her Instagram page <\/a>with\u00a0a sexy leg-crossing pose and the DOE logo emblazoned across her body.\u00a0<\/p>\nAlani Thompson, a vendor for the city Department of Education, calls herself a \u201cbeauty services partner.\u201d Courest Alina Thompson<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be bringing makeup services directly to schools, helping students look and feel their best for every special event,\u201d she posted.<\/p>\n
Dozens of followers gave the names of NYC middle and high schools where kids might appreciate Thompson\u2019s skills at applying bold eyeshadows, liner, lashes and lipstick.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0want to help girls build their confidence, especially around proms,\u201d she told The Post.<\/p>\n
A DOE spokeswoman confirmed that Thompson has a DOE vendor identification number \u2014 among thousands of businesses that can be hired to provide goods and services to NYC public schools \u2014 although that \u201cdoes not automatically result in a contract.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Thompson\u2019s announcement generated several requests for her services, she said: A social worker at PS\/IS 66 in Brooklyn asked for a workshop on makeup around prom time. A teacher at Gotham Collaborative High School in the Bronx asked Thompson to speak with students in a cosmetology course. An after-school program at Pugsley Preparatory Academy in the Bronx wants Thompson to help middle-schoolers use makeup.<\/p>\n
Alani Thompson wants to use her skills as a makeup artist in NYC schools to \u201chelp girls build their confidence.\u201d Leonardo Munoz<\/p>\n
Thompson\u00a0started doing makeup for classmates in high school talent shows and theatrical productions, then worked in Macy\u2019s cosmetics department while attending the College of Staten Island, where she majored in biology.<\/p>\n
Thompson dropped plans to become a doctor to start her own business as a makeup artist, \u201cBeat by Lani,\u201d doing makeup for weddings, graduations, proms and other occasions. Most of her customers are Black.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to encourage girls to go to prom and showcase their beauty\u201d because she\u2019s seen how it boosts their self-esteem, Thompson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe girls would bring their moms, who are trying to help them break out of their shell, all nervous and shy. But once the makeup is done, they\u2019re on their phones taking pictures and videos \u2013 the confidence just goes up.\u201d<\/p>\n
By sharing her skills, Thompson also hopes to encourage students to explore cosmetology as a way to make a living \u201cbecause beauty is a good career, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thompson\u2019s hourly rate for schools ranges from $75 to $150 an hour, depending on the number of students, she said. A half-day workshop of two to four hours would cost\u00a0 $250 to $500, and a full-day workshop of five to seven hours would cost $600 to $1,000, including supplies and tools for hands-on demos.<\/p>\n
But Thompson is not yet state-licensed as an esthetician,<\/a> which is required of those who\u00a0charge fees to apply makeup for special events or to teach makeup techniques. Applicants must complete a 600-hour approved course of study and pass the state\u2019s written and practical exams.<\/p>\nAlani Thompson, at right, applies makeup for proms, graduations and weddings in her Brooklyn studio. Courest Alina Thompson<\/p>\n
Thompson said she plans to enroll in a local cosmetology school specializing in makeup this fall. Her mom, a school safety agent in Brooklyn, put her in touch with fellow staffers who helped her obtain the vendor ID.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis service could be enormously beneficial to students with disabilities as enrichment in the daily-living curriculum or during the annual prom and graduation festivities,\u201d said Donalda Chumney, a former Manhattan superintendent who also supervised programs for kids with special needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut principals must always ensure that school programs have educational value, and system leaders must ensure that any adult who interacts with a student is properly licensed.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
The DOE said some schools may bring in professional stylists as part of career and professional opportunities for students. But the spokeswoman said Thompson does not have permission to claim an affiliation with or endorsement by the public schools.<\/p>\n
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