A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO BEAUTY PAGEANT

MUKARRAM KHAN

i
Copyright © 2019 Mukarram khan
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 9781086781601
DEDICATION

FOR NIBS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

iii
CONTENTS

Acknowledgmen i
ts
1 CHAPTER ONE 9
2 CHAPTER TWO 2
7
3 CHAPTER 4
THREE 0
4 CHAPTER FOUR 5
2
5 CHAPTER FIVE 6
2
6 CHAPTER SIX 8
3
7 CHAPTER 9
SEVEN 4

v
 

INTRODUCTION                                                             
                                     

When Nibs filled the forms for the beauty pageant,

she was nervous and hell-bent on quitting. We have
been in the relationship for almost four years now
and this was the first time that she had turned to me
for help. I have I am associated with the film and
fashion industry for more than a decade now. I took
up the challenge to coach her.

My sole purpose of writing this book is to help Nibs

scale greater heights with the newfound knowledge.
We followed some simple yet powerful routine that
helps to enhance, maintain and keep her beauty and
overall personality. We also worked on growing
internal strength. Gradually she was feeling more
confident and gaining the requisite skills needed for
the job, we are more close to winning the beauty
pageant.

A beauty contest is all about a healthy mind and a

healthy body. I know exactly what it takes to be a
beauty pageant winner. I believe that both physical
and mental wellbeing makes you a winner. Over
time, we realized that it takes three things to be a
beauty queen.

 1. Radiate Beauty so everyone you meet will want to

know you and adore you.

     2. Know yourself so you have a unique identity.

      3. Walk-in Grace with your look, communication,

and performance

This book will help you showcase your pageant

BRAND on stage Communicate to your judges why
YOU are the BEST person to win the pageant and
Control your pageant INTERVIEW.

Thus you stand out as the Most OBVIOUS choice to

win the pageant.

7
Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Nibs for the perfect opportunity

that she gave me. This book would not have been
possible without the constant support of my sister
and my friends. Last, would like to thank the kids
Ryan and Simrah for constantly disturbing me during
my writing which helped me push harder to keep on
track.
 

CHAPTER ONE

STRENGTH: PHYSICAL AND MENTAL

9
 

When Nibs first came to me she seemed very

nervous. She had just filled a form for the beauty
pageant and knew nothing about it. Nibs, 23, is a
slim, beautiful girl with aquiline eyes. She is
beautiful; however like everyone else, she had very
little idea how to proceed. She needed to prepare
and groom herself.

Nibs had been my friend for many years and what

makes her different from others is her sheer will to
achieve anything.

Knowing my background and the history of training

people I was her best mate to help. I am a software
engineer turned filmmaker and thus am well versed
with both the worlds of beauty and wit.

 So here was Nibs asking for help. I put all my

learning to test. I have filmmaking, be it the script to
translating it to the screen. Besides, I have also been
coaching actors for their performances.

My leisure saw me training women in the corporate

sector about soft skills and personality development
traits. The most daunting task for me was to prepare
her mentally for the upcoming challenges. It's a
lonely journey and only the toughest survive. Such
contests also require day-to-day motivation to keep
you on track. The first task was to develop the
mental and physical strength needed to cope up with
such an event.

 Even though Nibs was a strong-headed girl, yet I

needed to teach her the best practices to maintain
her mental strength. When food and exercise give
you the required physical strength, mental exercises
and proper breathing helps in giving the mental
strength needed for the job.

How to develop physical strength? 

The very first question that comes to our mind is how

to develop physical strength? It's exercise. Exercise
is the only way to increase your physical strength.
Your workout routine could be anything from
working out in the gym, cycling, swimming or as
simple as running. Knowing her for so many years
now; I know it will be difficult for me to persuade Nibs
for any new activity. She is a logical person and looks
for reason and logic while doing anything. I need to
prepare the facts and figures, which I always do. I
ran as the preferred mode of workout. Why running?
She quipped. 

Running plays a vital role in our overall wellbeing.

Here I will tell you the benefits and the long-term
effect that running has on our health. It sometimes
becomes difficult and challenging when you are
mentoring your loved ones. 

Nibs is a sweet loving and caring person. She had all

the perfect attributes that I would look forward to my
partner. I wanted to start from the very basics and
gradually move to more complex things. A beauty or
any contest requires sustainable strength both at the
mental and physical levels. So I decided that we will
start from the very basics that have the most benefit.
The best exercise that I can think of is running.
Running has innumerable benefits both mental and

11
physical. It transforms you and prepares you for
bigger challenges in life.

  

I conveyed Nibs the plans and how we will execute

them. Nibs was proving to be a very good student.
We agreed to start our day at 5:00 a.m. early in the
morning. The location was at the beach. Being in a
city of beaches, my first preference is to be by the
beachside. For those of you, who do not have the
luxury of beaches, I could do anywhere this. It could
be a nearby park or garden. Whenever I suggest
anyone any physical exercise, my focus is on things
that can be on your own. Be it running dancing or
swimming these have a profound effect on our body
and mind. This is the basic transformational change
that you can add to your routine if you want to excel.

So why are we running? When I could be in a gym

you haven’t answered yet? I knew very well that she
exactly knows the benefits of running. Still, I do not
want to lag on any

Information that would help her stays positive during

her preparation. Correct.

So, here I am explaining the benefits of running.

 Running has innumerable benefits. It may sound

very simple yet has a very profound effect on our
body and mind. 

A good run can immediately improve your mood. The

"runner’s high," that euphoric feeling you get when
your body produces endorphins, is a well-known and
scientifically backed benefit of the practice of getting
into some running shoes and pounding out some
miles.

“But aside from a good mood boost, what other

positive physical effects does running have on the
human body?” She was quick this time.

 Let’s look at how it changes your body composition

and your overall physical system, and what changes
the body undergoes during an average run.

 “The foremost effect is on our body composition.

Look body composition refers to how much of your
body is lean muscle, organs, water, bone or fat. Most
individuals are interested in increasing lean muscle
while decreasing subcutaneous fat. Losing fat and
gaining muscle is a key benefit of any exercise
strategy and running regularly can contribute to
these desired results.”

So we run? It’s not we sweetheart, it's only you; a

long journey where I am your companion. Almost like
a railway track, running parallel to each other.

Don’t you desire a stronger body?

I do. Yet it’s you who is the contestant. Why she

always need a lot of coaxing. My mind wondered.
Sensing my thoughts she said,” tell me more about
it?”

  I continued after a pause,” a stronger body results

in increased metabolism, better bone density and a
measurable boost in overall health. Fat has its place,
helping keep hormones in balance and assuring your
body that your environment is plentiful and there is
no need to stress in response to famine or another
environmental hazard. So how does running affect

13
our muscle/fat balance? The amount of energy in
versus the amount of energy out determines our
weight. With a balanced diet in place, running can
create a calorie deficit and promote fat loss of
energy expenditure.

And that’s all.

No, honey. 

It is important to note that at a certain point, lean

muscle will not continue to increase with running, as
the exercise only requires so much muscle
recruitment for sustainability.

  

I told you it can’t be as good as it sounds, so what do

we do next? She was listening carefully. We need
only a bit of weight training. Therefore, running
combined with weight training gives an extra push
that creates a shapely body composition with a
desirable level of fat versus muscle.

I know how it works? She added hastily.

 Running also provides an important metabolic boost,

as your caloric burn increases for an extended period
even after you end your run and take off your
sneakers. Besides a higher resting metabolism, a
consistent running routine improves your overall
endurance.

Can you beat that? 

No, I am not questioning your wisdom dear.

 
Besides, the longer you practice the art of running,
the longer you can maintain the exercise, which
allows your muscles to increase their capacity to
create energy. Endurance training can help you in all
aspects of your daily life, both on the running path
and off. Along with with endurance, strengthened
muscles and increased metabolism, running also
bolsters the health of your most vital organs; your
heart. Raising your heartbeat for consistent periods
through activities such as running strengthens this
major muscle and increases its efficiency to pump
oxygen throughout your body.

Circulation improves as blood vessels dilate and your

lung capacity increases. Over time, these ancillary
systems — lungs, vessels, capillaries, and cells —
adapt to a higher level of energy expenditure and
also increase their efficiency in kind. This results in
better overall cardiovascular health with a heart that
is less taxed by activities of daily living. 

 The sudden splash of waves alluring our feet

brought back to the reality that we were at the
beachside. Let’s take a walk and you can tell me
more about it. I obliged as we took a walk by the
virgin beach. Some curious onlookers gave us a
cursory look and passed by. Few of them were taking
a stroll.

 When you first run, I continued to talk, this time with

more fervour. Your muscles rely on adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) to get you moving. They store
these foods in glycogen within your muscles and
your blood. Glycogen is the body’s energy storage
unit and opened for use. As you continue to move,
more ATP releases from these glycogen storage units
and used by your muscles to keep you running.

15
 

What happens if we continue running for a long

time? 

 A good question. I could see a blush on her face as

the praise sank in her system. She regained
promptly. As you continue running for a longer
period, your muscles release lactic acid to signal to
your brain that you’re working, and physical activity
is underway. For your muscle cells to continue to
break down glucose, they must use oxygen to do so.
Therefore, your body shunts blood away from non-
essential functions such as digestion and brings
oxygen to areas in need. To pull in and provide more
oxygen to your system, you breathe heavier. Calorie
use also increases as your body rapidly moves
through the energy expenditure cycle. Your core
body temperature rises, and your blood vessels
dilate to bring blood closer to the skin for cooling.
This results in redness and flush. You also produce
sweat to cool off your body and prevent her

That’s a complicated explanation, but it helps

anyway. Does it affect our endurance too?

 Yes, it does. If you have built up your endurance,

your body will settle into a sustainable cycle of
breathing, sweating and breaking down glucose into
ATP. If you have been neglecting your workouts or
you are new to the practice of getting in a good
number of runs per week, your body may not use
energy as efficiently, and your use of ATP will lag.
Lactic acid will build up, your muscles will ache and
running will become a chore as your body struggles
to keep up with the cycle of energy supply and
demand.
 Isn’t it alarming? Yes, it may sound alarming.
However, if you continue any exercise for a longer
time, only then can you reap its benefit. I said
genuinely. 

So, during your cool-down period as your pace slows

and you revert to a walk, your breathing will return
to normal, your heart rate will slow and the demands
on your body to continue to produce energy order
will wane. Along with a general feeling of physical
accomplishment, the endorphins triggered by your
run should now have you in a great mood, ready to
tackle whatever comes next in your day. 

So what’s your verdict? I wanted her to come out

with her opinion so I do not have to push her any
further and she decides on her own.

“My verdict?” You sound so clinical. Anyway, my

verdict is that” running is a great way to combine the
efforts of many physical practices into one. It
increases endurance, builds muscle to maintain an
optimal body fat composition, promotes
cardiovascular health, strengthens the heart, and
even improves your overall mood.”

 “Combined with weight training, running can help

you maintain the perfect balance of mental
stimulation and physical fitness. Apart from running;
you may also like to indulge in swimming or dancing.
In these forms, you will also get the health benefits.
My

preferred mode of training is through running and

Nibs aptly adopted and even started enjoying it.”

17
  Once we have overcome the challenge of building
physical strength, we moved on to the mental
strength build-up. Nibs was now happy and content.

The trick of the trade is never to overdo it. Know your

body needs. The body always signals you when to
stop. Follow it. Sweat it out but do not fatigue. The
first day was successful. I did not want to burden her
with extra anything on her first day.

  

SECOND DAY

 Once we have embarked on the journey of gaining

physical strength, the next big challenge was to train
our minds. The core of any mental strength is mind.
We need to train our mind to stay attentive and
focused all the time. We also need to re-learn to
breathe. The very gift God has given us all. The best I
could come up was the breathing exercises known as
Pranayama.

 It also cures us of several diseases or dosh as the

ancient Indian may call it. Here also we begin with a
basic breathing technique. Breathing is the most
important aspect of our life yet over a while; we even
forget to breathe properly. To learn proper breathing
we rely on Pranayama (the ancient form of breathing
technique practiced by yogis in India.

 When Nibs walked in it was dawn. The redness of

the sky was pervasive all over. She wore black
coloured tracks and looked beautiful as usual.

Good morning. She greeted with a warm smile. Are

we running? “No. there’s something else that we
need to learn before that.” I was quick in my
response. And what’s that you wish to teach me
now?
It’s called Pranayama.

“Pranayama.” She made a nasty face. Why do we

need to learn Pranayama or whatever?” 

It’s important. It’s the ancient Indian breathing

techniques practiced by the Yogis in India. So now
we will be yogis? Not exactly, but yes were learning
the ancient technique called pranayama.

Are we visiting Taj sometime soon? All she could

think of was Taj on the mere mention of India. Yes,
once you finish your contest. She smiled and gave a
warm hug. As you say, shall we start our day now?

I quickly pulled out the small leaflet that I had got on

my last visit to Rishikesh. The booklet had benefits of
Yoga including Pranayama.

   

 Types of Pranayama: and its Healing benefits

 Breathing is as important as any other form of

exercise. By proper breathing, you get into the habit
of regulating your blood flow and proper intake of
oxygen. Breathing makes up the most important
aspect of life form. So it is imperative on our part to
breathe habit.

Pranayama is an ancient Indian yogic discipline,

concerned with the control of breathing, Pranayama,
is a combination of two Sanskrit words- Paraná
(breathe) and Yama (Control).

 She kept smirking all the time. I continued reading.

 Ancient Roots

19
 

A set of breathing techniques, Pranayama, is a

practice of controlling the breath, it originated in
ancient India.

What is Pranayama?

Breathing and How to perform it?

 Yoga science of breathing is pranayama. Oxygen is

the most vital nutrient in our body.

It is essential for the integrity of the brain, nerves,

glands and internal organs. We can do without food
for weeks and water for days, but without oxygen;
we will die within a few minutes.

  When to Perform Pranayama?

Pranayama yoga must be performed in an empty

stomach. The best time for practice is the early
morning, preferably before sunrise when the
pollution is at its lowest level, and the body and brain
are still free. However, if the morning is unsuitable,
pranayama may be practiced after sunset, when the
air is cool and pleasant. The place suitable for all
kinds of Yoga must be clean and calm.

 Forms of pranayama:

  Nadi Sodhana:

 Pranayama breathing following steps instruct on

how to perform the Nadi sodhana pranayama: 
Sit down in a comfortable place assuming a cross-
legged position; now use your thumb (right hand) to
close the right side of your nose. Inhale deeply using
the left nostril

Now close the left nostril and exhale using the right
one. In the same way, now with the left nostril still
closed, inhale using the right nostril and exhale with
the left one

You can continue doing this exercise for around 10 -

15 times.

