SO I've become better at YouTubing more regularly and below are my two most recent - both are hair tutorials but that's just coincidence (not all my videos will be hair related;). One is How I cut my own hair at home and the other is an Ariana Grande Inspired hair style! Anyway I thought I would post them on here incase you missed them! ENJOY!x!
Let me know what you think or if you have any requests for future videos :)
AND Incase you missed the makeup tutorial I posted a couple of weeks ago...
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.
So March 4th marks 6 months that I have lived on my own (I do have a house mate and I did go to college for three years in Limerick) but what I mean is away from Ireland, Galway, my friends at home, my family and my pets! all the way on the other side of the world! I moved on August 4th so it is actually 7 months since I was last in Ireland but my beautiful mum came with me for the month of August to help me settle in (she left on September 4th) SO really it's 6 months that I've been out in the big bad world on my own! & I thought I'd reflect on that here...
Where to start..
I think a lot of people didn't believe me when I said I was going to move to LA on my own and I understand that there were plenty of reasons to doubt! for one it took me awhile to get everything organised so it seemed as if I was talking about it forever! and secondly I am not really an "on my own" type of girl! In Galway I would barely walk down a street on my own (I always had someone with me!) It began with a slight fear and anxiety: When I was a child one of the strongest memories is my sister (who was 9 years older than me) being attacked as she walked in what would have been a relatively nice area! It really effected me and I bought it with me into my teenage years! I would always ask a friend to walk me home or have someone come to collect me! Anyway, my point is moving across the world all alone, without a friend or someone else in tow, is actually fairly out of character for me and I can definitely see that! However, I am also extremely stubborn and if I set my mind on something I am going to do it! I always had a dream of living in Hollywood and after my first visit in 2012 I fell in love with it just like I always knew I would! I found somewhere where I felt I belonged.. a place where I fitted in! Sure..I could have tried to convince someone to move with me so that it wouldn't be as scary but I am a strong believer that everyone has their own path in life therefore convincing someone to give living in LA a go may have been the easier option but in the long run I would have perhaps thought I wasn't capable of doing it on my own and become reliant on that other person - whereas now I have learnt that I am an incredibly strong person and I feel I have grown a million times more than I would have if I convinced a friend to move with me for the wrong reasons!
How has the move been so far...
It's had it's ups and it's downs! I've taken off my rose-tinted glasses! I've learnt a few harsh lessons: such as people are people & there are some good and some bad wherever you go! That seems so simple and obvious but before officially moving here my experience had always been that people in LA are happy, positive, amazing people who want the best for everyone and live a life of chasing their dreams.. (and there are plenty of people like that here who I've had the absolute pleasure to meet!) but the flip side also exists: people who are extremely competitive and bithchy! I guess you could say it's a part of the entertainment industry but it's actually just a part of life in general! and it's difficult when I truly do not see myself as a competitive or cut-throat person at all! sometimes you are given the image that you need to be in order to succeed! I hope that this is not the case as that is simply not me! I hope that being hard working and genuine will stand for me in the end!
I have had a couple of down days since my move (such as feeling home sick etc..) but in general I would say that moving to LA has been the best thing I have ever done and the best thing that has ever happened to me! I feel like I have grown so much and done so much in quite a short amount of time and I am proud of myself for the things I've learnt and experiences I've had so far!!
Believe it or not it's helped with my anxiety...
You would think that moving to a MASSIVE new city and a MASSIVE new country at that would make me more anxious but in fact I feel it has had the opposite effect! I feel perhaps I was suffering from "small town syndrome" when I lived at home because what you may or may not know about me (I've mentioned it on my blog before) is over the past 5 years or so I became a nervous, anxious wreck about many things! I went from being a relatively laid back person to an A1-Stresser! so much so that I truly believe it effected my personality! I suffered from full on Panic attacks among other issues! It got to a stage where I could barely walk down shop street in Galway without feeling anxious and like I just wanted to run and not see anybody! whereas before I may have been able to hide I feel that moving to LA has made me face many fears head-on and either over come them or deal with them! and although it hasn't been without it's stresses I feel that I am less anxious and a lot more capable since the move! Obviously it's individual but I genuinely feel throwing yourself into a new environment and leaving behind old baggage is a great way to find yourself again if you're feeling a little lost! It has been tough but so far it's been SO worth it and I wouldn't change a thing!x!
