Your Clients Deserve More Than Surface-Level Skincare. So Do You.
Become a Certified Nutritional Aesthetics Practitioner® — and help your clients get better results, faster, by addressing what's actually driving their skin issues instead of just treating what shows up in the mirror.
You Got Into This Field Because You Wanted to Actually Help People.
But somewhere along the way, you hit a wall.
Your clients are doing “everything right” — following your product recommendations, getting regular treatments — and still struggling with breakouts, inflammation, premature aging, and skin that never seems to improve for long.
You know there’s something deeper going on. You’ve read enough to suspect it has to do with gut health, hormones, stress, diet. But no one ever gave you a real framework for connecting those dots — and you’re not entirely sure what’s within your scope to address.
Meanwhile, your clients are turning to Dr. Google. Getting conflicting advice. Trying “just use coconut oil” home remedies that make things worse. And not understanding why nothing is working.
You already know the answer isn’t another serum. You’re here because you’re ready for something more.
And Here's What No One in the Industry Wants to Admit.
The beauty/aesthetics industry is heading in the wrong direction.
Filtered photos. Photoshopped “before and afters.” AI-generated faces that don’t exist in nature. Miracle ingredients that trend for six weeks before the next one takes over. Gadgets, hacks, and “revolutionary” treatments promising results that no real human being can healthily achieve — or sustain.
What this culture is quietly teaching people is devastating: that having human skin — your skin, with its texture and pores and fluctuations — is no longer acceptable. That your own unique, individual face is a problem to be fixed. That you are not enough as you are.
The result isn’t better skin. It’s deeper insecurity. Distorted self-image. Unhealthy thought patterns around appearance. Self-care practices that have quietly become self-harming. Clients who are spending more, trying more, and feeling worse about themselves than ever.
We are here to stop this.
The CNAP Training Program exists to put the industry back on the right track — and to give you the tools, the philosophy, and the voice to lead that change in your own practice and community.
Because real skin health isn’t about chasing an artificially perfected image. It’s about helping people reconnect with their own beauty and achieve skin that is optimized — genuinely, sustainably, and authentically theirs.
It’s about shifting the focus beyond the “face card” and back to what actually creates radiant skin and lasting confidence: health, happiness, joy, and vitality. When people feel well — truly well, from the inside out — it shows. That’s what gives skin real clarity and real longevity. Not a filter. Not a trend. Not a $400 serum that’s already been replaced by something newer.
That’s the work. And it starts with you.
Most Skincare Approaches Only Treat What's Visible.That's the Problem.
Think of the skin like an iceberg.
What your clients see in the mirror — the breakout, the redness, the dullness, the fine lines — that’s the tip. It’s real, and it matters. But it’s only about 10% of what’s actually going on.
Beneath the surface? A complex, interconnected system: the gut microbiome, hormonal fluctuations, chronic stress, nutritional deficiencies, sleep patterns, toxic load, emotional health, immune response, and more. These are the drivers.The visible skin is just where those internal imbalances show up.
Conventional skincare — and even most professional training programs — focus almost entirely on that tip of the iceberg. They treat the symptom. They sell the product for the symptom. They perform the treatment for the symptom. And the client comes back next month with the same symptom, because nothing addressed what’s underneath.
As a Certified Nutritional Aesthetics Practitioner®, you will be trained to see — and address — the whole iceberg.
You’ll understand what’s driving your clients’ skin behavior from the inside out. You’ll know how to ask the right questions, connect the right dots, and guide your clients toward changes that actually move the needle — not just on their skin, but in their overall health and wellbeing.
That's not surface-level skincare. That's transformation.
A Note From Co-Founder & President, Rachael Pontillo
“When I co-founded The Nutritional Aesthetics Alliance back in 2015, it was because I had lived through this problem myself — for more than half my life, I struggled with acne. And I saw how many clients were struggling too, not just with breakouts, but with skin that aged faster than it should, skin that never quite responded the way it was supposed to.
