Tuesday, 8 July 2008
8th June
I’m really stressed with my bloating problem at the moment. It’s got worse than ever before. Normally I always wake up with a flat stomach and it only starts bloating after I’ve eaten but recently it’s been looking like a pregnant troll 24/7! OK, so that’s a slight exaggeration but it does make me feel horrible about myself. It’s a nightmare for anyone, let alone a model! I had some tests done a couple of months ago called an autonomic function test. It’s very complicated and I don’t exactly understand what it is myself. I was referred to have them done by the tummy specialist I’ve been seeing (I’ve forgotten the technical name for him). The tests have only just been developed and not many doctors know much about the whole thing. I had to do a load of random things such as putting my hands in a bucket of freezing ice water whilst being attached to a machine measuring my heart rate and oxygen levels. Very complicated and strange! Anyway, apparently the guy doing the tests found a big problem with the nerves that send messages to my organs. He is still studying the graphs produced to find out more. It’s quite worrying and I just want to know what’s wrong and what can be done now. Also he said my organs can’t absorb a sufficient amount of oxygen and that all these problems are most likely to be caused by an allergy, which would explain my bloating. The problem is, most allergy testing is very unreliable and therefore the best way to find out your allergies is to cut things out of your diet and see how you react - trial and error basically. I’ve been told to start by cutting out dairy for 3 weeks and then wheat for 3 weeks. What a nightmare!
31st May
I stocked up on my Clinique yesterday. I bought a clarifying lotion and facial soap. If you buy two or more products you can usually get ‘bonus time’. Bonus time is a free gift normally consisting of mini Clinique products and a make-up/toiletry bag. Different stores have different bonus time offers so make sure you look around to get the best free products for you. I usually go to Selfridges, John Lewis or Boots.
Clinique’s sales must be down at the moment because I was amazed with the free gifts they gave away this time! I got it from John Lewis but I think every store has the same offer at the moment. I got a really nice white leather toiletry bag with some of their best products, including a make-up remover, body scrub, moisturiser, body butter and facial scrub. The best thing was that they all came in pretty big bottles rather than the usual mini ones, bargain!
Another bargain I’m loving at the moment is the cheap tickets Virgin are offering between Manchester and London, great if you’re a model from Manchester! A return from Manchester is usually about £61 unless you have a Young Person’s Railcard, which costs £20 for the year and gives you 30% of any train journeys. The return works out at £41.20, which is still quite a lot especially if you’re just going to a casting and aren’t necessarily getting paid. Anyway, if you go on the home page, there’s a section that says something like ‘cheap tickets between London and Manchester’, between Monday and Friday they offer tickets from £1-£9 each way! It’s brilliant. You’ve got to book as early as possible though to make sure they haven’t sold out. Everyone’s catching onto it now so they’re selling out quick. If you book the week before you should be fine. A little tip there for my fellow Mancs.
Clinique’s sales must be down at the moment because I was amazed with the free gifts they gave away this time! I got it from John Lewis but I think every store has the same offer at the moment. I got a really nice white leather toiletry bag with some of their best products, including a make-up remover, body scrub, moisturiser, body butter and facial scrub. The best thing was that they all came in pretty big bottles rather than the usual mini ones, bargain!
Another bargain I’m loving at the moment is the cheap tickets Virgin are offering between Manchester and London, great if you’re a model from Manchester! A return from Manchester is usually about £61 unless you have a Young Person’s Railcard, which costs £20 for the year and gives you 30% of any train journeys. The return works out at £41.20, which is still quite a lot especially if you’re just going to a casting and aren’t necessarily getting paid. Anyway, if you go on the home page, there’s a section that says something like ‘cheap tickets between London and Manchester’, between Monday and Friday they offer tickets from £1-£9 each way! It’s brilliant. You’ve got to book as early as possible though to make sure they haven’t sold out. Everyone’s catching onto it now so they’re selling out quick. If you book the week before you should be fine. A little tip there for my fellow Mancs.
Monday, 9 June 2008
27th May
I’m not long back from Ibiza. The first day was really hard. We had to be up at 3am to go to the airport. As soon as we arrived in Ibiza we went straight into hair and make-up to get ready for our first shoot. We didn’t finish until 8.30pm that evening. I was past tiredness and slightly delusional at that point! I slept well that night until my alarm woke me up at 4.45am the next morning forcing me to get up and get ready for the next shoot. We did a sunrise shoot, which went really well, considering my lack of sleep, and luckily I finished at 12pm and had the rest of the day off. You can imagine where I went when we arrived back to the hotel - straight back to bed! I’m not one to nap through the day, especially when the sun’s shining outside, but it had to be done, a girl needs her beauty sleep…
I bought an amazing foundation at the airport, Chanel Pro Lumier. It’s quite expensive at £25.90 but I think it’s worth it. If you have really oily skin it’s probably no good for you because it’s quite an oily foundation. When you first put it on it looks really oily and shiny but after a few minutes it goes more matt and looks great. If you do have oily skin it would probably work better with a little powder on top. I put it on with a MAC foundation brush, which works really well, but you can just use your fingertips.
