Archive for August, 2008

A while back, we at Beautyschoolsdirectory.com posted about the wonders of mineral makeup . Have you tried it yet? If not … then today’s your lucky day!

Let us introduce you to the wonders of Everydayminerals.com . They’ve got a rainbow of colors to match your skin tone, and a variety of formulas to match your skin type. Their products are 100% all-natural and organic. Here are just a few of the ways they keep their products and company environmentally conscious:

•    They package and ship their products in 90% recycled tissue paper.
•    Their products are 100% biosafe.
•    They provide free bicycles to their employees after 6 months of work.

Best of all? They offer a FREE sample makeup kit  so you can test out which colors work best with your complexion! You get to select sample sizes of 3 Foundations, 1 Blush, and 1 Concealer and get them sent to your house – fast. All you have to do is pay a few dollars in shipping costs – mine were only $3.

Also? These “sample sizes” are pretty big! As someone who keeps up with the cosmetology industry, it would be a crime not to order your free samples. Let us know what you think!

Shh. There’s a secret to looking fabulous that every trained cosmetologist and make-up artist knows. It’s easy, it’s fast, and it’s cheap (if not free).

It’s shaping your eyebrows! Having tidy, groomed brows can make your eyes and the rest of your face look more awake, brighter, and more beautiful.

So why aren’t your brows in the shape they need to be? Chances are, you’re afraid to do the regular self-maintenance between waxes. You’ve heard horror stories of women going to the mirror with 2 full brows, and stepping away with 1.5 too-skinny brows left behind.

Good news! It’s not that hard. Check out this video for some pointers from the Sephora pros!

Remember:

•Follow the natural line of your eyebrow when shaping.
•Comb them upwards and outwards for an instant pick-up.
•Use a little hair gel to keep them in place!

Psstt … cosmetologists. Want to know the easiest way to get ahead at work?

Recognize that there’s more to being a successful cosmetologist than just cutting hair. Of course, you want to express your vision and your creativity – but that’s no way to impress your boss. Especially if you’re a new graduate. Step up and take on some of the other responsibility that it takes to run a successful salon!

Students who refuse to be on front desk duty, do laundry or other tasks won’t get ahead very fast. These jobs aren’t the most fun or the most glamorous, but stepping up shows responsibility, work ethic, and dedication to your profession.

In fact, this shouldn’t even be considered extra work. Part of your job as a beauty industry professional includes being on time, adhering to the dress code, taking out the trash, being at the front desk, taking difficult clients, and managing the calendar. Even if your manager doesn’t come right out and ask you to help out – volunteer! It could do a lot for your career.

Those of you who are living in this situation – what do you think? Is the dirty work a part of your job? Beautyschoolsdirectory.com wants to know!

As a beauty industry professional, you can get to know your clients pretty well. And when they come back to your chair month after month, they trust your professional opinion.

The best beauty experts keep their clients looking and feeling great long after they’ve left their chairs. Now that summer’s in full effect, with the sun beating down and the humidity at it’s highest, your clients may want some tips on staying pretty in the sweltering heat.

So what kind of advice can you give your clients on summer beauty outside the salon? The kind of advice that’s easy to follow!

Easy summer beauty tips

•By now, your clients should know that it’s important to wear SFP every time they go outside – not just in the blazing sun. A good way to accomplish this is by using a light moisturizer with SPF 30 in it, and a non-greasy SPF lotion in place of their regular morning lotion.
•It’s not just skin that needs protection! A leave-in hair conditioner with a UV filter (like Kiehl’s) will protect hair from sun damage while keeping it smooth and shiny in the wind.
•They can further protect hair from wind and chlorine damage with a shine glaze that coats the hair shaft and binds silkiness to their strands. A glaze like Fredrick Fekkai Salon Glaze Clear Shine Rinse won’t weigh hair down.
•Summer’s the time to toss thick foundation and replace them with light, even-coverage powders and portable make-up sticks. In the hot summer months, most people can get away with SPF moisturizer, a smooth concealer and a dusting of tinted powder.
•For times that they want a bit more color, your clients might want to look into multi-purpose makeup that can be applied with their fingers. A peach color stick can do triple-duty as an eye shadow, blush, and lip color. Top it off with some waterproof mascara and they’re good to go!

We recently had a reader ask for our advice on eye makeup - she has dark hair and eyes and uses black eye liner, but has been getting not-so-rave reviews from her friends and family. She may have the kindest heart, but her entourage says she looks evil!

This is a common problem when using black eyeliner - it’s easy to get out of control and end up looking more like Marylin Manson than you had ever hoped. So here are a few tips we’ve learned through our years of experimenting with makeup that we’d like to share with you!

1) Less is more: if you want to use black eyeliner, go easy on the application. Lightly line the outside corner of both lids instead of evenly lining all the way across. It draws subtle attention to your eyes, without that scary look. Another option - line only your lid near the upper lash base, to give your lashes a boost.

2) Try an alternate color liner, such as brown, like one of my faves from MAC. Lighter color liners will still give you the definition you seek, but are more natural looking and less noticeable as makeup.

3) Use eye shadow and a fine tipped brush instead of eye liner. Use a deep charcoal or brown for more dramatic effects, or medium toned shadows for a more natural look. If you’re wearing a brightly colored top, try a bit of brightly colored shadow to line your eyes to set things off a bit more. My trick for applying shadow to my lower lash base is to wet a fine tipped brush before dipping in the shadow. This ensures a clean application and you don’t have to worry about the loose, excess powder sprinkling down your cheeks!

Hopefully, by experimenting with some of these, you can change your look from goth to glam!