Managing Emotions before a Photo Shoot

I've been writing about my battle with camera shyness despite working in TV and dealing with emotions before a shoot. Then, almost as if it were timed, I get a call that a celebrity photographer wants to fit me into a last-minute opening. 

I knew I had to jump on the opportunity even though I was waiting to hear if a family member would make it through surgery 2,000 miles away. Here's how I managed the day in case it helps anyone else.
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9:00 am:  Shower. Wash/blow dry hair (yogurt facial mask applied day before).

10:00 am:  Photographer had suggested wearing black dress. I only wear LBD's at red carpet events and funerals. Picked one I wear to funerals. Pack:

• fuschia tank top and blouse, purple business top, black skirt
• skinny jeans, denim jacket, silver belt, black booties (oops, forgot pumps)
• necklace, diamond stud earrings 

10:30 am: Practice poses while waiting for call from hospital to take my mind off things (it may feel stupid but the mirror really helps!).

11:30 am:  Walk to mall to look for dress. Shopping fail.

2:15 pm:  Shower again. Style hair. Apply makeup in natural shades. Lancome Teint Idole foundation, blush, MAC Blotting Powder, YSL Golden Gloss, liner, mascara.

3:20 pm:  Finish packing (remember blotting cloths, lint remover, charger, etc.).  Get a call that my relative made it through surgery! 

4:00 pm:  Traffic, grrrr. Rush hour + construction + Dodgers game = tortuous crawl. Running late. Feeling tense.

5:10 pm:  Meet photographer.  Perfect light, known as 'magic hour' just before sunset when light is soft and casts few shadows.

6:30 pm:  Wrap! Photographer works fast.

1:30 am:   Night owls - photographer sends raw shots to review.

2:30 am: Winner!

Something that helped me focus despite the emotional challenges was to view things like an artist.  Artists often name their work and use it to channel their emotions so that's what I did.  I called the shoot, 'Surrender,"  as a statement of trusting God even when facing the possible loss of a loved one.

On the practical side, packing a day or two before the shoot helps reduce stress; so does avoiding sugar and caffeine.  For expert advice from the photographer on rocking your shoot, check out my article, 'Camera Shy?  Tips to Photograph Like a Celebrity.' 
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Model Jen Brook as some fantastic posing tips in her blog: http://jenbrookmodel.tumblr.com.  

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DIY Hair Care Tips

Entertainers like Rihanna and Katy Perry spend fortunes to keep their locks looking glam. That's impractical for most of us without seven-figure recording contracts so I asked celebrity beauty expert Dana Waldie of A Makeover Muse for some of the best natural ways to get healthy, shiny hair at home.

Dana:  The first treatment is for hair that's prone to residue and build-up.  Mix baking soda with water until it forms a thick paste, put it in your hair for 15 minutes and it should get rid of residue in the hair.

Shay:  Why baking soda?

Dana:  Baking soda helps to degrease or you can also use something for oily or greasy hair.  One of my favorites is a DIY dry shampoo.  Just sprinkle cornmeal or cornstarch on dry hair, let it sit for about 10 minutes and then brush it out. You can do this every other day to help absorb oil without washing your hair.

Shay:  That's great for traveling when we might not be able to wash every day.

Dana:  Exactly.  You can also do a treatment for hair that's dry and dehydrated from chemicals or using flat irons and blow dryers.  Just take honey - a natural humectant so it locks in moisture; massage a half-cup into damp hair and let it sit for about 20 minutes then rinse with warm water.

And for dull, lifeless hair, use  Greek yogurt, which naturally has lactic acid so it helps exfoliate and lift the build-up from your hair. Mix it with sour cream, which has fat so it adds moisture.  Massage it in and let it sit for 20 minutes then rinse and shampoo as you normally would. 

Shay:  These sound perfect for summer when the sun or being at the beach might cause problems with hair.

Try it at home!
Remember to use organic ingredients to avoid unwanted chemicals.  Check out Dana's product recommendations at www.danawaldie.com.

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DIY for That Celeb Look - Natural Beauty Remedies Pt. 2

It's makeover Monday over on my Facebook page!  Our beauty expert is transforming even us tomboys with super easy celebrity beauty tips.  

Pollution, ocean air and hard water can make it tough to keep skin glowing, especially in LA, so I've been applying the yogurt facial mask and lemon she recommended for a clearer complexion. My skin definitely looks and feels healthier. 

I was curious about which stars use yogurt masks and look whose face popped up first in a Google search! Yes, yours truly.

In June, I'll take you inside the spas and salons in my neighborhood where mega-rich babes like Zoe Saldana and Megan Fox pay a fortune for A-list treatments. To get the look at home, I asked celeb beauty expert Dana Waldie for tips to do-it-yourself.

Shay:  Natural beauty remedies - what should be on our shopping list?

Dana:  Sugar has natural glycolic acid that helps condition and moisturize the skin and protect from toxins.  Sugar won't clog pores so you can mix it with an at-home exfoliator and it helps eliminate blemishes. You can also mix it with conditioner as a scalp treatment to rid dandruff and it's also good for curly hair.

Shay:  If only sugar in cupcakes was good for us!   

Dana:  My weakness!  Another one of my favorites is Greek yogurt, which has natural lactic acid and is great for exfoliation.  Even people with the most sensitive skin can use it as a mask and it won't irritate skin. 

Shay:  I'm a convert. I tried the facial mask again and my skin felt even better.

Dana:  If you maintain that weekly, you'll really start to see the glow.

