At the SHAPE Magazine and L'OCCITANE en Provence event at their Flatiron Boutique

Tonight I was at the SHAPE Magazine and L'OCCITANE en Provence event at their Flatiron Boutique, eating green beans and fruit and learning tips on fitness, great skin and eating well from Shape magazine's Lifestyle editor Bahar Takhtehchian. I'll be posted her tips on caring for your body and skin inside and out soon.

Here I am holding my cute little L'OCCITANE gift bag.

I look forward to trying the Angelica protective face lotion with SPF and I saw a few items that will become Favorite Little Things.

Check out the April issue of Shape magazine.


~Isobella

At the Guam Beauty Mud Pop Up Shop Opening Event

Hey Girls,

This evening I stopped by the (Italian based) Guam Beauty Mud Pop Up Shop Opening Event at the Roger Smith Hotel Pop Up Shop – 501 Lexington Avenue (b/t 47th &48th), NYC 10017. There was a sample table of the Guam beauty products and I opened up Guam alga anti-cellulite marine exfoliating scrub, and stuck my finger right in, it was soft and light weight not a chunky rough scrub, and smells like peppermint, soothing. It's open for a month. Check it out!  Catch the pop up shop while it's in town and stop by http://www.guambeautymud.com/

Giving your skin a natural glow, it starts from within

Hey Girls,

I was recently asked about using foundation on the skin, not just the face but other places, such as your feet, hands, legs, stomach, etc.

On modeling jobs for parts modeling sometimes the makeup artist there has created a mixture of foundation and lotion to make the models skin glow. Or I noticed they've use a light amount of NIVEA and Jergens natural glow and sun-kissed lotions.

To give skin a natural glow, use just a tiny dab of foundation mixed with larger amount of lotion.  The tricky thing is that sometimes the color of your hands isn't the same as the foundation you use on your face, so you may have to find one that matches the tone of your hands, feet, legs, etc.

You don't want to over do the foundation part or else it will look obvious and ugly and can look off color, and you want to use more lotion than foundation. Less than a dime size amount of foundation, not a lot, just like when you put makeup on your face you don't need a lot of foundation if you spread it around carefully and well. Same here, with just the dab of foundation on your left finger, squirt some lotion (a quarter size amount or more) in the palm of your right hand, then mix the foundation evenly into the lotion in your hand then rub elsewhere.  The point is to give your lotion just a tint of color but not over do it.

Also this mixture will help cover any of your blemishes and light scars as well. No one is totally flawless 100% all the time.

I'm very into the natural beauty, not cakey or heavy feeling makeup and the same goes for skincare, I like my lotions to be very light weight, that quickly absorb into the skin.  And here is another tip for getting the most out of your lotions, especially when they aren't cheap. I used lotions of all types and this week at my casting I used Aveeno on my hands and feet and legs.

Look at how much I would have missed out on! Just when you think the lotion is all done, do like I do and cut your lotion in half when you have a plastic like this because there's a lot more inside! Scoop it out, your skin will love you for it! :) There is a whole lot that soemtimes doesn't come out and I like to use it all. I get at least 3 more uses usually by slicing my lotion bottle in half. And also always recycle your beauty product plastics. :)

Over all to keep skin looking healthy, youthful and glowing is to keep a positive attitude, negativity and frustration creates a hard and worn face and body.  Also moisturize daily, especially right after of the shower because the heat of the shower makes your skin dry. So rub lotion on your face, neck, legs and other parts daily. Also keep in mind that how your skin looks on the outside has to do with what you are putting inside it, so skip greasy foods and drink a lot of water. Sometimes I add lemon to it to give it some flavor, water is moisture for the skin!

Even if you are not a parts model, you can still keep your skin looking great for the camera.

And remember, give your inner self some love too, daily try to expand your mind and discover something you didn't know, be aware of those around you and help someone else when you can, and grow each day, if not in inches than with the depth your mind and heart.

Strive on!

