When I was starting out as a makeup artist, I wanted to learn everything I could about skin.  I looked into different classes and chose Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics.  I was so inspired by Catherine, and loved my experience at the Institute.  I learned so much and made good friends during my time there.

I got to know Catherine very well.  She was a wonderful mentor, and I listened to every word that came out of her mouth.  Some of the best advice I have ever received came from Catherine.   

I got my first makeup teaching job from the Institute and really enjoyed it.  That’s when I fell in love with teaching.  I had to leave when my schedule became more demanding but I will always hold my memories from the Institute close to my heart.  

If anyone asks me where to go for Esthetics, I have one answer for them- Catherine Hinds.  

I now work internationally as a Celebrity Makeup Artist and love my life!  I travel with celebs, have interviewed Lady Gaga about her style, and hang out with amazing, inspiring people. In addition to being a makeup artist, I’m also the Beauty Editor of Your Beauty Industry Magazine and Style Editor for Jamn945.com and Kiss108.com.

I am blessed to do what I absolutely love for a living. It’s not a job, it’s my life. I teach makeup classes internationally and I have taken my students with me to movie sets, photo shoots, fashion shows, pageants, celebrity appearances, and television shows. It has been wonderful to see them grow in the industry that I love so much!  I love teaching and I balance it well with my makeup career.  I only teach a few classes per year and look forward to each one.

For more information on my makeup classes please visit:  http://www.debramacki.com/classes.htm

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/debramacki

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/debramackimua

Peace, Love, and Lipstick,

Debra Macki

Joseph Russo, M.D. F.A.C.S., is a plastic surgeon who works closely with CHI to train medical estheticians. In the second part of this two part series, he explains the advanced procedures that medical estheticians can provide to help patients at a practice like his. Click here to read part one!

Once a patient has made a committment to their skin health through an effective, pharmaceutical grade skin care program, the esthetician may consider moving them onto a more aggressive treatment program involving a series of chemical resurfacing treatments and laser or light therapies.  Chemical resurfacing treatments can create dramatic improvement in the skin and are used to treat many skin conditions, such as: photodamage, aging, pigmentation, rosacea and acne.  Training in various chemical peelings is so valuable to a medical esthetician because the patient cannot achieve these dramatic results from using their homecare products, alone.   Laser and light therapies also treat many conditions of the skin and can dramatically improve the esthetic of one’s appearance.  Common laser and light therapies include: hair reduction, removal of broken capillaries, tattoo removal, lightening pigmentation, reducing acne scarring and smoothing wrinkles.  Chemical resurfacing treatments and laser therapies can be used in combination with plastic surgery procedures and injectibles to create a beautiful result that can, in some cases, change a patient’s life.

Esthetic trends are constantly changing to keep up with technology and consumer demand.  Today’s skin care client is savvy and demands results.  Although pampering facials are a nice indulgence, to accurately change the skin more invasive and effective therapies are required.  An education in medical esthetics will, beyond a doubt, open the door for any esthetician who is looking to build a career with truly endless possibilities.  Estheticians who choose to work in a medical office with access to the latest technologies iandsurgical advances, injectable treatments and laser therapies, are at a great advantage to implement their advanced training and be able to compliment any medical esthetic practice.  In the field, medical estheticians, with advanced training, stand out among their fellow colleagues.  Advanced estheticians are properly trained to have a solid understanding of the histology of the skin, the important role cosmeceuticals play in helping to achieve change in the skin, and the importance of technology in skin care.  Receiving this training while reaching for your 900-hr or 1200-hr Advanced esthetics program will save you valuable time, from having to learn it while out in the field as you can implement your skills in a productive work environment rather than having to learn it while working in the field.

Joseph Russo, M.D. F.A.C.S., is a plastic surgeon who works closely with CHI to train medical estheticians. In the first part of a two part series, he explains why medical estheticians are so important, and how they can help patients at a medical practice like his.

An advanced medical esthetician is vital to the growth and re-occurring business of a plastic surgeon’s office.  A medical esthetician is available to consult with the patient on a treatment plan that involves a healthy, effective skin care regimen, resurfacing treatments and laser or light therapies, and is available to refer the patient for more invasive procedures like surgery or dermal fillers, if the condition is too advanced for esthetic treatments.  Cosmetic Surgeries, like facelifts, eye lifts and neck lifts, are typically performed once every 5-7 years, depending on the age and skin quality of the patient.  Injectable treatments are typically performed once every 3-12 months.    Aging is a chronic condition and requires maintenance in order to control or reverse some of the clinical and histologic signs; like wrinkles, pigmentation, rosacea.  So, you can see, in between these more invasive treatments, there is a lot of opportunity for the esthetician to serve the patient.

