Celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson has added yet another credit to his already impressive resume. In addition to running his eponymous NYC salon (which is to die for, by the way), namesake product line, and appearing on the hit TLC show “What Not To Wear”, Mr. Gibson is the new spokesperson for the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS).

According to WWD, in his new role, Ted will raise awareness about the importance of a cosmetology education. For example, Ted could possible speak to members of Congress this fall to encourage government support for beauty school students. Pretty cool, huh?

It’s great to see someone as accomplished as Ted Gibson give back to the beauty school community. A rarity, to be sure! Who else would you like to see become involved in the cosmetology education community?

DIY-beauty can be a great way to save some dough. But if you’re thinking you have to resort to crazy (and smelly…) tactics involving mayonnaise, egg yolks or other odd kitchen items, think again!

Here are a few affordable (even totally free in some cases) ways to look and feel your very best with the help of common household items.

Great Hair

1.       Pump up the volume

Try adding mousse into your hairstyling routine. It brings more bang for the buck than some other hair-pumping products.

Another (totally free!) way to add some lift to your ‘do is by blow-drying your hair upside down. Flip your hair over and dry the hair away from the scalp. When it’s barely damp, flip it back and continue styling.

2.       Bring out the shine

Add a weekly hot-oil treatment to your beauty regimen. Sound expensive? It doesn’t have to be! Pick up some jojoba oil (you can find it at natural food stores for around $10) and substitute this for pricier hair-repair products.  Just spread the oil generously through dry hair, pop on a plastic shower cap, and cover your head with a hot towel for about a half-hour. When time’s up, rinse your hair with cold water to seal in the moisture. Then, head out and show off those shiny tresses!

Glowing Skin

1.       Erase the redness

To reduce redness and soothe irritated skin, all it takes is a quick trip to the fridge. When you soak a washcloth in cold milk and place the washcloth over your face for about 10 minutes, the proteins, fat, amino acids and vitamin A found in milk can rejuvenate your skin and help it look soft and glowing.

2.       Banish puffy eyes

The caffeine found in tea bags can help tired-looking eyes appear brighter and more awake. By shrinking the underlying dark blood vessels that create puffiness around the eyes, the caffeine can help your eyes look bright once again. Find two tea bags and soak them in hot water for about a minute. Then, dunk them in ice water for a few seconds. Lie down and apply the tea bags to your eyes for about 15 minutes while you take a breather.

Dazzling Smile

1.       Mix your own smile-whitener by creating a homemade paste of baking soda and water. By brushing with this paste a few times a month, you can whiten your teeth by as much as one or two shades.

2.       Keep your teeth white between brushings by treating new stains before they set in. When drinking red wine, choose some crunchy raw vegetables to accompany your drink. By chewing up the veggies, you can help rub away any new stains.

It’s time to go forth and look beautiful! All in the comfort of your own home, no less. Have some tips to add to our list? We want to hear ‘em!

Today, we get everything fast. Fast food, high-speed internet connections and so much more – it’s all available when and where we need it.

Now, we can say the same for the beauty products we don’t want to leave home without. Right next to the vending machine where you’re purchasing that mid-afternoon chocolate fix, you can find a new kind of vending machine. Beauty vending machines!

In Japan, vending machines selling all kinds of unorthodox (to us, anyway) items are more common. Need a new iPod? There’s probably a vending machine for that.

But the new trend stateside is every beauty lover’s dream come true! The Body Shop, Sephora and Elizabeth Arden are just a few of the product lines embracing this idea. Are you ready to see one of these babies near you? It could happen in the near future in places like airports, shopping centers and supermarket chains. In fact, in cities like San Francisco, Las Vegas, Nashville, and more, the beauty vending machines have already arrived!

What do you guys think about this concept? I know I’m on board with vending machines that sell everything I could possibly want. Including emergency lip gloss!

We all know H&M for their budget-friendly, fashion-forward clothing. Now get to know their new skin care line! That’s right! H&M has introduced a collection of bath and body products made with certified organic ingredients and organic packaging! The line includes shower gels, body scrubs and body lotion in either Lavender & Mint (which I’m dying to try!) or Raspberry & Melon scents. There’s also a vanilla lip balm to round out the skin care collection.

