Since opening in 2006, it has been the mission of Make Up First® School of Makeup Artistry to provide a quality education for those who wish to pursue a career in makeup artistry.

I am pleased to announce that the School will continue with new ownership and location. Congratulations to the new owners, Jade Labriola and Michelle Boyce Natywa! I am more than confident that Jade and Michelle will continue to maintain the integrity, reputation, and quality of education for which Make Up First® School is known.

Watch for details about the grand opening of our Naperville location on September 10. See you there!

Jill Glaser
Founder, Make Up First® School

Thanks, Chicago—now we’re on to downtown Naperville!

After more than a decade in the city of Chicago, it’s time for a fresh start. We are thanking Chicago for the memories and heading to Downtown Naperville. Just a few blocks from the Naperville train station and surrounded with ample parking, we are located at 232 S. Washington St. Suite 6. Naperville's thriving Downtown is recognized as one of the most popular destinations in the Midwest and we can’t wait for our enhanced contemporary space to be included in the bustling fun of the town.

Change is Good

Make Up First is expanding and offering MORE! We are determined to welcome not only MUAs, but also open our doors to the public. Along with our Pro Shop and Makeup Courses, we also offer makeup services for everyone.

Keep an eye out for our “pop up” events-or ask us to host your special event!

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Fall Course Enrollment Now Open

With our new location comes new hours! We will now be offering both MORNING CLASSES (three days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and EVENING CLASSES (four days a week from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.). See all the details on our course registration page!

Back to School!

Spring Enrollment is Now Open! Classes Begin March 7.

Be sure to register quickly to guarantee your place in our upcoming session.

Basic Makeup I
March 7 & 8; 14 & 15
Enroll Now →

Basic Makeup II
March 21 & 22; 28 & 29
Enroll Now →

Media Makeup HD
April 4 & 5
Enroll Now →

Media: Runway, Editorial, Fashion
April 11 & 12; 25 & 26
Enroll Now →

Theatrical Makeup A
May 9 & 10
Enroll Now →

Theatrical Makeup B
May 16 & 17
Enroll Now →

Clinical Makeup
May 2 & 3
Enroll Now →

Careers in Makeup Artistry
May 23
Enroll Now →

Courses run Mondays and Tuesdays during the daytime.

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Ready for the next step in your career?

By offering professional hands-on instruction in all areas of makeup artistry, we prepare students to work in all avenues of the industry.

We’re hosting workshops through the entire coming month—all open to the public! Find something for everyone below.

Valentines Day / Boudoir Makeup

10:00 – 1:00

Demo of several Valentine’s and boudoir looks, ranging from soft to sultry.

Latest Trends in Makeup

10:00 – 1:00

Demos showcasing the latest Danessa Myricks products, all available from our shop!

FX MAKEUP SERIES:

Prosthetic Teeth

10:00 – 5:00

From vampires to monsters to comedic character looks—create prosthetic teeth from scratch.

Portfolio Building for Makeup Artists

10:00 – 1:00

Everything you need to get your portfolio ready! Robert Beczarski will be on-site photographing your makeup looks on your models.

POSTPONED
(more info to come)

Hairstyling for Makeup Artists

Day 1
10:00 – 4:00

2-day intensive hairstyling workshop tailored just for makeup artists!

Hairstyling for Makeup Artists

Day 2
10:00 – 4:00

Braiding, backcombing, up-dos, down-dos, pin curling, victory rolls, and finger waves.

TEMPTU Certified Airbrush/Bridal

10:00 – 4:00

The business of bridal, plus airbrush makeup techniques. Includes a TEMPTU Air Best Selling Basics Kit!

FX MAKEUP SERIES:

Bald Caps

10:00 – 5:00

Advanced techniques for cutting, fitting, and painting bald caps. Fee includes your bald cap.

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It’s not too late! Sign up to join us this coming week for two bridal workshops!

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Monday, January 31
TEMPTU Certified Airbrush/Bridal Workshop

Join us January 31st for our TEMPTU Certified Airbrush/Bridal Workshop. This one-day workshop will cover the business of Bridal as well as Airbrush makeup using TEMPTU products! The cost of each registration includes a TEMPTU Air Best Selling Basics Kit!

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Tuesday, February 1
Southeast Asian Indian Bridal Workshop

Join us February 1st for a demonstration of a classic Southeast Asian Bridal Makeup Application! This class will focus on dramatic eyes, bold lashes, as well as a traditional full-face application!

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We have decided to hold off on presenting our certification program courses until March and instead will be holding several workshops, all open to the public.

Our Spring certificate program will resume in March!

Winter Workshop Series

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TEMPTU Certified Airbrush/Bridal Workshop

Join us January 31st for our TEMPTU Certified Airbrush/Bridal Workshop. This one-day workshop will cover the business of Bridal as well as Airbrush makeup using TEMPTU products! The cost of each registration includes a TEMPTU Air Best Selling Basics Kit!