Shitali Pranayama:

 Sheetal also means cool, and this pranayama

technique will help you achieve the same. To perform
Shitali pranayama, sit in a comfortable position.
Cross your legs and take five to six deep breaths to
get yourself prepared.

 Now open your mouth in an "o" shape and inhale

through the mouth. When you exhale, do so with
your nose.

We can repeat this five to ten times.

Ujjayi Pranayama

Ujjayi means the ocean, and this pranayama is about

mimicking the oceanic sound or the sound of the
waves. 

21
Sit in a comfortable position. Cross your legs. Now
inhale and exhale deeply using your mouth. 

While doing this, constrict your throat as if something

is choking it when you exhale and inhale the air. This
will produce a sound similar to the ocean when you
breathe.

Now close your mouth and breathe using your nose,

but maintain the same tone to your throat so you
continue to make the same sound as your breath.

(You can repeat this pranayama breathing exercise

for about ten to fifteen times.) 

Kapalabhati Pranayama:

To perform the kapalabhati pranayama technique, sit

in a comfortable position crossing your legs. Perform
two to three deep inhales and exhales. 

Now inhale deeply and exhale forcefully drawing all

the air out. You should draw in your belly, as you
exhale. 

When you inhale, let it happen passively without you

making any effort to inhale as the belly goes back to
normal position. 

Exhale forcefully again and continue doing this for

about 20 to 30 times.

   Dirga Pranayama - Three Part Breathing

 The dirga pranayama differs from other types as it
involves lying down on your back instead of being in
a seated position. This technique involves very deep
inhalation and exhalation. 

To perform this pranayama, lie down on your back

and close your eyes. Breathe normally and then
slowly take deep breaths, relaxing your body. 

Now inhale a lot of air in slowly to fill your belly up.

Your belly should rise like a balloon. Hold this
position for a few seconds and exhale drawing the
belly inwards ensure there is no air left. 

The second stage involves inhaling deeply to fill up

the belly. Inhale more to fill up air in your rib cage.
Exhale: First from rib cage then from the belly.

Lastly, inhale deeply to fill up your belly and rib cage

with air. Inhale more to fill up your heart centre (the
area around the heart) with air. When you exhale,
exhale air from the heart centre, then the rib cage
and then the belly.

 Repeat the whole process for five to six times

  Viloma Pranayama

 VIiloma Pranayama involves paused breathing at

regular intervals in two stages. The first stage is
‘paused inhalation' and the second stage is 'paused
exhalation'. Let's look at these stages:

23
 Viloma Paused (Inhalation) 

 Lie down in a comfortable position and try to relax.

Breathe deeply, but normally now inhale for 2 to 3
seconds and pause. Hold your breath for two seconds
and then restart inhalation. Pause inhalation again
after two seconds. Inhale again. Repeat this process
until the lungs feel full of air

Exhale now, slowly, till you feel empty of air

 Viloma Paused (Exhalation :)

 The paused exhalation is the exact opposite of the

inhalation process. Here, you inhale deeply and
normally without interruption but exhale with regular
pauses.

 Anuloma Pranayama

Just like Viloma, Anuloma is about alternate nostril

breathing. Here, the inhalation and exhalation
with one nostril blocked and the other partially open.
Some variations of the yoga are granular anuloma. 

This pranayama is useful in cleansing the nasal

passages and creating calmness within.

  

What is the Importance of Pranayama?

 The practice of pranayama has been reported to be

beneficial in treating a range of stress-related
disorders, improving autonomic functions, relieving
symptoms of asthma, stuttering and reducing signs
of oxidative stress. Pranayama techniques are also
effective for depression cure. The practice of
pranayama develops a steady mind, strong will-
power and sound judgment. Besides, regular
pranayama helps extends life and enhance
perception. It slows down the ageing process.

 So now you know the multiple benefits of

pranayama, shall we start? Yes, she chipped as she
closed her eyes and prepared herself.

THIRD DAY

 We were progressing at a steady pace now. Having

worked on our core strengths we still needed to focus
and work towards our goal of getting the crown. This
needed thorough preparation and the constant
reminder of our goals every day. So we needed
another important tool; it’s called visualization.

Why do we need Visualization?

 Visualization is an important technique for mental

strength.

We need something more to increase our focus span.

With the onset of smartphones, the average focus
span of an individual has decreased dramatically.
Visualization helps build your focus span and is a
constant reminder of your goals. Visualization is a
method to influence your mind.

  So how does it help?

The daily practice of visualizing your dreams as

already complete can rapidly speed up your
achievement of those dreams, goals, and ambitions.
25
Using visualization techniques to focus on your goals
and desires yields four very important benefits. It
activates your creative unconscious which will start
generating creative ideas to achieve your goal.

It programs your brain to more readily perceive and

recognize the resources you will need to achieve
your dreams. It activates the law of attraction,
drawing into your life the people, resources, and
circumstances you will need to achieve your goals. It
builds your internal motivation to take actions to
achieve your dreams.

  

Visualization is simple. You sit in a comfortable

position, close your eyes and imagine — in as vivid
detail as you can — what you would look at if we
have realised the dreams. Imagine being inside of
yourself, looking out through your eyes at the ideal
result.

  

I know about goal pictures. It’s a powerful

visualization technique. We create a photograph or
picture of ourselves with our goal as if something
already completed it. If one of your goals is to own a
new car, take your camera down to your local auto
dealer and have a picture taken of yourself sitting
behind the wheel of your dream car. If your goal is to
visit Taj, find a picture or poster of the Taj Mahal and
cut out a picture of yourself and place it into the
picture.

 Am I right? 
Yes. You’re correct. We practice a similar discipline
every day. We each have a list of about 30-40 goals
we are working on. We write each goal on a 3×5
index card and keep those cards near our bed and
take them with us when we travel. Each morning and
each night we go through the stack of cards, one at a
time, read the card, close our eyes, see the
completion of that goal in its perfect desired state for
about 15 seconds, open our eyes and repeat the
process with the next card.

We also use Affirmations to Support our Visualization.

Can you be more specific? You often use jargons

which do not sink into my system. She smiled. Okay,
I will explain it. An affirmation is a statement that
evokes not only a picture but the experience of
already having what you want. Here’s an example of
an affirmation:

  Repeating an affirmation several times a day keeps

you focused on your goal, strengthens your
motivation, and programs your subconscious by
sending an order to your crew to do whatever it
takes to make that goal happen.

 Nature has a sweet way of giving things. So you

need to expect results and believe in the outcome.
Once you believe, things change.

 Through writing your goals, using the power of

visualization and repeating your daily affirmations,
you can achieve amazing results.

Boom! She said. So are we good? Where do you get

all that information from?

27
It’s an open secret, the only thing is we all know but
we never apply. 

  Visualization and affirmations allow you to change

your beliefs, assumptions, and opinions about the
most important person in your life — YOU! They allow
you to harness the 18 billion brain cells in your brain
and get them all working in a singular and purposeful
direction.

 Your subconscious will become engaged in a process

that transforms you forever. The process is invisible
and doesn’t take a long time. It just happens over
time, as long as you put in the time to visualize and
affirm, practice your techniques, surround yourself
with positive people, read uplifting books and listen
to audio programs that flood your mind with positive,
life-affirming messages. 

Repeat your affirmations every morning and night for

a month and they will become an automatic part of
your thinking… woven into the very fabric of your
being.

  When we visualize goals as complete, it creates a

conflict in our subconscious mind between what we
are visualizing and what we have. Our minds are
hard-wired to resolve such conflicts by working to
create a current reality that matches the one we
have envisioned. 

Now you’re confusing me. These are conflicting

ideas.
I understand your confusion. So I advocate Living in
the Moment 

"Advocate", is a big word. You know something, you

sound verbose. She was serious this time."

All right, I will put it in simple words. Although a daily

practice of visualization is vital, we need not spend
all day thinking about our goals for this technique to
work. Spending too much time in visualization can
rob you of something essential–living at the moment.
Daily rituals help to establish the right balance
between thinking about the future and living at the
moment. Start by picking a time during which you’ll
review your goals and visualize your success. Ideally,
do this twice a day–first thing in the morning and
right before you go to bed. The process typically will
take 10 minutes or fewer.

An easy way to be present is to focus on your bodily

sensations. It’s impossible to focus on our bodies and
be in the past or the future at the same time.

Yes, I understand your point now. So now our daily

routine comprises three basic routine.

29
1. Breathing Techniques (Pranayama)

2. Visualization

3. Running.

She took off; I saw her running past me gliding

through the waves.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
CHAPTER TWO
 
When was the last time you took me out for dinner?
She asked. I thought for a moment and could not
come up with a date day or time. See you are
thinking now. It’s been ages since we last went out.
You are engrossed in your work and ignore me to the
core.
 
Okay. We are going out for dinner tonight. It’s a deal.
I was behaving more like a strict taskmaster rather
than someone who loves her. She has already
pointed this to me several times. I should be more
careful lest I lose her. On the preparation front, I was
still wondering how to take up her communication
skill. She had been a good student with good
grasping abilities, still, when it came to expressing
herself in public, she froze. 
Like many others, she would develop cold feet. We
had to work on this. I advised her to talk to customer
service as often as possible. 
There are several things that we should be doing.
However, I did not want to burden her on our date.
“So, what will you have?” I asked. “Sushi”, she said
promptly.
 
Okay. Sushi is then. We shall have sushi tonight
along with your guilty pleasure. We are even now.
She smiled.
By the time our order was getting ready, our
conversation shifted to diet and skincare. Diet

31
constitutes the most important part of our overall
wellbeing. As a rule of thumb, even weight loss is
generally 75 per cent diet and 25 per cent exercise. 
 

A balanced diet is a cornerstone of health. A pageant

contestant needs to present her best face at all
times. Women, like men, should enjoy a variety of
healthful foods from all of the food groups, including
whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, low-fat
or fat-free dairy, and lean protein. But women also
have special nutrient needs, and, during each stage
of a woman's life, these needs change.
 
Nutrient-rich foods provide energy for women's busy
lives and help to reduce the risk of disease. A healthy
eating plan regularly includes at least three-ounce
equivalents of whole grains such as whole-grain
bread, whole-wheat cereal flakes, whole-wheat
pasta, brown rice or oats.
You may also include three servings of low-fat or fat-
free dairy products including milk, yoghurt or cheese.
 
The basic requirement includes 5 to 5/12 ounce
equivalents of protein such as lean meat, poultry,
seafood, eggs, beans or peas, nuts, and seeds.
 
Two cups of fruits: fresh, frozen or canned without
added sugar.
 
Two-and-a-half cups of colourful vegetables: fresh,
frozen or canned without added salt.
 
Do you seem lost? I interrupted her chain of
thoughts.
 
I was just thinking about the kind of food that we
should consume? What potion is right for us?
Can you elaborate on this too?
Yes of course? You know what? You should be having
more iron in your diet. Iron is one of the keys to good
health and energy levels in women before
menopause. Foods that provide iron include red
meat, chicken, turkey, fish, kale, spinach, beans,
lentils, and some fortified ready-to-eat cereals.
 Plant-based sources of iron are more easily
absorbed by our body when eaten with vitamin C-rich
foods. So eat fortified cereal with strawberries on
top, spinach salad with mandarin orange slices or
add tomatoes to lentil soup.
 
“Yes Sir”. Now she was teasing. I understood from
the glint of her eyes and the smirk on her face.”
Anyway”, I was determined to carry forward. I
continued. When women reach childbearing age,
they need to eat enough folate (or folic acid) to help
decrease the risk of birth defects. The requirement
for women who are not pregnant is 400 micrograms
(mcg) per day. 
 
Including adequate amounts of foods that naturally
contain folate, such as citrus fruits, leafy greens,
beans, and peas will help increase your intake of this
B vitamin. 
There also are many foods that are fortified with folic
acids, such as breakfast cereals, rice, and bread.
Eating a variety of foods is recommended to help
meet nutrient needs, but a dietary supplement with
folic acid also may be necessary. This is especially
true for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding,
since their daily need for folate is higher, 600 mcg
and 500 mcg per day, respectively. Be sure to check
with your physician or a registered dietician
nutritionist before taking any supplements. 
 
 

33
Do we need supplements and vitamins? Is it
advisable?

Yes and No. No, because the supplement cannot

replace your main food. Some of you rely solely on
the supplement. It is an unhealthy practice/
For healthy bones and teeth, women need to eat a
variety of calcium-rich foods every day. Calcium
keeps bones strong and helps to reduce the risk for
osteoporosis, a bone disease in which the bones
become weak and break easily. Some calcium-rich
foods include low-fat or fat-free milk, yoghurt and
cheese, sardines, tofu (if made with calcium sulfate)
and calcium-fortified foods including juices and
cereals. 
Adequate amounts of vitamin D also are important,
and the need for both calcium and vitamin D
increases as women get older. Good sources of
vitamin D include fatty fish, such as salmon, eggs
and fortified foods and beverages, such as some
yoghurts and juices.
 

Can we have some coffee? She asked, suddenly

interrupting me.
 
No, we’re not having coffee tonight. 
“Can we have Juice for the lady please?” I ordered for
her. 
We need to put a check on our beverages. To keep
weight in check at any age, women should avoid
excess calories from added sugars, saturated fat,
and alcohol. Limit sweetened beverages, including
regular soft drinks, candy, cookies, pastries, and
other desserts. Limit alcohol intake to one drink per
day, if you choose to drink and are of legal age. One
drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine
or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
 
Eat fewer foods that are high in saturated fat. Opt for
low-fat or fat-free dairy products and lean proteins
instead of their full-fat counterparts. Incorporate
more plant-based protein foods, such as beans,
lentils, and tofu, into your diet.
 
Above all, you cannot ignore the physical activities
as it improves your overall metabolism.
 
Since women typically have less muscle, more body
fat and are smaller than men, they need fewer
calories to maintain healthy body weight and activity
level. Women who are more physically active may
require more calories.
 
Physical activity is an important part of a woman's
health. Regular activity helps with weight control,
muscle strength, and stress management.
 
Women have different daily nutritional requirements
to men and, below, our nutritionist has offered
guidance and recipe ideas for women seeking a
balanced diet for good health. But what exactly is
meant by a 'balanced diet'?
 

The different types of foods we should be eating and

in what proportions are very important. These
include some simple rules to follow like getting a
minimum of five fruit and veg a day, including whole

35
grains and choosing more fish, poultry, beans and
pulses, less red meat and opting for lower fat, lower
sugar dairy foods. But that's not the whole story.
How much should you be eating and is there an ideal
time to eat protein, carbs or fats? 
 
