Bracelet Style Arm Candy. Layering Rules of the Wrist!

Photos via Pinterest

This is the season of the Wrist! 
Layered bracelets have been on trend for about a year, but in case you've been hesitant in doing it yourself now is the time to look through your jewelry box to dig out old charm bracelets, family heirlooms,  friendship beads, or if you're lucky, a gold Cartier love bracelet ... anything that is important to you! In fact, the more you have the better!

 There are no rules here, but here are some tips:

In my opinion, 5 to 7 inches is about as high up as you want to go, but make sure you have at least 3 layering pieces.

From glam to ethnic to biker rock ... everything goes!

Women are stacking mixed metals, varying widths, vintage, bangles, leather, fine jewelry, embellished costume jewelry, beaded, braided or different colors.

At the center of many of these looks is a great watch! 

 

Keep in mind that you will probably be questioned about the meaning of these stacks ... add something personal and tell the story, reliving the moments each time you do! 

One important tip is to make sure your bracelets are fitting snug and not overlapping each other too much.

Remember to keep the statement on your wrists and not to overpower the rest of your look with big necklaces and earrings or you will start to look like a walking Christmas tree! 

                                                                                                                        via Michael Kors 

Think of this as chaotic arm candy and head over to places like Forever 21 and H & M to fill in any missing pieces. Mostly, have fun creating your very own chic signature look!

If you liked this check out my new blog about the new ruler in town ... The statement necklace!

To learn more model's secrets to looking your best and taking your best photos check out my new book Face This: Real advice from real models, photographers and makeup artists on how to become Picture Perfect! Available for just $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes. Also as paperback from Amazon.com

How to Move for a photo - Coco Rocha style! Take pictures like a model.

                                                                                        photo by Christopher Barr Photography

It is not true that a beautiful girl just naturally takes a beautiful photo.

Many times the prettiest girl doesn’t make it as a model because she has no clue how to work a camera. She is sweet, humble, modest … and because she hears all the time how beautiful she is, this girl says "ok, I’m gorgeous" and bounces around making all sorts of goofy faces, falling into old habits like slouching or weird poses during a test shoot when the pressure is on. None of which translates into a beautiful photo.

Any girl is capable of more than this, which is why not only the beautiful girls get modeling agents. You have to become arrogant when the camera is turned on you. You must give an attitude to the photographer like “I am doing you a favor letting you take my picture!” Leave the sweet, innocent vibe at home … it will be there waiting for you when you walk through the door, but at a photo shoot you MUST be in control. Think to yourself, they could have picked any girl, and they chose ME! I am going to remind them of the reason why! 

Ahhhh, Yes... Confidence! This is what it is about and it radiates from within your head all the way to your fingertips. Last month I did a photo shoot for the Phoenician (behind the scenes photo above) and the photographer gave me the most wonderful compliment. This is what he wrote: 

     "By the way, you were awesome ... it is such a pleasure to work with pros that bring more than just genetics to a shoot. The shoot archive is strong and your one of the reasons why."

Out-takes from another commercial shoot that my makeup artist, Giselle Fox, took with her camera phone. 

When the Camera is ON so are you. When the camera is DOWN you can go back to being yourself. 

What to do? You are on the beach in a bikini. You have a top and a bottom. No props, just you and your confidence. Sounds a little intimidating doesn't it? Rather than only striking a pose and giving a smile ... you can play with your hair, toss your head, arch your back, stick out your butt, turn, dance, crack up laughing, splash the water, the options are really endless when you free your mind and let yourself really model.  Check the stupid faces at the door, and think arrogant attitude … own the photo with your face, oozing confidence and control the entire time. 

Watch and Learn - Coco Rocha as she gets the cover shot in less than 20 moves - This is how you Move on camera!

My friend and fellow Ford model, Katie Reed says, 

"Models don't just pout their lips. They have to be willing to open up. They have to show us a little of their soul. Their secrets. Nobody wants to see photos of weak people. We look at great models because they open up from a position of strength."

There are a lot of books out there to tell you what a model does, types of models, how to get an agency, modeling lingo, etc but really EVERY girl wants to know how to take better pictures and my book can tell you the secrets behind the science of doing so. Face This: Real advice from real models, photographers and make up artist on how to become Picture Perfect! is available for $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes. Also as a paperback on Amazon.com What are you waiting for? Time to OWN my book and YOUR photos!

Best Way to Hide and Conceal Pimples and Acne!

