♡ My Experience with Barbizon Modeling and Talent Agency ♡

So a few weeks ago, I received a call from a random number, but I picked up because the call came from my state. It was the assistant of a talent scout from Barbizon wanting to arrange a meeting and interview with me. At the time, I knew nothing about them and only saw them advertised in the back of Seventeen magazines.

I was extremely confused because I'd never applied to the agency or had any sort of contact with them before, but the girl had told me that somebody had personally recommended me to them and given my phone number. They didn't know who had called for me because he or she didn't give their name, but apparently they thought I was worthy to try to be apart of the agency.

My mom arranged a time to meet with her at a Holiday Inn 45 minutes away from where I live. She said the interview would only take about half an hour where she would just take the time to get to know me/assess my personality and looks. 

I thought we'd go in, talk with the assistant, then leave. But when I went, I sat through a meeting consisting of a roomful of other guys/girls for over an hour and listened to a speaker tell us about Barbizon and the different brands we would have the opportunity to work for, if we were selected to be in the agency. 

There were 3 groups of potentials, myself being in the 2nd group I believe, and only 15 people would be selected to move onto training and then become a part of the agency full time. 

There were 3 talent scouts doing the interviews, and since they were about half an hour long with a roomful of other people, you can imagine it took quite awhile to get to everybody. I had to wait a considerable time, but my interview was very short and to the point. I was asked about my grades in school, extracurriculars, hobbies, talents, interests, and of course, my info about height, weight, and so on. The scout was immediately attracted to my hair, it being 2 feet long, and said if I was chosen to go into training, I could have a future career in hair modeling and hair shows. She also asked me to walk down the room and back to see how I walk, and also concluded I had potential in runway, modeling, and possible acting opportunities. 

She said she would call my mom the very next day telling her whether I was selected or not, and told us the fees for training if I did get a yes. It ended up being $2100, and that made us skeptical about the whole thing. After my mom and I left, we decided that even if I got a yes, we would pass because I couldn't see myself being in the agency for over a year. The training lasts 6 months, so after I graduated from that, it would be the start of my senior year in high school. I would do and look for work during that year, but I wouldn't want to do it while in college. It's strenuous enough attending university, so I didn't want to add a modeling/acting career to that as well. I wouldn't have the time or energy to devote to constantly looking for bookings and work. 

I actually ended up getting selected as one of the 15, and after listening to the scout talk about everything again, my mom did a 180 and changed her mind. She wanted me to do it, was completely willing to pay for it, and thought it'd be a good opportunity. She checked with the scout about my college concerns, and she said that they book a lot of work in the city where I plan to attend school. At that point, I didn't care anymore about it and told my mom that if my dad said it was alright to do it, I would, but if he wasn't, oh well. He said no, because he thought the whole thing was a huge scam. and after I thought about it, so did I. Ford Modeling Agency, for instance, has walk in assessments and will take you on as a model for FREE if they think you're qualified. 

So in the end, I'm glad I decided not to go through with it/my dad decided against it. I would like to model at least once in my lifetime, but if I do, I won't need to pay for a thing.

I don't recommend that anybody try to be a part of this agency. If you really want to model, look for agencies like Ford who do open casting calls and will sign you for free!

Thanks for reading, feel free to comment or suggest any ideas for posts you'd like to see from me!

XO, Blue

♡ Life Update ♡

Hi guys, sorry I haven't updated in a little while, I've been busy!

I've been a little unsure of what else to post, but now I have some new things to show and talk about soon!
Expect a:

• What's In My Makeup Bag post
• Bedroom and Clothing Haul
• Makeup Haul
• My Experience with Barbizon Modeling and Talent Agency post
• small What To Listen To post about music I've been loving

Anyway, on to updates:

So recently, I made my own banking account and ordered a debit card. Those take typically a week, give or take a few days, to arrive and mine didn't show for over 2 weeks. I had to deal with canceling the first card (it might've gotten stolen or lost, I don't know what happened to it) and order another one. Nothing major, but once I get it, I'll be ordering some new clothes and things for my room!

I'm going to Mexico! I'm spending a week in Cancun with family, so expect way too many selfies and beach pictures.

