Beauty, fashion, health, and lifestyle advice from models, for you!

It is no mystery that models who pay attention to, and ask questions of, the stylists, make-up artists, hair dressers, and other professionals who work on them are the ones who learn the most about beauty. While models get to rely on a team of professional to make them look their best in a show or photo shoot, in between they must rely on their own skills.

You don’t have to be a model, of course, to ask your own personal beauty team questions. For example, the next time you are getting a blow dry at the hair salon ask the stylist why they are doing something in a specific way. Or, if you’ve always had a burning question, simply ask it: “How can I get more volume at the roots?”

Educate yourself about caring for your appearance by asking questions — it’s simple and it works. More often than not, beauty professionals are more than happy to share information and tips with you. You’ll be able to take that professional advice and put it to good use at home.

Do you have a beauty or fashion question for us? We’d be happy to answer it! Send it to: askafashionmodel@gmail.com.

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In celebration of Valetine’s Day weekend, we’ve put together this relationship and lifestyle post, with the help of advice from the New York Times bestseller book Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar.

Romantic relationships are more likely to be successful when partners focus on the positive, happy aspects of their relationship. When meaningful, pleasureable experiences are focused on it improves the connection between two people and strengthens the relationship. The same is true for other kinds of relationships and friendships.

This Valentine’s Day write gratitude letters to people you care about (a romantic partner, close friends, or family members). A gratitude letter is a note written to one of these people in which you express and examine the meaning and pleasure that you get from that relationship. You can describe particular experiences shared together that have brought you joy, or anything else in the relationship that brings you happiness. Such a letter will have a large positive impact on you, the person you write it for, and the relationship you share.

You needn’t reserve gratitude letters for Valentine’s Day. Write at least one gratitude letter every month.

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Having a healthy, attractive smile is very important for models, as it is for everyone. Think of all the things it is necessary for: speaking, eating, laughing, smiling, and kissing, just to name a few. Teeth, gums, and the bones of the mouth and jaw provide attractive structure to the lower part of the face.  Healthy teeth and gums, and fresh breath, play into your social life, your health, and your confidence. A healthy mouth can both reflect and affect your overall health.

How do models keep their smiles looking so perfect?

Let’s review the basics of good oral hygiene:

Brush your teeth daily.
Ideally, you should brush your teeth after each meal; however, brushing twice per day is sufficient for good oral health. Just minutes after eating, plaque begins to form on the teeth. And 24 to 36 hours after that, the plaque hardens to form tartar, which can only be removed with a professional cleaning. Brush for two to three minutes using a gentle, circular motion on every surface of your teeth with fluoride toothpaste. No matter how tired you are, always brush your teeth before you go to bed. Replace your toothbrush every three months.

Use an electric toothbrush.
Electric, rechargeable toothbrushes remove substantially more plaque than a regular manual toothbrush. Yes, they can be expensive: expect to pay between $70 and $200 depending on the make and model. It is an investment that will pay for itself, though, by preventing tooth decay, keeping gums healthy, and keeping teeth white. Oral B and Phillips both have good, dentist-recommended options. We like Oral B Sonic Complete.

Floss.
You should floss your teeth at least once per day. If you don’t floss, you miss out on cleaning one-third of each tooth! If you have braces or have trouble getting floss between teeth, try a product like floss threaders. “Only floss the teeth you want to keep.”

Clean your tongue.
For fresh breath, and maximum bacteria removal, be sure to also clean your tongue. You can use a regular toothbrush, or a tongue scraper, for this.

Use mouthwash.
After brushing, flossing, and cleaning your tongue, rinse your mouth with anti-microbial mouthwash. Using mouthwash helps to prevent gingivitis. And using a mouthwash with fluoride, in addition to brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, helps to prevent cavities more than just brushing alone. We like Fluoride Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash.

Visit the dentist regularly.
You need to visit the dentist on a regular basis for thorough cleanings and check-ups. A dentist can spot problems that you can’t and it is important to deal with tooth or gum problems early, before they develop into more painful, complicated dental problems. For most people visiting the dentist every six months is recommended — your dentist may advise you to visit more or less often depending on your individual dental needs.

Eat a healthy diet.
Having a healthy diet is crucial to having a healthy mouth. Be sure to get enough Calcium and Vitamin D in your diet, both of which help to build and maintain strong teeth and bones in the face. Vitamin C is important, too. Cut out or limit sugary foods or drinks such as soda/pop, fruit juices with added sugar, and candy, especially when you won’t be brushing your teeth immediately afterwards. Sugary and acidic foods and drinks contribute to cavity formation and tooth decay. Limit between-meal snacks and beverages.

Don’t smoke.
Stained teeth. Bad breath. Infected gums. Oral cancer. Sound like fun? We didn’t think so. Quit smoking. Now.

Consider whitening.
If you keep your teeth, mouth, and gums healthy and clean but are unsatisfied with the colour of your teeth, you may want to consider tooth whitening. Models’ careers are often benefited by this quick dental investment and your smile’s appearance can benefit, too. Teeth can become stained by certain foods and beverages, or simply with age. We recommend speaking with your dentist about whether you are a good candidate for tooth whitening and which methods to consider. Keep in mind that bleaching can cause temporary tooth sensitivity and irritation of the gums. Long term effects of whitening teeth are unknown, so proceed with caution.