~Isobella

P.s: Need some lotion? Or shop for cute stocking stuffers!
Free shipping for a limited time on $40 or more at L'Occitane.  

The Model Pitch: Iris Egbers let's hear it for this giraffe

Photo By GIOVANNI GIANNONI

Alexander McQueen RTW Spring 2012

via WWD

Hey Girls,

Talk about a giraffe. Recently model Iris Egbers was featured in WWD for how she emailed her pics to Supreme and has gotten a lot of attention in the fashion world. Supreme has her listed at 5'10"! A true giraffe! And if you are 5'2" you will have a hard time getting a response when pitching fashion agencies but often I preach the power of the pitch and being self-made and the point of sharing Iris's story with you is that it reminds me of THE PITCH, it's all about the pitch, finding the right agencies to pitch (for short chicks: print modeling agencies and talent agencies and casting professionals), making sure you are sending the right photos, being a model marketer and giving yourself a chance.

Also in this WWD feature with Iris Egbers, she mentions her skin, and how a lack of sleep had done a number on it from lack of sleep during fashion shows, and sleep no matter your height is so important for good skin. Some ways to keep skin looking fresh are below.
Isobella's fresh and beautiful skin tips:

Girls get some good sleep, 7-8 hours. Especially befoer a modeling job or casting. Days ahead of time if possible.

Drink Water and a lot of it, H20 hydrates you and your skin, remember what you put in your body affects how your skin looks, so when you eat or drink imagine rubbing it all over your face! That's basically what's happening inside.

Moisturize and tone skin daily, morning before makeup and at night after shower. Warm showers can dry the skin, you'll notice how your skin feels a bit dry when you come out of a warm/hot shower, so give it some love and put some mosturize back into your skin. Moisturizing is also important from your forehead to your toes. Do it daily. Right out of the shower is a nice time.

Do my favorite at home do-it-yourself awesome coffee body scrub and add a little to your chin and cheeks and nose for exfoliating the skin.

Be aware of your pillow and bedsheets, you can get a zit just from having unclean bedsheets so wash them weekly!

Fask masks rocks! I love giving myself a face mask (these LUSH face masks are awesome I love the BB Seaweed and Brazened Honey), I do them weekly or every couple weeks to revive my skin.

Don't go to bed with makeup on it causes breakouts, and after a modeling job or when the day is done wash your face as soon as possible.

Eat those veggies and that fruit. I eat a lot of pasta and veggies. I try to eat a piece of fruit a day if possible it's important to eat health for good skin.

If you have a zit, I suggest zapping your zit early. It is a good idea to know your face, know what areas are pron to breakouts and keep an eye on them, also know what type of skin you have.

When you are not as tall as Iris Egbers you can still find modeling opportunities if you focus on your other assets beyond height, and actually having clean and clear skin can be what gets you the job.

Keep on glowing girl!
~Isobella

P.s:  Here are tips for creating a beauty shot.

Have you downloaded my graphic novel Model Life mobile yet? Check it out here and get a free excerpt and read it on your iPhone or iPad, more mobile options coming soon!

My books Almost 5'4" and Short Stuff are available in print and ebook form on the Nook, Kindle and iBookstore, read an excerpt of them here.

If you'd like a signed copy of my books click here.

New York based designer Mara Hoffman and Skintimate are looking for female fashion designers

Hey Girls,

I recently heard that New York based designer Mara Hoffman and Skintimate (the go-to brand for shaving and prep products) are looking for the next generation of female fashion designers with the launch of the second Skintimate Studios Ready for Everything design program online at http://www.skintimatestudios.com/.
Here is the scoop for the contest:

From February 9th to March 23rd, aspiring designers will visit http://www.skintimatestudios.com/ and enter for a chance to win a two week internship with Hoffman helping her team prepare for her 2012 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim show. Contestants will upload a female dress design that conveys the theme “Ready for Everything.” In addition to the design, girls will need to answer two questions: Explain details of your design and why it represents the theme “Ready for Everything,” and share what unique qualities you posses and bring to the fashion world. Designs and essays will be judged for both versatility and original creative expression.