REFERENCE INTAKE (RI)
 
Nutritional needs vary depending on sex, size, age
and activity levels so use this chart as a general
guide only. The chart shows the Reference Intakes
(RI) or daily amounts recommended for an average,
moderately active adult to achieve a healthy,
balanced diet for maintaining rather than losing or
gaining weight.
Do you have any idea about the reference Index? I
asked her. Now, what’s that? I hastily pulled out the
chart that I had researched for her.
 
The RIs for fat saturates, sugars and salt are all
maximum amounts, and while those for carbs and
protein are figures you should aim to meet each day.
There is no RI for fibre, although health experts
suggest we have 30g a day.
 
Here’s the chart for Reference Index (RI)
       
                                       Men Women
  
  
  
  Energy (kcal) 2500 2000
  
  
  
  Protein (g) 55
50                
  
  
  
  Carbohydrates (g) 300
260
  
  
  
  Sugar (g) 120
90
  
  
  
  Fat (g) 95
70
  
  
  
  Saturates (g) 30
20
  
  

37
  
  Salt (g) 6
6
  
  
  
 Apart from RI, food potion is also important. Most of
the time we are not aware of the amount that we
need to consume. So here’s how you should choose
your potion.
 
POTION

Carbs like cereal/rice/pasta/potato (include 1 portion

at each main meal and ensure it fills no more than ¼
of your plate) your clenched fist                             
 
Protein like meat/poultry/fish/tofu/pulses (aim to
have a portion at each meal) Palm of your hand
 
Cheese (as a snack or part of a meal) 2 of your
thumbs
 
Nuts/seeds (as a snack or part of a meal) 1 of your
cupped hands
 
Butter/spreads/nut butter (no more than 2 or 3 times
a day) the tip of your thumb
 
Savouries like popcorn/crisps (as a snack/treat) 2 of
your cupped hands
 
Bakes like brownies/flapjacks (as an occasional treat)
2 of your fingers
We should all be aiming for a minimum of five
portions of fruit and vegetables a day. 
 
The dinner had arrived. Sushi was perfect. She ate
her dinner in silence. My mind was wondering. I
wanted to plan a diet chart for het that’s balanced
and healthy.
We drove back to our apartment while she collapsed
on the bed. I went back to my reading table looking
for the best diet that I could suggest. 
Coffee? I was awoken by her shrill voice. When did
you wake up? 
Early. I just went out jogging. I did not want to
disturb you as it seems you had a sleepless night.
Why didn’t you come to bed? I was suddenly aware
of the fact that I had fallen asleep on my reading
table.
I was preparing the diet chat. I handed her the chat
that I had prepared meticulously for her. She took
the chart from me and began reading it.
 
 
Here’s what I am supposed to eat? Am I right sir? 
Perfect.
  
So here is my breakfast plans:
 Kick-start your metabolism by including protein at
breakfast, choose from eggs, salmon, lean ham or
dairy.
 We burn more calories digesting protein rather than
carbs so, by making your breakfast a protein one,
you'll be revving up your metabolism and because
protein keeps you fuller for longer, you'll eat fewer
calories the rest of the day.
 
A protein breakfast needn't take any longer to
prepare. Top your morning toast with a scrambled
egg, a slice of smoked salmon or some lean ham and
when you do have a little more time, enjoy an
omelette or frittata.
 

39
Whatever you do, don't skip breakfast as this sets
your blood sugar off on a roller-coaster that means
you'll end up choosing the wrong foods later in the
day. 
Remember breakfast makes an important
contribution towards your daily intake and it plays a
key role in maintaining a healthy weight.
 Sounds good. She murmured after scanning through
the list.

 Oh! There’s a mid-morning snack too. Someone has

worked hard it seems.
 
Many people find eating little and often help them
manage their blood sugar levels. This doesn't mean
they eat more but instead spread their day's intake
evenly throughout the day. Make every snack count
with nourishing options that supply both the 'pick me
up' you need while topping up your five-a-day.
 
Swap your morning biscuits for oatcakes spread with
peanut or almond nut butter and a banana, or have a
tasty dip with veggie sticks.
 
Okay! How about Lunch? Yeah, here it is.
 

Make lunch a mix of lean protein and starchy carbs.

Carb-rich foods supply energy and without them,
you're more likely to suffer that classic mid-afternoon
slump. The key is to choose carbs that produce a
steady rise in blood sugar, which means passing on
the sugary 'white' foods and going for high-fibre
whole grains that help you manage those afternoon
munchies.
 
Opt for an open rye-bread sandwich topped with
salmon, chicken or lower fat dairy as well as plenty of
salad, or choose whole grain toast topped with baked
beans.
 
Oh no1One more meal. What is this mid-afternoon
meal? Don’t you think that’s too much for me? 
 
No, it’s all about timing. You should have food every
three hours. For midafternoon meals you can satisfy
that sweet craving and the need for energy with fruit.
A handful of dried fruit combined with unsalted nuts
or seeds provides protein and healthy fats to keep
you satisfied till supper.
 
Swap your chocolate or cereal bar for a handful of
dried apple rings with a few almonds or walnuts.
Dried fruit is four times as sweet as its fresh
equivalent, which is great if you've got an exercise
class or a gym session planned for the afternoon.
Combining dried fruit with nuts helps stabilize the
release of their sugars keeping you energized for
longer. Alternatively stock your fridge with plenty of
low-calorie nibbles like cherry tomatoes, apples and
vegetables crudités that will prevent you from
reaching for the biscuit tin when you fancy
something sweet or crunchy.
 
You should keep your dinner light. It should be the
smallest meal of all time.  
 
Don't RESTRICT carbs intake. They're low in fat, fibre-
rich and help you relax in the evening. Combine
them with some healthy essential fats, the ones you
find in oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines
as well as nuts, seeds, and their oils. Your body can
use these healthy fats along with protein overnight

41
for regeneration and repair, important for
maintaining healthy skin and hair.

Fill half your plate with a colourful variety of

vegetables or salad, drizzle with a dressing made
from linseed or rapeseed oil and add meat, fish or
beans with brown rice, quinoa or wholemeal pasta. 
 
Once the diet has been taken care of we need to
focus on our external appearance. Skin stands at the
core of our appearance. A flawless and radiant skin
speaks volumes. We need to keep our skin healthy
and glowing. Here are some of the best practices
that would help you keep a healthy and glowing skin
forever.
 
 
 
Aren’t you looking for that flawless glowing skin?.
Every time you see some one’s r glowing face, you
think, seriously, how does she do it? What kind of
magical procedures is she getting? Which expensive
creams is she using? Here's the thing: Her secret is
simple — she has flawless skin because she's nailed
the best daily routine. I will tell you my secret. What
do you think of my skin?
It’s perfect. I said.
So, this is how I look after my skin. My first beauty
secret is that I use the correct cleanse for my skin.
 
"For oily or acne-prone skin, a salicylic gel or benzoyl
peroxide wash works great," "For dry mature skin,
use either a moisturizing glycolic or milky cleanser.
For skin with brown spots or melasma, use a
brightening wash, such as an alpha hydroxyl acid
cleanser."
 
 
Do you know that water is the most important
content when it comes to soft supple and flawless
skin? You need to liquidity your skin. Now please
don’t be after my choice of words, I know what you
are thinking.
 
Though it's tempting to grab a coffee the minute you
wake up choosing the right beverages can be a
game-changer. "Drink a shot of chlorophyll every
morning to brighten, oxygenate, and hydrate your
skin. Drinking chlorophyll also helps drain puffiness
by stimulating the lymphatic system, so it's also
good for cellulite."

Wow! I was awestruck skin care. by her knowledge of

her She continued, “If you're not keen on downing a
shot of the stuff, chlorophyll supplements can be
found at many drugstores and health food stores.
Add green juices with lots of veggies in them: "It will
transform your skin in a matter of days — and it
helps oxygenate the skin and stimulates lymphatic
drainage, so it's de-puffing, too."
 
Nibs, I looked her in the eyes with a glint of love. I
could see the pride she felt that at my recognition.
She was booming with confidence now.
 
"Our skin has a natural barrier to retain moisture,
and essential to that is an omega-3 fatty acid, “She
said, without even looking at me. "Flax seeds on your
salad or even walnuts will be an instant boost to your
omega-3, thus increasing your skin's ability to hold
onto moisture." And be sure to eat a diet low in foods
with a high glycemic index (simple and complex
carbohydrates).
 

43
My daily routine also comprises of moisturizing every
day.
 
"The best times to moisturize right after you get out
of the shower and right before you go to bed, “I
avoid lotions with heavy fragrances and make sure
you find a moisturizer gentle enough for everyday
use with zero irritation. I also avoid touching my skin.
It doesn't just spread bacteria and cause breakouts
— it can lead to scarring, an increase in wrinkles, and
even the flu.
 
That’s a way too many suggestions Nibs. I observed.
No, I am not done yet.
I avoid using too many products. One must select a
brand carefully and stick to it. Using more than one
or two all at once is a big no-; it can be harsh on the
skin, resulting in more breakouts and clogged pores.
 
Besides, I do not forget to wear my sunscreen, no
matter what time of day it is? Many people feel they
only need to protect themselves on sunny days or
when visiting the beach. “But the truth is that we
need to protect our skin even when we're driving a
car, flying in an

aeroplane, or running errands. It's the daily UV

exposure that contributes to the visible signs of
ageing." What kind of sunscreen is best? Choose a
broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or
greater — and remember that it needs to be
reapplied every 2 hours.
Don't just watch out for the sun — getting too close
to heaters and fireplaces can also wreak havoc on
your skin. "It causes inflammation \and collagen
breakdown. I recommend staying at least ten feet
away," 
 
I have already spoken about liquefying your skin. “A
lack of water means less radiance and more sag,"
choose products (cleansing, moisturizing, and anti-
ageing that have hydrating formulas. And, of course,
drink around eight glasses of water a day.
 
  
The next important step in skin care is exfoliation.
“We lose 50 million skin cells a day, and without a
little extra nudge, they may hang around leaving the
skin looking sullen," To fight this, you should "choose
a product that is pH neutral so it doesn't dry as it
exfoliates." And don't just stop with your face — the
skin on your body needs exfoliation, too.
  
 
You have already suggested the importance of diet in
our skin care so I would not speak much about it. Just
to add a balanced diet is important, but there's more
than one way to give your skin vitamins. There are
also topical antioxidants, which are serums and
creams that contain ingredients that nourish the
skin. "These can help to repair the skin from sun
damage and they also have natural sunscreen
properties you are not sure how to use them? The
best time to apply them is right after cleansing, or
they can be layered under your sunscreen for added
protection.
 
 
The worst mistake that the girls make is not cleaning
their brushes regularly. To fight infection and
clogged pores, wash concealer and foundation
brushes once a week. For brushes, you use around

your eyes, twice per month, and for any other

brushes, once a month is fine.

45
  
Here's how: Put a drop of a mild shampoo into the
palm of your hand. Wet the bristles with lukewarm
water. Then, massage the bristles into your palm to
distribute the shampoo into the brush. Avoid getting
the metal part of the brush wet/or the base of the
brush hairs because the glue could soften and the
bristles could fall out. Rinse the shampoo out and
squeeze out the water with a towel. Lay the brushes
on their side with the bristles hanging off the edge of
the counter to dry.
 
My only advice to the girls would be to follow a strict
routine for your skin care.is the most important part
to keep your skin glowing. Do not adhere to products
that do not suit you. Use skin protection. The
protection does not stop at sunscreen. We’re talking
SPF makeup, sunglasses, and broad-brimmed hats.
"Preventing sun damage is a million times better for
your skin than treating it after the fact,
 Here’s my favourite part. Sleep well. And sleep on a
soft silken pillow. She giggled as she said this.
It's not just about getting eight hours a night. Skin
will also benefit from regularly using clean silk
pillowcases. "The material glides easily and prevents
creasing and wrinkles," “Silk is also easier on hair —
it helps avoid tangles and breakage." Better hair and
skin while you sleep.
 Do I get a hug now? Yes, I said and she ran into my
arms.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

CHAPTER THREE
 
APPEARANCE
 
Appearance plays a vital role in our overall
personality Outward appearance depends on many
factors. Your outward physical appearance your hair
and your teeth as well. Besides your dressing is what
matters the most. Here I will elucidate in brief all the
aspects of the well-groomed personality. I have
included tips on your hair care and your teeth.
 
First 
Let us focus on hair care. Let’s go with some of the
basic techniques to maintain hair naturally. The best
benefit of going natural is that these do not have
side effects and the result is long lasting.
Hair is one of the most important aspects of your
personality. You need to take good care of your hair.
To condition or not to condition, to oil or not to oil -
when it comes to your hair you'll find all kinds of
advice. Mothers' will tell you to "oil your hair" while
your hairdresser will recommend the new IT thing
"hair spa, Moroccan oil, strengthening not
rebounding and all." Before you pick your choice of
treatment, here are a few things you must know. The
first step in hair-care is your diet and the two most
important things in your diet are iron and protein.

47
The hair cells are the fastest-growing cells in the
body but they are also the first ones to be affected
you don't eat right or suffer from deficiencies
because they are not required for survival. Hair also
depends on the choice of food.
 Try and include iron-rich foods like leafy vegetables,
fish, pumpkin seeds, beans, chickpeas, soybeans and
cereals in your diet. Doctors suggest that you
consume around 12 mg of iron daily. You also need
protein because that's what strengthens your hair.

Include complete proteins which are also rich in

amino acids: like cheese, milk, soy, lentils, peas,
quinoa and yoghurt.
 
How to Maintain Healthy Hair: A Few Basic Tips
 
1. Its normal to lose 100 to 150 strands of hair a day
so do not panic when you see a small bunch crawling
across your tiled floor.
2. Comb wet hair with extreme care because they're
fragile and prone to breakage. Take a broad toothed
comb and run it from the roots to the ends of your
hair as gently as possible.
3. Trim your hair every few weeks to get rid of those
brown and rough split ends. Cut about 1/4th of an
inch of your hair every 6 to 8 weeks to avoid the split
ends to grow out again.
4. Don't wash your hair every day and whenever you
do, apply some conditioner on the ends. Try and use
the same brand of shampoo and conditioner.
5. Rinse the conditioner off with cold water as it is
good for both strength and shine.
.Avoid sulphate shampoos. What are sulphates?
They're the reason your shampoo lathers the way it
does. They clean your scalp and hair, departing the
dirt from it. But some researchers also suggest that
they strip your hair of essential oils. They're also why
your eye stings when shampoo runs down the side of
your face. If you feel any kind of irritation on the
scalp or find your hair drying up over time then try
and buy a sulphate-free shampoo.
 
7. If you've got dry hair then it's best to avoid
colouring. However, if you can't resist that gorgeous
shade of brown, especially under the winter sun use
lemon, chamomile tea or honey as they work as
great hair lighteners. You can add lemon juice to
water and spray it over your hair when you're
heading out. You can rinse your hair with brewed
chamomile tea after you wash them with shampoo or
add honey to the water you use to wash your hair.
Besides these basic tips, here are a few home
remedies that will take you a long way
 
What is deep conditioning?
 