If you need braces, get them.
Most models have had braces. If they haven’t yet had them when they land an agency and need them, you can bet they will get them before their career is launched. Having straight, properly aligned teeth is important for having confidence in your smile and overall appearance in general. Ask your dentist if orthodontics are right for you.

Cosmetic dentistry.
If you follow all of the above advice, and are still unhappy with the appearance of your smile (and have the money to spare) speak to your dentist about what cosmetic dentistry procedures might be best suitable for you. Do your research and consider getting a second opinion before making any major decisions about permanent modifications to your teeth and gums.

(With research from the Canadian Dental Association and the American Dental Association.)

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Dear Readers,

With a New Year comes new resolutions for many of us. I’ve never really much been into the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. Sure, I’ve made them in the past (and subsequently kept some and broken others). But one of the problems with many traditional resolutions is that they are finite — one specific goal meant to be achieved and after that you’re done. But things can change very much in any given year. And while such specific goals can be very good, they aren’t going to necessarily carry you through a whole year of self-improvement.

That is why AAFM is recommending broadening those resolutions. Yes, I want you to choose even bigger and better resolutions to tackle. And yes, in some ways achieving such broad goals will be more difficult, but it also has potential to improve much more in your life than just one finite resolution or goal. And the more chances you have to see improvements in your life, the more likely you are to stick to change. Plus, I know you can do it!

Here are AAFM’s top tips for your best New Year’s Resolutions yet:

Choose a word or phrase, instead of making a finite goal your resolution. There are so many words or phrases to choose from and whatever you settle on will be a personal choice best suited to your life and goals right now. Examples include: motivation, organization, gratitude, effort, patience, understanding, responsibility, etc. Once chosen, write it out on a piece of paper and put it in a photo frame. Place the framed word or phrase somewhere you will see often. The great thing about choosing a word as a resolution is that it can be applicable to so many areas of your life — professional, social, personal, etc.

For 2008 I chose “take action” as my resolution phrase.  The idea behind my choice was that lots of people have good ideas, but few people act on them — I wanted to be the sort of person who acts on their ideas. The creation of Ask a Fashion Model, my other blog Belle IQ, and my professional website, all had quite a bit to do with my resolution phrase, and were just a few of the goals I achieved in 2008 thanks in part to sticking to my “take action” mantra.

I’ll be continuing to use the “take action” phrase, but my new resolution word for 2009 is “producitvity.”  I want to use my time better. I find that while I have been taking action, I could be accomplishing more if I used my time more efficiently.

Make smaller, finite goals throughout the year that reflect your chosen word or phrase. Re-evaluate your progress on them each month. Make a goal board: write out the goals on small pieces of paper and tack them to a cork board under the categories “done” and  “to do.”  A goal board is a great visual reminder of your progress towards your smaller goals that reflect your resolution phrase. When the “done” list on the board gets too full, take some of them down and place them in an envelope that says “accomplished goals.” Every now and then you can look through this envelope of accomplishments — you’ll feel great about what you have already achieved and this will motivate you to continue moving forward with your present goals.

Write down how you will achieve those goals. You can’t just expect yourself to magically find your way without mapping out how you will achieve something. Improve your chances of sticking to your resolution word and smaller goals by planning out the path to get there. Make a list of your smaller, finite goals. Under each of those, write what you need to do to accomplish them.

Don’t do it alone. Share your resolution word and related goals with friends or a loved ones. You are more likely to stick to something if you tell others about it — it commits you to it.

Cheers and Happy New Year from AAFM! Thank you, readers, for all of your incredible support. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed running AAFM and look forward to sharing a fantastic year of model beauty, fashion, health, and lifestyle advice with you.

Here’s to a divine 2009,

Jennifer

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Happy Holidays
from AAFM!

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Advent Calendar Model Tip for December 25:

Perhaps the biggest fashion faux pas of all is not being true to who you really are. Our final advent calendar model tip is simple: be yourself. There is a difference between being your best self and pretending to be a different type of person entirely. Focus on being the person you truly are and improving yourself without pretending to be something you’re not. This is true for many areas of your life: personality, relationships, style and wardrobe, etc.

This post wraps up AAFM’s holiday advent calendar! We hope you’ve enjoyed our 25 model tips. We look forward to sharing much, much more model advice in the new year.

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AAFM Advent Calendar Model Tip for December 24:

While you’re over-indulging in edible goodies this holiday season, don’t forget to fill up on fruits and vegetables, too. You should get at least seven servings per day. The nutrients fruits and vegetables contain will keep you feeling healthy and looking your best.

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AAFM Advent Calendar Model Tip for December 23:

Does someone your care about live across the country or even out of the country? Surprise a friend or family member who lives far away with a phone call. A call is much more personal and will be much more appreciated than an e-mail or text. With all the travelling models do, they come to know the importance of this.

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AAFM Advent Calendar Model Tip for December 22:

Dry, chapped lips? Use a regular toothbrush to gently exfoliate dead, dry skin off your lips. Place toothbrush on lips and gently massage in a circular motion. Pat dry and then apply lip balm.

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