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Affordable Manicuring Program in Wisconsin: Train to Become a Licensed Nail Technician

At The Institute of Beauty and Wellness, our Manicuring Program combines affordable tuition with comprehensive training in nail care and design. In this hands-on course, you will experience a combination of Aveda...

4 min read

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47 articles

Careers

Shaping the Industry for Generations: IBW’s Pathway to Teaching Beauty

Do you have a desire to inspire? Discover an incredibly rewarding path to educating the individual you once were. Beauty students crave instructors who are just as passionate as you are. Seeing determination flourish...

4 min read

Campus News

What the New Tip Tax Law Means for Service Providers

A plain look at the new federal tip tax rule for the 2025 through 2028 tax years: how the deduction works, why reporting matters, and where to find official IRS guidance.

2 min read

Wellness

5 Reasons Meditation Should Be Part of Your Wellness Routine

You likely have a daily routine to care for your hair, skin, and nails, but what about your overall wellness? Wellness is more than surface-level care; it’s a daily practice that nourishes your mind, body, and spirit....

4 min read

The Craft

Winter-Proof Your Hair: Strength, Hydration, and Repair All Season Long

A winter hair care routine becomes essential when cold temperatures, dry indoor air, and harsh winds begin to take their toll. While winter may bring cozy layers and crisp mornings, it also brings lower humidity...

4 min read

Careers

From Graduation to Career: Building a Purpose-Driven Future in Beauty and Wellness

Beauty and wellness career planning begins the moment you graduate. After all the hard work, long hours, and dedication it took to earn your license, you deserve to make an informed and empowered choice that aligns...

3 min read

Wellness

Beauty on a Budget

At the Institute of Beauty and Wellness, we believe that beauty should be a romanticized ritual not a burden to the bank. Whether you are getting ready for that big event or simplifying how you take care of you,...

4 min read

The Craft

Success in Beauty School

Don’t treat beauty school as a waiting room for your future. The choices you make while you’re in school, how you show up, who you connect with, and how you invest in your growth, will directly shape the career...

3 min read

Aveda

From Seed to Salon: What it Really Means Being an Aveda Institute

Since 1978, being a sustainable beauty brand has been the promise that Aveda continues to pursue. Grounded in natural ingredients, holistic wellness, and a strong sense of community, Aveda has emerged as a...

5 min read

Wellness

Renewal Season Reset: Where Skincare Meets Whole-Body Wellness

Wellness skincare rituals are more than a luxury, they are an essential foundation for balance, renewal, and long-term skin health. At The Institute of Beauty and Wellness, we believe skincare can be more than skin...

3 min read

Instructor leading the student with their beauty and wellness career while assisting with a guest haircut

Careers

5 Simple Steps to Start Your Beauty and Wellness Career

Starting your beauty and wellness career is more than just enrolling in a program. It’s about discovering who you are, what you’re passionate about, and where you want your career to take you. At the Institute of...

3 min read

Social media marketing for salon professionals - woman taking picture of a person getting their makeup fixed for a photoshoot

The Craft

6 Tips and Tricks from The Most Followed Salon Accounts

At The Institute of Beauty and Wellness, we believe that success in cosmetology goes beyond technical skill. It’s also about how you present yourself and connect with others. Some of the most followed cosmetology...

5 min read

Wellness

Back To School Beauty Essentials

Whether you’re rushing to class, studying late into the night, or squeezing in a quick workout, your beauty routine needs to keep up. At The Institute of Beauty and Wellness, we’ve rounded up our favorite...

3 min read

Advanced Education Cutting Course demonstration to achieve beauty certifications.

Careers

Advanced Education and Unleashing Your Potential

Graduation isn’t the finish line, it’s your launch pad. Mastering your craft and expanding your technique is at the forefront of what separates you from your fellow graduates. Remembering your beginnings and...

3 min read

Students who graduated ready to launch their beauty and wellness career

Careers

Launching your Career After Graduation

Launch your beauty and wellness career with confidence by making an informed and empowered choice that aligns with your goals. You’ve put in the hours, studied hard, and earned your license. Now what? Graduation is...

