You’ve decided to go back to school to pursue something you are genuinely interested in. Congratulations! No matter what avenue of education you are pursuing, you’re always bound to have questions. It’s a huge life-altering decision to continue on with your education so it’s a good idea to have some of the facts down first:

• Beauty schools generally interest the artistic and creative sides of individuals. This doesn’t mean you have to already have techniques to pursue your education, but a strong interest in fields like cosmetology, hair design, makeup application, and more are certainly important.
• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest 10 percent of salaried cosmetologists earned close to $20 per hour in May 2006. Salaries grow with experience.
• Cosmetology and other beauty professions tend to be flexible careers, with about 46 percent of the total number of cosmetologists being self-employed, according to the BLS.

What questions will you have before you make your ultimate beauty decision? Let us help you here with the Top Five Questions About Beauty Schools.

-Amanda Fornecker

Welcome to the seventh edition of the Beauty Smarts Blog Carnival! In preparation for back to school (yes, I said back to school) let’s take a look at some beauty routines you can perfect throughout the month of August so that you are always looking your best no matter what. These fabulous bloggers have broken down everything from home remedies to tips and tricks in order to help readers figure out what works best for them. So break out those eye pencils and beauty books — but make sure not to give yourself a dirty look!

Who knew olive oil could be so versatile? Aparna says, “Besides lemon, milk, sugar, aloe, turmeric, sandalwood and honey, olive oil is another household item that has multifarious uses as a beauty aid.” See what they are in 11 things you can do with olive oil posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming.

“Nature is the newest trend in skin and hair care,” says GreatManagement. “For years, we’ve been putting toxic chemicals into our bodies that build up and make us feel tired and sick, regardless of whether we eat them or if they seep though our pores. And people are finally catching on that natural is better.” Check out more in Natural homemade beauty recipes posted at Free Organic News.

Amir Marzouq presents some eco-friendly tools for your makeup bag. Check out Voice your Vote: Natural Beauty Products | Guffly posted at Guffly for the latest.

Don’t want to spend a fortune on facials or masks? No problem! VANYA presents 4 Easy Homemade Facial Recipes | VANYA posted at Facial masks for facial skin |VANYA: “Here are four simple, yet effective and great homemade facial mask recipes you can use in the comfort of your own home.” Banana and avocado anyone?

Do you have sensitive skin? How can you tell if this is something aggravating you daily? Spa Boutique presents Sensitive Skin: What Are Your Options? posted at Spa Girl Beauty Tips and gives us an inside look at what signs to expect for sensitivity to different beauty products.

Lately, I feel like my skin has been breaking out all over the place! But what is actually going on? Maybe I can find out what my actual problem is in eternal voyageur’s Is it a breakout or is your skin purging impurities ? | eternalvoyageur’s Xanga Site – Weblog posted at Venusian*Glow.

Do you wear makeup every single day or can you go out in public without it? What is it that makes some people feel they can’t live without makeup. Check out To Makeup or Not To Makeup, posted at our very own A Minute With SpaBeautySchools.

You can always trust your mother, right? Many of us follow the routines that have worked for our parents, but maybe we should be following a different kind of beauty regimen, due to product ingredients or just different skin types. Robin Adler presents A Misguided Trust posted at Organic beauty for hair, skin, nails.

Women aren’t the only ones who take beauty and grooming seriously. Gin G. presents Beholding Beauty posted at Sense Scribe, giving us a lesson in beauty and grooming for men.

What are you afraid of when it comes to beauty products? Find out about The Most Feared Beauty Tool and see what some Twitterers think of it. A of Makeup Lovers Anonymous breaks it all down for you.

If you’re an aspiring hair stylist, you’ll certainly want to learn from the pros. Take notes from an expert hairdresser at Lauren Conrad’s Hair Colorist Kaz Amor Shares LC’s Color Tips presented by HairBoutique.

It’s easy to forget that your teeth are actually part of the world of beauty. Wayne Hairston presents Best Teeth Whiteners – What You Should Look For in Tooth Whiteners posted at The Best Teeth Whitening System because we all should be able to flash our smile proudly!

And that’ll do it for our seventh edition of the Beauty Smarts Blog Carnival!! Thank you so much for your continued participation and remember to prepare and look your best for the back to school season (or even your Labor Day bashes!) — it’s creeping up faster than you think.