Make sure you moisturise well before applying it. You should always put your foundation on with downward strokes to avoid making the hairs on your face stand up and look visible. (I read that in a magazine years ago and have done it ever since.) The foundation I used to use, before being recommended Chanel by a make-up artist, was L'Oreal True Match. I think this is a lovely foundation and gives a porcelain look. It’s a lot dryer than the Chanel one meaning you don’t need to use powder. I’ve used that foundation for a couple of years now and would definitely recommend it, especially if you’re on a budget because at £13.99 it’s a bit of a bargain. If I want a less shiny look than the Chanel gives but don’t want to use powder, I sometimes mix the Chanel and L’Oreal. I’m always mixing make-up.
Because I get fake tans, my skin’s constantly changing colour so I have foundation in two shades and mix then to match my skin tone. Nothing’s worse than an orange face and white body. I also mix eye shadows to get different colours. There are loads of brands that make good eye shadows but most of mine are MAC. MAC have the best range of colours, I love them! I’ve got MAC as my top friend on Myspace. It’s sad but I don’t know what I’d do without MAC. If you do decide to try out the Chanel foundations make sure you go to the shop with no make-up on so you can try out what foundation suits you best. There are a few different types all available in lots of tones. Also make sure you ask for a load of samples of other Chanel products when you buy one, you may as well get your money’s worth.
I bought an amazing foundation at the airport, Chanel Pro Lumier. It’s quite expensive at £25.90 but I think it’s worth it. If you have really oily skin it’s probably no good for you because it’s quite an oily foundation. When you first put it on it looks really oily and shiny but after a few minutes it goes more matt and looks great. If you do have oily skin it would probably work better with a little powder on top. I put it on with a MAC foundation brush, which works really well, but you can just use your fingertips.
Make sure you moisturise well before applying it. You should always put your foundation on with downward strokes to avoid making the hairs on your face stand up and look visible. (I read that in a magazine years ago and have done it ever since.) The foundation I used to use, before being recommended Chanel by a make-up artist, was L'Oreal True Match. I think this is a lovely foundation and gives a porcelain look. It’s a lot dryer than the Chanel one meaning you don’t need to use powder. I’ve used that foundation for a couple of years now and would definitely recommend it, especially if you’re on a budget because at £13.99 it’s a bit of a bargain. If I want a less shiny look than the Chanel gives but don’t want to use powder, I sometimes mix the Chanel and L’Oreal. I’m always mixing make-up.
Because I get fake tans, my skin’s constantly changing colour so I have foundation in two shades and mix then to match my skin tone. Nothing’s worse than an orange face and white body. I also mix eye shadows to get different colours. There are loads of brands that make good eye shadows but most of mine are MAC. MAC have the best range of colours, I love them! I’ve got MAC as my top friend on Myspace. It’s sad but I don’t know what I’d do without MAC. If you do decide to try out the Chanel foundations make sure you go to the shop with no make-up on so you can try out what foundation suits you best. There are a few different types all available in lots of tones. Also make sure you ask for a load of samples of other Chanel products when you buy one, you may as well get your money’s worth.
21st May
I’m going to Ibiza for a shoot with ZOO magazine tomorrow, which should be fun. Don’t be fooled though, it’s not as glam of a life as people believe. My friends always say, ‘I’m so jealous, you’re always going away.’ People seem to think it’s like a holiday but believe me, it’s not! What makes a holiday? Sunbathing, cocktails in the sun, eating what you like, waking up when you like, and in Ibiza, definitely getting very, very drunk in the clubs! On work trips you don’t get any of this. You can’t sunbathe, in case you burn or your make-up melts off, you can’t eat what you like (well I can’t because I get so bloated), and you can’t get drunk for obvious reasons - hangovers don’t work well in front of the camera, it’s not a sexy look! Plus you often have to be up to have your hair and make-up done at 5am for sunrise and then work until 9pm for sunset.
I’ve just got back from having my spray tan done. The lady who does it told me about a new cream St Tropez have brought out that you apply a couple of days after you’ve had a spray tan to prolong and intensify it. It’s called Tan Intensifier (surprisingly enough!) and is available in two shades. I won’t need it for the ZOO trip because I’m only there for three days so my tan will last, but next month I’m shooting my calendar away for a week so I’ll try it out then. I’ll let you know the results.