I passed on an opportunity to model and act for Barbizon. Expect a separate post on this within the day or next few days!

I've decided to change up my hair color a little! It's been the same ombre style since 2011 with touch ups here and there, but color wise, nothing's changed. I'm still going to keep the ombre, it being my favorite hair style i've ever had, but I'll be switching the shade!

That's about it for updates, thanks so much for reading! Feel free to comment or give me any requests for posts you'd like to see!

XO, Blue

♡ Tips For Beautiful, Healthy Hair ♡

Back when I still had a facebook,  I would always get asked what I do to my hair/how I keep it so healthy looking. So I figured I'd make a full, in-depth post about it, and include some tips!

This is a no-brainer: stop using heating tools so much. I know it can be hard, especially when you love the way your hair looks curled or like keeping it sleek and straight, but this is one of the most important things you can do for your hair, cut back or even stop using them altogether. It may seem as though parting or cutting back on hair straighteners and curlers are impossible, but you're just dependent on them! Natural hair isn't so bad! Go some days with your natural hair pulled back in a ponytail or up in a bun, rather than use heat tools everyday. You get new hairstyles and healthier hair, it's a win/win!

Even with blow drying, you shouldn't be blow drying your hair unless absolutely necessary, like if you need to be somewhere within the hour and you can't leave the house with your hair wet/damp. There is no reason for you to blow dry your hair otherwise. Let it air dry! You'll notice a difference in your hair's condition after a few showers!

When showering, keep the water warm or on the cooler side. I know that hot showers feel amazing, but hot water is damaging to hair; it strips oils from it and dries it out. I recommend rinsing your hair with warm water with a shot of cold water for a few seconds to make hair shiny!

In my opinion, all girls need a good hair oil to put on their ends while their hair is damp. They give your ends, the driest part of the hair, extra moisture and improve its condition. I personally have been using Moroccan Oil for years and I will never be able to go without it ever again. It's on the pricey side, but I think it's worth it! A little goes a long way and it makes your hair incredibly soft. It smells amazing too!

There's been a myth going around that Pantene and other brands, like Herbal Essences and Tresemme, are horrible for your hair. And I used to believe it and steer my family and friends away from those brands, but now I've come to a conclusion: everybody's hair is different. Different products work for different people. I know friends who use Pantene and have gorgeous, healthy hair, while others who've tried it, like myself, didn't like the results as much. I believe that you should use the shampoos and conditioners that work for YOU and pay no attention to the people and supposed critics who try to tell you using something is wrong. If it works for you and doesn't damage your hair, keep on using it!

Here's what I personally do to my hair: I wash it every other or every 2 days with Redken's "All Soft" formula shampoo and conditioner, but I plan on switching to their "Diamond Oil" one soon because I like that one better! I use more expensive shampoos and conditioners because they have the best formulas for hair (Redken and etc. have different formulas for different hair types) that keep my hair looking its best! I let my hair air dry, rub 5 pumps of Moroccan Oil into my ends, and that's it! I don't use any heat tools whatsoever. I used to use them every day for 3 and a half years and I wouldn't be able to leave my house until it was done. I've gone without them for a little over half a year, and it's the best decision I've ever made for my hair. I recommend it to everybody!

Some simple tips:

• Use elastics with no metal on it! Those silver parts on elastics tend to snag the hair and cause breakage on the hair around the elastic. I recommend twisty-ties!
• Use a comb to brush through hair after showers, NEVER a full brush. Combs are gentler, while brushes stretch and break hair while wet!
• Prepare for the weather: if it's really sunny outside, put on some extra oil in your hair to protect it and keep it moisturized because too much sun exposure makes hair brittle!
• Take Biotin supplements, it promotes good hair health and in some cases, makes hair grow!
• Trim your split ends, NOT to make your hair grow faster (myth), but to prevent the split from traveling up the shaft!
• Use a boar-bristle brush for brushing dry hair; they don't pull or tug on tangles, and it's pain-free brushing! I use a Mason Pearson, but there are many cheaper ones out in the market.

Thanks so much for reading! If you have any comments or want me to review or discuss a certain topic, comment below!

XO, Blue