Sometimes we realize that although we love the work we do, there needs to be some sort of change. This change can be for the betterment of ourselves, our families, or even the people we work with. Debra Bebell knew something was missing in her field. After working as a critical care nurse for more than 25 years, she decided to extend her knowledge and do something where she could really help her patients even more than she had before. She enrolled in a three-year program in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Similarly, Tess Hahn found that after working for years in nursing and recommending acupuncture for patients as a last resort, she wanted to be the one to give this successful treatment to patients. She enrolled in an acupuncture college, completed her degree, and worked in China to experience firsthand Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has been working in acupuncture since 1981 and continues to learn, with her latest endeavor being understanding acupuncture for cosmetic restoration.

Read these powerful stories of women who evolved within their careers to a Traditional Chinese Medicine wellness career:
Seeing the Whole Person: Oriental Medicine Practitioner Spotlight
This Acupuncturist Has What it Takes to Make a Difference

-Amanda Fornecker

Fashion week isn’t just about the clothes, you know. What about the makeup? In fact, the wrong kind of makeup can really ruin the look and theme of a runway. Let’s take a look at some of the looks created by Maybelline New York recently at New York Fashion Week for some Fall 2010 (yes, I said Fall) trends.

DAY 1: RVCA x Erin Wasson
Playful craziness and a touch of wacky ruled the roost at RVCA x Erin Wasson. Most notable, the feathered brow and heavily-lined bottom lip, which gave the look a bit of a “tribal” feel.

DAY 2: Michael Angel
Bright, colorfully-rimmed eyes captivated the runway at Michael Angel. Bold Lime green and deep jeweled blues added intensity, while earthy tones added depth against a fresh face. A neutral nude lip sealed the deal.

DAY 3: Vivienne Tam
Bare eyes and cheeks allowed for a bold red lip to steal the show at Vivienne Tam. The traditional femme fatale pairing of a luscious cherry pout and porcelain complexion was complemented perfectly by a more relaxed natural brow.

DAY 4: Custo Barcelona
Utter femininity was celebrated at Custo Barcelona. Flawless skin, arched brows, and a sheer, neutral shine on lips balanced the bold fashions that graced the runway.

DAY 5: Carlos Miele
Less was certainly more at Carlos Miele as Gato banished pinks and reds opting for nude all over. A shade range of barely-there hues contoured and polished faces for a natural, refined finish. A touch of mascara was applied just to roots of lashes to keep with the minimalist look.

DAY 5: Tracy Reese
Charlotte turned to intense color and texture for a “masculine-feminine” look at Tracy Reese. A carefully highlighted and illuminated face and toffee lip complimented and kept focus on eye-catching smoky, yet shiny, peepers. Chocolate and beige shadow hues and carbon black mascara and liner showcased strong eyes for the ultimate in glam style.

DAY 6: Max Azria
A punchy pop of orange was the talk of the tents backstage at Max Azria. Created specifically for the show, Charlotte doused the lip in the bold hue, which stood out against a dewy complexion, bare eyes, and naturally touched-up brows. Long, black lashes rendered a cat-like effect.

DAY 7: William Rast
For William Rast, Charlotte concocted an edgy, modernized Brigitte Bardot look. Fresh, flawless skin lended a platform to thick mega-lashes built up with layers of black mascara. Nearly-there nude lips were the finishing touch on a soft, sexy face.

Just because you’re a celebrity, doesn’t mean you don’t need to go to school. That’s what Serena Williams is proving right now. After returning from the Australian Open, the tennis star decided she wanted to become a nail technician, writing in her blog, “No one likes getting their nails done more than I do. As a matter of fact I go every four days to get a manicure and every seven days for a pedicure.”

Williams found that she wanted to really prepare for her new nail line with HairTech and felt that becoming a nail technician would help her develop her love for nails further. She found a school in her state of Florida and checked out how many hours she needed to complete in order to obtain her license to practice. For Florida, it’s 240 hours of nail technician school practice. Williams hopes to finish the nail technician school program within the next year, even though she notes that most people can finish the program in just six weeks. Hey, she’s a busy girl with a grueling tennis schedule. But it just goes to show you that even if you don’t have as much time as you’d like, you can still pursue one of your interests.

Williams prepared the night before for her big first day at nail technician school by getting some cute blue clothes (that’s the color she had to wear) and some accessories to reflect her personality from the Hello Kitty store. She wrote in her blog: “If I’m not the best, I sure do want to look like it. Not only do I plan on being the top student to graduate from my nail school, but I also intend on being the most fashionable!”

On her first day, Williams had to do a pedicure on another student and got quite a few compliments on her work. She was quite thrilled with her whole experience and is excited at the prospect of becoming a licensed nail technician. She says, “Don’t be surprised if you hear about a part time job I’ve picked up at a local nail salon.” Wouldn’t you be surprised?!

Researching schools is just the first step in the process. And if a celebrity can do it, so can you. Start your search today.

-Amanda Fornecker

Everyone should have their own set of beauty tools, whether they are a beauty professional or not. With just the right tool, you’ll be able to properly amp up your beauty routine and ensure that you’re really looking your best at all times. Read about what the artistic director of Empire Beauty Schools, Gina Pieper, has to recommend.

When updating your styling tools, what products do you recommend avoiding?
I recommend staying away from nylon bristle round brushes as they can start to melt and bend when they come in contact with heat. Using these types of brushes can cause your hair to tangle during your blowout causing split ends and breakage. Also, I recommend staying away from nonionic blow dryers because they are extremely damaging to your hair. Avoid using a blow dryer that is more than 15 years old as it may even contain asbestos, which was formerly used as a heat resistant material in the power cord.

What kind of technology is used in these news tools and how does that help hair styling?
An ionic blow dryer is faster and leaves your hair shinier and healthier than the traditional blow dryer. It emits millions of charged particles called ions that bond to your hair, breaking down moisture molecules without frying your hair like the old blow dryers do. The Thermoceramic brushes produce more consistent heat for your hair which is less damaging and smoothes the cuticle, minimizing breakage and split ends. The boar bristles on brushes help smooth the hair strands individually for added shine and protection.

What are two must-have hair styling tools that stylists need to have right now?
Right now I love the big and sexy tousled curl trend! Having the newest hot rollers is a must; I recommend The Babyliss Pro Ceramic and Ionic Hair Setter as my choice of tool to accomplish this style. Stick straight hair is becoming a thing of the past, but having the right flat iron to twist some locks into a sassy wave is without a doubt a necessity. I love the Babyliss Diamond Titanium Flat Iron because it leaves the hair soft and shiny.

What are two must-have hair styling tools that consumers need to have right now?
A great “cheater tool” for someone that is not a professional is the InStyler (http://getinstyler.com/). I also recommend having a professional ionic blow dryer at home to avoid damaging your hair everyday.

As a hairstylist, what are the newest hair styling tools that you love?
I just became a big fan of the Denman Thermoceramic Straightening Brush, and Denman Thermoceramic Bristle Radial Brush. I recommend using them with an ionic blow dryer; I use the Babyliss Diamond Titanium.

-Empire Beauty Schools