Boys to get lippy lessons at new make-up club for kids

Illamasqua cosmetics founder Julian Kynaston with GlamCandy directors Hayley Harvey Smith and Ebony Smith and members of staff

Glamcandy, Scotland’s leading make-up college, is to start the UK’s first after school make-up club from its William Street HQ.

They say that while there is a cultural shift to get girls involved in, for example, sport through campaigns such as This Girl Can, there is less of a push to help boys enjoy and learn traditionally female skills.

Now they are aiming to change that by starting the Glamcandy Make-up Club for girls and boys aged 12 to 16 from their West End college.

The classes will teach make-up techniques and foster creativity and self expression in the students.

Students from schools across the city will also be taught social media skills, photography techniques, and hair styling.

They will also be encouraged to learn business and entrepreneurship skills, setting them up for potential future careers in the beauty industry.

Schoolgirl Emma Price, 14, who has previously taken classes with Glamcandy, said: “The introduction course not only helped me improve my make-up skills but also helped me boost my confidence, working with the other girls and tutors.

“They were all super friendly and willing to help each and every one of us. I would definitely recommend the course as not only was it helpful, it was really good fun and we all enjoyed it.”

Her mother, Steph Price, added: “She met so many new friends who shared a common interest and she built some great relationships with some of the tutors.

“It is a fantastic way for young girls to learns the skills of make-up in a professional environment. They leave with not only a good knowledge of the basics of skincare and makeup, but with confidence in their ability and in themselves.”

The classes will start in February at Glamcandy’s William Street college, every Wednesday at a cost of £8 per session.

Hayley Harvey Smith, managing director of Glamcandy, said: “We have been running classes for over a year now and we’ve seen the impact that learning a skill like make-up application has on the confidence and the educational attainment of the kids involved.

“We want to bring that opportunity to as many teenagers as we can – and that’s why we’re launching the Glamcandy Make-up Club.

“We’re particularly keen to offer it to boys as well as girls.

“For young men who have an interest in make-up, we want to make that accessible to them, and to offer them the skills and experience that can open new doors for them and boost their confidence.

“There’s a big focus on opening doors in male dominated areas to girls – we want to make sure that the reverse is also true.”