It is clear, that patients who invest thousands of dollars on elective cosmetic procedures value their image and their personal appearance is very important to them.  This is where the esthetician can really become quite a valuable asset to a plastic surgeon’s office.  An advanced or medical esthetician has a solid understanding of the histology of the skin and understands cosmeceutical ingredients and their impact on the skin.  When creating a home care treatment program for a patient, an esthetician will prescribe a homecare regimen using pharmaceutical-grade skin care products, which use cosmecuetical ingredients.  Some examples of cosmeceuticals are: glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, retinol and hydroquinone.  Having a keen knowledge of what each cosmeceutical ingredient does, will allow her to tailor a simple, effective homecare regimen that delivers results and treats the patient’s chief complaint about the quality of their skin.  The goal of a professional, pharmaceutical skin care regimen is to diminish fine lines, fade sun damage, increase hydration and stimulate cellular turnover.  By stimulating cellular turnover, we are able to produce more collagen and elastin in the skin.  With a simple home care regimen, the patient can not only improve the quality of their skin but can also increase the healing time of many surgery or laser treatments, as well as enhance the results of Botox Cosmetic and dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Radiesse.

Stay tuned for part two of this series, where Dr. Russo explains the advanced procedures that medical estheticians can perform!

A lot of us probably made a New Year’s Resolution in January. We were ready to change our lives and do something different in 2011! If your resolution was to attend school and become an esthetician, it’s not too late to reach your goal. Our next round of classes will be starting on March 7, 2011 and there is still plenty of time to register.

If you’re still feeling undecided about starting a career in esthetics, or if Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics is the right school for you, our tours and information sessions can help you make an informed decision. You can even schedule a tour online by clicking here!

Or, if you want to experience the school first hand, schedule an appointment in our student clinic. This is where you’ll be practicing the skills you learn on real, paying clients. We offer facials, waxing services, and advanced spa services for discounted rates. You can learn more about our student clinic here.

If you enroll in our March 7^th class start, you could complete your education in a little as ten weeks! For more information, call us at 781-935-3344 – we’d love to help you reach your goals this year!

Each state has its own rules and regulations that you must follow if you want to work as an esthetician. Here’s what you’ll need to do to earn your esthetics license in Massachusetts:

Complete an esthetics training course that lasts for at least 300 hours at a licensed school

• Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics is a licensed school that offers 300, 600, 900, and 1200 hour programs, all of which will prepare you for Massachusetts licensure.

• The programs at CHI include practice exams that mimic the state board exam, giving you the chance to practice your skills before you graduate.

Fill out the appropriate paperwork and register to take the esthetics licensing exam.

• The exams are held daily in Malden, MA as well as on Saturdays in Springfield, MA and Framingham, MA.
• The state board exam includes both written and practical portions.
• You can find all of the forms you may need on the state’s website, here.

If you still have questions about becoming an esthetician, give CHI a call at 781-935-3344 or visit the FAQ page here.

As a little girl I was always fascinated by makeup; my earliest memory of this obsession is “borrowing” my mother’s makeup and watching her Victoria Jackson’s “How To” VHS.  But she would tell you it began when I was a baby.  Again I “borrowed,” her red lipstick to paint the white carpet, white comforter, and white hallway rug, in addition to my face, clothes, and in between my pudgy fingers. (I was such an angel!)

As an adult my passion for all things cosmetic continued until I eventually found myself working as a makeup artist while getting my degree in business. I left a position I loved with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics to work for a marketing firm, my dream job.  I was constantly answering my co-workers questions about skincare and cosmetics, spending almost as much time as their personal beauty consultant as doing my actual job.

When the economy crashed, and I was laid off, I went back to the only thing I knew – makeup.  I spent some time freelancing and eventually found myself wanting more.  I decided on a career change, and took a tour at Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics. The tour of the school was so exciting because it made me energized about my future again.  The Institute’s attention to the science of skin and it’s passion for student’s success made it an easy choice for me. I knew this is where I would start my new life. The knowledge I gained from each of my instructors and my time in the public clinic is invaluable. And I was lucky to have an amazing group of girls in my class that made my time at CHI even better!

Now as a recent graduate, the Institute is still there for me helping in my job placement.  It was scary to change careers but it was the best decision I’ve made, and I have CHI to thank for that.  I’m looking forward to finding my new dream job!

When I founded the Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics in 1979, I wanted to provide the highest quality training for estheticians and create one of the first communities of skincare professionals devoted to the field. As I watched CHI change and evolve, I never would have imagined that thirty five years later, our wonderful community would also include things like Facebook and Twitter!

While I may not be the person posting to the Catherine Hinds Facebook and Twitter pages, I do check in to see what people are saying and find out what is going on with our students and graduates. My granddaughter keeps me informed and shares all of your comments and photos with me. It’s been such a pleasure to read how much you all enjoy the Institute and the esthetics industry. I am delighted to see that the industry I helped create is still thriving from our superior training.

Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics has come a long way in thirty five years. There are now three generations of Hinds women who have entered the esthetics industry, providing the highest education possible to future estheticians. Our industry is continuing to grow, and we are excited to share our knowledge and passion with the Boston area, and beyond.

As we head into the holiday season and prepare for the New Year, it is always refreshing to see the changes and excitement surrounding each new class at CHI. I look forward to staying in touch with all of you through our online communities!

This is the week that we have been preparing for! We are heading in to the student public clinic where we will perform all that we have learned in the past 150 hours on actual clients!  This week we had a full day that covered what to expect and the procedures we must follow before we were allowed to go in to the clinic.

