. That is not me.

0:05:24.3 EC: I was listening to a podcast with Salma Hayek on it. Did I ever tell you about this one?

0:05:29.2 MS: I don't know if you did.

0:05:30.3 EC: I love her, she's really funny. And if you have a chance, it was with Kelly Ripa. So go check it out. But what she was talking about is meditation for her. She can't sit in a room and silently meditate. That that's not how she gets there. Because she'll start thinking about things. I'm like listening to it going, me too. I can't sit there. My mind wanders. Even when I'm getting acupuncture, you're supposed to like chill for a little bit. And I'm like, is my phone ringing? I wonder about that email. I can't. After hearing that podcast, she says that she meditates by dancing.

0:06:03.6 MS: Interesting.

0:06:04.5 EC: So movement is her meditation. And I got to thinking about me and the times that I'm most transic is when I hear a certain type of music. Do you know what Cumbia music is?

0:06:16.0 MS: No. Tell me.

0:06:16.6 EC: Did you ever see the movie Selena?

0:06:18.2 MS: Yes.

0:06:18.6 EC: Okay. Do you remember the washing machine?

0:06:20.1 MS: Yeah.

0:06:20.4 EC: When the mom is teaching her daughter how to dance like a washing machine. That's Cumbia music. And there's something about the rhythm of that and the random little melodies, but it's all the instrumental parts mostly. When I hear that, I can focus on a project, I can dive into work. If I'm working on a presentation or doing research, if I hear that in the background, I'm transic. So I'm in a semi meditative state. So hearing her say that, I'm like, oh, yeah, that works really well for me. So now in acupuncture, because you sit for like 30 minutes, I'll have her put on a guided meditation because at least my brain is going instructionally. Oh, I got to visualize this. I got to visualize that. So I've brought that into my practice. When I have those visualization times, like during the mask or whatever, I give some of my clients who I think might benefit from it, I walk them through visualization.

0:07:14.9 MS: I love that and I love what you're saying about incorporating that into your treatment space. As an esthetician, I could not handle the spa music day in and day out. And my mind would start going, thinking about my shopping list later that day or what's my next client coming in. And I was not in tune to my client in the moment. And I felt like I had clients also who were not in the moment experiencing their facial. So I think adjusting your treatments to what your client needs for their wellbeing, it can't be the same for everybody.

0:07:49.0 EC: No, it's not. In fact, it was so funny because a couple weeks ago I had another client in and for some reason, '80s love song playlist is so universal. So I had '80s love song playlist playing on a busy, busy Saturday and I had a client come in just talking and it was like during the exfoliation or something. And all of a sudden Tiffany came on and we were singing at the top of our lungs, like, "Put your arms around me. And we tumbled to the ground." But that's what she needed. We had the best time. She left looking gorgeous, bought $400 worth of retail, so. But it's what she needed. Same for me. There was a point when I'm like, if I hear any more indigenous flute music, I'm going to go nuts. I can't. No, no, no way.

0:08:36.0 MS: Yeah, I'm right there with you.

0:08:37.3 EC: Yeah. But there's still that pressure and we get it from influencers, we get it from the TikTok shop and all of these, like me, targeted ads for supplements for not just better skin, but feeling better. So there's this constant barrage of you must try this, you must try that. And then they're leaping from one well intended wellness trend that didn't work to this other one. I told you, I'm doing beef organs now.

0:09:03.2 MS: Yes.

0:09:04.5 EC: Going great.

0:09:04.8 MS: Yes, we're going to talk about that later, Ella.

0:09:07.3 EC: But really just kind of understanding, not just you. Listen, there's gonna be the people that have to get the next thing, the next thing, the next thing. But you don't have to be that person, what would you say?

0:09:18.7 MS: Yeah, no, I totally agree with you.

0:09:20.8 EC: And you don't have to be that person as a practitioner either. You don't have to have, like, there is this other report on the esthetic trends. You don't have to necessarily be the person that offers every single one first or best or whatever. Make sure, just like we've talked about several times, that you're finding your niche and that it's supporting what your skincare philosophies are because that will make you a more genuine. Because I feel like sometimes following trends makes you disingenuous. Would you say?

0:09:49.5 MS: Yes. I think it's a fine line. To some extent you want to follow the trends if it's what your clients are asking for. But 100% I agree with you. Stay true to yourself and what you believe. If you don't believe in it, you can't sell it.

0:10:07.2 EC: Absolutely. For sure.