Skintimate, along with Hoffman, will select ten final designs which will be announced online April 21st. The finalists’ designs will premier on the Skintimate Studios website from April 21st through May 18th allowing America to cast their vote for their favorite. The winning designer will be announced online May 25th and will be given the chance to spend two weeks with Hoffman and her team in New York and Miami as she debuts her line at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim show in Miami. The nine other finalists will receive a deluxe fashion prize pack filled with must-have items to help kick start their fashion careers.


In addition to the internship search, fans 13 years of age and older can also visit the Skintimate Studios website to enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a Mara Hoffman scarf and a grand prize for one lucky girl and a guest/chaperone to go to Miami and attend Mara’s show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim show in July.

Also, aspiring models: Just because you are not giraffe tall doesn't mean you can't use your legs to model. Shoe modeling often involves your legs, and think about swimwear, and health and fitness modeling. Remember that keeping your legs clean and shaven and pretty basically at all times is important as an aspiring model, because castings are last minute, and you want to be best prepared. Personally I am not into waxing...anything, and I shave and use shaving cream.  You can check out Skintimate products here. And here are some design tips from Mara Hoffman: http://www.skintimatestudios.com/MarasInspirations.aspx

~Isobella

Model ready and skincare regimen tips and skincare products I use daily.

A girl recently asked me through my website contact form: I was wondering if you have a specific skin regimen that you follow? If so what products do you use? I don't have bad skin like on infomercials such as proactiv. It just gets annoying when I have great skin with 3-4 zits showing up out of nowhere. Please help! =)Skin is a big part of modeling as you know and I want to have mine undercontrol.

This is a great question and I hope my skincare tips can also help other aspiring models.

Your skin is a great asset, especially as a shorter model (we have to look beyond our height to get modeling work and having great skin is a great way to book modeling jobs and get a print modeling agency interested in working with you).

Here are some of my basic tips that stem from my own skincare regimen. I have clear skin because I take care of it and have since I was a teenager.

1. I tone, cleanse and wash my face daily with a wash cloth or will put a dab of toner on a piece of toliet paper and lightly dab it against my face or the area that needs attention.

2. I moisturize daily 2 times, once in morning, once before bed. Usually right after a shower. A hot shower can dry out the skin so always moisturize after a shower.  Usually LUSH's Ultralight or their many moisturizers at night or when my skin is having one of those dry feeling days (LUSH has great stuff and I suggest going into the store and getting info on their products by a wonderful LUSH lady or guy on their products, here I am in the LUSH store on Spring and Broadway talking about their products), daily I use Clinique's dramatically different moisturizer gel. This is a go-to-item for me, I like the gel moisturizer, it goes on the face really smooth, light and easy, under the eyes, chin, cheeks, everywhere, absorbs face and feels good. I buy the travel size one, like $12 and it lasts me over a month. Also I used Kiehl's creamy eye treatment with Avocado.

3. If you feel a zit coming on, take care of it at that moment or asap, don't wait until the zit appears. I take a Q-tip and put Clean & Clear deep cleaning astringent on the zit or blemish and I would put a dab on the area of the zit with Clean and Clear's Invisible Blemish Treatment at night. I usually don't use astringent on my whole face, I usually just focus on the area of my face that needs some attention. Sometimes astringent can dry out the skin so I use it but not unless I need it.

I hope the Invisible Blemish Treatment from Clean and Clear is not discontinuing :(  I do like the Clean & Clean brands for my skin and St. Ives, and Neutrogena and Clinique.

4.  I use face masks and cleansers and love the ones from LUSH.  Angels on Bare skin rocks!

5. Weekly, usually on a Sunday or slow day, I give my face a "free makeup day" and let my pores breath, clogging the face with powder and foundation can cause break outs.

6.  I wash my pillowcases often, weekly.  Trust me, it is a good idea for your face! If you wake up with a zit and are like "where the heck did this come from!?" It might be from your pillow or sheets!

