Celebrating 40 Years of Excellence in Education at Atelier Esthetique! 

This fall, Atelier Esthetique marks its 40^th anniversary of educating students in the art of esthetics. This milestone will be celebrated with a series of special events, but first let’s go back to the beginning and share some of the history of Atelier Esthetique. From the school’s origins to its current educational success, Atelier Esthetique has never stopped growing and providing the best education for students in New York and beyond.  

Annette Hanson and the Founding of Atelier Esthetique 

Atelier’s current school director, Gary Duchnowski, once described our founder Annette Hanson as the “Julia Child of the Esthetics Industry,” a very fitting title. Annette was born and raised in Calgary, Canada before moving to Paris and beginning her training as an esthetician. In France, Annette followed a passion for skincare and beauty she inherited from her mother, training with houses like Carita, Lancôme, and Payot.  

Annette traveled through Europe and developed her skills before moving to New York City and opening the first Lancôme Institute in New York. But providing the tools of esthetics was not enough; instead, she began to start training students in the French tradition of esthetics. In 1985, Annette opened what was at the time called the “Cosmetic Distribution and Postgraduate Training Facility for Skincare and Body Specialists,” a place where she could educate cosmetologists in the arts of esthetics. Today, we call this school Atelier Esthetique.  

Atelier Esthetique – The Early Years 

Annette’s school was first located in the Empire State Building. Originally, the school had a much bigger emphasis on sales and skincare products, an industry that became more lucrative as the 80s went on. As the training center and the warehouse expanded, it was time to move to a bigger location on Park Avenue, which there was plenty of room for education and sales alike.  

At this time in New York, there was only once license for beauticians to use; a Cosmetology certification included hair, esthetics, waxing, and nails as one training. But Annette knew that this was not the right way to teach. Instead, Annette began working with the New York Secretary of State to establish an Estheticians License, training students specifically in skincare instead of a focus on hair or nails. The new license was approved in 1993.  

In September 1993, Annette officially spun the school off into its own business, christening it Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics. Ever since, it has offered esthetics licensing to thousands of students in esthetics and associated programs such as Waxing. In fact, Annette advocated for the creation of the 75-hour Waxing License as a separate offshoot of cosmetology as well, giving even more people access to esthetics education.  

Atelier Esthetique’s First 40 Years 

Atelier Esthetique has continued to grow since its creation, building on the foundation started by Annette back in 1985. When Annette stepped down from being President and CEO of Atelier in 2018, the school had just moved into its current location at 226 W 26^th Street in Chelsea.  

Changes in the technology of esthetics have led Atelier Esthetique to start offering cutting-edge classes. New programs such as laser hair removal and hosted workshops in electrolysis are now taught at Atelier, and our continuing education program invites estheticians from around the world to learn new skills and techniques to enhance their career.  

In 2010, Atelier Esthetique was nationally accredited by NACCAS, the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences. This was the first step in allowing students to go to Atelier with the assistance of federal loans and financial aid, opening doors to many more students in New York.  

The Future Looks Beautiful 

In the last year, Atelier Esthetique recently expanded its classrooms to a new floor in order to accommodate it’s growing program. Today we offer full-time, part-time, evening and weekend schedules. We are open seven days a week and that also includes our student-run clinic that offers discounted services to the public, giving our senior students hands-on experience. We’ve also become one of the first schools to offer students additional training to become a “Master Esthetician,” providing the skills and education behind opening a new business or working in a medical esthetics setting.  

As we celebrate 40 years of excellence in education, we look back with gratitude and ahead with excitement. Our story is just beginning—and we can’t wait to see what the next 40 years will bring. To our students, alumni, and instructors: thank you for being part of the Atelier family. Let’s keep growing, glowing, and setting new standards in skincare education—together. 

Cheers to the next 40! 🥂