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What's My Secret?

I get a lot of emails from new models (and established) with questions about how I do certain things or deal with certain things. So I thought it would be fun to do a Q&A post to answer some common questions that I tend to get from inquiring minds. Remember, not all the things that work for one person means that it will work for everyone. With time and experience you'll eventually learn what works for you. When you find something good, stick with it!

What's My Secret When It Comes To...

SKIN CARE?

A: Having eczema and stretch marks, I've always been super aware of my skin and do my best to beef up my skin care efforts to maintain "good skin." I cleanse, tone and moisturize once in the morning and before I go to bed. When I take a shower I use a long handle body brush to exfoliate from head to toe to remove layers of dead skin. I keep my skin moisturized to ward off wrinkles and flaking skin. I also use eye cream, which I apply not only to the area underneath my eye but my lids as well. To treat my breakouts of eczema I turn to a special cream and I religiously drink water daily.

MAKEUP & BEAUTY?

A: I do NOT wear makeup on a daily basis. When I'm not working, I go without. At most I will apply concealer to my under eye area to combat dark under eye circles, which I get when I've worked too late into the night. Aside from that, I'll dab translucent, pressed powder to take care of my oily areas and that's it. Instead of applying mascara I simply curl them and go. No lip stick either, just clear gloss or regular lip balm.

I get my eyebrows threaded professionally and I chemically relax my hair myself (I don't encourage this if you don't know what you are doing). I always make sure my toes have French tips and I keep my fingernails free of acrylic nails and nail color. For shoots I make sure to file them, clean the gunk underneath and apply clear polish. And when I do have makeup on, the first thing I do when I get home is wash it completely off. When I've been working a lot and subject my complexion to daily makeup I'll use a soothing facial mask at home to refresh and renew my skin.

DIET?

A: I don't diet and I don't count calories. Never have, probably never will. I eat 5-6 small meals a day and make water my main beverage of choice. I don't drink coffee, energy drinks or soda. On weekends I'll have a small can of Sierra Mist, Sprite, or a glass of lemonade--which I love! In between breakfast, lunch and dinner I eat mainly fruit (fresh or canned).

I favor deli sandwiches and make dinner my heaviest meal of the day (pasta, meat, etc). I reduce my portions and learn to not overeat. I don't live by the scale, either. I'll weigh myself maybe once a month or every other month--I tend to not think about it. But because it is important to know your statistics I like to check to make sure I'm within my normal range. I don't fret if I've gained a few pounds.

For example, I list myself at 115 lbs, which is my normal weight. But if I happen to gain 3 pounds, I'm not going to update my stats and say I'm 118...it's not that serious. Now if I was at 120 and found myself staying at that weight for whatever reason then I'll update it. Then again, you have to remember I am a commercial/print model and do not suffer under the same scrutiny that fashion and runway models do. With my busy schedule I also stay pretty active and having a fast metabolism doesn't hurt!

DEALING WITH THE HEIGHT ISSUE?

A: I've learned a long time ago to not feel sorry for myself because I'm not tall enough to do fashion and runway. I accept my height and work with what I have instead of spending time wishing for what I am not. While I am human and get down about things sometimes, I do my best to look at the glass as half full.

For example, as I do my agency hunt and come across agencies that want girls 5'8" or taller, I don't say to myself, "Oh, man, I wish I were taller." Instead, I say to myself, "Oh, man, I wish they took on shorter models." It's subtle, but that frame of mind makes a huge difference.

SUCCESS?

A: The meaning of being "successful" is different for me than for others. While many praise me for being successful in modeling, I continue to push harder. I don't like to get content or complacent with where I am at in my career. To me, I can always do something bigger and better. One of my goals is to become a household name and I feel that modeling can help me achieve that in one form or another.

With each great milestone I hit (getting a magazine cover, appearing on TV, working with a huge client) I definitely celebrate but within a week--maybe even a matter of days--I'm already pushing that success behind me and planning what bigger opportunity I can tackle next. Call me a perfectionist, but we are our own worst critics and I think I push myself harder than my family and friends combined.

I don't know what drives me so much but I just believe that if I can accomplish one thing then that means I can definitely accomplish whatever comes my way. Each day I spend a significant amount of time submitting myself to castings where I can find them, which is why I am online so much when I am not working.

I thrive on being one of the first to submit to a project. I check Model Mayhem, Craig's List, and SF Casting 5-6 times a day when I am able to be home. I never let an opportunity get past me and I think it's that determination and stronghold I have on my career that has allowed me to get as far as I have...and I plan to get a lot farther, trust me!
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