photography by amy nadine, post by carissa ferreri, graphic design by eunice chun

The Beauty Department has given cat eyes a lot of attention (revisit their  Get Catty Video Tutorial and even our Double Line Tutorial)

The challenge, however, is to get the “wings” to look symmetrical without spending all day to do it. Here is a trick they’ve discovered that does just that. And remember: Q-Tips are your friends!

TOOLS:

• A felt-tip black liquid liner
• A pointed cotton swab

STEPS:

1. Look at yourself straight on in the mirror. Where your eyebrows end should be the direction your liner goes. So if you kept drawing, your liner and eye brow would connect. But let’s not do that. Now tilt your chin upwards and look back down at the mirror with your eyes. This really does make the angle easier to see. Take your felt tip liner, which is my favorite to use to achieve this look , and start at the outside corner of your eye. Draw a “flick” up toward the end of your eyebrow. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Repeat on the other eye.
2. This is the time to make sure your “wings” are symmetrical with one another. Take your friend, the Q-tip, and perfect your line. Take out any harsh marks and erase them away.
3. Once you have the angle of your wing, draw on your eyeliner like you normally would and connect it to your “flick.” Here you can control how thick or thin you want your line!

Voila! Perfectly symmetrical Cat Eyes!!

This quick tip is dedicated to all you gorgeous gals with “almost there but not quite” waves.  You will need: Setting clips, tissue paper (I didn’t want to put tissue paper in the photo because it would have blocked too much of the pattern, but you can put a tiny piece of tissue under each clip to avoid creases!), setting spray, and light serum.

• Air dry your hair as you normally would. Try not to brush your hair after you get out of the shower!
• Once it’s 85% dry, lightly mist the top layer with your setting spray.
• Use your tissue paper and clips to set the waves in place. Try to match the pattern of your own natural waves below. It shouldn’t take you more than 5 minutes to get these in place!
• Let it sit for about 20 minutes while you get dressed/do your makeup. If you need to, use your blowdryer on low and give it a little heat help. Make sure you use a nozzle and that your dryer is pointed down toward the floor to avoid frizz.
• Once you remove the clips, add a little bit of a light serum to your ends and a quick veil of light hold hairspray.

If your hair is super-straight on top, this might not work for you but it’s worth a shot! You may find that your top layer just needed a little more support!

Source: The Beauty Department

What Can I Expect to Learn in Beauty School?

Most beauty schools teach the fundamentals of cosmetology—enough to prepare you to pass state licensing exams. Beauty school is seen as a rite of passage by many cosmetologists—one that is both fun and challenging.

Many beauty schools set strict policies for attendance, dress code, and punctuality. They want their students prepared for a competitive job market. That means they demand more than just learning how to perform hair, skin, or nail procedures; they also demand personal discipline so that students will be early to work, clean their stations, and maintain high levels of professionalism long after they graduate.

In addition to classroom study, many beauty schools also have their own on-site salons where students can practice their skills on real clients (who pay discounted prices for the services).

The actual curriculum used by many cosmetology schools is the same as, or very similar to, what is found in Milady’s Standard Cosmetology textbooks. A full cosmetology program generally includes the following subjects:

• Basic life skills (such as setting goals and maintaining a positive attitude)
• Developing a professional image
• Communication skills
• Infection control (including how to prevent the spread of hepatitis, HIV, or other infectious viruses or bacteria in a salon)
• General anatomy and physiology
• Basics of chemistry and electricity
• Hair and scalp characteristics
• Principles of hair design (such as how to enhance a person’s look based on facial shape)
• Basic hair care (shampooing, rinsing, and conditioning)
• Basic haircutting (including core cuts)
• Hairstyling (including how to use the proper tools and techniques)
• Hair braiding and braid extensions
• Hair coloring
• Chemical hair texturing
• Wigs and other hair enhancements
• Properties of skin and nails (including how they grow)
• Skin diseases and disorders
• Hair removal (such as waxing and tweezing)
• Performing basic facials
• Makeup
• Nail diseases and disorders
• Performing manicures
• Performing pedicures
• Creating a resume and portfolio
• Preparing for job interviews
• Basic business skills
• Preparing for state licensure exams

Beauty careers are usually thought of as salon-only. Maybe someone will branch out and work in an entertainment setting. However, outside of these cosmetology areas, there are many other careers in beauty to choose from. You could go into marketing- working for a cosmetics or hair care company, writing about beauty in a magazine, editing a beauty magazine or blog. There are many beauty career opportunities in this field.