3 min read

Beauty School Program - Cosmetology. Students practicing hair cutting on mannequins

Careers

Which Beauty School Program is Right for You?

Beauty has been a human obsession since the dawn of man, the use of potions, powers and dyes used to enhance, or even obscure, one’s features. We all know the stories of Cleopatra’s milk and honey baths, or Marilyn...

8 min read

Chicago Festival Beauty Guide featuring young people having fun

Wellness

SLAY THE CITY: The Ultimate Chicago Festival Beauty Guide for Summer’s Hottest Events

Chicago’s summer scene is about to explode! With festival season bursting with music, art shows, cookouts, and exciting events, it’s time to plan the looks you are going to serve. Your outfit may do the talking, but...

8 min read

The Craft

Balayage VS Highlights: What’s the Difference, and Which One Is Your Summer Vibe?

Discover the key differences between balayage and highlights. Find out which summer hair trend suits your style, vibe, and maintenance goals in 2025.

6 min read

Campus News

Catwalk for Charity 2025 | IBW Recycled Fashion & Fundraiser Highlights

Discover how the Institute of Beauty and Wellness (IBW) celebrated Earth Month with eco-fashion, sustainable beauty, and charitable giving through their Catwalk for Charity event.

5 min read

Wellness

Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2025

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what better time to spoil the mother figure in your life with some much-deserved pampering? She’s always been there for you, so treat her to something special this year with...

3 min read

Aveda

Sun Protection for Summer Outdoor Activities: A Guide from trained Estheticians at The Aveda Institute Chicago

As summer approaches in Chicago, it is the perfect time to enjoy outdoor activities like swimming, running, picnics, and festivals.Let us be real, after the winters we have, we have earned the right to be out in the...

6 min read

Campus News

The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Expands to the Windy City

Discover our new Chicago campus! We're excited to expand with Cosmetology and Esthiology licensure programs. Sign up for a tour today!

4 min read

Programs

How to Become a Licensed Esthetician in Illinois

The beauty industry has always been in Chicago's DNA. Follow these seven steps to become a licensed esthetician in Illinois.

9 min read

Heidi Pabst a Barbering Student at the Aveda Institute Madison

Student Spotlight

10 Questions with Heidi Pabst: Passionate Institute Barbering Student

Meet Heidi Pabst, a barbering student at the Aveda Institute Madison, and learn what drew her to barbering, her favorite Aveda product and her goals.

6 min read

Programs

Let Me Get a Fade! Here are 4 Options to Choose From

Before you head to the barbershop to ask for a fade, take a look at the four main types of this men's hair trend to determine your perfect cut.

4 min read

Student Life

6 Tools to Use to Finance Your Education

Six tools to help you finance your beauty school education: financial aid available to those who qualify, the net price calculator, payment plans, scholarships and more.

6 min read

Wendy Schmidt in the Full-Time Massage Therapy Program at The Institute of Beauty and Wellness

Student Spotlight

Meet Wendy Schmidt: Occupational Therapist to Full-Time Massage Therapy Student

Meet Wendy Schmidt, a Full-Time Massage Therapy student in Milwaukee who brings a background in Occupational Therapy to her studies in bodywork.

5 min read

Why Aveda

The Woman Behind It All: Q&A With Susan Haise

Meet Susan Haise, CEO of Edgeless Beauty Group, as she shares how she got into beauty and her vision for The Institute of Beauty and Wellness.

7 min read

Student Life

5 Tips for Succeeding in Beauty School

There is one mistake you should never make in beauty school. Our Student Services team leader shares five tips to help you learn at your own pace.

6 min read

Woman lying face down receiving cupping therapy service

Programs

Exploring the Ancient Art of Cupping Therapy

Curious about cupping? Learn the history, the types of cups and the potential benefits of this alternative treatment, from fire-cupping to silicone cups.