Some questions answered...
Why did I move from Ireland? I love Ireland, it will always be my home! I love Irish people and I appreciate them a lot more since my move - Meeting Irish people over here is the best thing ever! I feel like they instantly become my friend. Irish people, abroad especially, are so united.. I feel we just instantly understand eachother and the humor is the same! I left because I believe there are far more opportunities over here in the areas I am interested in: the Entertainment industry and Modelling! I could have chosen London but my gut told me London wasn't for me right now..something was pulling me toward LA (maybe it was the idea of the weather and lifestyle, lol).
What's LA like... LA is amazing! The sun is shining every day which I feel makes a huge difference to your mood! It's probably only rained maybe 3/4 times since I've lived here and because it's so uncommon it almost makes you appreciate when it does rain..it's Cosy! the weather is definitely a huge plus but I also love the positivity and I feel the healthy lifestyle in terms of everyone hiking etc.. really suites me! (I used to hike all the time in Ireland to!Try Diamond Hill if you're in the West Coast of Ireland-it's great!). My apartment building has a roof top pool, Jacuzzi, bbq, sauna, gym and it's right by runyon canyon for hiking and free yoga which is held x3 a day! Life is unpredictable here - you never know what the day will bring, who you'll meet or what opportunity will present itself and I love that about it! one phone call can change the ball game so it's full of excitement! there's also some great parties here and I love hiphop which is blasting everywhere! Life is good! I am very happy here!x!
What have I been up to since the move... I feel like the question really is what haven't I been doing! because it's been an absolutely whirlwind! I've been on sets of Movies/TV Shows/Music Videos and Commercials! The only thing I haven't been doing as much as I would like is modelling with regards to photoshoots etc.. as I have been pulled a lot more towards acting, Tv, videos and film! I am constantly working! sometimes 6-7 days of the week! The cost of living is a lot higher here so I have to keep working anyway but I feel I'm incredibly blessed to have the opportunities I've had and to be as busy as I am as it's doing what I love! I believe busy is a great thing!! and I genuinely feel I am doing a good job at chasing my dreams and being on the right path, going in the right direction!
The Hardest Part... The Hardest part is missing my family and pets! After-all I've lived with them (or at least seen them every weekend when I was in college) my whole life! I would happily live in LA for the rest of my life if I could bring my family and my animals! With animals it's particularly hard because I can't explain why I've left them or where I've gone! My cat, Kushka, died since my move and this absolutely broke my heart!! I've had her since I was 4 years old (my first day of school) and I love her like family!
11 Random Facts About LA:
Everyone tells you to try 'In N Out'... It is nice but it's not as good as they say! although it would be hard to be AS good as they say because "they" really hype it up! with that said it is good so try it and make your own mind up ;)
LA is SO big each different area is referred to as a "city" of it's own.. e.g. "The City of Santa Monica"
Its sprawling and there are millions of people yet you still run into the same ones all the time if you're living the #SetLife :p
I've never seen a city with so many trees! parts of the city are totally immaculate (cough Beverly Hills and the likes) while other parts are pretty dirty (I thank the not having lids on bins so rubbish can fly out..I don't get it!) but regardless of where you are every street is lined with trees, bushes and flowers giving a lovely spring time smell all year round!
LA is in a drought... The LA river is a sight for sore eyes! it's literally an empty dry basin... so everyone is delighted when it rains! As I mentioned it's only rained less than a handful of times in the 7 months I've been here but when it has I've secretly liked it! lol! Feels like home! :)
DownTown is a bit scary... some people rave about downtown and how it's the new happening place for good night life and restaurants! the sky scrappers do give an energetic city vibe but personally I find it a bit dodgy.. I'm never too thrilled when I have to street park and walk to wherever I'm going downtown! I carry a pepper spray that was given to me by a friend on set who insisted I need to take it with me wherever I go alone!
