At some point this summer, I’m sure you were exposed to some of the sun’s fabulous (yet damaging) rays. If there’s one thing you can do to go out with a bang this summer, it might be to get an end-of-summer facial, especially before all the back-to-school madness! And who better to do your facial than a licensed esthetician?

A facial consists of a few different techniques in order to give you a glowing and healthy-looking complexion. Through the use of steam, exfoliation, and extraction, estheticians really can help you feel and look your best by taking out those unwanted blackheads and creating an outlet for your pores to breathe naturally. At a facial, you can also get some advice and tips from your esthetician regarding your daily regimen and treatment options.

An esthetician is a great go-to person to see even if you’ve never experienced skin problems. Estheticians are experts in skin care, cleansing the skin of impurities. Additionally, estheticians are able to give head and neck massages and even complete makeup applications.

An esthetician program can be found at many cosmetology schools. It is through an esthetician program that a person can become properly licensed to work with individuals in places like spas, doctor’s offices, and other beauty salons. Programs vary in length and price, but it is always important to consider your own needs and desires. An esthetician career is a great one to have, especially according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, who estimates that the field of esthetics will grow by 38 percent due to an increase in demand for people who want to better their skin. This is much faster than the average growth for other occupations.

Summer may be over, but don’t despair. You can go get an end-of-summer facial or perhaps begin a career as an esthetician to be able to give those fabulous treatments to those who seek them.

-Amanda Fornecker

What do you get for a beauty professional who seems to have all the right miracle beauty products this holiday season? Check out some of these products below that will kickstart your favorite beauty professional’s new year in just the right way…

Hair Stylist
If smooth, straight hair is what you’re after, then Living proof’s frizz straight making no frizz styling cream is just what you need. Attempting to beat the evil known as humidity, to keep split ends down to a minimum, and help cut down on drying time, this no frizz styling cream is seriously a no-brainer. For the professional and amateur hair stylist alike, you’ll love to have this in your repertoire of secret weapons.

Buy the 4 oz. bottle of frizz straight making no frizz styling cream at Sephora for $24.

Esthetician
Even those with flawless skin can get a blemish on their face from time to time. Don’t let it get you down. That’s what CoverFX’s Camouflage Concealer is for. This concealer really camouflages anything from a pimple to redness to signs of a sleepless night. It’s high-definition ready and helps to even out skin tone. It even comes in six different shades. What more could an esthetician ask for?

Buy the 0.5 oz. bottle of Camouflage Concealer at Sephora for $25.

Nail Technician
We’re always looking for the longest-lasting manicure that will help keep nails at their strongest. Perfect Formula’s Nail Guard System does just that with some gel and crystals. The gel coat, also known as a “Suit of Armor” helps to thicken and strengthen the weakest of nails as a base coat. The crystal nail file helps to shape and seal nails to keep them looking fabulous even longer.

Buy the kit on http://www.perfectformulas.com for $33.50.

Makeup Artist
Most girls long for longer, fuller lashes and that’s usually what mascara is supposed to do for us. CARGO goes one step farther by helping grow your lashes with LashActivator. By using products like Marine Algae extracts, citrus-derived Flavonoids, and Peptide-biotin, LashActivator helps promote better looking lashes with a slow lash loss rate. Perfect for everyday use, you can expect to see a difference within 30 days.

Buy LashActivator at Sephora for $35.

-Amanda Fornecker

I watched MTV’s “Jersey Shore” last night and can I just say I was definitely entertained. But it doesn’t take a beauty school professional to know that these looks are part of a culture very different from other parts of the country. In fact, many people who have been born and raised in that very area (aka me) don’t necessarily fit that stereotypical bill. The following are some beauty adjustments a beauty professional might love to make on these young partygoers.

The Poof
If volume is what you want, then you may be able to achieve this look with just the right cleansing and styling regimen. No need to tease and spray like the days of the ’80s. By visiting your hair stylist, you’ll get tips and tricks that will look more natural, instead of passe and exaggerated.

The Tan
This is an esthetician’s nightmare. By tanning, you’re killing the top layer of your skin. But the worst part is that it normally looks pretty fake when you put yourself in a box all year long or decide to get an orange spray-on tan. Tanning all summer or on your vacay is one thing but creating a fake appearance is not always the best for your image.

The Gelled Spike
Do boys really sit there for 25 minutes, gelling and blowing out their hair? Unfortunately, I’ve met some who do. Don’t let the gel go to your head. Take a trip to the barber shop to stay groomed. Use the gel, but you don’t need to create a weapon with your hair that wouldn’t allow you to pass through airport security.

The Fake Nails
I’m sure a nail technician would agree – sometimes less is more. In fact, the more natural and light-colored manicure is what’s in this season. Tips and wraps are still totally fine, but there are some out of control claws out there that seem extremely unnatural if you ask me.

Now, not everyone in the vicinity of the Jersey Shore is like those portrayed on MTV’s new show. And they’re not bad people, either. But I bet some beauty professionals would love to do a Jersey Shore makeover. Who would you make over?

-Amanda Fornecker

I love hearing stories of individuals who become successful despite a misfortune. And I love skin care tips and tricks. That’s why I think Clark’s Botanicals story is such a great one that can teach us so much.

Francesco Clark worked at Harper’s Bazaar at the time of his accident. In 2002, he suffered an injury to his spinal cord that left him paralyzed and even took away his ability to sweat. Because of this his skin did not have the ability to fight breakouts and he needed something more than what traditional dermatologists were offering him. He looked to his physician father, who went on to help him develop a botanically-based skin care line that officially went on the market in 2005.

Today, Clark’s Botanicals is a successful skin care company that has been recognized by Allure Magazine and has found all of its success via word of mouth. Using natural products, like Jasmine Absolute, this skin care line is good for your skin. It’s supposed to work for all skin types, too. The line is meant to reflect Clark’s personality and journey, as he says on his website: “Everything about this line has a purpose and reason for being, from the ingredients to the packaging to the contribution to medical research. It’s an expression of who I am in its purest form.”

And to make a good thing even better, part of the profits from the line go to benefit research at The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is working to help those who have been paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury.

-Amanda Fornecker