The cat eye makeup trend is one of those classic looks that always seems to find its way back into the spotlight. Magazines and red carpets are known for celebrities pulling off the cat eye, which is also known as winged eyeliner. It’s bold and sassy, and it’s even easy to do at home.

You’ve probably wondered at one time or another if you were wearing too much makeup. The cakey, clumped, overdone look is never hot, so by drawing attention to one area of your face and leaving the rest of the face au naturale, you can draw attention to your best attributes without overdoing your look. The cat eyes highlight your eyes, and allow for the rest of your face to remain nude. You could try using softer hues of lipstick and blush to spice up the look, while still allowing the eyes to be the main feature.

To add some pizzazz to the traditional cat eye—a look that uses black or another solid shade of eyeliner to highlight the entire eye and extending slightly outward—try adding some color. Eyeshades like bright metallics can highlight your eyes and really make your eyes pop. Teal works well for this purpose too, and it looks fabulous with blue, green or brown eyes.

You might want to play around with the winged eyeliner look by doing a double flick. This particular look occurs when you extend both the top and bottom liner out to the sides without touching one another.

Not all eyeliners are created equal. In fact, some clump to your eyelashes, peel off or wear off quickly. If you’re wondering which eyeliners work the best, we have a few suggestions for you. MAC Penultimate Eyeliner has an ideal formula that goes on smoothly. Additionally, the brush is just the right size to make a bold statement with your eyeliner. Another felt tip eyeliner is Dior Liquid Eyeliner, which lasts long, produces a thin and precise line. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner does what its name states, last a long time. The gel formula goes on like a liquid eyeliner; however, applying it is much easier. It doesn’t crease or smear, so your cat eye will be beautiful, bold and smooth.

If you’re in makeup school or thinking about going, chances are you love makeup. But as many of us already know, all makeup and cosmetic products are not necessarily created equal.

Maybe you’ve already stopped to think about what those cosmetic ingredients actually mean. But if you’re not an expert scientist, the words might seem like mumbo-jumbo. (That’s how I feel most of the time, anyway).

Now, there’s a website to the rescue! It’s called Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database, and it’s brought to you by the Environmental Working Group. No matter what type of product you’re interested in learning more about – makeup and cosmetics, skin care, hair care, eye care, nail care or fragrances – Skin Deep can tell you what products to buy, what not to buy, and what can be downright dangerous.

If you’re serious about becoming a makeup artist or other beauty professional, but also serious about keeping your clients healthy, the information you find on this site might change your mind about the products you use. Next time you’re beautifying yourself or one of your makeup clients, this new knowledge might come in handy!

How did your favorite makeup and cosmetics products fare on this site? Spread the word about the good, the bad and the ugly in makeup and other beauty products.

It seems that the summer blockbuster movies all have a theme: horror movies. District 9, The Final Destination, Halloween 2, and there are only more to come! But, how does all this scary cinema tie into beauty training and careers? Well, all these movies have a major common factor: special-effects makeup artists.

All of the gore and alien arms need to be attached and they need to look real – so, that’s where the special-effects makeup artistry comes in. Even the not-so-scary movies need makeup artists on set to make the stars looks beautiful – or, in the case of the horror movies, scary!

Makeup artists are a huge part of the entertainment industry; and not just for movies, so the move to Tinsel Town isn’t necessarily a must! Runway shows, theater and plays, and photo shoots are just a few opportunities where there is a need for a skilled makeup artist. There are numerous makeup artist careers one could pursue.

Some makeup artists start their training at beauty schools then continue to learn their craft in special effects and other specialized areas by continuing their education with additional makeup classes and courses. You, too, can learn how to take your passion for makeup and make it into rewarding, successful career with a professional makeup artist school.

Sarah Hunt is a professional freelance makeup artist based in Omaha, Nebraska who has styled a variety of clients from U.S. Senators, to sports legends, to actors and actresses.

I am a professional freelance make-up artist in the second half of my 30s. I’ve been working as a make-up artist in the film and print industry for 14 years. I have had the pleasure of styling a wide spectrum of personalities – U.S. Senators, sports legends, journalists, CEOs, billionaires, actors, actresses, and everyday people. Two years ago I approached my local YWCA about their domestic violence awareness campaign. I wanted to donate my talent to the women in need at the YWCA – a need I recognize, because I myself am a survivor of sexual assault.

Here are some startling statistics that illustrate the growing epidemic of violence:

• 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men are victims of sexual violence in their lifetime.
• College women are 6 times more likely to be a victim of sexual assault.
• In 2007 248,300 people reported a sexual assault in the U.S. That’s 1 person every 2 minutes.
• 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police.
• Approximately 73% of victims know their assailants.
• Only 6% of rapists spend even a day in jail.

The YWCA provides help to women, including survivors of rape and domestic violence, in times of crisis. They work to eliminate racism and empower women through counseling, career training, health and fitness, and childcare. This is how I met Felicia, the most beautiful person I have had the chance to style. She is my age, married young and raised five children with her husband – who beat and raped her repeatedly for more than a decade. Eventually, she made the decision to rise up and free herself and her children from this violence with the help of the YWCA. He is now in jail.