7. Don't go to sleep with mascara on, or makeup. Use makeup remover and wash that pretty face before bed.

8. Of course SPF, sunscreen for my face while enjoying a pretty day year round.

It is a good idea to know your face, know the areas of your face that break out and get dry and need attention. Too much product on your face can be a bad thing so don't over do the toning, cleansing and cleaning but you should be taking care of your skin daily.

~Isobella

This skin is camera ready! Is yours?

Despite height and inches and measurements, it has been my skin that has helped me work as a model over the years, and my skin has been my best asset. I’ve worked with many brands and magazines as a body parts model, I’ve even gone in the complete buff on The Stacy London Show, was topless for a shoot with Time Magazine, and being comfortable with my body is part of the job. My hands were in a Macy’s commercial and also in editorials for Bon Appétit magazine many times, my feet and legs have appeared in campaigns for Marshalls, Easy Spirit Shoes, and I modeled the FitFlop for Victoria’s Secret, and I’ve been booked for many other body jobs despite being the shortest model out there, by knowing my assets, taking care of them and marketing what I’ve got, -may it be a hand, leg, foot, booty, or torso, I’ve got it ready!

Here are some of my tips from keeping my body head-to-toe camera ready.

Hand and nails: When I get my manicures and pedicures done I bring my own nail polish to salons, because if I get a chip or my nails need a touch up I can quickly fix that because I own the color and it is in my bag. And you can make your manicure last longer this way too. To keep my nails looking good and healthy and strong nails I drink milk , and moisturize of course, and my favorite lotion products for my hands are LUSH’s Lemony Flutter cuticle cream, L'Occitane Shea Butter hand cream. I always carry with me travel size lotions, currently in my bag I also have Caswell-Massey Newport Mariner’s hand cream, and I also like Ives Hydrating Vitamin E Lotion. Also at the salons, I only use fan-dryers not the UV dryers, which can damage your skin! Or, I don’t use a hand dryer at all and just air dry my nails.

Face and torso: For keeping my face and neck youthful looking I drink a lot of water and moisturize my neck and collarbone area daily. Also I give attention to under my eyes, my forehead, and my chin each night. I also give some love to my stomach, belly button (yes I moisturize it!) and my breasts, shoulders, upper back, lower back, and also as far as I can reach around my back and up my spine. On my face I am rotating right now between Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, Clinique’s Moisture Surge, and LUSH’s Ultralight moisturizer and Kiehl’s creamy eye treatment with avocado.

Feet and toes: I love foot scrubs. I love making my own handmade coffee foot scrubs; I save my coffee grinds from the morning and put them in a sealed container in the fridge, then use them during my evening shower by mixing the grinds with a body wash or lotion for a fantastic coffee scrub. (My coffee scrub video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=984V4unM84g ) it’s also good for hands. Also I like scooping up a nice amount of St. Ives Apricot Scrub and rubbing it all over my feet, my heel, and in-between my toes, the bottoms of my feet. Another good one is The Body Shop’s Olive Body Scrub. I even like using my cold face-masks on my feet, and sometimes I do put lotion on my feet and then put socks on overnight to wake up with extra soft feet.

Whole body: Weekly, I give my whole body some loving by rubbing a nice layer of LUSH’s Turkish Delight on my skin, from my neck to my toes, everywhere, then I jump in the shower and wash it off, my skin is super, duper soft and silky. Also I love really hot showers, but I try to cool the water down a bit, hot water can dehydrate the skin.

Legs: One night I used my man’s Gillette Aftershave Gel for sensitive skin on my legs and became addicted! Now I shop for it for both of us, it makes my legs feel and look even smoother after shaving.

Skin fix: For covering up scars or to make skin look more soft and smooth, I mix together in my hands a liquid facial foundation and a body lotion. I then rub the mixture wherever is needed. The lotion mixed with the foundation gives the skin a natural glow which looks great on camera.