Not everyone wants to take medications. Not everyone wants invasive, painful procedures. But they couldn’t find a practitioner who was equipped to help them any other way.
Here’s what I kept seeing: Estheticians weren’t getting adequate training in food, nutrition, lifestyle, or stress management — or in how the skin connects to internal health. They also weren’t getting the coaching skills to help clients actually implement changes. And there was a massive gray area around what estheticians can legally recommend when it comes to food and lifestyle that desperately needed to be clarified.
On the other side, health coaches, nutritionists, and functional medicine practitioners weren’t getting adequate training in skin anatomy, skincare ingredients, or aesthetic treatments. I still see too many well-meaning ‘just use coconut oil’ recommendations — and product suggestions made with the best intentions that are completely inappropriate for that client’s skin.
Professionals on both sides needed the language to bridge the gap — to work together, and alongside integrative dermatologists, functional medicine providers, and medspas who are also trying to help their patients.
That’s why I created the Certified Nutritional Aesthetics Practitioner® Training Program, which launched in 2019 and is now dual accredited by the AADP and NCEA.
This program is my life’s work. And it could change yours.”
— Rachael Pontillo, M.Msc, FDN-P, CIHC, CNAP Co-Founder & President, Nutritional Aesthetics Alliance
Introducing the Certified Nutritional Aesthetics Practitioner® (CNAP) Training Program
The only dual-accredited certification program that trains skin and wellness professionals in the complete picture of skin health — where nutrition, lifestyle, topical skincare, and integrative wellness converge.
This is a comprehensive 9-month online program built for licensed practitioners who are ready to move beyond surface-level skincare and become the go-to expert in holistic, root-cause skin wellness.
Dual accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) and recognized by the NCEA. CNAP graduates are eligible to receive NCEA CE credits through our COA-approved Nutritional Aesthetics® Elements program.
Who Is This For?
CNAP was built for practitioners who are done with half-answers and ready to offer clients something truly transformational:
- Licensed estheticians and aestheticians who know gut health, hormones, and stress are affecting their clients' skin — and want the training to address it properly
- Health coaches and nutritionists who want to stop giving generic skin advice and actually understand skin anatomy, ingredients, and treatments
- Nurses, acupuncturists, herbalists, and integrative wellness practitioners who want skin-specific, evidence-informed training
- Registered Dietitians and functional medicine providers who want to formalize the skin-health connection in their practice
- Any practitioner who wants to lead — not follow — in the fastest-growing field in skin wellness
What You'll Be Able to Do as a CNAP
When you earn this certification, you’re not just adding letters after your name.
You’re fundamentally changing what you can offer your clients.
For your clients: Help them get to the root of chronic skin issues. Give them a truly individualized plan — not just for their face, but for their whole body.
See results that actually last.
For your practice: Add a flexible, premium revenue stream you can deliver virtually or in person. Stand out in a crowded market. Attract clients who are ready to invest in real, lasting results.
For your confidence: Stop Googling at midnight. Stop second-guessing your recommendations. Know exactly what’s within your scope — and how to explain it to clients in a way they’ll understand and follow.
The 10 Pillars of Nutritional Aesthetics® Curriculum
Over 9 months, you’ll go deep into the most important intersections of skin health and whole-body wellness — giving you the knowledge and practical tools to work with clients at every level.
Pillar 1 — An Integrative Approach to Healthy Skin. Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, reiki and herbalism—the list of influences on Nutritional Aesthetics are many, and we explore them here.
Pillar 2 — Skin Anatomy & Physiology and Consultations. A deep-dive into skin structure and function and how to have effective client consultations.
Pillar 3 — Nutrition Basics. Nutrition directly influences skin health, and here we explore those specific connections and the evolving body of evidence that supports it.
Pillar 4 — Lifestyle Practices. Sleep, exercise, environment — the lifestyle factors that accelerate or protect against skin aging and dysfunction.
Pillar 5 — Gut Health & Digestion. The gut-skin axis, explained thoroughly and practically, with tools to help clients begin to address it.