  Even though you condition your hair after every

wash, nothing quite works as good as deep
conditioning. Every once in a while deep cleanse.
Wash your hair with shampoo, squeeze out the extra
water and towel dry it. Then take generous amounts
of conditioner and apply it right to the root of your
hair. Use a broad toothed comb and run it through
your hair to make sure the conditioner reaches
everywhere. Now, pull them up and clip them
together. Leave the conditioner in for anywhere
between 10 minutes to an hour. Pull them down,
rinse thoroughly and enjoy silky smooth hair.
 
 You should always keep away from heat. If you're
stepping out and want gorgeous curls or perfect
waves, then there are a few ways you can get those

49
without taking the help of a dryer, straightener or
curler. Like this for example:
  If you must use your iron or curler then buy a serum
of your choice or if you've got some time on your
hands, make one at home.
Take some almond oil, coconut oil, hair conditioner,
250 ml water, and a small empty spray bottle. Pour
200 ml of water in a spray bottle and add 2-3 drops
of coconut and 4 to 5 almond oil to it. 
Add two tiny drops of conditioner. Don't use too
much of it because it will lather. You can add
lavender or some nice smelling oil if you'd like. Add
the remaining water and shake well. Let the lather
settle and it's ready for use. (as suggested by
beautytips4her)
 
We can put butter to better use with this one. Take 4
ounces of shea butter, 4 ounces of cocoa butter and
20 drops of any essential oil of your choice. Heat the
butter till it's all liquid and let it cool. Add the
essential oil to an empty, sterilized jar and pour the
butter. Let the jar cool down till the butter takes a
solid form again. 
 
I would also recommend some homemade masks
which are beneficial for your hair.
 
 
How can we prepare homemade masks at home?
 

You can make homemade masks with readily

available ingredients in your kitchen. 
Egg, curd and mustard oil - If you've got hay-like dry
hair then here's the answer to all of your problems.
Eggs are rich in vitamin A, B12, D, and E, fatty acids
and protein. The protein helps strengthen the roots,
the fatty acids make it a natural hair conditioner and
B12 helps to add volume.
The second mask that you can make at home is
Avocado and peppermint oil. Mash some avocado,
add a drop or two of peppermint oil and apply this
mask on your hair. Leave it in for 15-20 minutes and
wash off.
           Another good ingredient that can be used is
olive oil. Olive oil, coconut oil, and egg -This one's
the ultimate mask for speedy hair growth. Warm 2
tablespoons of coconut oil, let it cool, add one or two
eggs and two tablespoons of olive oil and apply.
 
No matter what mask you use or what therapy you
opt for, nothing can beat the traditional oiling. Oil is
the answer to all your hair worries. A conditioner
might work wonders for your hair but oil gives it
certain minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids
that don't just strengthen your roots but also boost
the overall health of your hair. Coconut oil comes
most recommended by hair experts and mothers! It
can protect your hair from sun damage, dandruff and
removes sebum build-up from hair follicles
accelerating hair growth. 
You could also boil some curry leaves in coconut oil,
strain the oil and apply. You could also use Chinese
hibiscus flowers instead of curry leaves.
 
  If you're suffering from hair fall then olive oil would
be a better bet. You can combine it with a host of
other ingredients. Here are our top few:
           Olive oil with honey and cinnamon powder,
massages this paste into your scalp, leave for 15
minutes and wash.
      
  
Now let us quickly talk about or oral health.
 

51
TEETH

If you have nice shiny teeth your smile also puts a

value. You feel like smiling all the time. That gives
you a warm pleasing personality and makes you a
winner all the way.
 
Please take care of your teeth. Period.
 
Achieving healthy teeth takes a lifetime of care. Even
if you’ve been told that you have nice teeth, it’s
crucial to take the right steps every day to take care
of them and prevent problems. This involves getting
the right oral care products, as well as being mindful
of your daily habits.
 
One piece of advice, never go to bed without
brushing.
 
It’s no secret that the general recommendation is to
brush at least twice a day. Still, many of us continue
to neglect to brush our teeth at night. But brushing
before bed gets rid of the germs and plaque that
accumulate throughout the day.
Learn to brush properly.
The way you brush is equally important doing a poor
job of brushing your teeth is almost as bad as not
brushing at all. Take your time, moving the
toothbrush in gentle, circular motions to remove
plaque. Plaque if not removed can harden, leading to
calculus buildup and gingivitis (early gum disease).
Sometimes we just focus on our teeth and neglect
the tongue. Don’t neglect your tongue.
Plaque can also build up on your tongue. Not only
can this lead to bad mouth odour, but it can lead to
other oral health problems. Gently brush your tongue
every time you brush your teeth.
 
Selection of proper tooth paste is also vital, Use
fluoride toothpaste
When it comes to toothpaste, there are more
important elements to look for than whitening power
and flavours. No matter which version you choose,
make sure it contains fluoride.
 While fluoride has come under scrutiny by those
worried about how it impacts other areas of health,
this substance remains a mainstay in oral health.

This is because fluoride is a leading defence against

tooth decay. It works by fighting germs that can lead
to decay, as well as providing a protective barrier for
your teeth.
 
 We must also floss. Many who brush regularly
neglect to floss. “Flossing is not just for getting those
little pieces of Chinese food or broccoli that may be
getting stuck in between your teeth,” “It’s a way to
stimulate the gums, reduce plaque, and help lower
inflammation in the area.”
Flossing once a day is usually enough to reap these
benefits.
6. Don’t let flossing difficulties stop you
Flossing can be difficult, especially for young children
and older adults with arthritis. Rather than give up,
look for tools that can help you floss your teeth.
Ready-to-use dental floss from the drugstore can
make a difference.
Last in the list of dental care is the holy mouthwash.
Mouthwash helps in three ways: It reduces the
amount of acid in the mouth, cleans hard-to-brush
areas in and around the gums, and re-mineralizes
the teeth.
 

53
KEY TO SUCCESS: SMILE AS OFTEN AS YOU
CAN.
 
Once we have tackled the hair and teeth, the next
prime thing that remains is your dressing. You must
know your body type and dress accordingly. Fashion
is all about comfort and style statement. You can
create your style statement by mixing and matching
varied styles. However, certain wardrobe essentials
never let you down and keep you prepared for any
occasion. 
Dressing you the right way also gives you the
confidence needed to be ready for the big day. You
start feeling like a winner and get into the winner’s
mindset.
Here’s what Nibs picked up as suggested by the
experts.
 
 A WHITE TEE SHIRT
 
Start your outfit off with a clean slate. The staple
white tee is versatile, cool and a piece that you can
wear any day of the year.
    

   Stylist tip: “Put your white tee to work. It anchors

statement pieces like printed shorts, coloured denim,
and layers perfectly under sweaters.” — Stylist Anne
R.
 
A PURE BLACK DRESS
 
No explanation needed. Go for an LBD with a high
neckline and a semi-modest length for maximum
versatility from day tonight.
           Stylist tip: “The first step to finding your
perfect dress? Know your body shape, then pick your
silhouette.” — Stylist Jennifer M.

A SKINNY JEANS

Jeans never go out of style. Dark wash denim is

perfect for dressing up or down; skinny jeans in an
ultra-dark rinse will be your bread and butter for
every season and every shape.

PUMPS

A classic pair of black pumps will never fail you or

your outfits. They’re the perfect shoe option to wear
for your 9-to-5, happy hour, or a weekend date night
with jeans.
           Stylist tip: “Pointed-toe styles are pure magic
when it comes to making your legs look longer (and
leaner).” — Stylist Nanda G.

SHIRT BUTTON UP

Borrowed from the boys but in better prints and

colours, the button-up shirt always strikes a balance
between looking casual and polished. Wear it with
jeans or a pencil skirt depending on where you need
to be.
           Stylist tip: “Take your button-up up a notch by
choosing one in a luxe material like viscose, Tencel
or silk.” — Stylist Jennifer M.

SKIRT (KNEE LENGTH)

A knee-length skirt is versatile enough to be casual,

work-friendly and appropriate for more formal
settings. We call that a win, win, win.
 

55
FLATS

A simple flat is a jack-of-all-trades shoe and lands the

right look for anything from a board meeting to a
grocery run.
           Stylist tip: “Go for a cap-toe style for a preppy
polish that’s at the top of the trends this season.” —
Stylist Jennifer M.

A WRAP DRESS

The most universally-flattering dress of all, a wrap

dress looks good on everyone. Really. Pair yours with
pumps for a dressy occasion or dress it down with
fashion sneakers.

JEAN JACKET

A jean jacket is a timeless layering piece that can be

worn season after season. A classic medium wash is
the most versatile option.
           Stylist tip: “Look for a jean jacket that fits
snugly on your shoulders, but still has some room for
sweaters in the fall and sundresses in the summer.”
— Stylist Brittany M.

AN ANKLE BOOTS

The ankle boot is the shoe for any season that’s way
easier to slip into (and pack) than their taller sister.
Go for a peep-toe style in the warmer months and a
closed-toe style in the cooler months.
           Stylist tip: “Experiment with heel heights from
low and blocky to taller and stiletto-esque to land a
different vibe with your ankle boot.” — Stylist
Jennifer M.

BLACK PANTS
Whether they’re tie-waist trousers or pencil-straight,
a pair of black pants is another foundation piece to
stock up on.
           Stylist tip: “Don’t be afraid to invest in these.
A great pair will stay in your closet for years and
years.” — Stylist Jennifer M.

SWEATER (KNITTED)
 
The perfect knit sweater works with everything—
from a pair of broken-in boyfriend jeans for the
weekend to a pleated, feminine skirt for a night out.
If you find one you like, get one in every colour.
  
 
BE YOUR OWN MAKE UP ARTIST

A beauty pageant is expected to be ever prepared

with her flawless looks. It may be appearance, media
or any other occasion; she has to look her best. You
cannot always expect your make up man to be ready
every time you step out of your house. Like every
other contestant, Nibs was very apprehensive about
her make up. She barely knew anything about it and
had to rely on the makeup artist for her looks. This
would practically drain her pocket and also leave her
at the mercy of others for her makeup. Most of the
times she was not happy with her looks/
This has to end. So we decided to put an end to this
and learn our makeup. After a lot of research, I found
Rhon. He has been in the industry for more than a
decade now and knew all the intricacies of the
beauty industry. We fixed up a date and Rhon agreed
to teach her the essential skills and the know how’s
of doing your makeup. I could see the glint of a smile
in Nibs eyes. That gave me a satisfaction of doing

57
something worthwhile for her. Here’s what he had to
say:
 
LEARN THE ART OF MAKEUP
 
Be your own Makeup Artist. Best way to remain
flawlessly beautiful is to learn and own your makeup.
This art can be quite overwhelming for beginners as
it involves a wide variety of tools and techniques,
and trust me, it takes a lot of patience and months of
practice to master it. I can point out so many women
who do not even know how to put mascara properly
but the trick is to learn and master your makeup.
Please remember to not expect makeup support
during your pageant days, so better to learn how not
to under-do or over-do your makeup. I suggest you
start practising on

yourself, your best friend, your mom or even a

dummy when you learn a new trick. Smart tip: Do
have a primer in your kit always.
It doesn’t matter where you learned to use the brush,
what matters is how you used it. Thankfully, today
we have so many options to get trained in makeup
which is especially helpful for those who are planning
to take up a career in Beauty & Wellness. There’s not
a dearth of, it could be your parlour friend a makeup
artist or the tutorial youtube videos. Be open and
learn from everyone who can teach you a bit about
makeup.
Other than these, there are so many other ways to
learn makeup and hairdo professionally- like
enrolling yourself into a course in some good beauty
& wellness academy, approaching renowned parlours
that trains and certifies, and so on. The tricks of
makeup and hairdo seem to be a never-ending list
and so the option to get trained is also a humongous
list.  
These are some essentials I wanted to share to help
young aspirers with their pageant prep. There is a lot
of small-small stuff which you need to keep doing
and discovering on your own. Like experimenting
with different hairdo, knowing to hydrate your face,
learning to keep your face clean, etc. But these are
mostly taken care of by you at your level.
You may be feeling lost at the beauty store to
religiously following every new makeup tutorial,
every makeup aficionado was once a beginner.
Taking baby steps into the limitless world of makeup
feels exciting and intimidating at the same time.
Your efforts will make you a pro and you'll learn what
it takes to achieve a seemingly basic makeup look.
Here’s your best bet – a makeup tutorial for
beginners that is ‘actually’ easy to follow.
Prime- Needs
One of the most important yet overlooked makeup
steps is prepping your face with a primer. You’ll be
amazed at how long your makeup lasts with the use
of the Colorbar Perfect Match Primer. Dab a little and
let it gently blend into the skin without adding any
extra shine. Not only does it reduce redness or acne
marks, but it’s also great for oily skin.
Here are the basic makeup tips that every aspirant
should know.
 
The first basic rule is to make the base right.

The answer to ‘how to apply makeup’ can never be

complete without the mention of the humble
foundation. Put a genius Nykaa SKIN genius Sculpting
& Hydrating Foundation. Its unique colour-adapting
technology allows you to get a perfect match to your
skin tone. What’s more? It’s equipped with sun filters
that shield your complexion.
 

59
The Magic Wand Next up in our makeup step by step
tutorial is our beloved magician, the concealer. From
dark circles to pimples, there’s no flaw that this
beauty can’t camouflage. Honestly, most pros trust
the L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD with our life. With a
mind-blogging palette of 24 shades, not finding your
match is impossible. A crease-resistant and
lightweight texture seals the deal for you.
 
To do makeup at home and still achieve that pro-like
matte, finish? Here’s the secret. The purpose of the
compact is to mattify your base and make it sweat-
proof and transfer-resistant for as long as you want
to. If your days get stretched into nights, here’s the
superstar that you should put your money in. The
Lakme 9 To 5 Flawless Matte Complexion Compact is
enriched with Vitamin E too!
 
Once you’re done with the base? Next stop: Eyes. We
can’t even begin on how important getting your eye
shadow right is. Get our latest ringmaster, the Nykaa
Just Wink It! - Wet & Dry Eye shadow Palette in your
hands and you’ll sure be hypnotizing peeps each
time you blink. Use it dry for a natural effect or use it
wet for some major eye drama, this isn’t
disappointing.
 
Now apply the eyeliner gently.
Maintaining distance with even the famed eyeliners
of the world, thanks to butterfingers? Get your liner
on point with Maybelline New York The Colossal
Liner. Channel your inner Cleopatra with this fine-
tipped, smudge-proof, quick-dry formula. Go, wing it
girl.
 