Model-must-have’s: Travel size teeny-weeny Noxzema Bikini Shaver’s, I have these in my bag, just in case. Travel size toothbrush and toothpaste, if you have a casting after lunch or something. Q-tips, these are some of the handiest modeling tools ever, you can clean up your face, nail polish, and a million other things with a Q-tip. Travel size nail polish remover. Nude pantyhose, shoe models use these often. Thongs, models need to have their own black, nude colored and white thongs. Panty-liners, to put in the undergarment for lingerie and swimwear or body jobs. Band-Aids, just in case.

Daily go-to beauty products: Fresh’s Magic Wands Mini Mascara Duo, Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 powder, Revlon’s ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipsticks, Revlon’s Extra Curl Eyelash Curler and Fresh SUGAR ROSÉ tinted lip treatment SPF 15.

Also eating veggies and fruit keeps my skin looking nice as well. I try to stay away from BBQ and grease but I really love cheese.

I know it can be time consuming to take care of the skin, but once you start overtime it becomes a normal way of life, and by doing so I’ve been able to put what I have to use as a model and prove the little guy can get the job done!

~Isobella Jade

Check out Short Stuff: on the job with an x-small on Amazon and BN.com and in Barnes and Noble store, read about these on-the-job experiences and keeping my body camera ready. :) A sample excerpt of the book is on my website here as well: http://www.isobelladreams.com/

Above body parts portfolio photos: Larry Baglio, Robert Milazzo, Michael McCabe

Isobella Jade TM.

Shape's Beauty Award Winners- Worth Every $$

I don't believe in going broke for beauty. You can enhance and take care of what you have without it costing you an economic crunch! Shape magazine laid out the winners and I am picking my top ten to share:

Here’s what Shape editors, beauty pros, and almost 5,000 readers say are tops in makeup, skin and hair care now. By Sally Wadyka

1.)
Facial Cleansers
St. Ives Protective Cleanser ($7; at drugstores)Morning multitasking has never been easier. When you wash off this extra-creamy cleanser, it leaves behind a protective layer of SPF 10 sunscreen. (The sunscreen is packed into microscopic capsules that cling to skin.)
Testers feared it would have a filmy feel but were pleasantly surprised by the lack of residue. “The product rinses well and made my skin feel clean and soft—not at all greasy,” says Mary Bemis, a spa expert and Shape editorial advisory board member.

Origins Organics Foaming Face Wash ($25; origins.com) Among the things you won’t get in this “silky” face wash: parabens (chemical preservatives that can cause irritation) or any animal ingredients. What you will get: a mix of organic oils, including clove, pink grapefruit, lemon, lavender, and patchouli, which testers called “invigorating and effective.” “It dissolved my makeup without any need for scrubbing,” said one.

2.)
Facial Exfoliators
L’Oréal Paris Advanced Revitalift Micro-Dermabrasion Kit ($25; at drugstores) Skin looking dull? Dead skin cells are most likely to blame. When these cells don’t slough off every 28 days like they’re supposed to, they clump together on the surface of your skin,
making your complexion appear less than luminous. To the rescue: this easy-to-use kit, which features an exfoliating scrub and soothing post-treatment moisturizer with SPF 15 and vitamin E (shown below). Testers said the combo left their skin “supersmooth and bright.”

Philosophy the Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash ($25; philosophy.com) “Regular exfoliation is the key to fresh, youthful-looking skin, but you need to do it gently or you risk irritation,” says Darrell S. Rigel, M.D., a dermatologist and Shape editorial advisory board member. And that’s exactly why testers (including Rigel) were drawn to this mild exfoliator you can safely use daily. In addition to crushed sea fossils (to slough off dead cells), it also contains omega-6 fatty acids, which help skin retain moisture. Testers claimed their “skin had never glowed this much” and that, after several weeks of use, their face became so soft, their makeup went on smoother and looked better.

