Makeup is not a mask. Makeup is art, passion, and expression of your independent spirit! This summer, why not express your passion for gorgeous looking makeup, by trying out a hot new look? Get ready to make an explosive statement with some of the coolest looks heating up this summer season.

Nice & Natural – Sticking with a simple and more natural look is the perfect trend and will give your skin a much-needed rest from heavy makeup. You can keep it light and natural, but still achieve a sun kissed glow, by adding a bit of bronzer to your cheek bones.

Sunny Daze – Show off your beach-bunny side with popping pink, blue, and orange eye shadow and liner. Mix and match! Keep if fun and find the perfect shade (or shades) to ring in this season with a brightly colored bang!

Boldly Go 鈥� Going out on the town this summer? Embolden any look with a bold lip color. Out of the ordinary colors like bright glossy purple become extraordinary when you blend them with a lavender tone. Give yourself sunset worthy kissable lips by blending bright pink with a softer, peachy orange.

Cat Eyes– If you鈥檙e a fan of the sassy cat eye look, but can鈥檛 seem to get your lines just right, this look is perfect for you. A reinvented cat eye involves zero liquid-liner mess, and lots of bronze eyeshadow. Start with a lighter shade and sweep it on your lids up to the crease. Next, apply a darker shade on top of it, stopping at just above the crease. Using an angled brush, apply a dark brown or black shadow on the outer corner of your eye, in a sideways “v” shape. Continue to fill in the “v” with the dark shadow, making sure to blend. Extended the top of the “v” slightly, going towards the center of your eye. Blend away any sharp lines and you鈥檝e achieved the perfect cat eye.

Brows Before Bros- Eyebrow shaping is a definite must this season. There are a few different ways you can achieve the perfect brow. Most salons can do shaping and tinting for you, but you can freehand it yourself by outlining the shape and thickness you want with an eyebrow pencil. Use a shadow or filler that’s a shade darker than your natural color to shade inside your outline. Last, use concealer to blend around the brow to make them more defined.

Starry Night 鈥� Lest we forget those beautiful summer nights. Bonfires on the beach and date nights under the stars – are the perfect time to pull out a trendy new look. Tiny, colorful star-shaped appliques are the perfect nod to the summer starlit sky. Apply to the upper outside corner of your eyebrow, or the corner of your mouth. Or if you want more shimmer in your summer, apply one or many with a trail of glitter under your eye or high on your cheekbone.

Have fun with your style this summer and don鈥檛 be afraid to try all the fun, trendy styles out there! And if you want to take your love of creating cool new looks to the next level, maybe you should consider a career in the beauty industry! Programs in cosmetology, nail and makeup artistry and esthetics, are helping students to become part of the talented pool of beauty professionals out there creating signature looks and styles for a living. If you鈥檇 like to learn more about a career in the world of beauty, contact your state licensing board for a list of schools in your area.

Pool parties, warm sunshine and sand at the beach are some of the best things about summer. Unfortunately, those same things we love about summer can do a real number on our hair in a season that is all about getting out and about, socializing and enjoying all the things summer has to offer. Don鈥檛 sweat it fans of 80掳 and above! We鈥檝e got some great tips to help you summer-proof your hair to keep you looking hotter than the summer sun itself!

Give it a rest 鈥� From shampoos containing moisture robbing sulfates. Enjoying the pool and the beach + chlorine and salt water = washing your hair more often than usual. Using sulfate-free shampoo will help keep moisture in and is less stressful on your hair.

Speaking of moisture 鈥� Use a leave-in conditioner to keep your hair nourished and static-free.

What鈥檚 the magic word 鈥� Sunscreen, of course! Just like your skin needs protection from harmful UV rays, so does your hair. Not to mention your scalp. Be sure to apply a good quality sunscreen to your scalp to avoid a sunburn followed by an itchy and flaky mess!

Keep it real 鈥� Meaning, work with the natural texture of your hair in the summer. Instead of forcing it into submission with a flat iron or blow dryer, try a light texture spray for beachy waves that are summer friendly and low-maintenance.

Containment is key 鈥� Keep it together with a bouncy pony tail or braid held together with a soft elastic band or tied up with a ribbon. Rocking a casual look like this means you can forego the blow dry and minimize the heat exposure to your hair.

When all else fails 鈥� Top if off with a topper! If you just can鈥檛 deal with trying to tame the beast that is your hair for a day at the beach or that pool party you鈥檝e been looking forward to, channel your inner glamour girl and grab a stylish hat or wind a colorful scarf around your hair.

Bad hair days just seem worse in the summer. Keep them at bay using these practical tricks and make this summer memorable for all the right reasons. And don鈥檛 be afraid to try out a fun new style. If you鈥檙e a fan of creating signature styles, consider taking it to the next level with a career in cosmetology! If you鈥檇 like to learn more about a career in the world of beauty, contact your local state licensing board for a list of cosmetology schools in your area.

It鈥檚 a great time to start a beautiful future!

In today鈥檚 selfie driven world where standing out from the crowd is more important than ever, fortune favors the bold!听 And for those of you bold enough to make a statement with a signature look that pops? You鈥檒l surely have heads turning and all eyes on you! So, get bold and get noticed with some of these hot makeup trends that do more than pop. They explode with style!听

Eye of the tiger 鈥� Straight from the decade that made the song famous, circa 1980鈥檚, bright colors are back! Sultry stares from brightly shadowed violet lids or smoky gray shadow combined with bright blue eye shadow are popping up everywhere and we love it!

Doing dewy and doing it well 鈥�Dewy, glowing skin is in! How do you 鈥渄ew鈥� it? Simple! Put down the matte finish and dry powder in favor of a good moisturizer or serum before applying foundation. And exfoliate once or twice a week to keep skin smooth and fresh looking!

Glossing it over 鈥� Speaking of dewy skin, pair your glow with high gloss 鈥� on your lips. Shimmery, shiny lip gloss is the perfect accessory to complete your eye-poppin look!

And if you鈥檙e feeling extra sassy, don鈥檛 be afraid to be even bolder with a bright cherry red or hot pink color under your gloss.

Get cornered 鈥� Applying a bit of color to the inner corners of your eyes is technique used by makeup artists to achieve a more wide-eyed, refreshed look. Adding color with some glitter or shine adds even more pop!

Make mine metallic 鈥� Metallic shades of silver, gold and rose-gold have all seen their ways to eye shadow, liner and even bronzer. Metallic lipstick is even more hot and can be part of your cool, futuristic look or hot, edgy rocker vibe. And it won鈥檛 leave you with the glitter litter that came from the glitter lipsticks of last year.

Upside down is right on 鈥� Continuing on from 2017, upside-down liner is still making an appearance on eyes everywhere in 2018. Applying your favorite shade to your bottom lash-line is an easy and fast way to make your eyes pop even more! Choose a color that works well with your skin tone and get your stare on.

Whether you鈥檙e trying to perfect a look that pops for the perfect selfie or for Saturday date night, be bold and have some fun with it. After all, the beauty of a beautiful new look is that it can be taken on and off whenever you choose for an even newer one. Are you a fan of creating signature looks and have a real talent for it? Maybe you are the perfect candidate for a career in the world of beauty! Not everyone has that beauty artist inside them and if you want to tap into yours, check out the programs offered by beauty schools in your area. Cosmetology, makeup artistry and esthetics are all parts of the beauty industry as a whole. Contact your local state licensing board for a list of schools in your area to learn more. It鈥檚 a beautiful world and you can be a part of the artists who help keep it that way!