Work on your eyelashes. Want your eye game to be
LIT? A defining, volumizing mascara is what you
need, my love. Just as intriguing as the name sounds,
the L'Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Mascara
millions your lashes for an enviable fanned-out
effect. The in-built excess wiper removes any excess
product, so you can say goodbye to ugly clumps as
well.
 
Don’t skip the brows in your tryst to how to do
makeup. Eyebrows enhancers are quite the
indispensable part of your vanity kit since nothing
frames your face better than your brows. Here is
where an expert like NYX Professional Makeup Auto
Eyebrow Pencil comes into play. With 8
accommodating shades and a built-in brush, creating
awesome arches will no longer be daunting.
 
Cheek is the most visible part of your make up. Love
it when you favourite B-town diva sports rosy
cheeks? Well, getting the just-pinched flush for your
cheeks isn’t that difficult at all. Sweep a little of your
desired hue from the jaw-dropping Makeup
Revolution Golden Sugar 2 Rose Gold Ultra
Professional Blush Palette with your blush brush and
apply to the high points of your cheek. However,
don’t go overboard with your blush.
 
The last and most significant step of our how to do
makeup step by step tutorial has to be the lips. We
just grabbed our favourite lipstick, the Colorbar
Velvet Matte Lipstick. Why do you ask? Where else
would you get a stunning palette of 39 shades
combined a velvety, matte texture and an intensely
pigmented formula?
We’re all set to rock now.
Post her make up session, she looked like a diva. I
had never seen her so happy. She was happy and
content as she had learned something of great
importance for her, This would go a long way and
also save us a lot of money which could be put to

61
better use. Isn’t it time for a small celebration? Shall
we? “Yes of course.” I drove my car and saw her
smiling and catching curious glances.
 
 
 

 
 
 

CHAPTER FOUR

BASIC COMMUNICATION AND INTERVIEW SKILLS

Like all of us, even Nibs was not very confident about
communication skills. She is the most in this aspect
of the interview. So I had to take her through the
very basics of communication skill. 

 These are the four basics of communication skill.

 Being contesting for the esteemed position requires
a lot of hard work and esteemed efforts.

Communication forms the basis of any personality.

You need to be ultra-smart and thinking on your feet
to be a winner. Here I am including some of the basic
techniques of communication that would make you
more confident and give you the precise tools
needed for the game.

 What are the very most basic communication skills?

Here we will focus on the four basic

communication skills.

You may have heard of these basic communication

skills categories when people discuss learning a
language. These are the four areas that you have to
learn and excel at to considered fluent in a language.
And they can also help us think about improving
communication skills.

You learn by speaking.

When we mention basic communication skills, most

people first think of speaking. There is a huge range
of skills and abilities that fall under this basic
category. They range from having a large vocabulary
to using voice tone to use descriptions and story to
enhance your expressions.

 For convenience, we can also categorize the non-

verbal, non-written expressions as forms of speaking.

63
Some might even include the ability to express
oneself through music or dance in this category.
Overall, this category includes anything that has to
do with you expressing yourself in ways other than
through written words or imagery.

  

Learn through writing.

This category will include all written verbal

communication skills. This may include written
letters, signs, stories, plays, screenplays, novels,
and it accounts much more for. But it also includes
graphics of any kind. Logos, icons, drawings, pictures
and so on all help us express ourselves in ways that
do not involve speaking.

Learn through listening and understanding.

 Different people refer to this category in different

ways. But the most common names used for it are
“understanding” and “listening.” What people are
referring to is the ability to comprehend someone
else’s non-written communication.

  This includes not only knowing what the words they

utter mean, but factoring in how their non-verbal
communication and they are personal and social
characteristics shed light on that meaning.

 Learn through reading.

 
This is the ability to make sense of written
communications of any kind. It involves not only
recognizing the words but being able to extract their
meaning to attain comprehension. It could also apply
to the ability to appreciate and analyze graphical
artistic works such as those mentioned under the
category of “Writing.”

When you are considering communication skills

activities to improve your abilities, look at these four
categories and assess your strengths and
weaknesses in each. This will give you a framework
for understanding where your skills are most
developed and where you could use more work.

 These categories can also be useful when teaching

others about communication. As a learner, it helps to
have a small focused schema with which to think
about the tasks ahead. But the basic communication
skills categories give a broader overview through
which to organize a big-picture view of
communication endeavors.

What is body language?

Any basic body movement is body language, from a

flip of the hair to hands on your hips, how you move,
gesture, and make expressions can say as much as
what comes out of your mouth.

65
“Most communication experts now believe that
almost 90% of what we say comes from nonverbal
cues, which includes our body language,” says Patti
Wood, author of Success Signals: A Guide to Reading
Body Language.

Body language, she explains, is everything from our

facial expressions, eye contact, to our gestures,
stance, and posture. While the nuances of body
language are complicated, there are some common
body language signs worth a thousand words.

  

What are the basics of body language?

Flipping your hair, shaking hands, making eye

contact, and smiling is more than just movements —
they’re a part of your nonverbal communication,
adding emphasis and emotion.

“Body language represents a separate

communication process beyond words,” says Ross
Buck, PhD, a professor of communication sciences
and psychology at the University of Connecticut. “It
exists simultaneously with language, but it is
emotional and largely happening at the subconscious
level.”

What are some of the basic body language cues that

we display and what kind of effect can they have on
the impression we make on other people? Here’s a
beginner’s guide to understanding what our bodies
are saying:
 

Learn proper handshakes. 

A handshake can say so much more than hello, nice

to meet you. “The most important part of a
handshake is palm-to-palm contact,” says Wood. “It’s
even more significant than the grip.”

The palm-to-palm contact expresses an intention of

honesty and openness, and that your interaction will
be sincere and nonthreatening.

The “limp fish” handshake, Wood explains, seems so

uncomfortable because of it usually means that the
palms don’t touch, as Rose experienced in her
interview.

Here are other handshake types:

            * Bone crusher: A person may be insecure

and trying to overcompensate with an over-the-top
hello.

           * Palm-down handshake: A person may try to

express his dominance.

           * A left-handed wrap of the handshake from

the top: A person may try to express his dominance.

           * A left-handed wrap of the handshake from

underneath: A person may try to support and
comfort you.

67
Synchrony: Synchrony happens when two people
who are interacting mirror body language cues,
explains Buck. What can it mean?

 “Synchrony is a signal that both people are on the

same page, when you see someone copying your
body language, or you notice

that you are copying his, it’s a clue you are probably
sharing a similar mindset.”

 Posture: Posture can be a sign of dominance or

submissive.

Shoulders back with an erect posture can be a sign of

dominance, he explains, while being slumped can
mean insecurity, guilt, or a feeling of shame.

 Eye contact: While the rules of eye-contact

engagement vary from culture to culture, in the U.S.,
it can mean honesty and forthrightness.

 The eyes are a powerful part of our body language

cues and can express everything from sexual interest
to annoyance, to happiness and pain, he explains.

 Playing with your hair: 

When a woman cups her hand, palm out, and tucks

her hair behind her ear, it can be an expression of
flirting and can mean openness and interest,
explains Wood. But be careful: It can also mean her
hair is in her eyes.

 Learn to use body language to your

advantage.
 If you want to better manage your body language,
you need to think about every aspect of your day
and how you behave.

While you might think you are a friendly person if

you go straight to your office and avoid eye contact
with anyone, it can send the wrong signals to your
so-workers, she explains.

 From a flip of the hair to hands on your hips, how

you move, gesture, and make expressions can say as
much as what comes out of your mouth.

Go through your morning routine — what you do at

lunch, how you spend your afternoon and evening —
and ask yourself questions like Do I smile? Do I make
appropriate eye contact with people? Once you
better recognize your body language, you can
manage it in a more meaningful way.

 On the flip side, how can you use the body language
of others to your advantage? Most important is to
trust your gut.

 “Body language says so much, that you can use it to

gauge the sincerity of what a person is saying,” says
Wood.

 If a person is telling you something, and he’s

covering his mouth, he might lie. If a person’s hands
rub from his forehead down across his face, he could
wipe away an emotion, like stress or anxiety. Either
way, if what a person is saying contradicts his body
language, your intuition might pick up on something
that is not right.

 Still, whether you are trying to manage your body

language better, or understand that of others,
remember the value of words.

69
 Learn the art of saying without words.

 1. The Eyebrow Flash. 

The eyebrow flash is that quick raising of the

eyebrows that often occurs naturally when you see
someone you know. It is almost imperceptible, but it
can still have an important effect on others. We can
use the eyebrow flash as a quick and casual greeting
and can defuse a situation in which someone might
perceive you as potentially threatening.

2. Touch. 

A great deal of research suggests that a light touch

can establish a connection. For example, in studies
waiters who lightly touch a customer when
presenting the bill receive higher tips. We can also
use touch to signal sexual interest, SO BE CAUTIOUS.

3. Enter the Bubble. 

We all carry with us a bubble of personal space. A

personal space invasion causes arousal. Invading
someone’s bubble can have different motivations—as
a threat or to signal intimacy–but it will nearly always
catch the other person off guard.

4. The Power of Eye Contact. 

As a personal space invasion, we can use eye

contact to cause arousal, either as a threat or as an
entreaty, and it is a very subtle, but powerful cue.

 5. Duchenne Smile. 

 Research by Paul Ekman and colleagues

differentiated “fake” smiles from true, or “Duchenne”
smiles. We can easily interpret a fake smile by
others, to your detriment. The key to a true smile is
the narrowing of the eyes, and the wrinkles, or
“crow’s feet,” at the outer corners. You can portray a
Duchenne smile if you practice, and your nonverbal
smile will seem more authentic to others. 

Greetings can help set the tone for the interaction.

For example, in a job interview or a business
meeting, it is usually a good idea to have a firm
handshake, showing that you are both serious and
alert. If you seek a more intimate interaction, a two-
handed handshake conveys that you care for and/or
appreciate the other person. Hugging suggests
greater intimacy, but hugs can vary and be
interpreted in a variety of ways. Pay attention to your
greetings, because they are important, can convey
different messages, and help to create a more
effective social interaction.

Now that you look good and feel good about yourself
the very first thing that needs attention is the
communication skill. The one thing that can make or
break your chances of being the title holder is the
way you communicate. Communication is an art
which can master over some time. Here I am
explaining a few very basic steps that will make you
an expert communicator.

71
There are two basic steps that every communication
has what to say and how to say it.

What to say?

 Whether you are in an informal gathering or

addressing a press conference, the basic remains the
same. We all struggle with the content. When
confronted with an awkward situation, we freeze. Our
pulse raises and we struggle with what to say?

Here we should learn to manage our anxiety. Please

remember, you are not the only one who has such
symptoms. The best of speakers confess to having
jitters and butterflies just before their speech. Then
how is it they are brilliant speakers and you’re not?
The answer lies because they manage their anxiety
every single time. Does the question arise how they
manage it? This is the art of managing the anxiety or
you may term it the fear that gets them ahead of
you. Otherwise, they are also normal human beings
like you. 

 So how do they manage? The simple answer is that

they treat it as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Every time a good speaker has time to say
something they welcome it as an opportunity.

Let’s break down the process into a few basic steps:

1. Be at the moment: The most important aspect

of speaking to be in the present moment. This
allows you to articulate your thoughts properly.
 2. Take the time to listen: Be it anywhere, all
communication is 85% listening and only 15%
speaking. It is imperative for a good
communicator is being a good listener.

The most important aspect of communication skill is

to be relatable. Follow the Structure:

 What-So what- Now what. Try to follow this structure

to form your answer. Analyze, what’s the question
about? What is the impact and what shall we do?
This would give you the clarity of thought. You’ll be
ready.

73
 
CHAPTER FIVE
 
INTERVIEW: BE AT YOUR BEST.
 
The only trick to excel in the interview is to be
prepared. Try to know yourself completely. The
interview is done to know your personality and not to
judge your knowledge. 
This portion of the pageant is the most important
part of the contest. You are gauged on your ability
and your skillset to be the perfect fit for this title. The
interviewer intends to know your personality and
your mindset. Some are general personality
questions, while others are behavioural questions to
assess you based on your responses.
If you have put in the effort and know yourself
completely, the behavioural questions would not be
difficult to answer. You need to learn and understand
the basic intention and the very purpose of the
question. Once you have understood it, the response
would be a cakewalk. I have selected a few of the
important questions usually asked in such interviews.
I have also suggested ways to tackle them. In the
interview, all you need to show is the best face. You
should come out to be a confident person, ready to
take up challenges that such an esteem position
would provide you.

BE YOURSELF. BE CONFIDENT AND BE

PREPARED.
 

1  Why do you think that you are the best

candidate for this title?
 
   OR:
 
 What makes you different from the other girls
competing today?
  What makes you stand out from the other
contestants?
  What makes you unique?
 
What makes two human beings different from
each other?

We all are gifted with different talents. Two

individuals are different from each other in the

75
manner that they are gifted with different talents.
Education and cultural backgrounds are also very
important factors. The way we were brought up by
our parents, and the society in which we grew up,
often set things as different as the types of values we
believe in and things.
They develop very different tastes, different
preferences, and even different personality traits.
Every individual have different life experiences, they
went through different things and learnt different
lessons from them, and they grew up to be different.
The perfect answer would be to introspect and find
that quality which makes you fit for this job.
Elucidate on your personality trait rather than looking
at others. 

2.      Why should we choose you from the other

contestants?
  
         OR:
 
Why would you make a good?
Why should you win this pageant?
 Why should we select you as the next Miss ?
 Why do you deserve to win this title?
 What do you like most about yourself?
 
Any contestant participating in this contest should
know herself inside out. Here you need to focus on
your positive aspects and convince the judges that
you are the best suited for this title with your skills
and abilities. The interviewer’s job is to select the
best person for the position. Most of the candidates
that make it to the interview stage are qualified for
the job. The winning candidate must be more than
qualified; a little more spark is needed.
This is your chance to wow them with your highlight
reel. Your answer should summarize the top three or
four best reasons to select you. It’s better to have
three or four strong reasons with memorable
descriptions and/or examples than to rattle off a
laundry list of twelve strengths without context.
Accomplishments and success stories are always
good bets.
One approach is to mention any unique combination
of skills(s) and experience that you possess.

BRAINSTORM

To get started, review the job description and your

paperwork and ask yourself these questions:
 
 What are the most important qualifications for
this position from their perspective?
  In which of these areas do I shine?
 What are my most impressive
accomplishments?
 What makes me different from the typical
candidate?
  
3. What do you want to get out of this
pageant?
        
   OR
 
  What will you do if we crown you the next Miss
(Teen, Ms, Mrs) _?
 Why did you decide to compete in this pageant?
 Why did you start competing in pageantry?
  Why do you want to win?
Why do you want to win this pageant?
There could be much variation to this answer. Avoid
being cliché.
 

