A very happy New Year from all of us at BeautySchool.com!

While it’s not uncommon for the stores and the media and even many individuals to consider this the season of Christmas, we at BeautySchool.com recognize that it is not the only holiday that falls around this time of year. Today is the first day of Hanukkah for Jewish people around the world, and we wish all of you a joyous celebration.

Wish you could get up out of bed and be instantly prettier? Of course you do. If you could altogether avoid or cut in half the daunting task of dolling yourself up for the day – wouldn’t you? Absolutely!

Well, now you can with this list of 5 ways to wake up prettier. No more of those days at work having someone tell you, “Ooh, you look tired.” Nope! You can kiss those days goodbye.

Shower it – then braid it

If you want to achieve that nice wavy look, then stick to this old motherly secret. You’ve heard the saying, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” Well, this bedtime beauty secret is old school for a reason – it’s not broke, so don’t fix it!

Double layer it

Wearing primer over skincare products at night might sound odd, but it allows them to sink in and work their magic. Try it out if you’re a non-believer and see how good you look in the morning.

Keep it tamed

Want to protect yourself from the reincarnation of ‘80s riot hair? Then flip your hair upside down, pull it into a ponytail and secure it tightly (but not too tight – you’ve got to sleep comfortably after all) with a hair tie. No more striking a morning pose looking like Madonna.

The rub

You’re not the only one who wants to be comfortable when you lay yourself down to sleep at night. Your skin wants – no, deserves – to be comfy, too. Next time, moisturize yourself all over – elbows, knees, toes, ankles, armpits. If you can name it – moisturize it.

Get the glow

Self tanner is an important beauty product for maintaining exceptionally vibrant skin throughout the year. The best time to apply it? Right before bed. By self-tanning before bed and letting it dry overnight, you’ll find yourself waking up radiant-er.

By utilizing these 5 beauty-before-bedtime tips, you’ll be well on your way to waking up prettier and saving yourself that bothersome task of getting ready in the morning.

Famous celebrities to rock the unibrow

Fashion is a constant and ever-changing part of our society. New clothes and hair trends come and go just like yesterday’s old news. However, unless you’d like to resemble Bert from Sesame Street, there’s one fashion that’s probably not on your must-have list. In case you’re lost, we’re talking about the forehead caterpillar, the eye bridge, the gaze stache – ladies and gentlemen – the unibrow.

Though it doesn’t personally rock our world, this abundance of hair between the eyebrows may be seen as an attractive quality in some cultures. Still, don’t let this fool you into thinking that it hasn’t shared its time in the spotlight. Several celebrities, rather they’re aware of it or not, have and still do rock the unibrow. Check them out:

Musician: Noel Gallagher of Oasis

Photo from Galaxy fm via Flickr

British popband Oasis’ frontman and guitarist, Noel Gallagher has seen his ups and downs. Noel could use a break from all the negative publicity that he and his brother have made throughout their music careers due to family feuding and drinking. We still like to blast “Wonderwall” with the windows rolled down, so we can overlook the unibrow AND all the public shenanigans because we got our fingers crossed that Oasis will put it all behind them and focus on the studio someday soon.

Painter: Frida Kahlo painter

Photo from Mario Agostinelli

Artists can be eccentric and in turn, they can get away with a lot more than the average person when it comes to acceptable and unacceptable fashion – and this includes Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Her unibrow has made her one of the more recognizable icons in art and Mexican history. In fact, she loved that little black caterpillar so much that she painted it over and over again throughout her artistic self-portrait career.

Musician: George Harrison of the Beatles

Photo from Morgacito

That’s right, ladies – one fourth of the 1960’s heartthrob sensation known as The Beatles sported a unibrow. Guitarist/vocalist George Harrison proudly wore his forehead warmer all around London as he John, Paul and Ringo were chased by the crazed hordes of teenage women. Apparently, the girls couldn’t get enough of it.

Actor: Colin Farrell

Photo from ewanjudecolinchristian

Colin Farrell is famous for two things: his good looks and his ability to swear like a sailor. Oh, and his drinking – okay, so three things. Oh, and that breakout talent that often creeps up and wows us – okay, so FOUR things. It’s not surprising, then, that the fact that this Irish-born actor rocks the unibrow gets a bit lost in the shuffle. And does it really matter when he’s that gorgeous and has that fantastic accent? Yeah, we didn’t think so either.

As summer rolls in, we also usher in wedding season in all its glory. Whether you’re a blushing bride, a helpful bridesmaid or a hair or make-up stylist gearing up for some serious wedding makeovers, we’ve got a few tips to help you all out.

Don’t go on overload with your schedule- Don’t save all your beauty to-dos until the few days before the wedding. Its added stress and some procedures such as facials can actually leave you with redness on your wedding day. Space out appointments accordingly!

Be yourself- Your fiancé wants to see you on your wedding day—not some made-up woman he doesn’t recognize. Make sure your make-up is heavy enough to make an impact in photos but not overdone.

Be careful in the pursuit of a tan- Almost every bride wants a glow, but don’t try to get it by sunbathing with the bridesmaids the day before—you’ll only end up with a bad sunburn. Be super careful with sunless tanner as well. Use a mitt to avoid embarrassing streaks and don’t wear it without showering. You’ll rub off on your beautiful white gown!

Do a trial run- No one wants to walk down the aisle with a hairstyle they didn’t expect or make-up they don’t absolutely love. Brides, make sure you schedule a trial run with your stylist at least two weeks before your wedding date. Stylists, make sure you ask enough questions about what the brides want.

