My Top 5 Tips for beginner models

Please Note: Unfortunately this post was one of the blogs (pre.28th of July 2014) that suffered a 'Blogger' crash.. which saw all images vanishing! I have tried to replace the images from the crash as best as I can. However images of me with products etc.. may be lost as a result and therefore the images you see may not match the text(which is original and was not effected by the crash). My blog has therefore had to start fresh and all blogs starting from July 29th 2014 are correct with the appropriate, original and correct images but unfortunately the same can not be said for images lost in posts before this date. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. Shahira xo

Hey blog readers!

Thanks for stopping by :)

I once did a YouTube video on 'How to get into modelling' which you can watch by clicking here. 

I did the video a long time ago! and on a bit on whim-I kept getting messages asking me how to get into modelling and it was hard to reply to everyone so I decided to do a video.. I propped my camera on the table and started talking-I never expected it to get 20,000 views on YouTube -Which may not be a lot to a professional YouTube guru but considering I just decided to post a video up randomly -it was a surprise to me that it did so well.
I plan on doing more videos in the future. However, for now I've been putting it off as my living situation is a bit "all over the place" at the moment and I want to do it when I have a better set-up in a room that's not totally "shadowy" so that you can see me properly etc...

I am addicted to YouTube tutorials and vlogs-I watch YouTube more than I watch TV and it all started when I found my favourite youtube guru, Kandee Johnson. Click here to check out her channel :)

Kandee Johnson

As I said I do plan on starting my own youtube channel properly but in the mean time my written blog is my way of expressing myself and giving advise to anyone interested. My YouTube video has meant that a lot of people from across the world have emailed and contacted me, having found my video, and now seeking extra advise. Today (it is Wednesday as I write this) I had a young girl from Scotland write to me looking for modelling advise so I thought I would do a quick blog on my Top5 Tips for beginner models: as inspired by some of the questions she asked me in her message.

1) If you don't have much money you don't need to pay ridiculous amounts to start building a portfolio.
Sure you can pay a professional photographer to do a shoot with you so you can begin to build a book but if you don't have the money for that then it's not the end of the world.

Network and begin to work on a TFP basis (Time for print) in this situation everyone works for free -you/the makeup artist/the photographer.. in order to add photographs to all of your portfolios.
Amateur photographers or student photographers are often happy to work on tfp as they are building their portfolio also.

May I add if you do want to work with a pro there are some professional photographers who may be willing to offer you a discount if you explain to them that you're low in cash for whatever reason (student/unemployed etc..). Basically if you don't ask you won't recieve.

2) Never meet someone from the internet/or that you don't know well on your own! There are thousands of creeps out there who would only love to trick you into believing they are a genuine photographer (or they could be a photographer and still be a creep,lol) in order to meet you and for you to be in a vulnerable position posing for them. Stay safe!! Always have someone you trust with you or make sure someone knows where you're going and simply keep your wits about you. 

Saying this if you are bringing someone think about who this person is.. Will their presence make it awkward/uncomfortable for the photographer and yourself e.g perhaps a boyfriend, instead think of sepne you can give a job to-a friend who's a makeup artist/hairstylist someone who can help to style or be an extra pair of hands & help out. If they have a reason for being there it's a better situation for all involved!

Also never pose in a way that makes you feel in any way uncomfortable! When setting-up a photoshoot have a mood-board agreed with the photographer (a collection of example photos) so everyone is on the same page and you have an idea about the type of photos you want to get from the shoot.

3) What to bring... I could do a whole other blog on this topic but five things I always bring with me to a photoshoot are:

• a snack (shoots can go on a lot longer than expected), a bag of nuts is perfect! 
• nude coloured seamless underwear and black underwear -  You don't want to have VPL (Visible panty line) 
• a dressing gown or long/warm jacket - for changes and keeping warm! 
• Hair grips and go-gos 
• Safety pins -You'd be surprised how often these come in handy!

4) You don't need hundreds of photographs to approach an agency with a portfolio. Quality is better than quantity. Pick 6-10 of your best photographs and display them nicely in a folder.

5) The long term aim is to earn money, not to spend it. People will offer you the moon and stars and get your hopes up based on a dream simply to get your cash! An agency who is truly interested in you and believes they can get you work will never make you pay to join - The whole idea is that they will make money (normally about 20%) from booking you on paid jobs.