The public transport is really not great! some people swear by it but if you compare it to London it's pretty non-existent or at least a lot unsafer! So get used to being in your car and getting stuck in traffic because everyone drives! Luckily playing loud music and driving around Cali makes me happy :)
What you definitely should try is frozen yogurt! it's the best thing since sliced bread! and a healthier option than ice cream... although not so healthy when you included all the delicious toppings you can add to it!
LA has some of the best hikes I've ever been on! on a clear day you can see the whole city plus snow peaked mountains to the east and the Pacific ocean to the west!
If you wanted to you could go skiing and to the beach in the same day! There are an endless amount of things to do and stuff to see!
Although a big city that is certainly hustling and bustling with millions of people LA has a beachy, relaxed, and true "cali" vibe that I believe is unique and unlike other cities of the same size- even though city life is fast paced wherever you go in LA it's almost like fast pace in slow motion if that makes any sense! I find it surprising how quiet and calm it can be.. plus there's always birds singing :)
A special mention The 4th is also my dear friend's birthday. She would have been 24 today. 5 years have passed and it doesn't matter where in the world I am or what I'm doing my heart was shattered and my world as I knew it was destroyed when she left us and every day since I have felt the pain! Grief is a strange thing - everyone deals with it differently: it brings people together and it separates people, it causes arguments and it causes unions, it makes you appreciate life and it ruins your life; it's a never ending journey and one thing's for certain it changes your life forever! She is with me in my heart every day but today I wish my beautiful special friend a happy birthday
Apologies for the sudden turn in tone during this blog I simply didn't feel that I could write a blog on this date and not give my beautiful kind and special friend's birthday a mention!x!
Do yourself a favour =seize the day! life is short! tell your loved ones you love them! let go of anger or anything weighing you down, don't sweat the small stuff! take advantage of the life you're given! Live it to the full!, chase your dreams and do what makes you happy!x!
I'll end this blog with this happier toned video of some of my personal highlights during my time in LA so far!x!
I feel like every time I come on here to write I say I'm sorry it's been awhile and I'm going to start writing/blogging more regularly and then it ends up being ages again before I post something new so this time I won't say that and make promises I'm unable to keep - but I really do hope to figure out how to keep my blog updated with regular posts. My schedule lately has been SO hectic and all over the place! I have been working non-stop with many days being 8-12hours! what can I say my body/brain just isn't used to it! lol!
ANYWAY - if you follow me @ShahiraBarry on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter then you already know that the other week I met the one and only Snoop Dogg! So I thought I'd write an entry about what that was like!
It can be simply summed up as this- it was AWESOME (yup I'm in America & I use that word now, hahaha) no but really it was unreal! definitely up there with one of the best days ever!
How it came about...
I was put forward for a casting a couple of weeks before hand and totally forgot about it... then out of the blew I got a call from the producer of Snoop Dogg's show saying they loved my look and would love to book me on the show for that Tuesday. I was over the moon! and felt like shouting from the roof tops but after writing on my status on facebook that I was filming with Cheryl Cole and it ending up being a different 'US' Cheryl only a week or so before hand I wasn't about to tell people my news again until I was on set and I knew 100% it was going ahead!
Everyone who know's me know's that I love Snoop Dogg - I genuinely think he's the coolest! my little Jack Russel is even called Snoop Dogg (with the double G G spelling)! I have been a fan since the early 90's when he first came on the scene! (and I was only born in 1991 - so literally I was a toddler and I became a fan). My mum grew up in Handsworth Birmingham so she didn't have your average "Irish woman of her generation" taste in music... in my opinion: she has the best taste in music!! and she brought me up on Soul, Motown, Reggae, Rap/Hip Hop. Which also rubbed off on my sister! in the car, in particular, she would blast her music and I guess it just caught on! We all loved his first album 'Doggystyle' in my house and I still listen to it regularly! =One of my favs!