Another alternative beauty career is ownership and management. Beauty schools, salons and the franchises of both need managers and owners to keep things running smoothly. A person who is a good cosmetologist and a good leader would be excellent in this area.

Finally, there are more behind-the-scenes beauty careers. You could work to develop and design the beauty products we all use each day. These products also need to be sold – yet another new cosmetology career opportunity! If you want to work in cosmetology, but step out of the box a little bit, there are plenty of new beauty career ideas out there.

Source: beautyschool.com

Aveda Art of Nature Spring/Summer ’13 Makeup Collection 

Here comes the sun…and a new makeup palette, too!Aveda’s new “Art of Nature” limited-edition makeup collection for Spring/Summer 2013 brings the best colors and inspirations of the season into one delectable collection. It’s vibrant, it’s bold and it’s sure to brighten up your client’s smile—literally! “We’re seeing a return to color in makeup with techniques that create a more lived-in, less ‘done’ look,” says Janell Geason, Artistic Director for Aveda Makeup.“Our new makeup collection starts with pure pastels like the first buds of spring, and builds into lush, high-summer color.”

The collection includes two Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Colors, one Nourish-Mint Rehydrating Lip Glaze, two Nourish-Mint Lip Liners, one Petal Essence Face Accents, two Petal Essence Eye Definers and six Petal Essence Single Eye Colors.

To learn more, go to www.aveda.com

Congratulations September Full Time Cosmetology Graduates! Picture from Graduation Celebration on Saturday, May 4th. 

We wish him the best of luck – the awards are announced on July 14, 2013!!

Ideas for Creating a Standout Resume and Portfolio

BTC Facebook BFF Kayla DeHart is nearing graduation and needs some help. “I’m 100 hours away and would love to know what salon owners look for in a resume, a portfolio and in a stylist,” she says. “I have checked out a couple of salons, but before I make that professional visit I want to make sure I have this down.” BTC BFFs to the rescue! Here are some ideas and suggestions:

“I graduated from beauty school in September 2010. What worked for me was a clean, well structured resume. I put all my schooling, beauty school and college first. Next, I listed all the additional industry related training offered by my school and my distributor, along with awards for competitions. For my work history I only summarized and highlighted key points that were important for my new career. Make sure to keep the resume down to one page. To land the interview, contact the salon owner/manager immediately and introduce yourself and ask him/her what time would be good for them to possibly meet and have a chat. During the interview, remain confident and cheerful. Body language can make or break the moment. Don’t be nervous if you see an ad that says, ‘with clientele.’ Remember, your friends and family members are instant clientele! Also, you might be asked to do a technical interview so keep a model in mind. The requirements will vary, but most often, I have been asked to perform layered haircuts and place foils.”
—Jovan Stearns
Beauty Brands
Paradise Valley, AZ

“Construct a well written resume free of all typos. Also, if you have completed college courses, even if you didn’t complete a degree, include that information. I personally love it when an applicant has completed some college coursework. If you have ever worked in a restaurant, add that. It shows that you can handle working in a fast-paced industry, have the ability to multi-task and you’re not afraid to work hard. Most importantly, clean up your Facebook page! It’s the first place I go after I see a promising resume. I don’t hire smokers, people who look like drunks or those who appear to be wild. Present yourself in a professional manner—dress fashionably with non-chipped nails, hair nicely done, refined make-up and bring a smile and a positive attitude!”
—Dot Hachey
TEN PACHI Modern Salon
Seattle, WA

“Your resume needs to be easily scanned in 30 seconds or less. The only thing we want to see is what is relevant to the position you are applying for. Your past experience is nice, but not always pertinent and could take up space where more important information can be placed. And most important, your hair needs to be current and free of regrowth!”
—Eric Dean Jansson
Salon Gregories
Newport Beach, CA

Source- Behind The Chair