Judith August, Founder Judith August Cosmetics, recently spent some time with Alana Lee, Miss Nevada 2011. She asked Alana about her Miss Nevada experience and how she looks so good on and off the stage. Here is part one of a two-part interview:
Judith: When were you crowned Miss Nevada?
Alana: On Saturday July 2, 2011
Judith: When your name was announced as winner how did you feel? Did you cry?
Alana: Did I cry? Absolutely! I was crying before they even called my name. It seems so cliché but in that moment I had a dream come true. I had been working towards this goal for nearly 2 years at that point. I wasn’t crying because I won a pageant, I was crying because I had accomplished something that required a lot of sacrifice, work and dedication.
Judith: What do you remember most from the night you captured the title?
Alana: I just remember a feeling of disbelief. Thousands of girls compete each year for the chance to become “Miss State” and to participate in the Miss America Pageant. What are the chances that I would be one of the lucky 53 selected to live her dream in this capacity? It was mind boggling to me.
Judith: Tell us about the gown you wore that evening and why you chose that particular style.
Alana: My state gown was a tightly-fitted, halter top, sky-blue gown. I bought it at the Miss America Trunk show in January for less than $200! It wasn’t the most pricey gown out there, but I loved it! I have found that halter-top dresses that gather tightly below the bust are the most flattering dress design for my body, and they move nicely when I walk.
Judith: The walk! Tell us about the pageant walk. Do you have any tips on mastering it?
Alana: Feel confident! Nothing resonates as well as confidence when you’re onstage, regardless of the phase of competition. It’s important to be smooth in your movements and complete the walking pattern as directed, but I feel confidence and a positive mentality affect your entire performance, including “the walk”.
Judith: Did you do your own make-up for the evening?
Alana: I did. I have a wonderful friend named Kelli Miller who has taught me everything I know about make-up. It’s priceless knowledge but the actual make-up comes with a price tag unfortunately! Thank goodness for sponsors who continue to help me afford these expenses.
Judith: What make-up tips can you give us that will help us to stand out from the crowd? You definitely did!
Alana: Thank you! I don’t know if I’m as qualified as some others on this topic, but I’ll share one tip with you. I have grown to love the use of bronzer in the past few years. Whether you’re on-stage, at an event or just at the park, applying the right amounts of bronzer to the right parts of your face (depending on your face shape) can make a world of difference. I have an oval shaped face so I make sure to lightly bronze the sides and end of my nose, my chin, top of my cheek bones, under my jaw and near my hairline on my forehead. I can’t explain in technical terms how this makes me look better like a professional could, but I can promise it makes or breaks my look!
Judith: Is there a tip to keep your make-up, concealers from wearing off on your clothes?
Alana: When I do anything on-stage or attend an event for a lengthy period of time I make sure to lightly (and briefly!) hairspray my face. This sounds crazy, but when done right, the hairspray sets the make-up in place without leaving any sticky residue. Surprisingly, I have never had any struggles with my skin as a result of doing this. However, I think people should test this out before it’s call time!
To be continued…