Esthetician Calls Daughter’s Skin ‘Unhealthy’ And Refuses To Use Her In Business Photos, Is She Wrong?

Running a business is often about making tough choices, and for this esthetician, one such decision came when she asked her niece to model for updated photos on her website.

The reasoning was practical: her niece’s features aligned better with her clientele, many of whom are Middle Eastern women. However, when her daughter found out, she felt rejected and hurt by her mother’s candid explanation.

The fallout was immediate, with her daughter crying and accusing her of favoritism.

What began as a business‑oriented choice quickly escalated into an emotional family conflict because it tapped into deeply rooted issues around appearance, self‑esteem, and perceived parental favoritism.

The OP’s decision to use their niece’s images for the esthetician’s marketing reflected professional reasoning: their niece’s look matched the demographics of the clients they serve.

In commerce, aligning promotional material with a target audience is common practice and often determines client engagement.

However, when these choices are communicated in a family setting, especially to a teenage daughter, they can be easily interpreted as judgments on personal worth or beauty.

Adolescence is a period when young people’s body image and self‑esteem are closely linked, and comparisons, whether intended as business rationale or not, can have emotional consequences.

Research shows that adolescents with greater body dissatisfaction tend to report lower self‑esteem, particularly when comparisons to idealized images are frequent, whether from peers, media, or, in some cases, family members.

Perceived parental favoritism also plays a significant role in sibling dynamics and self‑perception.

Studies investigating familial relationships indicate that when one child is seen as preferred, whether through affection, praise, or in this case, public presentation, it can contribute to feelings of marginalization in the other child.

This perception of favoritism has been linked to lower self‑esteem and increased sibling rivalry or resentment.

In a family context, even unintended actions can be interpreted through the lens of who gets attention or recognition, reinforcing sensitive self‑evaluations tied to appearance and acceptance.

Beyond familial dynamics, societal and media influences also affect how adolescents evaluate their own looks.

Research on social media’s impact finds that exposure to idealized images, whether from influencers, filtered photos, or professional portrayals, can exacerbate body image concerns and contribute to negative self‑esteem outcomes among young people.

While the OP’s situation did not involve social media, the underlying psychological mechanisms are similar, seeing someone else’s image presented publicly in a beauty or aesthetic context can unintentionally trigger comparisons that resonate deeply with a teenager’s developing self‑image.

Given these insights, the OP’s instinct to protect the business’s professional image is understandable, yet the manner of communication with her daughter was the pivot point of emotional fallout.

Acknowledging her daughter’s feelings and perspective first, before explaining the business reasoning, could have mitigated hurt and prevented the sense of personal judgment.

Relationship experts emphasize that validating feelings, “I hear that this made you feel hurt or left out”, strengthens connection, especially in emotionally charged situations.

Once a person feels understood, they are more receptive to explanations about context and reasoning.

For the OP, a constructive path forward lies in open dialogue and reassurance.

Apologizing for the hurtful tone of the comment, not necessarily the business decision itself, can support her daughter’s emotional well‑being.

Sharing the logic behind the marketing choice while reaffirming to her daughter that beauty, effort, and care are not defined solely by someone’s current skin condition or eyebrow style can help rebuild trust.

Moreover, involving her daughter in future business reflections, perhaps inviting her to offer input on imagery choices or even collaborating in another way, might transform the situation into an opportunity for positive engagement rather than competition or comparison.

In essence, the OP’s experience highlights a broader truth: family dynamics often interact with professional roles in complex ways, and without careful communication, even neutral decisions can be interpreted as personal slights.

Being mindful of how messages are framed, especially when they touch on appearance and identity, allows families to navigate the intersection of business and personal life more harmoniously, supporting emotional resilience and mutual respect.

Here’s what people had to say to OP:

These commenters collectively slammed the OP for how they spoke to their daughter.

These Redditors expressed that the OP missed a valuable opportunity to include her daughter in a positive way, showing a range of people in her business’s advertising.

These users took a more nuanced approach, agreeing that the OP could have handled the situation better but acknowledging the frustration the daughter caused by repeatedly pushing the issue.

This situation stings because the OP’s comment unintentionally cut deep, especially as it involved comparing the physical appearance of her own daughter to her niece.

Was the OP’s business choice justified, or did she go too far in her delivery? How would you balance business with family? Share your thoughts below.