4 min read

Programs

5 Types of Beauty Careers

Salon work is just one path in beauty. Explore five beauty career paths, from hair color and makeup artistry to film sets and salon ownership.

5 min read

A woman enjoying a relaxing Ayurvedic treatment, surrounded by soothing ambiance and skilled hands.

Programs

Ayurveda: The Roots of Aveda

Aveda founder Horst Rechelbacher was a lifelong student with a lasting vision. Learn how the ancient art of Ayurveda shaped the rituals of Aveda.

3 min read

Student Life

Why We Wear Black at The Institute of Beauty & Wellness

Yes, we wear black. Every day. It looks great on everyone, but there's more behind the why. Here is why we and the Aveda network wear black.

5 min read

Three women smiling and posing for a photo in front of a wall with a sign that reads Aveda.

Institute Insider

Susan Haise's Visionary Journey in Beauty and Wellness Education

Explore Susan Haise's journey from a high school passion to founding The Institute of Beauty and Wellness and the Aveda Institute Madison.

4 min read

Meet Jeanna Ray: Ayurveda Esthetics Program

Student Spotlight

Bold Decision: Jeanna Ray's Transformative Journey in Ayurveda Esthetics

After more than a decade in corporate digital strategy, Jeanna Ray moved from Virginia to Milwaukee to study Ayurveda Esthetics. Read her story.

4 min read

Programs

The Return of the Mullet in 2020

The mullet is back, but then again, did it ever really leave? Let's break down who is rocking the iconic hair trend and how.

4 min read

Understanding financial aid at The Institute of Beauty and Wellness

Student Life

12 Questions & Answers to Better Understand Financial Aid: Gregory Matthews

Our financial aid administrator answers common questions about the FAFSA, who can apply, when to apply and payment plan options.

4 min read

Why Aveda

Living the Aveda Mission with Green Circle Salons

Aveda Institute Madison became Green Circle Salons certified in 2018 to help us live the Aveda Mission. Find out what this partnership means.

4 min read

Programs

What Does an Esthetician Do?

Estheticians are trained, licensed skin care professionals. Learn the services they perform, from facials and peels to waxing, makeup and lash applications.

4 min read

Programs

What Does Esthiology Mean?

Most beauty schools do not call their skin care programs esthiology. Learn what esthiology means, what the curriculum covers and how it differs from esthetics.

4 min read

Why Aveda

5 Reasons We Love Aveda

Aveda has been around since the 1970s and has built up a lot of history. Here are five fun facts about the brand that might surprise you.

4 min read

Programs

5 Reasons to Become a Nail Technician

Thinking about becoming a nail technician? Here are five reasons the manicuring field could be right for you, from creativity to flexible hours.

3 min read

A woman holding a sign that says Aveda Institute with a smile on her face.

Institute Insider

Hello Madison

In February 2015, The Institute of Beauty and Wellness purchased the Aveda Institute Madison, establishing a second school in Madison, Wisconsin.

2 min read

Programs

IBW's Massage Therapy Hours

Our massage therapy program goes beyond Wisconsin's 600 hour licensing requirement with 150 additional hours of modalities, guest educators and wellness.

1 min read

Student Life

3 Things to Consider When Starting Your Career

Is it too late to start a new career in beauty? No. Here are three things to consider before you make the change: shadow a class, plan it out and budget.

3 min read

Why Aveda

Living the Aveda Mission

Aveda's mission is to care for the world we live in. Here is how our students live that mission every day, from self-care and curiosity to compassion.

3 min read

Hair color being measured with Vish Color Bar scale and App

Why Aveda

The Power of Vish: The Hair Color Tool That's Changing the Game

Meet Vish, the hair color management system on our Milwaukee cosmetology clinic floor that records precise formulas and helps eliminate hair color waste.

3 min read

A female client being pampered with a massage in a classroom, promoting wellness and massage therapy education.

Programs

What is Massage Therapy?

Massage therapy is used to relieve pain, reduce stress and promote wellness. Learn what massage therapists do, the equipment they use and common techniques.

2 min read