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Southeast Asian Indian Bridal Workshop

Join us February 1st for a demonstration of a classic Southeast Asian Bridal Makeup Application! This class will focus on dramatic eyes, bold lashes, as well as a traditional full-face application!

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Valentines Day Makeup and Boudoir Looks

Please join us February 7th as we demonstrate a variety of Valentine’s and boudoir looks, ranging from soft to sultry.

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Our portfolio building workshop on February 15th is everything you need to get your bridal, fashion, and/or editorial portfolio ready for the upcoming season!

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Learn the business of Bridal as well as Airbrush makeup during this one-day workshop using TEMPTU products!

Students will learn how to assemble and use the airbrush and compressor; and will be taught techniques and be guided in the selection of various airbrush foundations, blushes and contour shades, in order to create the highly sought-after flawless airbrushed face. Students should bring brushes from their makeup kits.

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With the advent of high definition technology, airbrush makeup has become more popular than ever for all media formats. Brides will often hire only the makeup artist who can create the highly sought-after flawless airbrushed face. Live events, such as fashion shows and events with body painters, often incorporate airbrush makeup as an essential part of the makeup application.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Prepare the skin for airbrush makeup

• Learn using different formulations: water, silicone and alcohol based

• Select the matching foundation

• Create the matching foundation, using color theory

• Airbrush foundation, blush, highlight and contour colors

• Learn how to quick-clean the airbrush between product/client change

• Disassemble, clean and reassemble the airbrush

• The Business of Bridal

• How to create a Bridal Contract, pricing, etc!

• Learn appropriate Bridal looks.

This workshop runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 7.

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Ready to advance your career? Only a few spots remain for our Fall 2021 session, so don’t delay!

Ready to expand your skillset and advance your career?

If you have If you've completed Basic Makeup I and Basic Makeup II in the past, you can now continue your certification!

Media Makeup HD starts up THIS MONDAY, July 19, and only a few spots are available. If you’re ready to jump back into the program, The full schedule of remaining courses in our Summer Session is below.

Media Makeup HD
July 19 & 20
Enroll Now →

Media: Runway, Editorial, Fashion
July 26 & 27; August 2 & 3
Enroll Now →

Theatrical Makeup A
August 9 & 10
Enroll Now →

Theatrical Makeup B
August 16 & 17
Enroll Now →

Clinical Makeup
August 24 & 26
Enroll Now →

Careers in Makeup Artistry
August 30
Enroll Now →

Courses run Mondays and Tuesdays during the daytime.

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Upgrade Your Kit!

Bring your kit from your past session and a $50.00 kit fee will update your kit with more than $300 worth of new products!

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Haven’t taken Basic Makeup I or II yet?

Only a few spots remain for our Fall 2021 session, so don’t delay!

We are so proud of our students who successfully completed the Summer 2021 Basic Makeup I Session!

Everyone quickly learned and adhered to the newest part of the curriculum—sanitation and hygiene. As always, our students were introduced to the basics of color theory and facial anatomy, and applied those concepts—using their extensive kit materials—during the hands-on portion of each class. We are excited to dive into Basic Makeup II and to see our Summer Session students continue to learn even more!

Learning about the Student Kit

Facial anatomy

Our new location is perfect for all the practical makeup applications: the lighting, the mirrors, and the spacious rooms worked well to enhance our teaching and hands-on experience.

We are grateful for our new, enthusiastic staff members, who want nothing more than to provide the best education possible: Syd Genco, Michelle Boyce, and Jade Labriola!

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Ready to join us and jumpstart your career?

Only a few spots remain for our Fall 2021 session, so don’t delay!

Our SOLD OUT Summer session begins on Monday, but you can get in on the Fall session in our gorgeous new West Loop location!

Classes start with Basic Makeup I on September 13. If you’re planning on attending, don’t delay—our Summer session sold out quickly and we anticipate Fall will do the same!

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Our New Location

In case you’ve missed our announcement, we have partnered with the renowned salon, Art+Science in Chicago’s thriving West Loop. Our beautiful upstairs instruction and hands-on application space provides high ceilings and contemporary ventilation for an open flow, and we’ll be able to safely distance, and yet still positively engage with our students. We’re just a few blocks from public transportation and ample parking.

Our new schedule will deliver energized, industry-leading professional instruction in all areas of makeup artistry as we prepare students to work in all avenues of the industry. The duration of the Program is specifically designed to allow students to quickly launch their careers.

Art+Science: our new location in Chicago’s thriving West Loop neighborhood

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Ready to join us for our Fall session?

As you may have seen, we’re excited to go BACK TO SCHOOL—resuming in-person certification courses, kicking off our Summer session with Basic Makeup I on June 14, 2021.

Only a few spots remain, so if you’ve been waiting to register, the time is now!

