When was the first time you put on your first stitch of makeup? I think, for me, I was about three years old in my dance recital. It’s crazy to think that I was introduced to makeup at such an early age, but I wonder if that has anything to do with my love for it now. According to a recent article with the Canadian Press, it should have affected me in a different way.

In the article, Karen Grant, an NPD beauty-industry analyst, says that she thinks when girls start at a young age (such as pre-teen years) they are actually not as fascinated by it in older years (like their late teens). I don’t know if I can agree with that. Now, don’t get me wrong – just because I had a little bit of blush and lipstick on at the age of three, doesn’t mean that I was obsessed with makeup every day since then. I think it actually took me a bit longer to get down some kind of routine (or even to be allowed to use any sort of makeup, for that matter). It’s not like the baby beauty queens of today that get filmed for reality television. That may be a different case altogether.

I think that each person has their own personality and own progression when it comes to makeup. The Canadian Press article also suggests that girls are becoming interested in makeup earlier with all the latest spa and makeup parties that allow them to bond with their friends and mothers. While this may be true, I don’t think that this is when girls begin the obsession. They must explore it on their own and will come into their own routine in their own time. Some girls don’t even like makeup.

But I must agree with the article’s thoughts on the popularity of mascara throughout time. I, myself, don’t ever leave home without mascara on. It really has the ability to brighten your face – it’s a great beauty product.

What products have you loved throughout your life?

-Amanda Fornecker

I was extremely interested to see that short hairdos were a summer trend. I, myself, had the short haircut for a while, but decided that summertime was the best opportunity for me to grow my hair out a little bit. After all, it’s summer and it’s easier to manage when you can wear it different ways – or just throw it up into a ponytail. Personally, I like to be able to put some product in my hair after a shower and keep walking. That is not something I can do with a short hairstyle. However, let’s see why these short haircuts have been trending throughout the summer this year.

Latrice Strader is the master stylist and owner of Destiny De’Ve Hair Salon (Washington, D.C.). She says that short hairstyles are a big summer trend this year. “My clients love how convenient short hairstyles are and easy to maintain,” says Latrice. “They’re perfect for any woman who doesn’t have a lot of time in the morning to spend on her hair, but wants maximum style,” she says. Below you’ll find four short celebrity hairstyles, highlighted by Latrice…

The Vamp Look
Twilight star Kristen Stewart chose a short style to frame her face. She added some wispy bangs with auburn highlights, a great way to brighten up her look for summer. “Summer is a great time of year to go with a lighter shade,” says Latrice. “This length is perfect for women with a more oval shaped face, who may typically shy away from short cuts,” she says.

Red Hot
Rhianna took the short hairstyle to a different look by dying her hair bright red and adding a cropped semi-shaved look to her ‘do. This is certainly a red hot look that shows how Rhianna doesn’t hold back – a look that is great for the risk-taker. “Bold colors are definitely in this season,” says Latrice. “Shades of red and copper look fantastic on brown skin tones and bright orange adds an amazing pop of color to more fair skin tones.”

Short, Sweet, and to the Point
Check out this fresh face of Neutrogena’s hairstyle… Hayden Panettiere has shortened her golden locks to show she’s all grown up. Taking it to the next level, she framed her face with some fabulous bangs. It’s the perfect way to show off her glowing, fresh face. “Side swoop bangs are very popular right now and look great with a super short cut,” says Latrice.

Low Maintenance, Lots of Volume
Janet Jackson gives her new short hairdo a little bit of volume. This is a great look for the red carpet or just a special occasion because it gives you volume and a way to change it up from your normal, everyday hairstyle. It’s also a great time saver! “This elegant look works well for many occasions,” says Latrice. “It’s also very versatile and can easily be transformed and smoothed down to an everyday look.”

-Amanda Fornecker

Fila Academy promised what most cosmetology schools do: the chance to enhance your education and become a successful professional cosmetologist. But the story doesn’t end happily ever after with graduation and a great beauty job. Instead, this is just another lesson on why you should make sure your potential beauty or spa school is accredited…

According to Courthouse News, this Glen Burnie, MD, cosmetology school was recently sued in a class action suit by students who were tricked into the potential of obtaining a beauty school eduction. Students say that they were actually given the answers to exams before they even took them – giving them no chance to actually prove any of their ability. Additionally, Fila Academy forced students to sign up for loans and grants in order to get the more than $16,000 in tuition per student, the article says. And what’s even worse? Students say they were forced to clean toilets along the way.

Fila’s website claims that they accept students who can pass a test in compliance with the NACCAS Ability to Benefit Policy. However, it never stated that they were actually accredited by NACCAS. This is a vital piece of information and why it’s important to do your research. A simple Google search for NACCAS will bring you to the website, where you can search by the name of the school and see if they are actually accredited by this important cosmetology school-accrediting body.

Don’t let something like this happen to you. Do your research and ask questions before you hand over your life savings to someone who may be giving you false hope and empty promises. This shouldn’t scare you into not going to beauty school – it should merely educate you. Start searching now and protect yourself.

-Amanda Fornecker

Holistic health careers are becoming more and more popular these days. But what does a holistic career actually entail?

Holistic health professionals look at the whole picture with their patients. It is not just about a physical condition, but also about the mental and social situations that a person faces each day. Additionally, holistic professions tend to treat patients with more natural means in order to cure their ailments. Some of the alternative methods holistic health professionals use include acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, and herbology. There are a variety of professions that can be considered holistic and it is a good idea to become certified in a holistic health career in order to ensure that you have the best knowledge and holistic health training possible. Check out some of these cool holistic health careers…

Holistic Skin Care – there’s a lot involved with properly caring for your skin and holistic skin care professionals know it all. Being that your skin is the largest organ in your body and your pores allow for absorption from the outside world, it’s important to treat your skin the right way. Holistic skin care professionals treat skin conditions, such as acne, sun damage, rosacea, the natural aging process, and more.

Herbal Medicine – the prescriptions that we take can certainly be dangerous and dependent on many factors. With herbal medicine, holistic health care professionals attempt to use a more natural approach to curing your ailments. Some important aspects of an herbal medicine education include aromatherapy, Chinese medicine, herbal pharmacy and more.

Chiropractic Schools – work out any kinks in your career by getting a chiropractic education. Within this holistic career, professionals are able to help patients who have physical ailments with more natural means than prescribing a painkiller. Those who enter chiropractic schools will face a very intense program in order to ensure they have the best holistic training possible to help others.

For additional information on holistic health careers, visit the American Holistic Health Association.

-Amanda Fornecker