Wrapping Up Legislative Sessions

As the hustle and bustle of the 2025 legislative season winds down, let’s round up the esthetics trends that heated up legislatures.

State legislatures have adjourned in over 50 percent of the country. Some bills filed this year have been signed by governors, some are waiting to be signed into law, and some never made it past the finish line. The ASCP Government Relations team noted clear trends in esthetics, which is a great way to better predict and prepare for next year’s legislative session. For skin care professionals, it’s beneficial to learn what’s happening in other states and to see what changes may impact your profession. Policymakers are often influenced by proposed or pending laws. So while it’s important to know the lay of the land in your backyard, it’s also helpful to be aware of what’s going on beyond your state’s borders.

Let’s dive in and see what similarities popped up across the country and impacted esthetics in 2025.

Scope of Practice
We’re seeing a push to allow estheticians to practice the services they were trained for by broadening scope, and we’re here for all of it!

Bills were introduced this year to expand the esthetician scope of practice in Illinois, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and South Carolina, which would elevate skin care services for clients. As the technologies available to estheticians advance, these states are looking to adjust their practice acts to keep pace. Some popular services states considered adding to the esthetician scope of practice were microneedling, advanced chemical peels, and microdermabrasion, while some also proposed laser, light, and energy devices! So far this year, Maryland and North Dakota enacted bills to reflect the modern esthetics landscape, with Maryland adding services and North Dakota adding a master-level esthetician license. We will continue to advocate for licensed estheticians so they may increase their service menus, permitting them to grow their businesses and advance their careers.

Peddling Backward
Despite ASCP’s valiant efforts to fight an egregious bill, Utah took a step backward this year in their esthetics practice act. The state deregulated some of the industry, creating apprenticeship “mini-licenses” and reducing education requirements for estheticians. Previously, the minimum number of education hours required to earn an esthetics license was 600 hours, but the new law will require a paltry 200 hours (obtained in a school or through an apprenticeship). ASCP believes in making sure estheticians all have access to a well-rounded education and are not undercut by people who have not put in the same work as everyone else for their license. We will continue to work with the Utah legislature to remedy the issues caused during this session.

Saving Regulation
The Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology and Barbering has been embattled this year. After a bill was signed by the governor to dissolve the board, a compromise was reached to give stakeholders one more year to figure out where to house the many professions regulated by this board. ASCP is working with industry partners to ensure esthetics remains regulated.

Although state legislatures are adjourning across the country, there is a possibility that more bills will be introduced and signed into law. Rest assured, your GR team will continue to fight judiciously against bills that seek to devalue and deregulate cosmetology and advocate for laws that will propel your profession to the next level. Whether that means safeguarding educational standards, preventing new and burdensome regulations, or broadening scope of practice, we are here to inform lawmakers on how to enhance your careers and businesses.