I hope you liked my Top5 Tips for beginner models!
If you have any other modelling related questions just post a comment below or get in touch with me on my facebook business page and I'll be sure to answer them :)

Did you read my last blog post?...Are you wondering how my lashes by Monika are lasting???
Follow me on instagram @ShahiraBarry to see a video of my lashes 1week on!

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo

If your company would like a review or specific blog-post on a product, treatment, service or any other item to appear on www.shahirabarry.com email info@shahirabarry.com with the details.

Transform your eyes!

Please Note: Unfortunately this post was one of the blogs (pre.28th of July 2014) that suffered a 'Blogger' crash.. which saw all images vanishing! I have tried to replace the images from the crash as best as I can. However images of me with products etc.. may be lost as a result and therefore the images you see may not match the text(which is original and was not effected by the crash). My blog has therefore had to start fresh and all blogs starting from July 29th 2014 are correct with the appropriate, original and correct images but unfortunately the same can not be said for images lost in posts before this date. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. Shahira xo

Hey Blog Readers!

Apologies this blog post is a day late - woops :)

For today's post I wanted to tell you about a beauty treatment I had this week...

Eyelash extensions! 

My appointment was on Thursday morning with Monika's lashes in Euphoria Galway; Which is located above Matt O'Flaherty's chemist at the top of shop street so it's an easily accessibly location in Galway city center!

Semi-Permanent lashes are taking the beauty world by storm at the minute! Everyone wants that bright eye'd beautiful romantic look! 

Of course they have been a part of celeb life for a long time but now they are more widely available to us all :) 

My concerns... 

My concerns to begin with were that: 

1) semi-permanent eyelashes would damage my natural lashes...

2) I also worried about not being able to wear mascara with them or make-up that could cause the lashes to fall-off (such as gel eyeliner). I am a mascara addict so I thought this would be a downfall. 

A1) However, After some re-search of my own and discussion with Monika I learnt that they won't damage your natural lashes if they are applied by a professional (which Monika is-In fact she trains others in eyelash application) and also if you take care of them correctly your natural lashes often grown longer than before! 

A2) Once I saw the resulting lashes I realised that there truly is no need for mascara at all! Some Mascara on the bottom lashes is all that is required! 

The Process: 

The process itself can take up to two hours.. depending on the type of look you are going for. Obviously the more dramatic the longer it will take. There is no pain or discomfort what so ever! In fact I fell asleep during the application (embarrassing, lol). It's hard to have a morning appointment and spend a long period of time lying down with your eyes closed with relaxing music playing and not to fall asleep-in fact I found it virtually impossible! :) zZz!

These aren't my eyes-they are an example,

The Results... 

I could not be happier or more impressed with the results! I am converted and I can definitely see myself becoming an addict! 

After - No make-up on and my lashes look full and flirty while still remaining to look natural -Unlike strip lashes!

My favourite aspect of the lashes: 
You wake-up looking bright-eyed and glamorous! If you crash after a night-out you have no worries of waking-up with an eyelash stuck to your cheek!
I would have no problem wearing no make-up anywhere if I had my lashes done because they give your face an immediate pick-me-up and reduce the fatigue look which a busy schedule and lack of sleep can cause :) Zz!

The lashes with make-up... 
On Thursday night I went out because I was filming for CarbonTV. Doing my eye make-up with long lashes did take some getting used to as I didn't want to tug or pull at the lashes. The eye-shadow was fine but using liquid eyeliner along the lash line I found to be a bit of a challenge. Some product from the liquid liner went on my lashes and it was difficult to get it off as the liner was waterproof and I didn't want to apply any oil based products to the lashes. It worked-out fine but I am not going to use that liquid liner beside my lashes again and instead I will opt for a non-waterproof marker liner which will give me a more precise line when working around the lashes and should be easier to remove.
What I loved was that I didn't have a need for strip lashes! and I usually always wear strip lashes on a night out! My lashes looked glamorous and more natural and I didn't have to make the usual trips to the bathroom to ensure one side wasn't peeling off!-not a good look :)

I am SO happy with my lash extensions-they are wonderful! here's a screen shot of me recording CarbonTV which shows how full they look with make-up :)

How long do they last??
It's recommended that you get them topped-up every 4 weeks or so! the lashes can last 4-6weeks! Which is amazing if you consider how many packet lashes you could go threw in that amount of time!
I would say that these are especially ideal if you are going away on holidays or if you have a wedding, debs, birthday or any other special occasion coming up!