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Art+Science: our new location in Chicago’s thriving West Loop neighborhood

In the spirit of forward-thinking collaboration, we have partnered with the renowned salon, Art+Science in Chicago’s thriving West Loop. Our beautiful upstairs instruction and hands-on application space provides high ceilings and contemporary ventilation for an open flow, and we’ll be able to safely distance, and yet still positively engage with our students. We’re just a few blocks from public transportation and ample parking.

Our schedule will deliver energized, industry-leading professional instruction in all areas of makeup artistry as we prepare students to work in all avenues of the industry, including editorial, bridal, theatrical, media, clinical and more. In addition, the duration of the Program is specifically designed to allow students to quickly launch their careers. You can see our Summer Course offerings here.

As always has been, the health and safety of our students, models, instructors, and staff are our top priority. We’ve implemented the following measures to promote the health and well-being of everyone:

1. Masks will be required at all times, with the exception of the person sitting as a model for makeup application.

2. Class size will be kept small and the classroom is large enough to accommodate plenty of distance between students.

3. Surfaces, tools, and supplies will be thoroughly sanitized before each class begins, and students must be responsible for maintaining a clean and sanitary makeup kit.

Ready to join us for our summer session?

The immersive, light-filled second floor at Art+Science

We all struggle with keeping all of our makeup and beauty essentials in order. Having a well-maintained vanity space in your home is essential to achieving the perfect look. But you might not know where to start.

In order to help, Redfin reached out to makeup experts from across the country—including Jill from Make Up First—to share their best advice on how to set up your vanity space and keep it organized. Here’s Jill’s quote:

The makeup is not right if done in the wrong light! Think ‘Goldilocks lighting – not too warm, not too cool, just right. Find a light system (3500 Kelvin) to achieve that “white light” needed to accurately see the true color. – Jill Glaser, Make Up First

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Read the rest of the article on organizing your home vanity space at the Redfin Blog.

Makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike eagerly await each season in anticipation of upcoming beauty trends.  Due to the pandemic, this year creatives met the challenge of staying safe while still showcasing newer beauty looks. With that in mind, it is not surprising that the minimal complexion makeup look from last season remains timeless…so far!  Let’s simplify: The “No-Makeup Makeup” look; the “Glowy” Complexion; and the “Glass Skin” Complexion.

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Look 1: The “No Makeup-Makeup” Look

While “natural” is the word, makeup may still be needed for even-toned, “natural” skin. To achieve this look, we recommend using only an SPF-infused tint to prevent sun damage, and then, if more coverage is desired, adding a sheer foundation to create the illusion of beautiful, makeup-free skin.

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Look 2: The “Glowy” Complexion

For an even more dramatic “natural” look, (as well as a heightened evening look), you may want to create an all-over glow.  In order to achieve the “glowy” skin look, try adding an illuminizing liquid product to a sheerly applied liquid foundation; lightly use a dusting of translucent setting powder on the cheekbones, and then add an illuminizing powder. 

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Look 3: The “Glass Skin” Complexion

With the choice of so many cosmetic lines that have so many products that “work”, it is easy to create a “natural glow” so that the skin looks bright, healthy and illuminated. In addition to a foundation, if needed  (do not add translucent setting powder), add a thin layer of gloss on top of the cheekbones, followed by a moisture spray over on the entire face to create an overall appearance of healthy, “dewy” skin.

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To shop products to achieve these looks and more, visit shop.makeupfirst.com!

BeautySchoolsDirectory.com is awarding a $2500 scholarship to a student. The next deadline is coming up March 1, so now is a great time to share this opportunity. More details on the Beauty & Wellness Professionals Scholarship can be found here: https://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com/cosmetology-school-scholarships

In addition, we have this up-to-date list of additional scholarships available for students interested in the beauty field: https://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com/financial-aid/scholarships

And even more information for students seeking additional financial aid options: https://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com/financial-aid

AMANDA GORMAN-OUR NATION’S YOUNGEST INAUGURAL POET LAUREATE!

I ILLUMINIZING LOOSE POWDERS

A SUBTLE LOOSE POWDER WITH DIAMOND DUST

HD COMPLIANT; PERFECT TO “BLUR” LITTLE IMPERFECTIONS

INGLOT SPARKLING DUST

FROSTED LOOSE, HIGHLY PIGMENTED POWDER FOR ANY PART OF THE BODY, INCLUDING THE EYES!

AMC FACE AND BODY ILLUMINATORS

LIGHT TEXTURE, OIL-FREE LIQUID WITH A PEARLESCENT FINISH

INGLOT INTENSE SPARKLERS

FACE, EYES AND BODY HIGHLIGHTER

USE YOUR BRUSH, SPONGE OR EVEN FINGERS TO APPLY!