In my teens I got to go to see him live in the 02 in Dublin for his 'One Love' tour with PDiddy! By far it was the best concert I have ever been to. I was right up the front with my friend Abigeal and the show was amazing. Both artists - PDiddy and Snoop were the perfect balance for eachother because Snoop's performance was laid back while PDiddy was jumping all over the place and going 90! I remember looking up at the stage and wishing to be apart of something so big one day! I didn't want to be in the audience I wanted to be on the stage and involved! It was definitely a mile-stone in my life and encouraged me to pursue my true dreams!
One of my statuses about being on set with Snoop last week was blown out of proportion and spread through the Irish media so I thought I should briefly address it. The status was that I didn't smoke weed with Snoop Dogg. Firstly lets clear up that it is not illegal in California and also come on people Snoop Dogg is absolutely known for his love of smoking - it is mentioned in every song he sings and every interview he gives: it's fact! However what I only meant by my status (which was not intended to cause controversy) was simply that I felt fairly uncool that I didn't smoke with him because most people I know would 100%.. given half the chance, even if they didn't smoke.. simply because it's Snoop Dogg! I have no problem with what anyone chooses to do with regards to smoking/not smoking or anything else at all for that matter-I am not a judgmental person and actually a lot of my friends smoke - both in Ireland and in Cali! However, I don't even smoke cigarettes-I just never have and in that case let's face it I'm sure a single drag of Snoop's joint would leave me goosed for a week!lol! Anyway there was no harm done it was just exaggerated a bit and made out by the media to be something it wasn't so I thought that should be addressed.
Also some people have asked me what I think with regards to the Snoop-Iggy Azalea row that was happening on social media during the week.. all I can say is it's none of my business-I like both of their music, I don't know what was going on between the two and I don't care :)
On Set
Anyhow I arrived to set that Tuesday morning really excited.. not even about filming but about meeting Snoop! Although I was also a little bit nervous about meeting him because I hoped he would be nice...after--all if he wasn't it would ruin my dogs name ha and my love for Snoop's music all through the years of growing up!..no pressure!lol!
I did two sketches for the show and he wasn't there for the filming... I was glad because I had no idea what I was doing, lol! anyway I was sitting back in the green room talking to the other 3 girls who were booked on set with me and I heard Snoop's voice come through the corridor! He came straight into the room and his presence was just as I expected - super cool and down to earth! He gave me a hug to greet me and I immediately felt like I knew him already. He was so nice and we all started chatting! when he started filming I got to stay and watch which was great! I couldn't stay around for very long because I had to rush home before I headed to my next booking that day which was a music video for SchoolBoy Q. I chatted to Snoop loads and we took loads of selfies! lol! he was the person who suggested we take a picture so it didn't feel unprofessional at all as it can feel on some other sets with different artists. This was different - we were all friends and just chilling and it was amazing because he was above and beyond my expectations as a person! I can't say enough how cool he is! he even said I'm welcome on his set any time and that we should all hang out again! I told him how I always had a feeling I would meet him and my friends used to laugh at me when I'd say it... which is totally true by the way! I literally have always said "some day I'm going to meet Snoop Dogg" and people have thought I was crazy/big headed etc... but I didn't mean it in a "super-fan" way or even that I fancy him-I don't. It's simply just that I think he is really cool, I love his music, and I just genuinely always had a gut-feeling that I would meet him one day! Believing is Achieving!
Now the ultimate dream is to record a track with him.. lets see if that comes true some day :) fingers crossed, lol.
Happy Halloween Month Everyone!
I dressed up for the first time this year on Saturday - I was Pocahontas! It was one of the girls birthdays and it was fancy dress theme. The party was in an absolutely amazing mansion in Beverly Hills - which was equipped with a moat, shark tank, fire pit, waterfall and so much more! then we took hummer limos to the Argyle which is a nightclub in Hollywood. I couldn't stay out too long as I was booked on a calendar photoshoot on Sunday for MegaFone but I had an absolute blast Saturday night-I love fancy dress!
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.
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.
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