If you want to become a makeup artist, hair stylist or spa owner, it’s not too hard to figure out how to kick off those careers. But how do you nab that cool job naming nail polish, writing about beauty for a magazine or picking out hot new makeup lines to sell at Bloomingdale’s?

Break Into Beauty Co-Author Courtney Dunlop
Break Into Beauty

You’re not alone if you have no idea where to begin. That’s exactly why our very own executive editor and beauty expert, Courtney Dunlop, with her model and design consultant sister Brit Dunlop, penned “Break Into Beauty”—a first-of-its-kind guide that’s chock-full of specific advice on how to make a career in the beauty industry, even if you have no experience or no idea where to start.

Think of it as your beauty business bible.“I was getting so many emails from people who wanted advice on how to break into the industry,” says Courtney. “I didn’t have the time to help each one individually. I realized there were no resources for them. I pictured myself at 19 years old in Missouri with zero clue that working in beauty was even possible, and then realized how far I’ve come and how I had to figure it out by myself. I want to help those people who were like me back then.”

“Break Into Beauty” is designed for entry-level people who are trying to get their feet in the door. The book dives into eight areas of the industry—marketing, public relations, beauty writing, sales, beauty buying, design, product development and copywriting—and provides step-by-step advice on how to attack your job hunt, including a glossary of beauty companies across the U.S. so you can start your career from wherever you live.

Break Into Beauty Co-Author Brit Dunlop
Brit Dunlop

“Beauty is a $60 billion industry in the U.S. alone,” adds Brit. “A lot of people are getting paid a lot of money to sell you products. You can be one of those people. We explain what the opportunities are—we break it down by job—so you can figure out where you fit in. It’s a step-by-step guide to discovering the beauty industry, figuring out how to get in, how to get experience if you don’t have any, how to apply for a job and how to interview. Plus, there’s a bonus section with real advice from the pros.”

If there is one takeaway from the book it’s this: You’ll stand out from the job-hunting competition if you learn everything you can about the industry and let your passion for beauty shine through on an interview. “It’s so much more than just loving beauty products,” says Courtney. “What is the upcoming ‘it’ color and when will it appear on shelves? Who is Guido Paulo and why is he important? What skincare brands does Estée Lauder own? These are the tidbits of information that will impress an interviewer.”“Break Into Beauty” is now available on iTunes.

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