FOR A MORE INTENSE SPARKLE, MIX WITH THE ATTN! MAKEUP MIXING MEDIUM

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Our Pro Shop is now
strictly an e-commerce site.
Order online and products will
be shipped within two
business days.

We carry professional products available to everyone!
Industry discounts are available.
Visit the Make Up First® Pro Shop today!

Shop Now!

We are extremely proud of all our students and everything they have accomplished over the years at Make Up First! Throughout our 15 years, we’ve been fortunate to teach incredible artists, host workshops for the industry’s best MUAs, and lectured at some of the country’s biggest trade shows. As we look back at some of our favorite memories, we would love to see some of your favorite photos and videos from your time here as well! Tag @makeupfirstschool on Instagram with your favorite photos/videos and let us know what those memories mean to you.

Summer is typically a time when new trends in makeup and fashion are on full display. While this summer presents new challenges for makeup enthusiasts, creative MUAs are finding ways to accentuate their looks while wearing a mask.

The Chicago Tribune recently interviewed Make Up First owner, Jill Glaser, for tips on keeping looks fresh and fun while staying safe.

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All About Eyes

With the lower half of your face covered, it’s the perfect time to focus on your eyes. Go bold with bright summer colors and ”play up the eyes and the eyebrows,” Glaser said. The Viseart Editorial Brights palette has a wide range of vibrant colors to match whatever summer mood you want. It’s also worth investing in ATTN! Beauty’s Makeup Mixing Medium, which intensifies, combines, and revives shadows, loose pigments, and glitters.

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Tinted Moisturizer > Foundation

Summer is hot, and with masks covering most of your face, sweating can really complicate a full face of makeup. Now is the perfect time to ditch heavy foundations and replace them with something better: tinted moisturizers with SPF. Jill recommends still covering your whole face, as masks are taken off in certain scenarios, but the more lightweight your makeup is, the better. Waterproof is a plus! We recommend Embryolisse’s BB Cream.

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Finish With a Setting Spray

In the heat, and especially under a mask, some of your makeup may come off. You can help keep everything in place with setting sprays or powders. Jill recommends reapplying every 4 hours or so as the powders or sprays wear off. We recommend Skindinavia’s The Makeup Finishing Spray or Cinema Secrets Loose Setting Powder.

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Don’t Forget Sanitation

Make sure to wash your hands and masks regularly and always wear a clean mask. It’s also important to make sure your makeup is safe and sanitary as well. Use disposables when possible and make sure to sanitize your makeup with ATTN! Beauty’s Makeup Sanitizer Mist.

MAKE UP FIRST PRO SHOP • SUMMER SUPER SALE! 🛍

Shop our two day limited-time-only Summer Super Sale and save big!
Book your exclusive, in-store shopping appointment with us on July 22nd or 23rd from 10am-2pm today!

We are giving away free products with all purchases, as well as offering bundle deals, deep discounts, and more!
PLUS—Pro Members receive an additional 10% off all non-blowout items!

Use the button below to email with your desired day/time. We hope to see you there! Thanks for shopping small.

Hello everyone! We hope you all have been staying safe and healthy during these uncertain times.
We wanted to touch base and provide updates from our School and Pro Shop.

At this time we are planning to open for our Fall Session as scheduled on Monday, September 14th, 2020. With that being said, providing a clean, safe environment for our students is our top priority.

Taking Action

Within our industry, strict cleaning and disinfecting procedures were already a standard before the effects of COVID-19. We will maintain and implement additional attention to all deep cleaning practices. 

We understand your concerns, so we have outdone ourselves in preparing our business for you! The safety of our staff and students is essential to us, so we have:

 Cleaned all surfaces and implements with an EPA-registered disinfectants
 Used chlorine bleach to clean to space
 Acquired appropriate personal protective equipment to be used for all staff and students
 Re-trained our staff on essential infection control and hand hygiene practices including: Milady Infection Control Certification
and BARBICIDE® COVID-19 Certification Course
 Implemented thorough hand washing in addition to hand sanitizers before and after contact with any staff/student
 Discontinued the practice of hand shaking and other non-essential contact

Feel free to ask any of us at any time about all that we do to provide for your safety.

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Enrollment is open now!

The Certificate Program, approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, is a comprehensive, in-depth makeup artistry-training program. By offering professional instruction in all areas of makeup artistry, we prepare the students to be able to accept work in all avenues of the industry, including editorial, bridal, theatrical, media, clinical and more. In addition, the duration of the Program is specifically designed to allow the students to quickly launch their career.

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THE PRO SHOP

While our School and Pro Shop remains closed at this time, you can still shop online! We are taking safety precautions and shipping once a week to get your orders out timely under current conditions. #shopsmall

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Join PRO.

Make Up First® PRO is a discount program for working industry professionals.

Members will enjoy PRO exclusive pricing and offers on our over 50 brands carried at the Pro Shop.  

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