My father was a hairdresser, so I grew up in the salon industry. In 1972, at the age of 12, my mother went to work at the salon with my father and between her extreme passion for skin care and my oldest sister’s business brains they took the three chair salon to a 4,000 square foot salon with 10 facial beds. From there mom applied to the California State Board to separate the licenses, wrote the first 600 hour curriculum, and our family acquired two beauty schools that taught the first separate classes in California. By 1979, my mother had started manufacturing and by this time I had started to work for her. I believe that everything leads up to where we are now. The last spa that I worked at was a tiny two room spa. I wanted to go back to work behind the chair because I felt like it would make me a better educator... and it did! Through experience I’ve found that customer service, consultation, and sales are the qualities that separate the best skin care spas/clinics from the rest. The client will either have an emotional or an intellectual response to the spa which keeps them coming back. It may simply appeal to their senses, or they may end up with an aesthetician that educates them so that not only does the treatment feel great, but they learn about their skin in a way they never have before. I relentlessly give great service to my clients because it keeps them loyal to me! Making sure to leave enough time to do an amazing consultation, facial, and then conclusion is extremely important. Doing a sit down consultation with your client, helping them goal set and then outlining how to achieve those goals all sets the stage for a great partnership. It is also imperative to remember that… if the aesthetician does not sell their client products, someone else will! 

More from our interview with Lori:

DERMASCOPE:
Has there been a constant theme that has led you from one point to the next throughout your training and career? (i.e.; asking questions, reading certain material, et cetera) 

Lori:
I believe that cosmetic chemistry and ingredient magazines along with dermatologic researches and studies are where we begin.

DERMASCOPE:
What has surprised you most during your professional journey? 

Lori:
Pulling some guy’s skin open during a trade show class and sending him to the hospital for 15 stitches.  Not the answer you were expecting perhaps, but that was pretty dang surprising!

DERMASCOPE:
Do you have any regrets, or is there any one thing you can point to and think, “I wish I would have done that differently” or “if only I had known then what I know now.” Please explain. 

Lori:
I wish I knew people cared about packaging more than ingredients!  It was interesting to hear “I love your products, but don’t like the packaging”.  That has since changed (along with our packaging) but I always thought if I was working in a salon I could give my clients products in a paper bag and if I told them this was perfect for their skin and believed it, then so would they.  Of course I have a life time of confidence to back this up and that makes all the difference in the world.

DERMASCOPE:
Do you have a signature treatment that your clients love – a classic of sorts? What makes it so loved?

Lori:
Nothing cleans like a Cleansing Oil!  This has always been our belief system and that is the classic beginning to any of our treatments.

DERMASCOPE:
What adaptations have you made over the years to stay relevant in the treatment room?

Lori:
I never leap on bandwagons.  The skin will only absorb so much, and releasing 5 new products every year is simply marketing.  As cosmetic chemistry evolves I have updated my existing products while not releasing lots of new products that simply duplicate themselves.  We try to keep our machine lean and mean for the client.

DERMASCOPE:
Is there a moment or procedure where most aestheticians go wrong? What could they alter for a better result? 

Lori:
They don’t leave enough time on the book to do an amazing consultation, facial and then conclude (as in sell and rebook).  Doing a sit down consultation with your client, helping them goal set and then outlining how to achieve those goals all set the stage for a great partnership.  If the esthetician does not sell their client products, someone else will.  Maybe they will buy them from a department store.  Or they feel guilty about selling or don’t want to be pushy. 

DERMASCOPE:
What tool or tools would your treatment room not be complete without? Why? 

Lori:
I am a minimalist.  All I need is a bed, steamer, mag lamp, extractor, and my skill.

DERMASCOPE:
You wear so many hats; manufacturer, distributor, educator, skin care company owner, et cetera. What is your secret to keeping life in balance and enjoying the journey?

Lori:
I work out as a way of life.  I eat great food without denying myself.  I read a lot!  And I beat my dogs.

(just kidding!)

DERMASCOPE:
What is the one piece of advice you give to every client you see? 

Lori:
Your rebooking and sales skills combined with your attention to the financial part of your business are more important than how great your treatment is.  Without sounding harsh, many people can give a great facial, but very few will be financially independent.  This is all due to the focus being on treatments and not business.

Lori Nestore’s thoughts on how to cut through all the marketing propaganda to find the skin care line(s) that are right for you… the aesthetician:

I feel so strongly that one doesn’t just buy a product line, they also buy the company. Go to a trade show and attend the manufacturer’s classes. They are free! From these classes you can get an idea of the concepts and ideals of a company. If you like the feeling you get, buy something. Once you’ve completed your purchase, monitor the service you receive – along with how you like their products. From there, make your investment decision.