I’ve just got back from having my spray tan done. The lady who does it told me about a new cream St Tropez have brought out that you apply a couple of days after you’ve had a spray tan to prolong and intensify it. It’s called Tan Intensifier (surprisingly enough!) and is available in two shades. I won’t need it for the ZOO trip because I’m only there for three days so my tan will last, but next month I’m shooting my calendar away for a week so I’ll try it out then. I’ll let you know the results.
12th May
I tried the new Venus razor the other day, Venus Breeze. It has gel pads on each side of the blade meaning there’s no need for shave gel. I was pretty impressed. I like my lady area down south to be hairless. I think, as a model, it’s pretty important to be hair-free but to be honest I’d have it that way regardless of what I do. (Some of the other models go for a Brazilian. Different strokes for different folks, as they say!) Anyway, back to what I was saying. I often get a shaving rash down below (please God let there be no men reading this) but when I used the Breeze I was completely bump free! The only problem is that the pads begin to go a bit mushy after a few uses, making it work less efficiently. It would be alright if the razor heads cost a pound each but they’re pretty pricey. I’m going to stick to using my normal Venus and only use the Breeze for my lady area and for shaving my legs when I’m in a rush. You know the scene, you’re about to go out on the town when you remember you haven’t shaved your legs for a month and have to rush to the bathroom and sit on the edge of the bath trying not to get your dress wet…
Thursday, 15 May 2008
5th May
I was pretty devastated about missing two parties over the Bank Holiday weekend, but all the rest, Lemsips and Echinacea paid off and I made it to the photo shoot today feeling just a little bit shaky.
Luckily it didn't show in the pictures and they turned out pretty good. The style was different to any shoots I've done before. It was like fashion meets glamour. The magazine's called EM (Every Model) and the issue is based on glamour modeling, so if you’re an aspiring glamour girl you should check it out for some useful advice.
As I said in my last entry, the photographer doesn't stop for lunch so I took some dates to keep me going through the day. I remembered that Muslims eat dates after fasting as they're full of energy so I decided to give them a go and they really worked. I'm usually awful if I don't eat and get really moody and shaky but they kept me going nicely.
I had wet hair, full of product to keep it wet, and a load of baby oil on my skin for the shoot, so you can imagine how horrible my hair is now! I'll have to shampoo it three times to get it back to normal. I use really good hair care products at the moment. I use the Kerastase range, they're great. I've always had pretty good hair (apart from the fact it’s thinner than I'd like) so I didn't notice a huge change when I started using it but I bought it for my Mum and the change on her is amazing. She has very fine flyaway hair that you can't do much with and now it's so much more manageable and shiny.
Kerastase is definitely the best hair care range on the market but it's pretty costly. The shampoo costs approximately £12 (I use Bain Satin), and the conditioner is £16 (I use Lait Vital). Although they're really expensive you only need a tiny amount as they're very concentrated so they do last a while. They are sold in most good hair salons and if you go in, someone will tell you which range will be best for your hair.
My manager (she's a woman) is very fussy with what products she uses and likes all the expensive posh stuff but she really loves and recommends TRESemme shampoo and conditioners. They're really cheap and you get loads of it. Trust me, if it’s good enough for her it's good enough for the rest of us!
As I mentioned before, I'd like my hair to be a bit thicker so I'm constantly trying out new thickening products. I tried out the Kerastase thickening shampoo and conditioner and although they worked pretty well, they really dried out my hair.
I think it’s better to use styling products to thicken your hair than shampoos and conditioners as you need them to clean and condition your hair. Problem is, I've not found a styling product I've been particularly pleased with. Please fill me in if anybody knows of any.
Luckily it didn't show in the pictures and they turned out pretty good. The style was different to any shoots I've done before. It was like fashion meets glamour. The magazine's called EM (Every Model) and the issue is based on glamour modeling, so if you’re an aspiring glamour girl you should check it out for some useful advice.
As I said in my last entry, the photographer doesn't stop for lunch so I took some dates to keep me going through the day. I remembered that Muslims eat dates after fasting as they're full of energy so I decided to give them a go and they really worked. I'm usually awful if I don't eat and get really moody and shaky but they kept me going nicely.
I had wet hair, full of product to keep it wet, and a load of baby oil on my skin for the shoot, so you can imagine how horrible my hair is now! I'll have to shampoo it three times to get it back to normal. I use really good hair care products at the moment. I use the Kerastase range, they're great. I've always had pretty good hair (apart from the fact it’s thinner than I'd like) so I didn't notice a huge change when I started using it but I bought it for my Mum and the change on her is amazing. She has very fine flyaway hair that you can't do much with and now it's so much more manageable and shiny.
