Beyond Beauty Schools, Some Pros Earn Celeb Creds

by Ysolt Usigan

It's true -- the beauty industry is not all about glitz and glam. But for one who's embedded in showbiz through a beauty career, the job can be ultra fabulous. You, too, can have a glitzy lifestyle as a makeup artist if you arm yourself with education from beauty schools. Read on for two fab beauty gurus who underwent training at beauty schools and found themselves in the spotlight.

Beauty Career at Pal Parlor
So just how does Jessica Simpson maintain her honey locks? The man behind the perfect blond waves was Ken Paves, master celebrity hair stylist. The modern hair wizard has since become the pop star's best friend and says he adores working with the ex-newlywed. "Jessica is my muse," he says.

In fact, the hair guru liked working with his best gal pal so much, Paves partnered up with Simpson to start up Hair U Wear, the world's leading manufacturer of hair extensions and additions. "[Jessica] is never afraid to try a new style, length, or color with extensions and that's why we have created so many memorable looks together over the years. We are finally sharing our secret weapons with the world."

Prior to becoming a hair guru, celeb confidant, and business owner, Paves worked hard and received his training at Vidal Sassoon Academy, one of many renowned beauty schools in the United States. In extending his potential beauty career, Paves also enrolled in the Toni & Guy Institute, amidst taking courses in beauty education with various world-renowned hair stylists.

Celebrity Cosmetology
What do Stephen King, Val Kilmer, Jerry Rice, and Nancy Kerrigan have in common? Sure, they're all bona fide celebrities in each of their entertainment trades, but what else links these showbiz household names? They're also all clients of Margina Dennis, makeup artist extraordinaire. So just how did Dennis get her beauty career started?

Dennis' beauty career was fueled with an beauty education from Christine Stahl, a former instructor at the renowned Westmore Academy of Makeup. As a licensed estehtician, Dennis' training doesn't stop there. "I have continued to take classes over the years," she explains. "I took courses not only in beauty, but techniques for film, TV, and theater; courses on eyebrows, face, body painting, airbrushing, and more."

Dennis attests how much she loved her training at beauty schools. "It definitely gave me a foundation to build upon and a basic knowledge of application," she says.

After working with some of the big leagues such as Teen Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, and People, Dennis' motto remains clear. With the "keep it simple" approach to the beauty industry, Dennis continues to cultivate the organic. "I'm a firm believer in keeping people looking like themselves, but enhancing their look so that they can be the best that they can be."

Aspiring makeup artists can enhance their career futures with beauty education, as well as by treating their love of beauty as a job -- not a hobby. "Do not go into the field of makeup artistry with rose-colored glasses on. It is hard work with very demanding hours," she explains. "The job of a makeup artist entails creating what the end result needs to look like, and being able to deliver that sometimes at a lightning speed."

In order to advance like Paves and Dennis, you'll need proper beauty education training to back you up every step of the way. Soon-to-be students at beauty schools who want to follow in Paves' footsteps have looked to beauty education at the Brio Academy of Cosmetology, Excel Academies, and Federico Colleges. These beauty schools offer impressive programs for aspiring hair designers and those striving for a career in beauty, hair cutters, color and wave technicians, wig and hair-piece designers, and more.