Most of all, don’t sweat the hair and make-up details too much. Remember what the day is really all about!

Summer is here and it’s easy to relax and lounge in the sun but if you could combine a summer vacation environment with getting an education? Attending beauty schools in Los Angeles allows you to be around a warm climate all the time. There are many other important factors to look at when finding a beauty school though in addition to the area, the local attractions and the climate.

Here are a few handy questions to ask yourself:

- Is my school accredited?
- Does my school offer cosmetology scholarships?
- Will my school assist with financial aid?
- Does my school have a student salon?
- Will my school help with job placement?

Beauty schools in Los Angeles offer many great opportunities to start your career. To find out which the cosmetology schools in the area, watch the video below.

You’ve seen them out there making headlines, raising eyebrows and perking paparazzi. It’s a simple pleasure we take in life by seeing celebrities in their “not-so fine” moments, especially when those moments are fashion and makeup mishaps. You know, when the celebrity in question looks more like they just got out of a stint in the slammer than off the red carpet. Well, today ladies and gentlemen (more so ladies) is your lucky day because this is a list of top celebrity fashion disasters. Enjoy!

Nicole Kidman
This one’s tough because Nicole Kidman typically radiates beauty and she does so subtly – never flaunting the vibe that she’s 1,000 times prettier than you like some celebrities do. But, this makeup mishap is just too hard to ignore. Next time Nicole, make sure you check your makeup in different lighting before you grace the presence of hundreds of flashing cameras.

See For Yourself: http://bit.ly/sq4jIp

Lindsay Lohan
Remember when it was semi-funny to make fun of Lohan’s absurd run-ins with the press? Well, it’s far past the road of funny and the car has really just taken the path to pitifully sad. Talk about a celebrity fallout. Well, despite the massive amounts of negative comments she already receives, Lindsay so eloquently lands on this list as well. In fact, finding a picture to encapsulate Lohan’s fashion disasters was probably easier than beating a 4-year-old in a spelling bee.

See For Yourself: http://bit.ly/u4OAeh

Christina Aguilera
Remember when Christina first hit the music scene with her “Genie in a Bottle” hit? Then you probably also remember her looking cute and innocent and not…well, like this. Although Christina has finally gone back to emphasizing her true beauty look as of late, the above picture really displays that whole drag look-alike phase that she went through during her “Dirty” period.

See For Yourself: http://bit.ly/v5zHjp

Mischa Barton
Mischa Barton is beautiful, there’s no denying that. But, sometimes even the most beautiful women can look straight up scary if their makeup application shares a closer resemblance to the aftermath of a fight than a trip to the salon. In this particular case, it looks like Barton just got double punched in the eyes. Is that black bruising or eye shadow?

See For Yourself: http://bit.ly/svJcxm

Carrot Top
This is believed to be comedian Carrot Top… in drag? Nope, just Carrot Top being himself. There is so many things wrong here that this picture should be in one of those children’s activity magazines (like Highlights) where you have to circle everything that is out of place in the picture. Although, this picture would probably only have one circle – the entire image.

See For Yourself: http://bit.ly/tggnMC

Our favorite celebrities always seem so put together—perfect hair and glowing, flawless complexions. We’d all like to replicate their look but most of us aren’t willing to shell out the big bucks that they do to look that good.  How can you be red-carpet worthy without spending a fortune on spa treatments and blowouts at the salon?  We’ve picked out a few celebrity make-up artist tips that won’t break the bank.  In fact, these items can all be purchased at your local drugstore.  No need for a shopping trip to Rodeo Drive!

Five Inexpensive Hollywood Beauty Tricks:

1. Primer: Okay, some stars really are born with perfect skin.  But most of them have a little secret called skin primer.  Most skin primers are silicone-based and act as a thin layer that fills in fine lines, large pores and acne scars. The result? A smooth, flawless complexion! Give skin primer a try and you’ll understand why Hollywood make-up artists call it the under-make-up make-up.

2. Skin Illuminator: Where do all the stars get their glow? Skin illuminators!  Most skin illuminators are pearlized shimmer creams that you put under your foundation or mix with your foundation for a fresh, glowing complexion.   Celebrity make-up artists warn that skin illuminators should not be confused with shimmery powder, which can end up looking like a sparkle-overdose.

3. Fast Lash by Tweezerman: Medication to make your eyelashes grow? Expensive.  Fake eyelashes? Messy and inconvenient.  The trick to get quick Hollywood lashes?  A secret to the stars—Fast Lash by Tweezerman.  In fact, it’s one of the most requested products for celebrity photo shoots and special events.  You first coat your lashes with regular mascara, then use Fast Lash which looks like a normal mascara tube but really contains dry white flakes.  These pieces of harmless polyester fiber act as a lash builder when you add another coat of regular mascara.  You’ll end up with thick, luscious lashes!

4. Blue, Yellow or Orange Concealer: You may not believe us, but putting these colors of concealer under your eyes will actually make them look better– trust us!  Blue-based concealer helps reflect light and makes eyes look brighter.  For even darker under-eye circles use yellow or orange concealer which will neutralize the darkness beneath the eyes.

5. Shampoo With Dimethicone Copolyol: Ya, we can’t pronounce it either. What we do know though is that shampoo that contains this ingredient has a little extra “oomph!”  Next time you need to purchase shampoo, make sure it has this volume booster in it.

Love makeup beyond just reading about it. Consider going to a makeup artist school and becoming certified.