Pillar 6 — The Microbiome. The latest science on how the skin and gut microbiome affect each other — and how to educate your clients.
Pillar 7 — Stress and Your Skin, The powerful and often overlooked link between mental and emotional health and visible skin behavior.
Pillar 8 — Hormones & Skin Health One of the most under-addressed drivers of skin behavior, for clients of all genders and ages.
Pillar 9 — Products, Ingredients & Treatments What goes on the skin goes into the body. Learn to evaluate and recommend with confidence — without brand bias.
Pillar 10 — Integrative Approaches & NAA in Practice Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbalism, scope of practice, social media strategy, case studies, and everything you need to actually run an integrative skin-wellness practice.
Need more information about the CNAP Training Program? Enter your name and email address below to request the syllabus.
Enrollment Options
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CNAP VIP — The Full-Support Experience
Everything you need to learn deeply, implement confidently, and graduate with momentum:
- Complete 10-Pillar Nutritional Aesthetics® curriculum — video lectures, downloadable textbook chapters, resources, and client-ready templates
- 3 live group calls per month (two office hours + one NAA in Practice implementation call)
- 3 private 1:1 calls — onboarding session + two practicum mentoring and role-play calls
- Lifetime NAA Membership
- CNAP certification + eligibility for AADP board certification and NCEA CE credits
- Lifetime access to the private CNAP graduate community
CNAP Self-Study — Learn at Your Own Pace
The complete curriculum with flexibility built in:
- Complete 10-Pillar Nutritional Aesthetics® curriculum — video lectures, downloadable textbook chapters, resources, and client-ready templates
- 2 private 1:1 practicum mentoring and role-play calls
- Lifetime NAA Membership
- CNAP certification + eligibility for AADP board certification and NCEA CE credits
- Lifetime access to the private CNAP graduate community
Your Lifetime NAA Membership Includes
When you enroll in CNAP, you become a lifetime member of the Nutritional Aesthetics® Alliance — the only professional community dedicated entirely to this field:
- The NAA Files: Full-color, downloadable and printable resource cards — perfect for client education and your own reference
- Access to a library of educational webinars from the NAA co-founders, Advisory Board, and industry experts
- FREE admission to International Congress of Esthetics & Spa conferences in Dallas, Long Beach, Miami, and Philadelphia
- Discounted subscription to Les Nouvelles Esthetiques & Spa
- A professional membership card and digital badge for your website and marketing
- Opportunities to be featured on the NAA website and blog, and to contribute to NAA events
- Special pricing on NAA masterclasses and continuing education
- Access to a growing community of like-minded integrative skin and wellness practitioners
What Graduates Are Saying
“This should be required after you graduate from esthetics school — it covers everything you didn’t learn. Rachael and her team have poured years of research and effort into this. You’ll be BLOWN AWAY. I am a more informed, better-educated esthetician because of this course.” — Lori Ward, LW Skincare
“The number of ‘aha’ moments I had during this course can’t even be counted. Rachael is incredibly generous with her wisdom. Even the busiest people can do this — I own a busy skincare practice and homeschool two children.” — Stephanie Farrand, Sapphire Aesthetics
“Rachael Pontillo is an incredible encyclopedia of knowledge. This program gave me exactly what I was looking for — and more.” — Jodie Pappas, Clean Kiss
“This course exceeded my expectations significantly. The platform is excellent, the modules are easy to follow, and the flexibility of studying online made it possible to fit into a busy schedule without leaving home. Rachael’s feedback and guidance throughout was invaluable — she helped me identify my strengths, my growth areas, and how to build a business model around them. Over the duration of the course I gained a wealth of knowledge and practical strategies that will benefit both my personal and professional life. It has truly been an invaluable learning experience. Infinite love and gratitude, Rachael.” — Maria M.