77
“Yes, people tend to think of the titleholder as a role
model. And you’d probably make a great role model.
But saying that you want to win, so you can be a role
model comes across as saying that you want to be
surrounded by people who admire you and want to
be just like you. The role model answer sounds like a
good idea, but the judges never interpret it the way
you mean it.
 
Now that you know what not to say let’s look at some
options for creating a great answer.
 

If they award scholarship to the winner, this could be

the basis for a solid answer. You could talk about
how education is the key to success and discuss your
interest in additional education. Then you could
discuss using the scholarship to reduce your parent’s
cost for your education or graduating from college
debt-free. Everybody loves a pretty girl who’s frugal
and your judges will too.
 
If the Organiser has a platform, you can go with a
platform-focused answer. You could discuss your
commitment to your platform/the official platform
and how you would be able to extend the reach of
your platform/community service as the titleholder.
Even if your pageant is not a platform pageant, you
could talk about the hours of community service
you’ve done and your interest in continuing to make
a difference in the community as the titleholder.
 
You can answer regarding personal development.
Maybe you were shy before you began competing
and now you feel comfortable in any type of social
setting. Or maybe you entered as an incentive to
work on your personal fitness goals. You could talk
about how competing in pageants changed your life.
Then say that you want to be the titleholder to
encourage others to become their very best self too.
 
 You can always go with a mission and values
answer. Every Pageant has some type of statement
that says what they’re all about. You can usually find
it on the About Us page of the pageant website. It
might be academic achievement, community service,

developing life skills, or even just making friends and

having fun. In your answer, you could discuss how
the things you’re currently doing are consistent with
the mission and values of the pageant. 
There are a lot of great answers to the “Why do you
want to be the titleholder?” question. You’ve just got
to decide which one best expresses why you entered
the pageant to compete for the crown. Take your
time, think it through, and give it your best shot. 
 
 
4. What goal do you want to have achieved
when you are crowned?
 
         OR:
  Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
 
How to approach this type of interview
question
 
First, no one knows where they will be in five years,
and the interviewer is aware of this. They are not
looking for you to layout a specific plan, detailing
everything you are going to do. Focus on what your
dreams are, where you would like to take your career
next, and how you plan to do this. Be realistic the
interviewer is likely to reject a far-fetched idea just
as quickly as no idea at all.

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Understand the question for what it is and answer it
in accordingly. Don't focus on specific dates, but
form your answer to reflect contemplation. For
example, instead of telling them you want to be an
executive vice president in two years and the
president in five, try answering like this:
“I always take the time and effort to advance my
career, skills I always take time and effort to advance
my career, skills, and knowledge. In five years, I plan
to have acquired new skills best suited for my
position.”
Another win-win answer to the "Where do you see
yourself in five years?" interview question is to focus
on how you plan to help the SOCIETY.
They want someone who will add value to the society
and help advance the pageant title. 

What you should avoid saying

The first no-no to answering this common interview
question is pretty obvious. Whatever you do, don't
respond to the question, “Where do you see yourself
in five years?” with “I don't know.” If the answer
doesn't come to you at first, take a few seconds to
think about how you have progressed over the last
five years. Consider the natural flow of progress and
formulate an answer. Do not, ever, for any reason,
provide a fluffy answer. The interviewer can see right
through those. They do not want you to lie,
manipulate, or give an off-the-wall answer.
Where do you see yourself in five years?” and you
should be golden!
Keep your answer general.
Stress your interest in long-term goals.
Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job.
Don't lie. 
 
4. Tell me more about yourself. 
 
           Further explanation: The majority of the
pageant questions you will be asked in interview will
be from your pageant paperwork (unless you live in
the UK or other countries that do not have
paperwork). Out of these pageant questions, the vast
majority of pageant questions will be centred on the
“interesting facts” section of your paperwork.
 
When the interviewer asks you, “TELL ME ABOUT
YOURSELF,

Well, for the interviewer, it’s an easy and open-

ended way to start the conversation.
The ultimate goal for this interview is to find out
enough about you to decide if you’re a good fit for
the title.
Your answer to this question will dictate the
interviewer’s first impression of you and will set the
tone for the entire interview, letting you lead with
your strongest selling points.
Think of it as your elevator pitch.

:
· What are your primary selling points for this job?
This could be the number of years of experience in a
particular industry or area of specialization. You
might also highlight special training and technical
skills here. Focus on the qualifications in the job
description and how you meet and exceed the
requirements.
· Why are you interested in this position right now?
You can wrap up your answer by indicating why you
are looking for a new challenge and why you feel this
role is the best next step.
 
6. Do celebrities have a responsibility to be
positive role models?

81
 
            OR
 If you could meet (have lunches with) any person in
history who would it be?
 Who is the person you look up to the most?
Who is your role model?
 What celebrity do you idolize?
 If you could be anyone else besides yourself who
would you be?
  Would you say that you are a good role model?
 
Who is your Role Model – Sometimes You may
hear this question during an interview and you need
to answer. This question is asked not to evaluate you
but to know how good her role model is and what
characteristics she follows from his/her role model to
check one’s personality indirectly. So while you are
talking about your role model you are also giving
hints about your personality to the Interview panel.
Everybody has had a mentor, hero, or supervisor who
has been inspiring. 
Interviewers sometimes ask applicants “Who is a role
model for you in your professional life?” While it may
not necessarily be a tough question to answer, it can
throw you if you’re not prepared.
Interviewers sometimes ask candidates to name
someone who constitutes a personal hero, role
model, or significant influence. The question
commonly appears phrased in two parts: “Who is
Your Role Model? Why?” Applicants must choose one
person to focus on and explain in detail why said
individual stands as an inspiration. 

To answer this question, think of people who embody

the qualities that you most admire and that would be
most valued in this position. Explain why you look up
to them and how they have influenced you either
directly or indirectly.
 If you choose a public figure, make sure you know
something about them so your assessment is not
based on purely superficial knowledge. This might
require doing some research so you can speak about
them in an informed way. For many people, their role
model is a personal acquaintance such as a parent or
a close friend. You could nominate your mother or
father as your role model because of the way they
lead by example, their selflessness and the way they
instilled you with good, solid values. Perhaps you
watched them overcome great personal challenges,
from which you learned many important lessons
some of the qualities that you admire in your role
models could include resilience, determination,
integrity, intelligence, humour, kindness,
selflessness, high achievement, strength or an
amazing work ethic.
One of the most common mistakes applicants make
when answering questions about personal heroes
remains to choose a controversial figure. Political and
religious leaders may seem like positive choices;
however, everyone possesses different biases and
opinions and may not share candidate assessments
of said individuals.
 
7. What’s the first thing you will do after the
pageant is over?
 
 
           OR
                                
What will be the first thing you do should we crown
you Miss (Teen, Ms, Mrs) _?
 What will be the first thing you eat after the
pageant?
What will you do if you win this title?
  

83
Okay, so now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s take a
look at the most common answer to this question:
If you say you’ll educate and create awareness and
be a role model. There’s a basic flaw in this answer.
‘Educate and raise

awareness’ and ‘role model for others’ is the basic

content and message of answers from most of the
contestants at your pageant. (And yes, I do mean
every pageant.) Why does everyone give this
answer? Because everyone hates the question, they
panic when they hear it, so they hurry through an
answer without really thinking through the question.
If you’re using this, or something similar, as your
answer you’re going to sound like every other
contestant at the pageant. And since I know you
don’t want that, let’s go on to the next thing that’s
wrong with this answer.
Get in her shoes.
So, exactly what does the titleholder for your
pageant do?
Is the titleholder expected to do a lot of community
service work? Then you should talk about the
community service work you’ve done.
Does the pageant have an official platform that the
titleholder will need to promote? If that’s the case,
you might discuss your knowledge of the platform
and your plans to promote it.
Or does the titleholder promote the title by making a
lot of appearances at local or state pageants? If
that’s the expectation, you could discuss your
flexible schedule and ability to travel.
So take a few moments and think about what the
titleholder does. There are probably two or three
main responsibilities that she’s expected to fulfil. 
Now, think about your background, experience and
the personal characteristics that qualify you to be the
titleholder. Write down the two to three that are
most directly connected to the responsibilities of the
titleholder.
Next, think about how you can explain to the judges
how what you’ve done directly connects to the
expectations of the titleholder.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “This is hard!” No,
it’s amazingly easy. If it feels hard, you’re probably
overthinking your answer.
The answer is a list of things that you’ve done that
are similar to what you’ll do as the titleholder. That’s
it!
And here’s the best part: if you’re giving a list of
things that you’ve done, that’s not bragging.
Bragging happens when you ADD ADJECTIVES to the
list of your accomplishments. 

Instead of just stating, “I’ve made over 50

appearances with my title, bragging is when you say,
“I made over 50 of the most amazing and impactful
appearances with my title.”
If you just give a list – without adjectives – you’re
stating facts. You’re just summarizing things that
have happened. You’re not comparing yourself to
others or doing a hard sell of your accomplishments.
You won’t feel awkward and won’t worry that you
sound overconfident. You’re saying what you did,
that’s all. You feel comfortable just giving a factual
summary of what you did, right?
So when you’re practising your answer, here are
three quick ways to double-check your content:
· Are you listing more than three accomplishments?
Your answer is going to be too long and comes
across as a hard sell.
· Are you using any adjectives? If you are, it’s going
to come across as bragging.

85
  So now you’re all set with a great answer that you
can deliver with confidence during your pageant
interview. Then all you have to do in the interview
room is wrap up your content with your best beauty
queen smile. Because you just nailed the answer to
the most hated question in pageantry.
You’re going to be Fabulous!
  
8. Are you working for your dream job?
 
    OR
 
 What do you want to do for a living?
What is your dream job? 
 
  Where do you want to go to college? (Teens)
 What do you want to study in college? (Teens)
 
You should always see that, your aims and ambitions
should focus and match with the pageant’s goals.
This helps you achieve your goals and also will be
beneficial for the society too.
So, it is very vital to first know the pageant goals. For
this before coming for an interview, you should do
smart research about the organizing (committee)
organization.
It helps you have an idea about the company’s
culture and goals. With the help of this, you can
easily craft your answers accordingly.
 
               Answer in a fairly general manner:
 
The candidates can give their answer in a fairly
general manner. It is defined more on a typical
career path. If the answer is so much elaborated then
one may forget it. So it is advisable to be specific
while answering and also the candidate should be
truthful.
Candidate must answer in such a way that the
answer given does not create a fake image in the
minds of the interviewer.
    Explain the interest of long-term career
goals:
Since the organization is going to invest their
considerable time, money and energy. Show them
that you’ll be a valuable asset.
                                Describing enthusiasm:
The next step towards the job is more experienced
and more excited. The candidates are expected to
explain their enthusiasm towards the position.
    Showing self-discipline:
Usually, people with ambition are so much focused
and have plans to succeed. They must focus on their
hardworking rather than hardly working to achieve it.
    Showing passion:
The organizations will see for a person who has the
job that satisfies their passion. This helps them to
utilize the candidate with their innovative ideas for
their complete employment.
  Describing the time that takes to achieve
ambition: 
As ambitions are fixed, the candidate must keep
track of the ways and manage the time to achieve it.
It can be achieved step by step as to define what
must be done to help or obtain it by an individual.
BEST APPROACH
                 Do thorough research.
                       Prepare a solid answer.
The candidate must be aware of what exactly is
required and how to be the best candidate for that
position. It modulates upon the defined goals and is
job oriented within the detailed research systems.
    Be yourself:
The candidate must not try to overreact to define the
necessity of the job. It has more importance as a

87
professional overboard and is defined more to be on
the personality as a line of the manager.
    Ask a question to yourself:
It manages the serialized and defined way of all the
fit and current learning of the ideas that are defined
and elaborated. It manages the learning and interest
among every person in the team.
It dramatizes the preparedness for all the achievable
goals. The level of expectation of the employer
should match with the significance of goals. Do not
make the level to go back.
 
    Scripting:
Prepare in advance, after getting a question the
candidate must answer it in such a way that he/she
has more contribution to the organization. 
 
    Drafting the answer in advance:
Answers can be drafted in advance to modulate the
resourceful ideas. It manages the appropriate
statements that are serialized into the progressive
performance of all the challenging things.
It manages a secure position in a customized way to
create a particular objective. It matches the priorities
of all paths that are set to achieve.
 Best way to answer this Question:
One must focus on the desired results and it has to
be broader for a definite goal. It can be a long-term
aspiration that they can be mid-career goals that are
modulated within the major goal.
While being focused, the candidate may think of all
the roles that are stimulated within the focused
picture. Employers will place their demand on every
basis that is more bypassed within the fear of the
candidate to bring all the defined goals.
This question is taken as a behavioural
question that has to be answered in such a way that
all the interviewers will focus on the confidence
level of the candidate.
 
PLEASE DON’T BE TOO SPECIFIC.
 

Being too specific will sometimes is more unrealistic.

Even if ambitions and goals are specific, it should be
realistic and achievable in the available job. Thus,
the interviewer will suggest that the person is not fit
for that position.
 
 
9. Tell us about your failure.
 
OR
:
Tell us about a challenge that you experienced and
how you overcame it?
Tell us about your biggest disappointment and how
you bounced back from it?
 
 Behavioural interview questions tend to begin with
“Tell me about a time…” or “Give me an example
of…” Each question focuses on a desired competency
area (a few examples: communication skills, time
management, and creativity).
 
“IT’S FINE TO CELEBRATE SUCCESS BUT IT IS
MORE IMPORTANT TO HEED THE LESSONS OF
FAILURE.”
— Bill Gates
 
You might assume that interviewer ask this question
to torture you, to dig for any evidence of a flaw, any
excuse to reject you. When you look at it this way,
it’s no wonder that many candidates freeze up and

89
have trouble coming up with a good example of a
failure.
Let me reassure you to know that the interviewer
won't expect you to be perfect. They know that
everybody fails.
They ask this question to understand:
Are you someone who ;learns from their failure?
Do you take smart risks? 
After all, if you’ve never failed, then you’ve probably
never succeeded on any significant level either. They
want to know: Do you know how to fail smart and
learn from your mistakes?
The most common phrasing of the question is the
simple. 
 There are some other variations on this theme as
well:
 

The most common mistake is to NOT answer the

question. I can understand why a candidate might
freeze up if asked about failure. If you haven’t
prepared to address this topic, it can be daunting to
try to instantly think of a good example and then
describe it in a diplomatic way that shows you are
both honest and smart.

How to Pick a Good Failure Story

Before you jump into the STAR format, you must

choose the right example to talk about. It is very
important to select a failure example that will serve
you well in job interviews.
 
(The STAR format stands for Situation, Task, Action,
and Result.)
 