How much are they??

They would make a perfect Valentines gift or present for someone special!

I will keep you posted with weekly pictures of how mine have lasted! :)

To Book an appointment call Monika on 085 248 7390

Visit Monika's Lashes facebook page by clicking here!

In other news...

 if you missed CarbonTV from New Years eve in Carbon Night Club in Galway catch it below :)

Keep an eye on the carbon facebook page to catch CarbonTV from Thursday night- club goes beware... you're on camera ;) lol

HAPPY Lash Day :) 

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo

If your company would like a review or specific blog-post on a product, treatment, service or any other item to appear on www.shahirabarry.com email info@shahirabarry.com with the details.

Shiny hair for a bargain!

Please Note: Unfortunately this post was one of the blogs (pre.28th of July 2014) that suffered a 'Blogger' crash.. which saw all images vanishing! I have tried to replace the images from the crash as best as I can. However images of me with products etc.. may be lost as a result and therefore the images you see may not match the text(which is original and was not effected by the crash). My blog has therefore had to start fresh and all blogs starting from July 29th 2014 are correct with the appropriate, original and correct images but unfortunately the same can not be said for images lost in posts before this date. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. Shahira xo

Hey Blog Readers! 

For today's blog post I thought I'd tell you about a range of products that really do make your hair sparkly and shiny :)

Argan it's a Bargain! 

You can get the below products from the favourite bargain hunting ground - PENNEY'S/Primark!

The most recent addition to the Hask line of products is a Shampoo and Conditioner!

There is a new Argan oil range and a new Keratin protein range available from Hask!

The Argan oil shampoo/conditioner is what I have been using lately so I thought I would tell you about it in this blog post :)

I had no intention of doing a blog when I picked up this product and although I am aware that Argan oil is good for your hair I picked it up without any preconceived notion or expectation! I simple got it because I was out of shampoo/conditioner, it was cheap and cheerful and I was looking to try a new one!

This shampoo/conditioner is free of sulfates and parabens and works to strengthen, restore and repair your hair. In the modern days of constant heat damage etc... it is important to use products that work to repair day-to-day damage to the hair follicle! especially if you are hoping to grow your hair!

My first impressions of this hair care range:

• It smells delicious and "citrusy"! 
• It's easy to work with - the shampoo lathers nicely and you don't need too much product... even with long hair like mine, a euro sized amount is plenty! 
• My hair immediately felt softer once applied and once I dried my hair I realised how extremely soft and shiny it had become (even after just one wash!) 
• The conditioner improved my ends (particularly in dryness)
• I felt my hair wasn't as frizzy as normal after being blow dried - which saved me time when attempting to tame my hair :)
• Although an oil based product it didn't make my hair greasy (it actually withstood longer than normal) and it didn't weigh my hair down, which meant I had some volume! 

I would recommend using the Argan oil shampoo/conditioner range in conjunction with 'Miracle Oil' hair serum, which also contains argan oil. 

The Miracle oil helps to maintain 'fly-aways' by smoothing the hair and sealing in shine. 

There is a similar product to the 'Miracle oil' which is available in Penneys and designed by hask, who makes the shampoo/conditioner- this is the 'Hask Argain oil' and both products are practically identical in terms of result and product, however, I opt for the Miracle Oil because I prefer the container. The Hask argan oil comes in a tube - it's a simple preference :) 

Use the oil on damp hair to keep your hair shiny and soft!x! 

I feel that the Hask aragan oil shampoo/conditioner works brilliantly with the Miracle oil (or indeed the hask argan oil which is very similar) for creating a smooth and shiny result that lasts! :) 

Here is a close-up of my hair after using the above products combined... 

What are your shiny hair recommendations? 

HAPPY Hair-Day! 

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo

If your company would like a review or specific blog-post on a product, treatment, service or any other item to appear on www.shahirabarry.com email info@shahirabarry.com with the details.