It never fails, a zit shows up the night before a special event or worse you break out before a big photo shoot. It is well known that celebrity A-listers like Cameron Diaz, Brittany Spears and Megan Fox struggle with acne issues.  Unfortunately with HD, 10 times zoom, these stars often get caught in the spotlight with no place for cover.

MEGAN FOX

So what can you do when a pimple shows up? Yes there is photoshop, but for those times when you can't walk into a room with photoshop, it's time to think like a makeup artist! With the right techniques you can cover up that zit so that no one will notice. 

1. When you have a pimple one of your goals is to reduce the swelling and flatten it. First step is to try using ice or ibuprofen. Visine, offering the same vasoconstriction properties that get the red out of your eyes, can work on pimples too. Soak a cotton swab in Visine and hold it next to your pimple for 5 minutes. 

If have time, an overnight, check out my post about what to use in {Get Rid of a Pimple Fast} it's the best secret tip I know that really works!

2. If it is oozing use a tinted blemish cream that covers and heals like Clearasil. If you've already popped it, moisturize the area so that it is not flaky or dry from products that you've used to previously treat it. You do want to try to dry out the little monster but without irritating it. Benzoyl peroxide is your best choice to help shrink it.

Britney Spears

3. When you are choosing a concealer to cover a zit, pick a thick formula that is quite dry and use a very small, pointy concealer brush to cover it from all angles. It is best to use a makeup brush so that you can get into all the crevices that your finger cannot. Don't brush across but instead dab the concealer onto your little monster, then tap your finger on top to set. Use a green based concealer corrector followed by foundation to counteract redness. Don't choose a concealer that is lighter than your skin tone or you will just bring attention to the thing you are trying to cover up. Focus only on the pimple and not the surrounding area. After you are finished concealing you can blend out to your skin, but do not blend or touch the actual zit.

Cameron Diaz

4. Next you will want to blot with loose powder to make sure that it remains hidden and the makeup doesn't slide off the pimple's oily surface. It's best to use an eyeshadow brush loaded with powder.

5. My very good friend and go-to makeup artist, Colleen Stone, recommends mineral makeup for pimples because she says it really covers without adding bulk. Because a zit is usually raised, you will still probably see it on your face but it will be much less noticeable when covered well. If your pimple is large you might notice that it casts a shadow too. Use a lighter color concealer underneath the bottom half where the shadowing is for an optical illusion to counteract this effect, before setting with powder.

6. You might also like my article about some of the new at home devices: {Blue Light to Zap Zits}

7. Some of the best concealers I recommend are:

Makeup Forever HD Concealer

Amazing Cosemetics Concealer

Cle' de Peau Beaute Concealer

7. You may also like my article on How to get rid of a zit fast {HERE} - and it's not by using toothpaste! 

Acne scarred model and California teen, Cassandra Bankson, has learned how to apply makeup to conceal her zits to help others who suffer and has become a YouTube sensation. Watch as she transforms herself with her new found application skills using Make Up Forever HD Foundation.  

  All of this just goes to show that anyone can deal with an occasional acne break out by choosing the right cosmetics!

Shelley GoodStein is a 47 year old FORD model who speaks to women through television, national articles and public forums about a model's secrets to looking good from the inside out and the beauty of aging! To learn more secrets on how to create a flawless face for photographs and real life purchase her new book, Face This: Real advice from real models, photographers and makeup artists on how to become Picture Perfect! Available for $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes and also paperback on Amazon.com

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Sheer Perfection - What to wear underneath transparent clothing!

                I see London, I see France, and this season we will be seeing a lot of ... Underpants !

The Spring/Summer collections always seem to lure us into showing a little more skin, and this year is no exception: Designers are in love with sheer fabrics. But exactly what do you wear underneath so that this sexy look doesn't become a sleazy statement?

The key to wearing sheer is to make sure that you are pairing it with a opaque under-thing and not just another lightweight lingerie like piece. Probably the easiest way for anyone to pull off a sheer maxi is paired over a mini dress or shorts.

Sheer becomes sophisticated if you stick to basic black, ivories and beige. Keep it balanced by adding only one transparent piece to your outfit. While it may be tempting to go head-to-toe in sheer, remember that a bigger impact is made with smaller efforts, like this photo with a sheer black maxi over black mini with a crew neck beige sweater on top. When you wear a sheer blouse, pair it with a solid bottom and add a tank or bandeau that blends in, also try buttoning it all the way up.

See through lace, crochet and mesh will also be showing up this season and this is a perfect opportunity for some vintage finds. I think the cutest way to wear this is by creating a silhouette with a brightly colored slip underneath for a pop of color ... and attention!