Everybody fails — in big and small ways. The tricky
part is to craft a failure example that highlights your
strengths and smarts.
. Choose a real failure. You must answer the
question. 
 
. Don’t raise red flags. At the same time, you don’t
have to confess your deepest and darkest secrets.
Don’t choose a failure that was the result of a serious
personal mistake (totally forgot to attend the
meeting) or character flaw (probably shouldn’t have
called the client “Sweetcheeks”). A team failure can
work well because you share responsibility with
others (just make sure you acknowledge your role
and don’t try to pass the buck completely)
 
3. Focus on learning. Pick a story that ends with a
compelling example of a lesson learned. Ideally, you
should be able to point to applying your hard-won
knowledge/skills successfully on a subsequent
project.
 
Don’t Forget to Practice
 Interview practice may not be exciting, but it is
incredibly effective. I have seen the difference that
practice had made for thousands of job seekers,
especially when it comes to answering difficult
behavioural questions (including questions about
failures).
Don’t fail to prepare, prepare to discuss your failure.
 
 
10. How do you handle peer pressure?
 
 
 OR
Tell us about a time when you had to overcome peer
pressure to do the right thing

91
 Have you ever been bullied? If so, how did you
handle it?
 
How to Respond
There are two distinct ways of responding. The first
way should be your default: don’t give them any
attention. Simply don’t respond. Ignore. Walk away.
Do everything you can to not allow bullying to disrupt
your life. Don’t stop writing because the troll tells
you to. Don’t get angry because the kid is calling you
a name. Don’t hand over your valuable possessions
because they say it will make them stop? If you give
in to threats and manipulation then you will train the
bully do more of the same. Do not give the bully the
satisfaction of controlling your life. They are
powerless, and you are not. Continue with your
mission. Continue with your purpose. When you do
this, the bully will simply lose interest and seek
gratification elsewhere.
 
When using this first way of responding, if you have
to interact with the bully for practical reasons—let’s
say you work with them—then make sure to stay
focused on the practical aspects of the interaction.
Keep it all-business, and simply focus on achieving
the stated goals. Meanwhile, begin to reposition
yourself so that you have to interact with the bully
less and less. Metaphorically, or literally, back away
slowly while smiling. Then run. Even if you keep
telling yourself that functional progress is possible in
relationship with a bully, the sooner you learn to set
your expectations low the better. A bully’s goal is not
a success and thriving. 
A bully is wallowing in self-pitying victimhood and
their primary objective is to drag you down into that
pit with them.
The second main way of responding to a bully is to
strike them hard, either metaphorically or literally.
Reserve this approach for moments of self-defence
only. If your safety and wellbeing are in

imminent danger, then feel free to defend yourself as

necessary (while adhering to your local laws).
Generally, bullies are cowards who spend their time
trying to intimidate others to keep their cowardice
hidden. One solid, confident strike will knock sense
into them. Even if you are much smaller and weaker
than the bully, know that their pain tolerance is very
low and their fear of strength is very high. You will
shock them, and they will run away. At the very
least, they will think twice about messing with you
again.
 
Conclusion
 
Don’t get emotionally caught up with bullies unless
you’re a trained professional. They’re severely
wounded individuals. Since they have no esteem for
themselves or from others, they try to acquire it
through intimidation and control. On the other hand,
you have been developing the qualities that garner
true admiration: kindness, empathy, perseverance,
courage, patience, responsibility, moderation, self-
awareness, confidence, and vulnerability. Your goals
do not include helping bullies with bullying, either of
yourself or others.
Now you know the various situations and the ways
you might have handled the bullying, formulate your
answer accordingly. Be honest yet tactful in your
approach.
 
11. What kind of obstacles did you have to
overcome to compete in this pageant?
 
 
OR:

93
How did you prepare for this pageant?
Did you hire a pageant coach to help you prepare?
Who helped you prepare for this pageant?
 What was the hardest sacrifice you had to make
when preparing for this title?
 
To answer this question elaborate on your
preparation and thing this helped to overcome your
weakness. Again I would suggest you be honest in
your approach.
 
12. Why do you think your platform is
important?
 
 
    OR
Why is your platform important to you?
Why did you select your pageant platform? 
 
13. Is social media bringing people together or
causing separation?
 
  
      OR
Is technology hurting our communication skills?
 Is social media bringing people together or causing
separation?
 Is texting hurting our communication skills?
  Do you think technology is hurting personal
relationships?
 
14. If you could have the powers of any superhero
what would it be?
 
     OR
 If you could have any superhuman power what
would it be?
If you woke up tomorrow and gained any one ability
or quality, what would you want it to be?
 
ABILITY… It’s simple to answer but takes some time
to explain you have been craving to get something
and all of a sudden you are granted that wish. What
would you do? Such questions are asked to gauge
your ability and your thought process. It’s after all a
virtual ability that you are talking about? So choose
an ability that gives you an edge in solving real-life
issues or helps humanity in some way. It’s just a way
to check if you can be a pageant and use the
platform for the betterment of others.
 
 15. What would be your only wish?
    OR:
If I were a genie in a bottle and could grant you any
one wish, what would that be? (Note: You better wish
to win the crown!)
 
While answering such questions, you need to give a
solid reason for your wish. Be positive in your
approach.
 
 
 
16. What is your biggest flaw?
 
 
OR:
 
 Tell us about your biggest weakness.
What is your biggest fear?
 
 When you go into the interview, the interviewer
might ask, “What is your greatest fear” Behavioural
interview questions can be very difficult to answer.
You do not want to get caught in a negative

95
response, but you do want to answer honestly. What
you are scared of can tell the interviewer a lot about
how you are likely to cope with the situations.
Furthermore, the interviewer gets some insight into
your character. However, how you deal with your
fears is far more telling about whether or not you are
a good fit for the position. All of this is important
information for the interviewer as she attempts to
find individuals who will benefit society in the future.
 
Points to Emphasize
 
If you can, choose a more general fear such as losing
a close family member. Interviewers will easily
sympathize, but you don’t have to reveal too much.
· Emphasize how you overcome your stated fear.
· Be confident in your response.
· State why the fear occurs.
· End on a positive note.
If you are asked about a work-related fear, be
honest, but also try to stay away from negative
responses. You can easily refocus the conversation to
your strengths if you discuss how you took an
initiative to combat and overcome your fears.
 

Mistakes You Should Avoid

 
Interviewers ask this question to gauge your
confidence and ability to handle obstacles. Keep this
in mind during your response and avoid these
mistakes:
  Avoid being too specific unless the interviewer
insists.
  Avoid being negative in your response.
  Do not mention failures due to this fear unless
prompted.
· Try to avoid a fear that is completely off topic from
the interview.
They will admire honesty, so do not feel like you
have to fabricate or lie about a fear. Answer
truthfully, but do your best to paint yourself in a
good light.
 
Sample Answer
 
Here is an example of a good answer to the “What is
your greatest fear” question:
PUBLIC SPEAKING HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR ME
OVER THE YEARS. I USED TO BE TERRIFIED OF
GIVING PRESENTATIONS, SO I STARTED TAKING
PUBLIC SPEAKING SEMINARS TO IMPROVE. NOW, I
STILL GET A BIT NERVOUS BEFORE PITCHES, BUT
I’VE LEARNED HOW TO REMAIN CALM AND GET THE
JOB DONE RIGHT.
Remember, this question is as much about how you
deal with obstacles as it is about your fears. Always
try to make it positive and focus on how you’ve
coped with your anxieties.
 
 
17. If you could give your younger self one
piece of advice what would that be?
 
   OR:
 
What is the most important issue your generation is
facing?
What do you think is the biggest problem facing
young people today?
  What do you think is the biggest problem facing
teens today?
 

97
18. Have you experienced criticism for
competing in pageantry? If so, how did you
handle it?
 
OR:
Why do you think that people have a negative image
of pageantry?
With the current negative media attention about
pageantry, what advice would you give someone on
the fence about competing?
 Do you think that pageantry objectifies women?
 What would you say to someone that says
pageantry degrades women?
 
 
19. What is your favourite dessert?
   OR
 
 What is your favourite food?
What is your guilty pleasure?
 
20. Tell us about your favourite movie?
 
  OR
 
What is your favourite television show that you have
to watch weekly?
What is your favourite book?
 
21. What is one thing that we would not know about
you just by looking at you?
 
OR
 Do you have a hidden talent?
 
22. How will you handle the responsibilities of the
crown on top of your job, family and marriage?  
 
OR
With everything that you have going on how will you
handle the responsibilities of the crown if you are
selected?

How do you plan on juggling the responsibilities of

the crown with the demands of your current life?
 
23. What has been your favourite place you
have visited?
 
OR
Describe to us your dream vacation.
 Tell us about your favourite family vacation.
If you could visit any place in the world where would
you go?
 
24. Few random questions that you don’t
know.
 
Explanation: You will experience judges who will ask
you random pageant questions based on their vast
knowledge in politics, history or their occupation that
you do not know. Practice what you will say when a
judge asks you something that is outside of your
knowledge base. Hint: It’s ok to tell the judge that
you don’t know. Your goal is to win a beauty
pageant, not be a walking encyclopaedia.
 

 
25. Current Events.
 
Be prepared for the current events. You need to
know and analyze the root of any issue so that you
are well prepared to answer.

99
If 3 or 4 news channels are covering a story within a
week of your pageant then you will be asked for your
opinion on the story.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

CHAPTER SIX

GETTING READY FOR THE BIG DAY

WARDROBE

When it comes to beauty pageants, everyone knows

that pageant dresses and gowns can make or break
a contestant. Choosing the best pageant dress is
critical to ensuring that you have given the
competition your very best effort. Along with exuding
self-confidence, poise, and grace your choice of
pageant gown may be the determining factor of how
the judges score your performance. You must decide
what gown you wear carefully.
One of the most important factors to consider when
choosing a pageant dress is colour. When choosing
the colour of your dress, it is important to understand
what colours look best with your natural skin tone
and hair colour. Certain colours are more flattering to
the wearer than others and you should never choose
a dress simply because it is your favourite colour.
You may find that working with a pageant trainer is
the best way to develop your eye for shades and
ensure that you choose pageant dresses that
complement and enhance your skin and hair tones,
rather than work against them.

Knowing your body shape is vitally important when

selecting a dress. Always choose a dress that
compliments your shape. If you are long-waisted,
then don't choose a dress that has a short waistline
and vice versa.
You will also need to consider how revealing you
want your dress to be. Judges may look unfavourably
upon some dresses that are too low cut or have
excessively high slits. Knowing what the judges are
looking for is crucial for making your decision. It is
also important to follow any rules and guidelines
outlined in the pageant competition.

The season that the pageant is hosted in is also an

important factor to consider when choosing a
pageant gown. Different colours are associated with
certain seasons and it is important to choose a colour
that is appropriate for that time of year.

You will also need to ensure that the dress fits

perfectly. If it is too tight around the bust or too
loose, you may end up forfeiting the win. You will
also need to determine what type of neckline your
pageant gown should have. Your natural figure and

101
shape will determine what type of neckline will look
best on you. The neckline should also compliment as
well as enhance your shoulders.

Knowing your body type and choosing a dress that

enhances your best features is essential to winning
beauty pageants. You will also need to be wary of
choosing a dress that has too many patterns or extra
detailing. If the gown looks too busty the judges may
not be impressed and you may walk away with a
very low score. Studying past pageants may help you
decide what the judges are looking for when it comes
to PAGEANT GOWNS. You want to make sure that
you choose a gown that looks smashing, but not
trashy. Choosing gowns that compliment your skin
tone, don't reveal too much flesh, and have tasteful
patterns contribute to ensuring that you will look
poised and graceful in your next pageant.

How to Plan Your Wardrobe for a Pageant? Well, this

is the obvious question which pops up in every
pageant participants' mind. When planning for
pageants, just keep one thing in mind that this is not
your daily wardrobe at all. So grab a pencil and paper
and let’s get started.

We’re here to remind you of the bare closet

necessities and add to that ever-growing list to make
sure that you are well-packed and well-dressed at
your pageant.
Here are some of the basic dresses that you may
require.

Look like a beauty queen.

Because even though it’s “scholarship competition”,
it’s also a beauty pageant.
The truth is how we look at matters. We judge books
by their covers. In the world of beauty pageants,
there is rather obvious pressure to look your best at
all times. You need to look your best.
It doesn’t mean starving yourself, getting fake boobs,
or radically changing your look to satisfy what you
think the pageant is looking for. It means being
intentional about your grooming and styling choices.
Looking at your best during the judges’ interview is a
must.
Statistically speaking, if you look fabulous during the
interview, you will score higher. Okay, just kidding —
there are no statistics that prove that.
Your appearance is the strongest factor in your first
impression. Only if you look great and feel good
about yourself, will you leave the judges feeling good
about you.
Makeup
As a rule of thumb, don’t overdo your interview
makeup, especially if the conversation has you up
close to the judges. Up close, heavy stage makeup
can be highly unflattering if there isn’t directional
lighting pointed at your face. Choose natural-looking
eyelashes and neutral shades of eye shadows,
contouring, and lipstick.
As a tip for the less experienced, you can bring your
makeup bag to the interview holding area and scope
out the competition to see how much makeup
they’re wearing. Arrive with a “no-makeup-makeup-
look” base and apply more if you notice the others
wearing heavier makeup than you. (However, this
won’t be ideal for everyone. You might prefer
spending your pre-interview time focused and
meditating instead of frantically layering on
mascara.)
Hair

103
Many contestants stressed about hair. After all, it's a
big part in your overall look. “Your hair is the ball
gown you never take off.” Whether you choose to
leave your hair down or sweep it up in a ponytail,
practice how you’re going to style it.
It is most important to be comfortable styling your
hair. You should plan the date of your last wash;
know how to sleep in it the night before, and be fully
comfortable with any styling tools (curling irons,
rollers, etc.)
It’s key to not touch it during the interview
It’s, unfortunately, distracting and temporarily pulls
the focus away from the speaker. Female politicians
are coached to avoid it, and you should too.
Another annoyance is a quick sideways-and-back jerk
of the head to remove hair out of the eyes without
using her hands. It’s most common with women with
side-swept bangs, and if it’s a habit in her daily life,
no wonder that behaviour makes its way into the
interview too.
If you have a fringe haircut, ensure it stays in place
without any extraneous head movements.

