Future cosmetologist Gina Messiano attends CIT for its cosmetology class, covering everything from hair to skin to nails.

Messiano first became interested in cosmetology when she was just 10 years old. She was wandering the aisles of Weis Market with her mom and came across the cosmetics section.

“I don’t really have an inspiration for my love of cosmetology, but if anyone has directed me in this path, it’d be my mom. She’d allow me to buy just eyeliner and eyeshadows at the time,” Messiano said.

Messiano specializes in the application of makeup, however claims she lacks in creating her own ideas. No matter what, just about everybody appreciates her ability to use her skills in a number of ways, especially with her holiday themes.

“I love Halloween so much. I try to do makeup that corresponds with that month’s holiday,” Messiano said. “So far for Halloween, I’ve done a normal skull, a cosmic skull, and a pumpkin clown.”

In 2015, the beginning of Messiano’s sophomore year, she began to attend cosmetology classes at CIT.

CIT provides programs that focus on a student’s future career choice. It allows students to continue their education while beginning their careers.

Here, Messiano not only learns new skills, but she learns the sciences behind skin and hair. She also learns how to color, cut, layer, perm and straighten hair, along with doing makeup, facials, nails, and much more.

Each week, the cosmetology class does “skill work” which means they focus on one skill per week and continuously practice it.

“Our chapter this week was acrylics, focusing on their creation from powder and liquid, and doing a mannequin haircut based on a picture,” Messiano said.

On Thursdays and Fridays, Messiano’s class holds a clinic where anyone can come in to get services such as haircuts, manicures, and makeup done for a low cost. It gives the students practice for the real world along with the opportunity to meet new people.

“CIT definitely made me into a better person. It has given me new abilities and taught me how to be outgoing and less shy,” Messiano said. “You meet a lot of different people at this school and it really teaches you how to act like an adult.”

SkillsUSA will be hosting its annual competition on November 14 for most classes at CIT. Messiano will compete in the esthetics portion where she will do an everyday makeup look, a facial, and a fantasy look.

“I compete in esthetics because I feel that it is my strongest area,” Messiano said. “This year’s theme is Looney Tunes and I have no clue as to what I might do, but I know I can go far.”

Besides doing makeup, Messiano enjoys being outdoors hiking, walking, or fishing and sometimes recording herself and the makeup skills she does.

Messiano plans to incorporate cosmetology into her future by working at a salon and continuing to better her abilities.

“I love doing hair and makeup and knowing that I can make other people happy by altering their hair or by doing their makeup,” Messiano said. “I just want to make other people happy and make them feel good about themselves.”

Messiano has definitely proven her cosmetic abilities throughout the years and will continue to do so thanks to the guidance from her experience at CIT.