Barbizon Blog

Color can really make a difference in your appearance.  Have you ever had someone say “You look great!” when you hadn’t done anything different to yourself?  It was probably the color you were wearing, making your skin look clear and bringing out the highlights in your hair.  Conversely, perhaps someone has asked you in a concerned voice whether you were feeling well when you felt just fine.  In this case, you were probably wearing a color that makes you look unhealthy.

Skin has either a “warm” or “cool” coloring.  Finding out which of these you are will determine your makeup and wardrobe choices.  To determine your skin tone, you must first see if your skin has a blue or yellow cast.  In natural light, place a white sheet of paper next to the inside surface of the wrist.  Check to see if the cast is blue-pink (”cool”) or gold-yellow (”warm”) against the paper.  Warm looks best in earthy and medium colors while Cool looks best in pastels, neutrals, and strong colors.

Now that you know your skin tone, find out more about correct makeup choice in our Barbizon Modeling Classes Curriculum.

Do you remember being read the fairy tale Chicken Little when you were young?  In the story, the chicken is obsessed about the sky falling down and didn’t notice Foxy Woxy prepping for a nice chicken salad. There’s a little bit of Chicken Little in everyone.  Instead of focusing on what’s in front of us, we humans devote too much time to daydreams and thinking about everything but reality.  In many cases, it’s not sweet dreams but worrying or “awfulizing” that eats up our time.

Do you have the “What ifs?”  What if I fail the math test?  What if I never find a boyfriend?  What percentage of the day do you spending imagining worse case scenarios?  Optimism, in reasonable doses, is far more constructive than pessimism and it will inspire you.  But be careful.  Too much optimism and believing “nothing bad will happen” can give you a false sense of security.  Talking to a parent, older sibling, or teacher as well as going to Barbizon can help you develop a more positive way of thinking.

1.  GRADES — SEEK KNOWLEDGE

• Cut back on one hour per day of TV time or playing video games.
• If you enjoy both, cut back 1/2 hour on each daily.

Having clean cosmetic tools and brushes is important for keeping your skin healthy and free from blemishes. Use the following as your guide:

1. Put shampoo into one hand and brush across until clean.

2. Rinse while sweeping brush back and forth across hand until no color is apparent.

3. Squeeze from base to end of brush hair very lightly until excess water is removed.

4. Tap brush lightly with fingers to loosen brush hair.

5. Lay flat on clean paper towel to dry.

6. Brush back and forth across hand to fluff brush hairs when dry. Never use a hair dryer or heat to dry brushes.

You can learn more about makeup and skin care in your Barbizon classes.

Perfect posture will add to your confident appearance more than any other contributing factor. Here are some of the benefits of perfect posture:

1. Proper posture builds good health by allowing the inner organs to function properly.
2. Speech is improved by giving more power to your voice through correct position of the diaphragm.
3. Body alignment gives a more youthful appearance.
4. Clothes will hang better.
5. Tension is reduced through proper alignment, which reduces fatigue, resulting in a more relaxed
appearance.

As a model, actress, or performer, it is important to be healthy and fit. Proper exercise, nutrition, water intake, supplementation, and sleep are vital in obtaining these goals. The foundation of any well-rounded fitness program should contain the following components:

AEROBIC / CARDIO TRAINING: Cardovascular conditioning is any exercise that gets you to your target heart rate for a sustained period of 20 to 30 minutes. Examples include walking, jogging, and swimming. You should do cardo a minimum of 3 times per week.

RESISTANCE / WEIGHT TRAINING: Resistance / weight training is any exercise that uses weights or body-weight to strengthen or build muscles. Examples include push-ups, sit-ups, bands, dumbbells, or weight machines. You should do resistance / weight training 3 times per week including upper and lower body.

FLEXIBILITY / STRETCHING TRAINING: You should keep your muscles loose and limber in order to avoid injury. Exercises that are good for this are yoga, dance, and pilates.

SLEEP: You body needs time to rebuild, recharge, and recoup. Sleep is the only way this can happen. You should aim for at least eight hours of sleep per night.

To learn more about Barbizon Fitness, visit our website or call the Barbizon in your area.

Quitting is not impossible! First you must ask yourself WHY you bite your nails. Do you bite out of nervousness – a big date, test at school, etc? Do you bite out of boredom – have nothing else to do with your hands? Find something! Is it just an older habit and too difficult to break? Believe it or not, a whopping 40% of the population bites their nails and 64% of models do it! It’s a lot easier to stop biting, though, than it is to constantly hide your hands out of sheer embarrassment. So, here are some tips on tackling the problem:

• TAKE UP SEWING, DRAWING OR ANY OTHER PROJECT OR HOBBY that requires working with your hands. It’s difficult to put your fingers in your mouth if they’re occupied with a needle or a pencil.

• MANICURE REGULARLY. That way, nails will be smooth, and there won’t be any rough edges or hangnails to bite off.

• MAKE A PLAN TO GROW YOUR NAILS OUT FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION, like a prom, fashion show, special date or birthday. Now you are inspired to keep up your willpower!

• HOLD YOUR HANDS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU AND PICTURE YOUR NAILS SLEEK AND PRETTY. Do this every time you feel the urge to nibble.

• KEEP YOUR NAILS POLISHED in your favorite Nail Enamel shade so you’ll be discouraged from ruining your “look.”

• TRY ONE OF THE BAD-TASTING PRODUCT developed to inhibit nail biting. They make for a firm reminder.

• IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE TO FINALLY HAVE LONG NAILS! You will be able to scratch your own itches and show off the hottest new nail colors!

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Swimsuits today can offer stylish and flattering coverage for any shape. There are styles to suit every body type, and just because your body isn’t perfect (whose is?) that doesn’t mean you can’t look great! Keep the following in mind when shopping:

Small Bust: Cups, gathers, and ruffles add volume. Light colors attract the eye.
Heavy Thighs: Horizontal stripes add balance, so do wide detailed necklines.
Short Torso: Elongate the body with a long neckline.
Large Hips: Contrasting trim at the bust gives balance. Light to dark focuses eyes upward.
Large Bust: Supportive linings, under wires, and shoulder straps keep things under control.
Curvy All Over: Prints distract and keep the eye moving.
Long Torso: A 2-piece with a break in coverage eliminates pulling and creates a horizontal line.
Bulging Torso: Choose suits with extra support around the middle, higher waistbands for extra coverage, vertical lines to minimize.
Short Legs: High cut sides, bottom with strings at the hips elongate.

To find out more about Barbizon, contact us .

Here are a few Barbizon Tips for Good Health. Let us know what makes you healthy.

1. Start cutting back on junk food, adding more nutritional foods gradually.
2. Be very careful to avoid buying junk food at lunch. Don’t be afraid to pack a lunch. It’s better for you.
3. If you are eating more than 5 candy bars a week, cut out at least one. The same for soft drinks.
4. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.
5. Walk everywhere you can.
6. Instead of TV or video games, go bowling, biking, or swimming. Stay active.
7. Go to bed at the same time every night.

You can find more tips on our website or follow us on Twitter.