At Weston College we get a lot of questions from members of the public who want to improve their hair and beauty knowledge. In the first of a two-part hair and beauty advice special we ask Jessica Stagg, former Weston College student and owner of Essential Beauty and Aesthetics, for answers to some of the most frequently beauty questions…

Click here for part two!

How can I tell when makeup expires?

Many people don’t know this essential beauty tip, and the answer is more simple than a lot of people think!

Almost every product you use has an expiry date, and using the product when it has gone off can damage your skin or affect results. Look for a symbol on the back of the makeup which looks like an open jar. In it, there should be a number which indicates how long the product will last after it has been opened.

How do I remove gel nail polish?

Removing gel nails is easy, all you need is acetone, cotton balls, a high-grit buffer, a nail file, and aluminium foil cut into squares big enough to wrap around your fingertips.

First, use the file to break the seal of the gel polish, making sure that you don’t file too deep as this could damage your nail. Cut the foil into 10 three-centimetre wide squares.

Next, soak a cotton ball in acetone and place it on your fingernail and wrap the foil around your fingertip to hold the cotton ball in place. Wait 15 minutes and the gel nail should flake off easily. Use a buffer on your nails to remove any residue.

You could become an expert in gel nails as little as three months with one of Weston College's nail technology part-time courses. Click here to find out more!

How should I clean makeup brushes?

To properly clean your makeup brushes you’ll need a shallow bowl, gentle shampoo, a sink and a lint-free cloth. Begin by running your brushes under lukewarm tap water to remove any remaining makeup. Focus on cleansing the bristles but try to avoid the handle as the heat of the water may loosen the glue over time.

Fill the bowl with lukewarm water and put a small amount of shampoo in it. Swirl the tip of your brush in the water and then swirl the brush in the palm of your hand to work up a lather. Rinse the brush under running water when you’re satisfied that the brush is clean, and then leave to dry!

How can I earn money with my beauty skills?

If you’re talented in makeup, nail art or massage you could earn money in the beauty industry as a beauty technician. Getting qualified and learning new skills is important, and I started my career by taking a beauty therapy qualification at Weston College. I then worked in salons for five years, and opened my first salon Essential Beauty and Aesthetics in Weston-super-Mare in 2016.

Weston College has courses for all ages and abilities, including part-time courses designed to fit around your schedule.

There are nearly 20,000 people employed in the beauty industry in the Bristol and Somerset area. The average starting salary in this sector is £15,000, however more qualified and specialist beauty therapists can earn over £20,000 per year.

Find out what courses we have on offer by clicking here!

Fake news is a term used to describe any news item that presents false information as facts in an attempt to make you believe a certain thing or react in a certain way. It is most often associated with politics, after coming to prominence during the 2016 American election.

Sometimes legitimate news outlets can get things wrong, but the difference between this and fake news is that fake news deliberately tries to mislead or provoke a reaction in the reader. If you’re a social media user, chances are you’ve read a fake news story without even knowing it. Here are some ways you can spot whether a news story is fake…

Check the website

Not all news sites are legitimate, and if you don’t recognise the website or haven’t heard of the publication before, then you should give the article extra scrutiny. Check the URL to make sure that you are reading from a trusted site, as some fake news sites use similar (but not identical) URLs to mainstream news organisations.

If the news is on social media in the form of a Facebook post or tweet which doesn't have evidence to back itself up, treat it with extra caution. In one month in 2018, over 45,000 Facebook posts were identified as fake news, spread by automated accounts to cause confusion and propaganda. Even if the Facebook post contains a video or an image, it is fairly simple to misrepresent the situation or even doctor the image to suit the post's political purpose. Always check out where the post comes from. It is usually easy to determine whether the news is reliable or not by looking at other posts from the account. If one of your friends shares news that you think is fake, point it out!

Is there a sensational headline?

Many fake news sites earn money by getting you to click on headlines, others know that most people who see the article on social media will only read the headline, and use a sensational headline to prompt the reader to share the article to a wider audience. If the article has an outrageous title, or a wild claim that makes you want to click to read more, look beyond the first few lines and try to find the evidence behind the claim. Remember, if it an outrageous claim that seems too outlandish to be true - it probably isn't.

Is it editorial?

Editorial is a type of news commentary that many legitimate news sources publish, but the key is to remember that it is a person’s opinion and might not take into account evidence which conflicts with their views. Similarly, if the article you’re reading is written like a news report but has opinions in it which aren’t quotes, then the article is probably biased. All respected news sources present news in an unbiased form and allow the reader to make up their own minds on an issue.

Examine the content

Many news organisations, real or fake, attempt to be the first to ‘break’ a news story in order to remain relevant in a highly-competitive market. If the article you’re reading seems rushed, has spelling mistakes, has an incorrect date, or anonymous sources, bear in mind that this news article might not have had time for all of the facts to be checked. Poor spelling, grammar and vocabulary on older articles may indicate that the item you are reading comes from an unreliable news outlet.

Where does the news come from?

Most news articles will have a ‘source’ for their information. Sometimes this source is named but other times the source is anonymous. Naming a source is a good indication that the news is real, as the person is willing to go on record and put their reputation at stake to break the news; however bear in mind that fake news sites often lie about their sources. To find out whether an article is properly sourced, check the named source’s social media for similar commentary and look to see if other news outlets are reporting on the same comments.

There are many legitimate reasons why sources choose to remain anonymous, so you don’t have to immediately discredit sources without a name - but bear in mind that without more information the source could be anyone.

A female driver for a Somerset based delivery company has just passed her LGV C driving licence, having been trained through Somax Driver Training, part of the Weston College Group.

Six months ago, Emma Wilson aged 32 from Weston-super-Mare, was a Dispensing Assistant at a Pharmacy and after a chance conversation with a Director of Jays Logistics, she decided to change her career path and joined the company as a van driver.

Emma was then signed up to the government’s trailblazer apprenticeship scheme for Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Driver, this was done in conjunction with award winning trainers from Backwell based Somax Driver Training. On Monday 19th March 2018, Emma passed her LGV C driving test with only four minors.

The transport and logistics industry is heavily male orientated and the training required makes it seem expensive to get into, but across the UK there is a shortage of around 50,000 HGV drivers. With companies like Jays Logistics, in partnership with Somax and Weston College, offering many ways to get into the industry from warehouse, driving and office apprenticeships, this could be set to change.

Paul Phillips, Operations Director at Jays Logistics, said: “When Emma joined us in October 2017 we both took a leap of faith, Emma had never driven anything bigger than a Fiat 500!

“However, we took a chance; Emma took an initial drop in wages for the potential future earnings and a career doing something she enjoys.

“In five months Emma has learnt the ropes and has been driving a 4m Sprinter since her start, her confidence has soared, she is a well-liked, valuable and hardworking member of the team.”