This introduction to the clinic was both scary and exciting.  We were given a menu of the services we offer in the clinic so that we could learn the prices.  This was a little overwhelming, as I realized that we would soon have clients asking us these questions.  I didn’t want to be the student who had to say, “One second, let me check” for each question a client had. As we learned in retail and sales knowledge class, being knowledgeable is how you earn a client’s trust. Our instructor explained that it would probably only take a couple of days for us to learn all of the pricing, so that was comforting!

We were also given a tour of the actual clinic.  This included where all of the products were located, how to sign in, etc. The training rooms we had previously been in were set up almost identical to the actual clinic, so it was easy for us to recognize things. This made the transition much easier! There were some protocols that we went over as well.  The entire introduction was extremely informative and I felt like we all really understood what to expect the next day.

My first official day in the clinic was nerve-wracking to say the least, but immediately upon greeting my first client I was at ease. We had been fully prepared and there really weren’t any things I didn’t know.  Our instructors are in the clinic with us at all times, so we can always ask questions and get advice if we need to.  My first client was a woman who had been coming to the clinic for years. She was there for her regular, monthly treatment. This made it quite easy for me because I knew what she wanted and she knew what to expect.  She said my facial was great and even tipped me!

It’s really exciting to have made it in to the clinic and to be actually performing treatments on clients. When I decided to come to esthetics school I was concerned about whether or not I would be good at it, or if I would enjoy it.  Both of these concerns disappeared during my time in school because I was trained so well!

Now that I’ve finished up my time as a CHI student, I’ll be passing my blog along to other esthetics lovers. Be on the lookout for guest posts from graduates, esthetics professionals, and other students!

My initial step into the beauty industry came when I pursued make-up artistry certifications at the David Nicholas International Training Center. After acquiring my artistry training, I worked as a freelance artist with a primary focus on weddings. I also worked on the private labeling and selling of my own line of cosmetics.  Although I loved what I was doing and was very happy, I was still motivated and determined to expand my credentials.  I considered many options of what to do next and decided to study esthetics.  After all, my personal motto is that “great make-up begins with great skin!”

Without a doubt, I knew I wanted to attend Catherine Hinds for my esthetics education.  I went on a tour and enrolled that same day!  I was very impressed with the presentation of the institute and loved the idea of practicing my skills in the student public clinic, on real clients.  I believe that the clinical experience is what puts Catherine Hinds a notch above the rest.  I was very excited for my new endeavor and embraced my experience as a student whole heartedly.  The instructors were very supportive, encouraging, and truly want you to succeed.   I appreciated their votes of confidence and always looked forward to, and enjoyed, going to school.

My industry training and expertise have led to many opportunities that I am so thankful for. I’ve been a pageant judge for the Miss USA system, was the guest make-up artist at The Vascular Birthmark Foundation’s international conference in New York City, and obtained my instructor’s license. As an instructor, I worked for The Catherine Hinds Companies in sales and teaching.

With an education in the beauty industry, the opportunities are endless and the experiences are immeasurable.  There is always something new to be discovered because the world of beauty will forever be changing!

Lisa is a graduate of Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics and is the first writer in our guest blogger series! Thanks Lisa!

This week we had our facial practical exams. As I said last week, having our make-up practical before the facial practical was extremely helpful. I was much more nervous about the facial practical, since the facial is the essence of our entire education.  But, I was prepared and did very well!

The practical really wasn’t very different from when we would practice on one another during class time.  It was good to have the practical right before we head in to the clinic next week, so that we can feel confident in our abilities. My entire class did really well, and I could tell we all felt a sense of relief knowing that all of our hard work in the classroom had truly prepared us.

Before we head into the clinic next week, we needed to learn about strip wax. Strip wax is completely different from hard wax.  It took some getting used to, as it is applied extremely thin and you use a strip to get it off, instead of letting it dry like hard wax.  I think the class is split on what they prefer to use.  I prefer hard wax because I think it is less abrasive to the skin and you can go over the same area more than once.  I do think that there are benefits to strip wax though – it is easier to rip off because you have the strip to pull on.  I love learning new things at school.  Every time I learn something new I picture my resume expanding with new skills. It’s so exciting!

We use Bombshell Wax at CHI - I love the pink color!

During my first week of school I was assigned a written project, and it was finally due this week! The project required us to pick three products and test each of them out for a week. We then had to write down how our skin reacted to each one.  We also had to list all the ingredients and what their function was in each product.  Did you know that some products have 20+ ingredients on their label?! Needless to say, this was extremely time consuming, but also very interesting.

I think that the ingredient aspect of our education is the most interesting. Knowing what certain ingredients do is imperative to being an esthetician. Without a broad understanding of ingredients, you wouldn’t be able to explain how or why a product does what it does.  It also helps you sell products and make the appropriate recommendations.

I chose to do my project on toners.  I tested the Catherine Hinds Normal/Combo Toner, Mark Lees’ Tonique Clarifiante, and PCA’s Smoothing Toner.  I’m not going to tell you which I liked best, but the project was definitely beneficial. I learned a lot about ingredients and can now say that I could look at a label and truly pick the correct product for a variety of skin types and conditions!