3.)
Facial Moisturizers
Olay Definity Night Restorative Sleep Cream ($25; at drugstores) “
Shiseido the Skincare Tinted Moisture Protection SPF 20 ($36; www.shiseido.com for stores)

4.)
Body Cleansers
Dove Supreme Cream Oil Body Wash in Sleek Satin ($5; walgreens.com)
Sephora Body Wash in Tangerine Grapefruit ($12; sephora.com)

5.)
Body Moisturizers
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion With Sunscreen ($7; at drugstores)

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Light-Weight Body Lotion ($27; kiehls.com) “This is simply a great product,” says Ruth Tedaldi, M.D., a dermatologist and Shape editorial advisory board member. “It’s a wonderful daily moisturizer you can slather on all over after your morning shower to seal in hydration and ensure you’re protected from the sun with SPF 30.” Testers took favorably to how soft the comforting jojoba butter, olive fruit oil, and sesame seed oil left their bodies. “My skin didn’t revert back to its usual dry state!” said one.

6.)
Body Firming
Nivea Good-Bye Cellulite ($13; walgreens.com) This non-sticky gel/cream contains L-carnitine, an amino acid said to rev up your metabolism. “After spreading it on twice a day for two weeks, my skin was visibly tighter, smoother, and worthy of showing off,” said one Shape editor.

Chanel Body Excellence Firming and Refining Serum ($120; chanel.com)

7.)
Eye Care
Burt’s Bees Naturally Ageless Line Smoothing Eye Creme (I USE THIS!!) ($25; burtsbees.com)

Elizabeth Arden Prevage Eye Anti-Aging Moisturizing Treatment ($98; shop.elizabetharden.com)

8.)
Shampoo and Conditioner
Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner ($20 each; aveda.com)

Garnier Fructis Shine Burst Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner ($7 each; at drugstores) Often, shine-enhancing products will give your hair some gleam, but because they contain waxes, they’ll also weigh it down. This cleaning and conditioning pair takes a different approach, relying on cyclodextrin, a lightweight, sugar-based substance, to magnify the shine you have rather than coat your strands with heavier sheen-boosting ingredients. Both also have a blend of vitamins B3 and B6, plus fructose and glucose to nourish even the most parched hair. “The creamy formulas gave my dry, curly hair the extra hydration it so desperately needed,” noted a Shape editor.

9.)
Hand, Foot, and Nail Care
Ahava Dermud Intensive Nourishing Hand Cream ($25; ahavaus.com) Dry, irritated skin is no match for the mineral-rich mud from the Dead Sea in this ultra-luxurious hand cream. “My normally cracked hands got softer and smoother than they had been for years,” said one Shape editor, who also commented that, for such a thick formula, the cream sunk in very quickly. “This product can even help soothe serious skin irritations, like dermatitis and psoriasis,” says Bemis.

OPI Manicure Pedicure Green Tea Scrub ($15; opi.com for stores)

Sally Hansen Color Fast Dry Quick Nail Color Pen ($8; at drugstores)

10)
Hair Removal
Best Razor: Gillette Venus Embrace razor ($10; at drugstores) For five years running, Shape readers and editors have chosen a Gillette Venus razor as their favorite shaver.

Best Depilatory: Nair Shower Power Exfoliating With Skin Renewal Micro-Beads ($7; at drugstores)

Best Shave Gel: Skintimate Signature Scents Moisturizing Shave Gel in Flirty Mango ($3; at drugstores)


Other winners!
Foundation
Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation ($13; at drugstores)
Stila Oil-Free Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($36; stilacosmetics.com)


Eye Makeup
CoverGirl LashBlast Waterproof Mascara ($8; drugstore.com)
Estée Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara ($20; esteelauder.com)
Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara Multi-Dimensionnel ($28; chanel.com)

Lip Color
Revlon Renewist LipColor ($9; at drugstores)
Bare Escentuals BareMinerals 100% Natural LipColor ($15; bareescentuals.com)

Blush/Bronzer
Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Bronzer ($14; at drugstores) Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy Makeup Mosaic Blush ($18; victoriassecret.com)

Tooth Care
Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Toothpaste ($4; at drugstores)
Supersmile Whitening Oral Rinse ($14; supersmile.com)