0:10:09.3 MS: So the report also highlights, like I said, wellbeing burnout, quote unquote. I think that's a big issue that we're seeing across self care practices. Our industry included, 89% of people who experience burnout say loneliness is a major factor. And in our industry as estheticians, we're often alone, if you will. It's us as solo practitioners in the treatment room by ourself. It's easy to become isolated and not find those branches where we can reach out to other fellow estheticians and collaborate or bounce ideas. And sometimes it's often very competitive industry as well. And it's not just about the right products, it's also about connections. So like I was saying, yourself, your clients, your routine, and it aligns with the idea of skincare as part of a holistic experience. Would you agree?

0:11:03.2 EC: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. And sometimes when you get that loneliness, like, where are you reaching out? Because I see some things on Facebook in particular, some of these Facebook groups where they're reaching out for help and there is a venomous response. Why would you even ask that? Are you even an esthetician? What? And then this like catty exchange in the comments amongst each other. It doesn't feel good. I can imagine doesn't, listen, I'm reading them all, but it doesn't feel good. It doesn't feel like a wellness thing. So the connections are important. And there's that other adage that they say, if you want to know about a person, look at their friends. So who are you surrounding yourself with and who are you mingling with and where are you spending your extra time for your connections? Because your mental health, your emotional health are a part of the experience in our profession that transcends to our clients.

0:12:00.3 MS: Yeah. The report also suggests three strategies for getting out of this wellbeing burnout cycle. And one of them focuses on doing things that feel good, like moving your body or spending time in nature. We talked about forest bathing in the past. That's something that can absolutely align with in skincare. It's about simplicity and feeling good in your own skin. So I think a sense of community is also important in improving your well being. It's not just about the products that you're applying. It's about Making connections that feel genuine and supportive. So that could mean sharing tips with friends or even joining online skincare communities where the focus is really about elevating the industry. And I think in doing that, you're elevating yourself.

0:12:40.5 EC: This happened to me yesterday. It was so cool. Two really cool things happened to me yesterday. So I connected with an esthetician. I'm working on this class, and in that, I'm reaching out to several people around the country, but one of them was this esthetician in Missouri. And we got to talking, and I felt, oh, this is cool. It's fun. And a way to connect with somebody outside of Colorado was fun. But at the end of it, I know so much about her now. Like, a lot. And she cried at the end of this conversation. Like, it was so sweet, and it was so raw and it was so vulnerable that it made me go, I'll be vulnerable with you too. Let me tell you something. So now we're texting this morning, like, hey, how's it going? So I feel like I've got a friend in Kansas City, Missouri, now that's supportive, that I can bounce ideas off of, that's going to do the same for me.

0:13:28.8 EC: And then another phone call that I was on yesterday was someone here in Colorado. Oh, my gosh. I loved her. I didn't realize it was her. We connected about, again, about this class that I'm doing, and she's like, yeah, I met you at that event. And I was like, oh, my gosh, is that you? Is there... Are you the one that... We were just cracking up. We were having such a good time. Cracking up, laughing. So much fun, not talking about skincare, that we have this connection. And I didn't even know it was her. She didn't know it was me. And then we were connecting. I'm like, oh, this is so amazing. So I love that broadening and bringing together. So my circle got bigger even just yesterday.

0:14:07.1 MS: I think a lot of people are afraid to be vulnerable, especially when they're in a professional setting.

0:14:13.6 EC: Absolutely. Because you're fronting. Because I'm tough, and I know what I'm doing, and I'm skilled, and I'm not going to let you know that I don't know that.

0:14:20.9 MS: Yeah, yeah. But if you can allow yourself to kind of drop that shield and show a little bit of yourself and be vulnerable, you're going to make a connection like you did with these two lovely women. And it broadens your network, even potentially across state lines, makes you feel better as a human. And also I think it benefits your business.

0:14:45.3 EC: Well, you know what that is for me? Well being.

0:14:48.2 MS: Yeah, 100%.

0:14:49.1 EC: Those conversations, for me, are more valuable to me, my physiology, my emotional health, my spiritual health than a cold plunge. But yeah, I think I got more energy than I would have in any other capacity. And it was energetic energy, spiritual energy, if you want to call it that, that translated into physical energy. I went home and I had the best night cleaning my house. And I like my shop is spotless this morning. My pencils were all lined up when I got to my desk. That kind of a situation. So think about that as some out of the box wellbeing ideas.

0:15:27.8 MS: Now, listeners, we want to hear from you. Are you experiencing wellbeing burnout? What are you doing to overcome this challenge? Share with us on social media, through Instagram, Facebook or by emailing getconnected@ascpskincare.com. Thank you for listening to ASCP Esty Talk. And as always, for more information on this episode or for ways to connect with Ella and myself, or to learn more about ASCP, check out the show.