To avoid dressing inappropriately and ending up on the worst dressed peekaboo list, keep in mind that this trend is not about flashing more skin! There is a fine line between keeping it classy and not becoming too provocative. Have fun amping up your sex appeal this season by copying some of these looks and becoming a little more "transparent"!

ROCK the Sheer look your way & write back to tell me about it!

To learn how model's dress, check out this post Dress Like a Model - her Off Duty Uniform.

The Perfect Face - Golden Ratio Beauty Calculator

Can you really place beauty to numbers? 

As a girl with a mathematical edge, studying Calculus in high school, I want to introduce you to the Golden Ratio because studies of top models have shown that they have countless numbers of this ratio in their faces.

What is this ratio? Well to be exact it is 1.6180339.... and you can find it by specific measurements in your face. Here is my own face rank based on the Golden Ratio:

Click Here to upload a photo to find your own beauty score. 

If you follow my blog then you know that I not only like to give you the secrets of beauty but I like to explain the science behind why it works and makes sense. This isn't new, the ratio was used in the Great Pyramids over 4600 years old, but I do break it down in chapter 4 of my book,  Face This: Real Advice from Real Models, Photographers and Makeup Artists. 

This number, universally recognized as ideal, is usually rounded to 1.62. It is also known as phi (Φ) in Geometry, Fibonacci numbers in India, feng shui in Asia, and divine proportion. This ratio 1:1.62  is nature's symmetry and occurs naturally in life. Da Vinci himself used it when he drew the perfect human male body in his famous work the Virtruvian Man. The premise behind this is that the closer a face or object is to the golden number 1.62, the more beautiful it becomes. 

Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but according to a study from the University of Nebraska, a smaller nose and chin, along with a larger distance between the eyes and a smaller mouth width are deemed desirable traits for women. Females were proven to be seen as the fairer sex, rated more attractive by both men and women.

How to Determine Golden Beauty 
With the math behind it, the symmetry of your face can be measured. The closer this number is to 1.62, the more beautiful it is judged to be subconsciously. The simplest measurement is the length of your face divided by the widest part of your face. There are countless ratios that can be derived, but the web site above will generate a computer calculation online of a few of these ratios, from your uploaded photo for free, and give you some feedback. You might also decide to use this site if you are trying to select the best image from a recent photo shoot to use as your new profile picture! 

Do It Yourself Version using a few more calculations:

a = Top-of-head (1) to chin (2) =  cm  
b = Top-of-head (1) to pupil (3) =  cm  
c = Pupil (3) to nosetip (4) =  cm  
d = Pupil (3) to lip (5) =  cm
e = Width of nose (6 to 7) =  cm
f = Outside distance between eyes (8 to 9) =  cm
g = Width of head (10 to 11) =  cm
h = Hairline (12) to pupil (3) =  cm
i = Nosetip (4) to chin (2) =  cm
j = Lips (5) to chin (2) =  cm
k = Length of lips (13 to 14) =  cm
l = Nosetip (4) to lips (5) =  cm

Now, find the ratios. 1.62 is golden.

a/g =  cm
b/d =  cm
i/j =  cm
i/c =  cm
e/l =  cm
f/h =  cm
k/e =  cm

Using the Golden Ratio in Dentistry

When the 2 front teeth form a rectangle with a Golden Ratio measurement (height to width of the center 2 teeth of 1.62) it is perceived as a perfect smile. Another ratio used is from the width of the first tooth to the second tooth and a third using the width of the smile to the third tooth from the center. Visit the site of Dr Eddy Levin for more on the Golden Section and Dentistry.

The Mask of Divine Proportion

Dr Stephen Marquartdt developed a facial mask as a measurement of classic beauty to help plastic surgeons align facial features for more symmetrical accuracy based on a series of rectangles, triangles and decagons. 

From Queen Nefertiti in 1350 BC to Angelina Jolie today, you can see for yourself that they both share similar facial proportions conforming to this beauty mask. I guess that beauty may be timeless after all ... or maybe it explains the countless number of plastic surgery clones. You Decide.

Check out my post on how to get flawless skin for photos by shaving your face - YES I am talking to you girly! Here is the LINK {Defuzzing the MYTH of the Female Mustache}

To learn more about this subject and how to use the Golden Ratio to look your best in real life and in your photos, please download my book Face This on Kindle, Nook and iTunes for just $7.99 or purchase it on Amazon.com

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