The collection also includes toiletry and makeup bags in cheery colors, just in time for spring! The skincare items will retail for $4.95 each, while the makeup and toiletry bags will be $4.95 and $7.95 each, respectively. These eco-friendly items will hit H&M stores this month. I know you can’t resist, so what items will you be picking up?

Not much about soap is exciting. Some are interesting, but you can’t really say it’s provocative. Unless you’re talking about the naughty & nice collections from Villainess Soaps.

Villainess is a bit naughty because they have scents named after deadly deeds like Pyromania, which gives off a sweet, smoky odor and uses poppy seeds as a mild abrasive. I bought my younger sister a bar of Silk & Cyanide for Christmas, which gives off the scents and flavors one experiences while slowly being poisoned. She cautiously thanked me for my trouble.

Villainess is a bit nice because all their products are cruelty-free, and they operate through a full-disclosure policy about all materials used in manufacture. It’s kind of like how the arch-enemy details all her nefarious plans to the hero before she engages the unnecessarily slow-moving crane toward the shark tank.

Villainess Soaps and cosmetic products are hand-made in Waverly, TN by people who are truly passionate (and a bit evil) about their ideals. The soaps are nicely priced and arrive in un-sculpted hunks of glorious texture, color and odor. Ask your local beauty biz if they’ll stock some, or just visit their website at www.villainess.net to see what devilishly clever new things they’ve devised.

Photo: Villainess Soaps

When it comes to producing amazing events for makeup pros and fans alike, no one does it better than The Powder Group! Founded by makeup industry veteran Michael DeVellis, The Powder Group creates and produces shows around the country that educate professional and aspiring makeup artists. One of their most popular shows is The Makeup Show which takes place in New York and Los Angeles this year.

The Makeup Show is a two-day event full of seminars, lectures and hands-on workshops that makeup artists and students in makeup artist training can’t afford to miss! (more…)

It’s been just over a month since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, and organizations and charities around the county are still in need of aid for the earthquake-ravaged country. Charities and corporations aren’t the only ones pitching in to help Haiti. California-based Marinello Schools of Beauty recently raised an impressive $22,500 in funds for Haiti.

Marinello donated the proceeds from all student salon and spa services performed on January 16th throughout its 41 campuses. Students, staff and faculty took to the internet to get the word out through the use of Twitter, Facebook and email campaigns. As a result almost 1,500 guests got pampered in support of this worthy cause. All the money raised will be donated to the American Red Cross.

Is your cosmetology school raising funds for Haiti earthquake relief or other charitable causes in your community? Please share!

As any savvy makeup and animal lover will tell you, it takes a lot of work to search for animal-friendly cosmetic products. Unfortunately, in the cosmetics world, many companies test their products on animals like mice and guinea pigs to help prevent allergic reactions in humans.

Driven by a ban on animal skin testing planned to go into effect in Europe by 2013, a New Jersey-based company called Hurel Corp. is making advances on the technology that could replace animal testing. (more…)

“Going green” is becoming more and more popular, and people from all walks of life are finding ways to make their lives more eco-friendly. As a beauty professional, you’re in a position to make a huge difference right in your very own salon. Think about it. Plastic product containers tossed in the garbage, incredibly high water and energy usage, and chemicals being washed into water supplies are not doing the planet any favors. So try a few of our suggestions to make your salon a “green” salon! (more…)

No, we’re not marketing a new breakfast cereal, we’re just reviewing a month of stories that made the grade for all our beauty biz divas and dexters. Some stories are from here, some from elsewhere.

Ever hear a beauty tip that you knew was bull chip? Back in December we tracked some wack facts that turned out to be anywhere from slightly misquoted myths to outrageous fabrications about beauty. Heard a good one lately?

On Jan. 7, Beauty Schools Directory took a look at the wow factor apps from the fruit factory. Apple’s iPhone app farm has been growing in every direction, covering media needs for everything from pharmacology, to driving directions and now, the beauty biz, including the virtual face lift app. Are you ready for your close up? Mid-December brought us another swanky beauty trend from overseas that the FDA just can’t wrap their heads around – eyelash perms. Are brushes just not enough anymore? (more…)