How I Prepped for Miss NY USA
Last weekend, I competed in the Miss New York USA pageant, and I had the BEST TIME! I am so proud of myself for placing in the top 21 out of 175 amazing contestants. While the competition was short, I spent months planning and preparing to be ready to compete (check out my vlog, where I filmed the entire process!). I thought it would be fun to share my preparation routine on the blog to help inspire and prepare anyone who may be starting their pageant season!
Months in Advance
Beauty Routine
-Find a good skincare regimen for your skin type. I started a new skincare routine months before I competed to help target my skin concerns. All the changes I made to my routine were recommendations, so do your research and don't be afraid to try new products to help your skin feel refreshed and rejuvenated!
-Start drinking more water daily! I always notice a huge difference in my skin when I drink more water. I started drinking lemon water to add some taste, and then I slowly began to drink several Stanley-size cups of water a day.
-Find a lash serum that will help grow and strengthen your lashes! My favorite product has been the Revolution Beauty lash serum, and for $10, it's a GREAT DEAL. This was one of the first steps I changed in my pageant beauty preparation routine, and I noticed a drastic change in my eyelashes.
Book Appointments
-The first thing you should do is book any hair and makeup appointments. For this pageant, I didn't have the luxury of hiring my own hair and makeup artist like I usually do. Instead, I had to schedule makeup lessons and train myself for this difficult, but rewarding, task! This was my first pageant without a team to help me, which had its battles. However, I am so glad I had time to practice and perfect my on-stage look before competing!
-Make sure to book your hotel and travel arrangements in advance. Multiple pageants offer a lower rate for pageant weekend, so be sure to check those deadlines. Will and I booked our rental car and hotel a month and a half before the competition, and I had planned our entire schedules for the weekend at this point too.
-Book any and all other appointments you can think of! From facials, spray tans, and hair, I like having my appointments set up and in my calendar to put my mind at ease.
Workout Routine
I recommend working out several times a week leading up to the pageant. The Miss USA Organization requires all contestants to compete in swimwear, and personally, I knew I wanted to be physically fit and healthy for this phase of the competition. I did my best to find workouts that fit my schedule and what my body needed and could handle. Plus, I began to eat healthier and more fulfilling foods that fueled my body to handle the exercise.
Pageant Day Preparation
-Don't wait until the last minute to find your wardrobe! For Miss New York USA, I needed the following outfits: interview/registration, black swimwear, formal gown, rehearsal, and a post-prelim party outfit. Plus, I needed to find accessories and shoes. Knowing what I needed and having the time to find what I wanted gave me such peace of mind.
-Pageant coaching is essential for success! Each system and pageant requires a new "game plan," if you will. I personally decided to coach with two different women for Miss New York USA. One trained me virtually for interview prep/paperwork, and the other trained me in person for walking and styling.
-Learn and practice the opening dance number! The videos for this competition were sent out about a month in advance, so I had plenty of time to learn a few counts. This is one of my favorite phases of the pageant show because there is nothing like dancing onstage in a shimmering cocktail dress!
A Week Before
Self-Care
-Get a massage! This is something I started implementing during my second pageant in 2022 to help get the stress knots OUT! My pageant coach recommended a massage as part of my prep because of how stressed my body gets before a competition, and I typically hold tension in my shoulders and neck, which affects my walking (which is a HUGE part of what makes or breaks you).
-Self-care is essential, and hydrafacial/dermaplaning is a MUST in my pageant prep routine. These processes combined together help my skin have a more youthful glow and eliminate all my dead skin, which makes my makeup apply more evenly.
-Getting my hair done before competition is non-negotiable. I love having a fresh color, gloss, and cut before pageant week that makes my hair look the best it possibly can (thanks to a color, extension move-up, and cut!).
Physical Preparation
Keep up with your workout routine and do daily workouts! The week before a pageant can be very stressful, and a way I like to de-stress is by attending workout classes every day leading up to the pageant. Not only did it help my body, but also my mind before going to compete.
Start Packing
Start packing your bags! Something you don't want to do is wait until the day before to start packing. I made the mistake of procrastinating my packing once, and I traveled to Orlando, Florida with NO sleep. So learn from me and don't make the same mistake!
A Day Before
More Self-Care
-It's finally time to get your nails done! You want your nails to be as fresh as possible for your pageant week/weekend. You can never go wrong with a short French tip or OPI's bubble bath nail polish.
-I love to look tan and bronzed for competition, and for Miss New York USA, I decided to tan myself instead of using a business. I used Loving Tan, and I really loved it because I had all the tanning products with me to re-apply, fix any issues, and go darker if necessary.
Last Minute Packing
Always make sure to double-check your bags! I make a checklist to keep track of everything I need for a competition so I don't forget anything. This pageant was different from others I had competed in the past because I was assigned a roommate instead of staying with my family. Usually, I could ask Will to grab something I forgot, but I didn't have that luxury this time. Ensuring I had everything (including backups) was a MUST.
The Day Of
Get Motivated and Confident
Hype yourself up! I made a "pageant prep playlist" specifically for getting myself in the right headspace. The playlist includes songs about being a champion and reminding yourself that this is your time and also previous pageant opening numbers.
No Social Media Breaks
Avoid social media! To be in the right mindset, I choose not to check any social media while I compete. Social media is a great tool, but it can lead to self-sabotage, comparison, and feeling like I'm not good enough. When I do go online, it's to post my registration/onstage photos and then hop off.
Remind Yourself Why You’re Here
I always remind myself that this is my moment, and I was prepared for this. I am a full believer that whatever is for you will not pass you by. My pageant coach always told me this quote: "Lord, bless me with it or save me from it." At the end of the day, pageants are judged on the opinions of others, but my worth does not come from a panel of people who only know me during a two-minute interview and thirty seconds onstage.
Enjoy Every Moment
I find myself wanting to watch my past pageant vlogs because I want to keep reliving those moments. I wish I cherished each pageant a little more, so one of my goals heading into this competition was to enjoy the weekend by living in the moment. I didn't want to get caught up in winning or the opinions of others. I fully reminded myself that this is something I worked SO hard for and have dreamed about for years!
Thank you to everyone who has sent me sweet messages and motivational comments! I love all of you so much and am SO grateful to have a supportive and loving community. Preparing for this pageant wasn't easy, but it brought me new friends, a newfound confidence, and a chance to live fully in the moment.