Kerastase is definitely the best hair care range on the market but it's pretty costly. The shampoo costs approximately £12 (I use Bain Satin), and the conditioner is £16 (I use Lait Vital). Although they're really expensive you only need a tiny amount as they're very concentrated so they do last a while. They are sold in most good hair salons and if you go in, someone will tell you which range will be best for your hair.
My manager (she's a woman) is very fussy with what products she uses and likes all the expensive posh stuff but she really loves and recommends TRESemme shampoo and conditioners. They're really cheap and you get loads of it. Trust me, if it’s good enough for her it's good enough for the rest of us!
As I mentioned before, I'd like my hair to be a bit thicker so I'm constantly trying out new thickening products. I tried out the Kerastase thickening shampoo and conditioner and although they worked pretty well, they really dried out my hair.
I think it’s better to use styling products to thicken your hair than shampoos and conditioners as you need them to clean and condition your hair. Problem is, I've not found a styling product I've been particularly pleased with. Please fill me in if anybody knows of any.
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
May 3rd
So, I'm finally settled into my new flat in Manchester. Well almost, everything's still in boxes but at least it's all here. Next step - find a gym. The problem is that I like to do mainly Pilates and Yoga (3 Pilates classes and 2 yoga to be precise is my aim in a week) and in Manchester there are a lot less classes than in the gyms in London. I'll be lucky if I get one of each in a week. Also most the classes here are in the evening and there is no way you'd get me in a gym after 2pm! The fitness bug vanishes from me after lunch. There are some Pilates and yoga classes held in a yoga centre near my flat but they cost £6 a go and after a month the cost would add up. I also want to start doing a bit of swimming, so I’d have to join a gym as well. I'll work it out, hopefully before I lose my job for being out of shape. I've not been in a gym for over a month!!
I've never done much swimming, I had a horrible swimming teacher when I was younger who used to make us lie on the cold floor around the swimming pool for some strange reason. Since then I've hated swimming. I decided to do a couple of lengths when I was shooting in Mauritius and I couldn't believe how tiring it was, or how much my arms and chest ached. It’s obviously really good at getting your muscles working, though. One of the other Page 3 girls gave me a tip the other day, she said that she uses a float to make her lower half do all the work. I'm going to give it a go as soon as I sort this gym situation out.
I've woken up this morning with a bad cold. I would call it flu but I'm not a man! My Mum had one and now she's kindly passed it on to me. I'm meant to be going out for my best mate’s birthday tonight as well. I really could do with staying in and recovering while my mum runs backwards and forwards to my room with cups of lemon and honey (yuuuuum), but I don't want to let the birthday girl down. Also I've got a shoot for a modeling industry magazine on Monday called EM, so I need to be feeling better for that. Glamour models are often looked down on by fashion models so I've gotta do my best. On the email I got with the details of the shoot it said I'd be working 6-8 hours and the photographer doesn't stop for food until the end!!!! Yes, that’s right… no lunch break! I think he's confusing me with a fashion model, I NEED food or I become delirious and start to shake, ha (true though). It will be good to stop me getting bloated but it doesn't half put me in a bad mood when I've not eaten. I'll have to take a bag of nuts or something with me.
I've never done much swimming, I had a horrible swimming teacher when I was younger who used to make us lie on the cold floor around the swimming pool for some strange reason. Since then I've hated swimming. I decided to do a couple of lengths when I was shooting in Mauritius and I couldn't believe how tiring it was, or how much my arms and chest ached. It’s obviously really good at getting your muscles working, though. One of the other Page 3 girls gave me a tip the other day, she said that she uses a float to make her lower half do all the work. I'm going to give it a go as soon as I sort this gym situation out.
I've woken up this morning with a bad cold. I would call it flu but I'm not a man! My Mum had one and now she's kindly passed it on to me. I'm meant to be going out for my best mate’s birthday tonight as well. I really could do with staying in and recovering while my mum runs backwards and forwards to my room with cups of lemon and honey (yuuuuum), but I don't want to let the birthday girl down. Also I've got a shoot for a modeling industry magazine on Monday called EM, so I need to be feeling better for that. Glamour models are often looked down on by fashion models so I've gotta do my best. On the email I got with the details of the shoot it said I'd be working 6-8 hours and the photographer doesn't stop for food until the end!!!! Yes, that’s right… no lunch break! I think he's confusing me with a fashion model, I NEED food or I become delirious and start to shake, ha (true though). It will be good to stop me getting bloated but it doesn't half put me in a bad mood when I've not eaten. I'll have to take a bag of nuts or something with me.
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