Try it at home!
Check out Dana's blog here for links to her favorite natural brands.  For my review of the popular Greek yogurt facial mask and to try it yourself, click here.

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DIY to Get That Celeb Look - Natural Beauty Remedies

It's makeover Monday from over on my Facebook page! Loving the beauty tips we've been getting from our celebrity beauty expert - and they don't cost a fortune.

In fact, you might already have nature's answers to flawless skin in your kitchen!  For example, honey was one of Cleopatra's secrets to a perfect complexion. Check out these amazing DIY beauty remedies from my interview with Dana Waldie of A Makeover Muse.

Shay:  What are your favorite natural remedies that we should look for the next time we're at the grocery store?

Dana:  First is coconut oil - a product I can't live without since it's so versatile. You can take coconut oil right from the jar, put it on a cotton pad and use it as an eye makeup remover. You can use it as a hair conditioner. And it's great as a body moisturizer and helps reverse signs of sun damage.

Shay:  So we'll smell a little like coconut - perfect since I live at the beach!  What's next on our shopping list?

Dana:  Next is honey, which is an all-natural disinfectant and humectant that helps attract and and retain moisture.  It gives you a hydrated, dewy look but won't cause you to break out and has no man-made chemicals or compounds like a commercial moisturizer. It's been said Cleopatra used honey as a cleanser for her flawless skin. You just rub a dime-size amount over the skin and it will remove makeup and rinses off with water.  You can also mix it in masks, scrubs and lotions for extra moisturizing.

Next is lemon, which has vitamin C and helps reduce pigmentation and sunspots. It's great for oily types to help cut that greasy look.  You just cut a lemon in half, rub it over your face and then rinse with water.

Shay:  You mentioned organic.  Why is that important if we're not eating these products?

Dana:  Your skin is the largest organ in the body so it will absorb any chemicals in products.  That's why I suggest buying organic for anything you're putting directly on the skin.

Try it at home!
Check out Dana's blog here for links to her favorite natural brands. Feel free to leave a comment with questions or topics you want us to cover.

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DIY Eye Treatments Test

Watch out Gwyneth Paltrow - we're coming after your World's Most Beautiful Woman title!  These DIY tips from beauty expert Dana Waldie of A Makeover Muse will have us looking like we just stepped off the red carpet in no time.  I didn't tell Dana I'd also be putting her ideas to the test!

Stop hiding puffy, red eyes behind sunglasses with Dana's DIY eye treatments. I tried each of her tips using:  1) cotton balls dipped in milk, 2) chilled spoons and 3) tea bags (find the tips here if you missed them).  I gave these remedies a 4 out of 5 blot rating.

Spring allergies had left my eyes irritated and red and these treatments provided fast, soothing relief.  In fact, I felt so serene with the cotton balls on my eyes and Dana's yogurt facial mask, I didn't hear my kitchen timer go off!  I especially liked that these tips were natural and cost nothing extra since I already had the products on hand.

Here's why these DIY eye treatments scored a four instead of five: making time to lie still may challenge multi-taskers, moms of young ones, etc.   Unlike the yogurt mask, which you just apply and leave on until it's time to wash off, these tips required down time.  And with the spoons, I had to hold them in place so that was less relaxing (First World problem!).

While these remedies provide quick, temporary relief, don't expect lines or dark circles to diminish with them alone. But for spa-like indulgence at home, you can't beat these effortless treatments.

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DIY for That Celeb Look - Eye Treatments

Allergies?  Work Stress?  Partied like Lindsay Lohan?  Here's some super simple DIY eye relief from my interview with celebrity beauty expert Dana Waldie of A Makeover Muse.

Shay:  Tired, puffy eyes - what can we do?

Dana:  Skin around the eyes is the most sensitive and thinnest so we have to be very selective with what we put around our eyeballs. I have three natural remedies using things we usually have in our refrigerator.

First is cold milk - it naturally helps restrict the blood vessels and reduces swelling and the fat in whole milk helps soothe dry, irritated skin.  Just place cotton balls in milk and put those right on your eyelids.

Shay:   So easy, something anyone can do!

Dana:  The second one's even easier.  Just take some spoons, put them in a bowl of chilled water and place the chilled spoons over your tired eyelids.

And third, choose chamomile, black or green tea - they all contain anti-oxidants - steep, take the tea bags and throw them in the fridge then put the cold tea bags on your eyes.  Chamomile is a natural anti-inflammatory and both green and black tea contain tannins and caffeine which helps shrink swollen tissue.

Try it at home!
Beauty dilemma?  Check out Dana's blog for more tips www.danawaldie.com.  To treat yourself to a DIY facial mask, see last Monday's makeover  post here.

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Yogurt Facial Mask Test

You may not look like a celebrity with this yogurt goop on your face but I promise your skin will feel like it after you try this super simple mask! 

For the next few weeks, I'll be sharing tips to look like a celebrity with beauty expert Dana Waldie of A Makeover Muse.  I didn't tell her I'd also be putting her ideas to the test.

Dana's first tip in our DIY series gets a five-out-of-five blot rating!

My skin felt much softer, looked brighter and more youthful right after washing off the blend.  This mask is so easy you probably already have the few ingredients in your kitchen or you can buy them at the grocery store for under $10.  

And a bonus, I'd never eaten Greek yogurt before and was hooked after tasting it.  Healthy face, healthy bod - thanks, Dana.

Try it at home!

Dana breaks down how to blend the ingredients so you can give your skin this A-list treatment.  Follow the easy steps by clicking here.

  

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