Your Questions, Answered
The program is open to licensed estheticians, cosmetologists, massage therapists, Registered Dietitians, nutritionists, certified health coaches, herbalists, aromatherapists, acupuncturists, and other qualified skin and wellness professionals. If you work with skin or support people’s overall wellness, this program was built for you.
Upon successfully completing all requirements, you’ll earn your Certified Nutritional Aesthetics Practitioner® (CNAP) credentials — and become eligible for board certification through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). If you participate in the NCEA, this program will also give you 10 CEs towards your recertification.
A CNAP is trained to bridge the gap between the two. Upon completion, you’ll be equipped to integrate both topical and nutritional approaches to skin health into your work — all within your federal, state, and local scope of practice. CNAPs work in spas, fitness centers, health coaching and nutrition practices, integrative and functional medicine settings, and in collaboration with chiropractors, acupuncturists, and integrative dermatologists. You can expand your existing practice, add virtual offerings, or build an entirely new revenue stream around integrative skin wellness.
The CNAP Training Program runs on rolling admissions — you can enroll and begin at any time. Live calls are held three times monthly during the program year of September through June, with summer office hours also available. A self-study option with suggested weekly agendas is available to help you stay on track.
Tuition is $3,997 for the VIP option, or $2,500 for the Self-Study option. Both are available as 9 consecutive monthly payments of $475 or $297 respectively. With the payment plan, you receive access to one Pillar per month as payments are made. Tuition is subject to change at any time.
The CNAP curriculum was developed by NAA co-founders, Advisory Board members, and leading holistic and integrative skincare and health professionals. Live classes are taught by NAA President and co-founder Rachael Pontillo, and Academic Advisor/Consultant Tara M. Swagger — herself one of the very first CNAP graduates.
If you’re on the payment plan, you’ll receive access to one Pillar per month over 9 months, so an accelerated pace isn’t possible with that option. If you pay in full and follow the suggested weekly schedule, finishing ahead of 9 months is possible — but we don’t recommend rushing. The curriculum is deep and rich, and the real value comes from sitting with it. Additionally, earning your certification requires a written exam, a two-part oral exam, and a 3-month real-time practicum. Those milestones are intentional and can’t be compressed.
Yes — upon completing all training, your written final exam, two-part oral exam, 3-month practicum, and case study requirements, you will earn your CNAP certification and digital badge. You’ll also be eligible to join the AADP and become a board-certified Holistic Health Practitioner (at an additional one-time cost). CNAP graduates are also eligible to earn NCEA CE credits toward NCEA recertification through our COA-approved Nutritional Aesthetics® Elements program.
You have 3 days from enrollment to cancel and receive a full refund. Because this is an online program, you’ll have immediate access to the CNAP Student Dashboard, all course materials, NAA Membership benefits, and the private community upon enrolling — and because these materials are delivered digitally, cancellations and refunds aren’t available after that initial 3-day window. That said, we’ve built an enormous amount of support into this program to set you up for success — including access to live calls, 1:1 mentoring, and lifetime access to all course materials and the graduate community. We want you to thrive, and we’ll be with you every step of the way.
The knowledge and tools taught in the CNAP Training Program have helped graduates grow their income and help their clients achieve meaningful, lasting skin results — but we are not able to guarantee specific outcomes. What we teach is for educational purposes only. All students are solely responsible for their own results, career advancement, and income. Likewise, CNAP graduates are not able to guarantee specific client outcomes — all clients are personally responsible for their own health, skin, and results.
Have more questions? Contact us here to book a complimentary Discovery Call.
Every Day You Wait Is Another Day Your Clients Go Without the Help Only You Could Give Them.
You already know the conventional approach isn’t enough. You’ve known it for a while. The only question left is how much longer you’re willing to practice without the tools, training, and credentials to do the work you actually came here to do.
You already know this is what you’re meant to do.
Trust that. Your clients need the practitioner you’re about to become.
VIP: $3,997 or 9 payments of $475 | Self-Study: $2,500 or 9 payments of $297
Questions before you enroll? We’d love to talk. Contact us here.