For one of their domestic violence awareness campaigns, I was asked to re-create the injuries she sustained the last time he beat her using makeup techniques. Law enforcement would not release the actual injury documentation photos because they were considered state evidence and could only be obtained by paying a fee. Because the cost was too much for the not-for-profit YWCA to pay, and they still needed to make a graphic statement about their awareness campaign, I was presented with a perfect opportunity. I used several products to re-create her injuries:

• Ben Nye EW-4 master bruise wheel
• Ben Nye CK-5 FX burns and blisters color wheel
• Modeling putty/wax
• Fake blood
• Neutral setting powder
• Dappling sponge, and my favorite brushes

Felicia handled the experience with strength and grace. I applied the bruises and gashes as she explained to me each injury and how it happened. In the span of 30 minutes we traveled back to the darkest time of her life. My work complete, I asked her if she wanted to see – she picked up the hand mirror and looked deeply at her reflection, nodding with approval as she looked back at me with satisfaction and spirit in her eyes. We quickly snapped the photos and removed the make-up with Bobbi Brown skincare products:

• Lathering Tube Soap
• Exfoliating Cream Wash
• Soothing Face Tonic
• Philosophy Hope in a Jar Moisturizer

Then, for the next half hour we talked about her children, her family, her goals and dreams, and how far her personal journey had taken her as I transformed her back into the stronger, even more beautiful woman she has become. We went full circle, from normal to nightmare and back, in 60 minutes. This was a difficult journey for me as a survivor and a professional makeup artist, but it illustrates to me the power of the human spirit.

Girls love to smell pretty. Don’t argue – it’s science. “But high-profile aromas in cute bottles can get pretty pricey,” you’re thinking. Stop right there. Wherever your thought process is leading you, it’s wrong. Don’t be frugal when it comes to fragrance. This goes double if you’re buying a special someone a swanky gift for a steamy occasion. So listen carefully: Do NOT buy these fragrances for anyone. Ever.

#5 – Whale Vomit
What do you mean it doesn’t sound like it smells good? This one probably makes you the Bell Of the Ball at SeaWorld. Who wouldn’t want that title? And honestly, whale vomit is used in almost any fine fragrance in the world, so why not just get a bottle directly from the source?

#4 – Republican
Yes, it’s true – the Grand Old Party just barely beat out whale vomit on the scent scale. After losing the Presidency earlier this year, they’ll take any good news they can. This fragrant oil is a complex blend that stands for conservative values, love of country, and a strong family unit. Translated into scent, the Republican fragrance smells like apples and roses.

#3 – K.I.S.S.

Just to clear up any confusion, this scent isn’t named after the act of love, but after the act of Dr. Love. Yes, you too can own the personally-endorsed smell of the rock band K.I.S.S. to wear to special concerts, night clubs and for trips to Detroit Rock City. Don’t worry, guys, the K.I.S.S. fragrance line is made for both men and women.

#2 – Play-Doh
Searching for that fresh, just-out-of-the-can, “eau de Play-Doh” aroma? You’re in luck. To make your gift extra special, Play-Doh Perfume also comes in a  50th Birthday Limited Edition bottle. Classy!

And finally – #1 – Burger King!

Yes, the King created an entire line of foodstuffs, a website, and a video game named after his legacy, but it just wasn’t enough. Something was missing from his empire that discriminating consumers demanded. Meat perfume. World, meet FLAME by B.K. So the King waved his bejeweled hand and voila! – a perfume that promises to be a “scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.”

It may not sound quite right, but some beauty school students are experiencing an education in ugly-fication. Is there a market for this, you may ask? It turns out, there is!

If you’re a cosmetology student looking to break outside of the standard “pretty” box, you might consider a cosmetology school that offers courses in special-effects and stage makeup. Whether you’re most excited about turning your client into some sort of un-dead creature, a serious head-wound victim, or anything else your imagination can cook up, these courses can help you learn the unique techniques that make your ideas come to life.

In addition to the traditional cosmetology skills such as hair design, nail technology and esthetics, many cosmetology schools offer makeup training for theater and film. It also turns out that these courses aren’t just for the Hollywood types. In schools all over the country – including Tahlequah, Oklahoma – students are exploring the depths of spooky, gruesome, shocking makeup.

As a Master Instructor at Tahlequah’s Beauty Technical College, Heather Crowell says she wants to provide her students with a broader spectrum of cosmetology skills they can put to work in their careers. After all, cosmetology is much more than just doing hair.

Crowell also explains why students in Oklahoma could find this unique education opportunity useful. She says, “We actually have a pretty big film industry in Oklahoma, so there’s a lot of things [students] can do with it. They have to volunteer their time right now, but that just builds up their experience so when they get out, they can make a lot of money doing this.”

Many of the students at Beauty Technical College remember being surprised when they first realized they would be learning the science behind realistic-looking slashed necks, pencils through the head, or dramatic injuries to several different extremities. But what do these students have to say now?

Sarah Cookson, a student at the school, says, “I really, really enjoy [the class]. I could do gross makeup all day!”

So, where does the road lead for gurus of grotesque makeup? Crowell sees great potential for many of her students. “I would love to see them end up in California or New York doing this professionally,” she says.

Think your active imagination and flair for dramatics could work for your career? Check out some schools with cosmetology or makeup programs that interest you.