Ready to become a licensed esthetician in Chicago? We're going to break down the need to know before you get started.
An esthetician is a licensed beauty professional who has completed the required educational hours and training to effectively perform a range of skin treatments and services in a spa or salon.
Esthetician school is unlike traditional school in the sense that you need to dedicate 6 months to a year (depending on full time or part time status) to completing your school hours.
Students who attend esthetics school tend to focus between an array of areas of interest. These include medical esthetics, makeup artistry, specialists in lash/brow/or wax, and of course the full service spa practitioner.
In the state of Illinois there is basic requirements to starting your esthetics career and it does vary from state to state. Continue reading to learn more about what it takes to become a licensed esthetician in Illinois.
It takes about 6 months to a year to complete an Esthetician Program in Illinois.
You must complete a licensed esthetician program consisting of 750 hours of training. For full time students, the full program takes approximately six months, and part-time students can expect to spend approximately 9-12 months completing the program.You also need to pass a multiple choice esthetician examination to secure an esthetician license.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation regulates esthetician licensure in the state. The board approves esthetics programs and sets guidelines.
Esthetician Licensing Requirements in Illinois
Prerequisites
To obtain an esthetician license in Illinois you must be 16 years old and have at least an 8th grade education with a high school diploma or equivalent. Students must be at least 16 years of age by the first day of class and hold a high school diploma or GED certificate.
You also need 750 hours of schooling to qualify for your esthetician exam in Illinois. Each Esthetician program will have different full time and part time hours to meet your needs. You also need to pass the multiple choice esthetics state examination with a score of 75 or higher. There is no practical examination in Illinois, but the written exam includes procedural skill questions.
Note there is an application fee when applying for an esthetician license in Illinois. Your application must be complete and accurate upon receipt or it will be returned for updates.
Renewal
Once you have received your esthetician license in Illinois, you must renew it every two years. Esthetician licenses expire September 30 of each odd-numbered year and may be renewed within the month prior to expiration. You can renew your license on the IDFPR website.
Estheticians licensed in Illinois must complete 10 continuing education hours to qualify for renewal. However, you do not have to meet the CEU requirements for your first renewal. The state of Illinois currently charges $50 per two-year esthetician license renewal period.The Beauty Crew Academy offers a broad range of classes to in continuing education in person and through self study.
Contact the State Board
You can direct any questions about Illinois’ esthetician licensing requirements to The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation through the official government website. You can also visit the Illinois Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Board section of the same website to learn who’s on the board and find recent updates.