Guest Articles

It’s hard to believe that today is the last day of not just 2019, but the decade!

Before we ring in and bring back the roaring 20s, we thought it’d be nice to look back at the top 10 makeup blogs of this past year that were your all-time favorites!

10. Student Feature: Sophie Kraynak

Part of our QC Graduate and Student Feature series, this article focuses on talented SFX graduate, Sophie Kraynak. Taking one look at a sampling of her portfolio shows us all that her success is truly well deserved (and why this article made the Top 10, even though it was only published earlier this month)!

With a unique background in the Marines, Sophie delves into how this experience shaped her makeup skills and personal style, as well as how QC Makeup Academy played a part in growing her professional career. Now a professional MUA, Sophie has earned quite the presence on TikTok, has worked with TTDEYE Contacts, and was even contacted by Rihanna’s cosmetic line, Fenty, to take part in an online challenge!

9. Top 5 Worst Skincare Tips Ever

We all know that you can have all the makeup knowledge in the world, but without a good understanding of skincare, makeup alone will never reach its full potential on your client’s face. In this informative article, Nathan breaks down 5 popular misconceptions that will actually make you break out (among other things). Have you fallen prey to any of these myths? Debunk them now for healthier skin in 2020!

8. 4 Millennial Fashion Trends that Need to Die

Whether it’s shapeless clothing or culturally insensitive attire, there are certain fashion trends that millennials have been known to adorn that, frankly, need to stay in the past. QC Fashion Styling tutor and personal stylist, Mallory Sills, explores a handful of different fashion faux pas: what they are, why they do not work, and how we’ll be doing ourselves a favor by keeping them as far away from the new decade as possible.

7. 5 Special Effects Makeup Products that Suck

Written by QC graduate, Student Ambassador, and professional makeup artist, Gabrielle Rivera, this article piqued our readers’ interest thanks to its focus on teaching which SFX products to outright avoid. We admit, some of these (like not using character kits) came as a surprise, even to us! If you want to make sure your Special Effects work is top-notch, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by ditching these items from your makeup kit, and opting for better alternatives!

6. 5 Makeup Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Here, QC executive makeup artist and tutor, Nathan Johnson, discusses 5 common makeup errors you might be making, without even knowing it. Many of these habits stem from a lack of proper makeup knowledge and education – something that online makeup schools can definitely teach you! Are YOU guilty of making any of these mistakes? 2020 can be the year you kick them to the curb!

5. 2019 Resolutions: Break Those Makeup Habits

Speaking of mistakes: is there a better way to enter the New Year, with a brand new set of resolutions, than by first making sure you’re not bringing any bad habits from 2019 with you? We think not! Nathan’s back, this time using his expertise in the field to let you in on 8 more crucial errors you may be making when it comes to makeup technique and etiquette – and how to go about breaking them so you can best succeed as a professional MUA!

4. 5 Areas Where Makeup Artists Lose Time During a Job

Time is precious to any makeup artist, so it’s important to learn where you can afford to shave a few minutes, so that you always have ample room for what really matters. Nathan touches up on 5 key moments during a job where you may find yourself putting too much time into something that doesn’t actually need it.

From the initial greeting to the kind of conversation you make with your client, this article is chalked full of useful info that will help polish up your A-game and keep you on the ball during appointments!

3. 5 Useless Items You Don’t Need in Your Professional Makeup Kit

Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of cosmetic products that you actually don’t need in your repertoire. Whether it’s because they don’t truly work as advertised, or simply because there’s a more cost-effective substitute you can use instead, this article explores 5 makeup products that are surprisingly useless to you. Let us know if any of these come as a shock!!

2. Graduate Feature: Tyler Russell

Another SFX makeup enthusiast, Tyler Russell is a graduate of QC’s Special FX Makeup specialty course, and now a professional MUA. Known for his painstaking attention to detail, Tyler goes into depth about what’s required in order to excel in the SFX field, as well as how QC helped fine-tune his skills. In addition to his epic goals for 2020, Tyler also reveals the one piece of advice he wishes he’d known before starting his makeup training! (Guess you’ll have to read it to find out what that is!)

1. Student Feature: Kirsten Hart

Special Effects makeup has definitely shown itself to be a favorable topic for our readers, and the fact that this is our most popular blog of 2019 is proof! Part of our QC Student Feature series, this article focuses on Master Makeup Artistry student, Kirsten Hart, exploring both her background and makeup portfolio.

Displaying a wide array of different SFX (and even glam) looks, Kirsten goes into why she chose QC out of all the makeup schools to further her cosmetic education. She also shares some valuable tips on how to build up a solid Instagram presence!

It’s definitely going to be fun to see what articles will become most popular next year! Is there a specific topic you’d like to read about in 2020? Let us know in the comments!

Ready to make your dreams a reality in 2020? Enroll in QC’s leading Master Makeup Artistry course and start your MUA journey today!