DRESS THE RIGHT WAY

A wardrobe is a big part of the fun and fanfare in

pageantry. What you wear is one of the most
memorable aspects of your interview because it’s the
packaging that encases the product (you). Judges jot
down the colour of your outfit to jog their memory for
later.
Select an outfit that works for your body type and
skin tone. You can determine if you have a warm,
cool, or neutral undertone by going to a MAC makeup
counter for a foundation test. Generally, women with
warm skin tones look good in warmer shades like
gold and reds. Those with cool skin tones look good
in cooler shades like blues and emeralds.
You should also research what style of interview
outfit is most appropriate for your pageant.
Some organizations ask that you dress as you would
for banking or consulting interview. Others
appreciate more pizzazz and flamboyance. Do not
wear a hat, purse or bring your phone. Avoid
anything fully-sequined, floor-length, and cocktail
attire. Choose

footwear that you’re comfortable standing in and

silent accessories.
Most importantly, choose an ensemble that you
adore! When you like how you look, you’ll exude a
happier and more confident vibe. If looking like a
million bucks, you’ll feel like a million bucks.
Getting Help
Even if you hire a hair and makeup team, you should
be able to get ready on your own. If you win, you’ll
have a year’s worth of appearances to attend. Doing
your hair and makeup saves you money, time, and
gives you greater control over the result. Nobody is
going to care more about, or better know, your face
than you.
However, there are occasions when hiring a
professional is a good idea. After all, there’s a reason
why brides opt for that on their wedding day. Some
makeup artists can be positive confidantes as well as
skilled experts at working on your face in a way that
you haven’t yet learned.
 
Interview Dress

Remember the first impression is always the last

impression. So make this count. Search for an
interview dress that compliments your personality

105
and appearance (from skin tone to hair colour to eye
colour). Find simple earrings and nude pumps and
leave it at that. Don’t douse yourself in perfume,
tease your hair halfway to Heaven, line your eyes
extensively, or draw attention to anything other than
your aura. Let your personality and presence speak
for itself. That makes for a great first impression. And
avoid bling accessories strictly, especially in the
interview room.

Evening Gown

The second most important thing is your dream

dress. Let your dress add to your poise and elegance
or try something unexpected just to be remembered.
Don’t step a foot in a dress shop or trunk show until
you read about the 6 secrets to discovering the
perfect evening gown for your next pageant. Always
go for a classy choice.

 
Swimsuit

For a unique image, you should always try different

styles of swimsuits; even the slightest belly pudge is
made obvious by a swimsuit bottom that isn’t low
enough. Sounds odd, but it’s true. You cannot judge
a swimsuit on its hanger or a mannequin or any
person other than you. That applies to everything.

Talent Outfit

Well, what is your talent? Most of the people that we

can think of have music intertwined in some way, so
start there. What song are you performing? Go with a
theme! Every outfit is another glimpse of your
personality and taste. However, don’t simply plan for
the style. If you are uncomfortable, it won’t go
unnoticed. Make sure that you are considering
practicality that too with ease.
 

Fun Fashion Outfit

Fashion with Fun… Sounds good eh? Look for

something that represents your taste and something
you will enjoy modelling onstage. That’s all there is
to it. You should feel more confident in this phase of
competition than Angelina Jolie on the red carpet.  

Cocktail Dresses

A cocktail dress is enough for a picture-perfect you.

Be ready for it. Bring a nice cocktail dress for each
night of competition to exist in. You’ll be glad you
did. If you need to purchase some, go ahead.

Rehearsal dresses.

You start competing for the moment you arrive, and

you aren’t finished until you lay your head down at
night. Always be presentable. There are always eyes
on you. (You can’t hide from

Shutterbugs, can you?). You want to be comfortable

in rehearsals, but you can do that and still look
stylish. What you wear affects our demeanour and
how seriously other people take us. We encourage
you to consider this. It’s just another way to stand
out.

107
Be bold, be stylish, & be YOU! You can rock any
pageant with this attitude!!

1. Pasarela/ walking exercises

2. Posture/ Poise

The Pageant Walk

More commonly known in the Latin world as the

‘Pasarela’, the pageant walk is loads more
complicated than the catwalk modelling that we see
on fashion shows. In fashion shows, the model is
selling the clothes she wears. In pageants, the
pageant girl has to use the clothes to show off her
personality and ‘sell herself’ to the judges as the
potential winner.

There are multitudes of methodology in terms of

teaching how to walk but it must all involve 3 major
aspects: Stride, Turns and the Center of Gravity.

CENTRE OF GRAVITY

Emphasis on the body’s centre of gravity should be

paid attention to as wearing high heels forces the
body to arch the back, makes both the pelvis and
chest thrust forward, the butt clenches and sticks
out, the muscles of the calves are tightened, and the
body’s centre of gravity is shifted forward. The body
does this to compensate for the weaker balance. (I
would suggest everyone lean more here.) This makes
the posture look alert and looks very visually
appealing.
STRIDE

When walking in heels, a woman’s stride becomes

shorter because of the change in the centre of
gravity of the body. When walking in a straight line
the hip movement is exaggerated as the pelvic
bones sway higher because of the elevated heel.
Studies show that the change in gait makes women
look more attractive. This is why catwalk coaches
emphasize the hip sway and longer graceful stride.

Practice your turns.

Most pageant coaches would also advise walking

from the heel to toe but that is easier said than done.
High heel forces the entire weight of the body
towards the ball of the foot instead of the more
spread out pressure on the entire foot. This is why it
is better advised to take two half-turns than a full
turn as it may throw anyone’s centre of balance.

The correct body posture for pageants.

Pageant hopefuls are taught to stand, sit, pose and

smile a certain way. Emphasis is made on proper
posture. While high heels tend to pull up the body
straight and upward, it does not guarantee the best
visual posture that pageant girls might aim for. The
head has to be held perpendicular to the floor and
should not be held forward. The neck should be in
alignment with the shoulder. The shoulders shouldn’t
be rounded but straight, no overarching of the back
and the knees should not lock tight.

Do you have the perfect pose?

109
In some cases, the pageant stance requires some
adjustments to make the girls look taller, leaner and
visually longer. This is why some pageant coaches
teach their student to twist their hips higher with
whichever foot is forwarded to create the illusion of
longer legs. Some would advise pageant girls to put
their hands on the

hips instead of the natural waist to emphasize a

smaller waist. Some may keep their hands at the
sides to create a longer visual appearance.

Nowadays, there are no hard and fast rules on how

pageant girls are to sit properly in closed-door
interviews. Some may still adapt how the royals sit
by slanting their legs and tucking one ankle at the
back. This is called the Windsor tuck. Others may
prefer crossing their legs, provided that they aren’t
wearing short skirts.

Smile as often as you can.

There are several ways to smile. Most common is

full-on smile with teeth showing. This is the most
common pageant way to smile, but this could be
tiring and could potentially dry your mouth. A trick
pageant girls use is to use Vaseline on their teeth
and gums to make the teeth look shinier and to
prevent drying of the mouth. Then there is the
smaller smile with teeth. This is perhaps the best
type of smile as it won’t tire you quickly. Then there
is the smirk or the shy smile without teeth. This is the
most enigmatic type of smile, and certainly very
intriguing. Then finally we have the “smize” which
Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach is so fondly known for.
It is a type of ‘sexy face’ that uses more of the eyes
than the lips.
A good pageant coach can explain more of these in
detail and could tailor-make the type of smile, pose
and walk that would work for a pageant girl’s
personality and body type. This is why selecting a
pageant coach that can give you more one-on-one
coaching is important. So be very picky about who
you want to work with.

Here we will talk about the three fundamentals while

preparing:

1. Q&A/ Interview
2. Personality development
3. Pageant etiquette

.
What you should not do in a beauty pageant.

ALWAYS BE YOURSELF – It pays to be professional in

pageants without losing your personality. If you are
the quiet type, no need to put on an outgoing front
just to get the judges and organization to like you. If
you are the naturally outgoing type, then be just
that, without making it appear that you aren’t taking
the pageant seriously.

Polish your attitude and etiquette.

Acting like a Diva or like God’s gift to pageantry will

not get you anywhere. Do not act as if the world
revolves around you because it doesn’t. Nowadays,
pageant organizers have a hand in selecting the
semi-finalist or even the winner.
So if they see you as a potential problem to work
with then you might not get the chance to even

111
advance to the semis, much less to win the title. You
have to go into the pageants with the mindset that
you are competing with ladies who are just as
qualified for the title as you. So do not think you are
superior in any way.
Learn a thing or two on basic etiquette so you don’t
look out of place when you are dining or talking with
sponsors, politicians, and judges.
That concludes the basics of pageant training.
We encourage pageant hopefuls to be selective
with whom they get as coaches and mentors.
Make sure that the ones you work with are the
ones who you feel good working with and one
who will make you take ownership of your
pageant journey.
 If you are the naturally outgoing type, then be
just that, without making it appear that you
aren’t taking the pageant seriously.
If you looking to work with a coach make sure
that the ones you work with are the ones who
you feel good working with and one who will
make you take ownership of your pageant
journey.

DEVELOP YOUR PERSONALITY. BE CONFIDENT.

Get to Know Who You Are – there is an exercise

book used by several personal/ life coaches that
can be useful for pageant girls. The book forces
you to know yourself better on a personal,
psychological & emotional level. Who are you?
What values do you stand for? How would you
describe yourself as a human being? How do you
define your humanity? Those are just some tough
questions you have to answer as you work
introspectively on yourself. Knowing who you are
in the best confidence-building exercise you can
ever do. It trumps any other cosmetic confidence
booster as you are strong in your core
foundations.

Practice Makes Perfect – commit to frequent and

regular practice for interviews, walking, hair and
makeup preparation, and training for physical
fitness. Aside from the mental preparation,
nothing beats the added boost of knowing you
prepared physically for the competition at hand.
This means that you bring yourself at your best
for the pageant.

113
CHAPTER SEVEN

After months of tiring preparations and rehearsals we

are ready to roll out the basic emergency kit that
every pageant should have in her wardrobe.
I am sure you have enjoyed the journey. Nibs is
ready and confident now. My best wishes to her and
all the contestants that would benefit from this book.
Remember, the journey may be tiring but it is only
you who can make this happen. Keep trying and you
will ultimately succeed.

This truly has been a long journey. There had been

phases when she was down and needed lots of
coaxing to do things. True test of relationship also
comes during tough times. There had been testing
times in our relationship too. We had our share of
fight and good times too.
We learned few lessons that not only strengthened
our relationship and made us stronger/ No matter
what happens we need to stick together this is the
ultimate lesson that we learnt. This is not the end of
the world. There are much more beyond the beauty
pageant. Keep your relations intact, nurture it.

Life is a beautiful gift to us and relationship ship

forms the core of it. Learn the valuable lessons from
the competition. However, if you cannot make it the
first time, analyses your mistakes and give it another
try with renewed vigor. Do not neglect your relations
or put a blame game on each other, the learning
point from a competition is to accept the reality and
work on it. Even if you do not make it the next time,
don’t treat it as the end of the world. Keep working
towards your goal. The nature has a strange way of
giving things. Be patient and be humble.

Wish you very best in your lives. Have a great and

successful and above all a meaningful life. No matter
where you trot, my best wishes are with you.

115
THE BEAUTY PAGEANT EMERGENCY KIT

·       Sewing kit:

·        various sized needles
·        thread to match each outfit
·        thimble, small scissors
·        notions for each outfit
(Extra buttons, hook and eyes, beads,

Rhine stones, backings, etc.)

·         Safety pins in various sizes

·         Breath mints, Listerine strips, toothpicks

·         Tylenol, antacids, cough drops, medications
·         Feminine products
·         Nail file and clippers
·         Extra nylons
·         Cotton swabs and cotton balls
·         Snacks
·         Bobby pins
·         Hairspray
·         Hand-held mirror (and extras!)
·         Tweezers
·         Deodorant (make sure it is the clear type)
·         Propane-powered curling iron
(Outlets are scarce in dressing rooms)
·         Clear nail polish: to stop runs in nylons
 and fixing nail polish chips
·         Polish remover

·         double-sided tape

·         Band aids
·         Stain remover
·         Towel
·         Steamer
·         Throat spray (if singing)
·         Power extension cord
Clothing
·         Arrival outfit, shoes,
Jewelry, and accessories
·         Formal outfit, shoes,
Jewelry and accessories
·         Interview outfit, shoes,
Jewelry and accessories
·         Optional competition outfits,
Shoes and accessories
(Talent, actress, speech, sportswear)
·         Rehearsal/fun casual outfits,
Shoes, and accessories
·         Cut of your dance music
·         Swimsuit, cover-up, and sandals
 (If the hotel has a pool)
·         Pajamas
·         Bathrobe and slippers
·         Nylons
·         Slips/petticoat
·         Under-garments
·         Jacket/sweatshirt/hoodie
·         Purse/tote
·         Garment bags
Hair
·         Hair Dryer
·         Curling Iron
·         Straightener
·         Hot Rollers/Sponge Curlers

·         Hairspray
·         Mousse/Gel
·         Comb
·         Brush
·         Large Toothed Comb
·         Teasing Comb
·         Roller Clips/Bobby Pins
·         Shampoo/Conditioner
·         Dry Shampoo
·         Barrettes
·         Ponytail holders
·         Clips
·         Hair Nets
·         Shower Caps
Cosmetic
·         Make-up
·         Make-up Remover
·         Make-up mirror
·         Cotton swabs
·         Cotton balls
·         Cosmetic brush kit/sponges
·         Facial cleanser, moisturizer
·         Acne/skin medications and necessities
·         Manicure and pedicure items
·         Fake lashes
Grooming
·         Shampoo and conditioner
·         Body wash with puff/loofah
·         Deodorant
·         Razors and shaving crème
·         Hand and body lotions
·         Toothbrush
·         Toothpaste
·         Dental floss
·         Perfume

·         Tweezers
·         Sunscreen
·         Shower cap
Beauty Pageant check-in
·         Fees
·         Admission ticket(s)
·         Paperwork
·         Directions
·         Hotel information
·         Date and times
Staying Overnight Items
·         Pictures of friends and family
·         Journal
·         Favorite stuffed animal or pillow for host home
·         Cell phone charger
·         iPod charger
·         Workout videos for host home/hand weights/etc.
·         A small gift for your roommate, host and
chaperone!
Miscellaneous stuff

Self-belief comes with constant endeavor, and once

you gain it, there is no stopping by.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mukarram Khan is a Mumbai based filmmaker. Trained

as software professional he chose to pursue his first
love, film making. He has actively been involved in
various aspects of film making

He also wrote scripts and directed commercials and

short films. His leisure finds him giving soft skill
training to the corporate world and preparing actors
for their performance.

The present book is an amalgamation of his

cumulative experience in film and fashion Industry. For
the last several years he has been actively involved in
conducting workshop and training for the beauty
pageant. This allowed him to observe things at close
quarters. He has already been training the pageant s
on a personal level and would not shy away from
giving valuable insights whenever needed.

This book will help not only the beauty pageants but
also other women who wish to carve a niche for
themselves.
The author can be reached at
mukarram@gmail.com