-Amanda Fornecker

• Are you a blogger? We invite you to contribute to the next Beauty Smarts carnival: Submit here.
• Readers: Let us know your favorite post here, and what you’d like to read more about in the future. Comment below!

The economy may be quickly shrinking, but that doesn’t mean that all businesses are suffering. In fact, beauty schools are doing a pretty good job of staying afloat during this tough economic crisis, as more and more beauty-obsessed individuals ditch the cubicle for the beauty salon classroom in a variety of beauty school concentrations.

I’ve always had a love of makeup. And I think this economy has kick-started those who have felt the same way — into a new career where they can pursue their passion and make a different life for themselves. While they may be changing their paycheck just a bit (cosmetologists average between $30,000 and $48,000 before tips, according to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools, AACS), they are pursuing something that can have a large payout in the long run, especially if they own their own salon or spa.

Take this recent NY Times article, for instance. It’s interesting to see all the beauty school professionals talking about beauty school popularity. Lynelle Lynch of Bellus Academy says in the article, “The industry is much more sophisticated than it once was.” This is definitely true as I believe the industry has moved away from the negative stigma that once was associated with the beauty industry. It takes a quite skilled, creative, and dedicated individual to pursue a beauty career. And an even more daring person to change careers entirely.

Beauty school isn’t just about the particular trade you’re about to study. It’s also about getting a well-rounded education that will give you the skills to really go out and conduct business. Classes in ethics and business practices are generally included in a curriculum that also emphasizes the history and chemistry of your desired profession. It’s quite a diverse field and students work hard to learn both on paper in the classroom and on mannequins (and eventually people) in the salon.

The NYT article also brings to light the fact that beauty schools are increasing in locations and enrollment:

At this time in 2008, Bellus Academy had 180 students; today it has 240. The number of students at Empire Beauty Schools, which has 89 locations, was up 17 percent from April 2008 to April 2009; enrollment at Paul Mitchell Schools, with 91 locations, increased 14 percent from May 2008 to May 2009.

Additionally, the AACS suggests that this is a wide open field. In fact, in January 2007, there were practically 1.7 million individuals employed in the beauty industry. And it continues to grow. “Salon owners reported 484,660 job openings were filled during 2006,” says the AACS. “This represents an average of 1.3 openings per salon. Nearly 40 percent of all new positions were filled by inexperienced workers.”

This all just goes to show how many opportunities exist within the beauty industry. There is lots of potential to get the job you desire. If you’ve always had a passion for beauty careers then maybe it’s time to consider the career change. Schedules are flexible so continuing to work and taking night classes is certainly possible. You just need to find the right school for you. Let us help you begin your search and even do some research about some of these accredited programs.

-Amanda Fornecker

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in the beauty industry, but I never actually thought to make it my career. After researching a little bit more about the beauty industry, I was able to find out a few different things. I have various options when it comes to the beauty industry, and it just might be time to pursue those dreams.

Upon researching beauty school, I have realized that it is an attainable goal. In just a short period of time (less than a year for most programs!) I can earn a certificate, meet a network of beauty professionals, and get my license to work with real clients. And while I thought a cosmetology license was the way to go, after doing the research, I now realize that I would be better-suited to get my esthetician license. There is a difference.

Cosmetologists learn a variety of techniques at beauty school. It’s more than just makeup applications. You also work with hair, nails, and skin. This is not where I want my focus to be because I really want to focus on skin. An esthetician, on the other hand, learns about the skin and its disorders, as well as how to apply makeup successfully. (If only I could figure out how to have flawless skin – my life would be complete!) Not to mention I really want to help others feel good about themselves.

The point here is that maybe it’s time for me to take my love for all things beauty and turn it into a lucrative and fun career. And even if it’s not a full-time thing (I do love writing, after all!), maybe I can pursue this passion and make some extra income. The main thing about beauty school is that most provide beauty school students with flexibility and an efficient curriculum that will ensure the student’s success upon graduation. Beauty schools prepare students for their licensing exams (don’t forget that requirements vary by state), and the best ones have their accreditation so you know that you’re getting the most up-to-date curriculum.

What I ultimately end up doing is a mystery at this crossroads in my life. I’m left wondering if this down economy is really the best time to pursue my dream, but I hear that many would rather forego other frivolous purchases than anything pertaining to beauty. Hopefully I will be able to make my dream a reality one day soon and start helping others feel beautiful in their skin.

-Amanda Fornecker