For some reason this week has been extra rough on my hands. I broke two nails and cut myself all in the span of one day. Thankfully my nails were really long so I was able to salvage them and they still look decent. The cut was pretty clean and not too deep so I think it will heal just fine. I used to think it was crazy that hand models would wear gloves all the time but I suppose it actually makes sense when your paycheck depends on you hands looking perfect. I think there is a lot of pressure in parts modeling to truly have flawless "parts," or hands in my case, so the upkeep is kind of intense. I have never really been that into moisturizing but I've started to embrace certain lotions and oils. In particular I think the number one hand care essential product is a good cuticle cream. I never cut my cuticles unless they are crazy dry or I have random hang nail. I'm not certain that this is medically accurate but I think cutting your cuticles can make them grow back more jagged and hardened. Product wise, I like anything Burt's Bees, in particular the Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream and Hand Salve. The cuticle cream is an instant fix for dry cuticles and the hand salve is the most moisturizing thing I own. I like to do a combo of the two products and if I have a shoot the next day I'll put them both on and wear some overnight lotion gloves for extra softness in the morning. For just a good general lotion I really like Trader Joe's Coconut Body Butter or St. Ives Collagen Elastin. These are both great for normal everyday lotion and for hands. Another super important thing that I had to learn the hard way - ALWAYS use a base coat when painting your nails anything highly pigmented...there is nothing worse than waiting for your stained and nasty looking nails to grow out. I like Sally Hansen's Double Duty Base Coat and Top Coat because it is two in one and lasts a long time. Here is a natural nail shot I did with some amazing Ladurée Pastries!
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Photography: Carlton Davis, Manicurist: Jin Soon, Hand Model: Susan Schell Nov 2014/December 2015 Issue - Print, Pages 300-303 A lot of people don't even think that hand modeling is a real job. I certainly had never met a hand model and didn't even know it was a real thing until I saw the crazy hand model lady video on youtube. I am a fairly young and new hand model on the scene. I only signed on with my agent earlier this year but it has been an interesting journey and I figured it might be nice to chronicle some of my experiences. But before I start talking about odd jobs and behind the scenes stuff it seems worth mentioning that I am not just a hand model. I studied jewelry and fine arts at Parsons the New School for Design and have been working as a jewelry and accessories designer for the past few years. I also write for TWELV Magazine and manage their celebrity interview section. So I have three jobs and one of them happens to be hand modeling. I always feel kind of strange saying "I'm a hand model," it just feels kind of weird and it always elicits a strange response. Although people tend to react to what I do with some obvious surprise, they also tend to have very positive reactions like getting really excited and asking a million questions. So here are some of the most common questions I get: How did you get into hand modeling? I was working at Bobby Pin Jewelry and often managed the numerous social media platforms for the brand. I would try on the rings and bracelets and snap pictures of my hands and the jewelry and post them to Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. I noticed that people would often comment on the pictures about my nails and hands in addition to the jewelry. I was also thrown in last minute into an editorial shoot that we did with TWELV Magazine so I ended up with some professional pictures to send to an agent. Photography: Chama, Styling: Hissa Igarashi, Clothing: A.F. Vandevorst, Jewelry: Bobby Pin Jewelry, Model: Paulina Panas, Hand Model: Susan Schell http://www.twelvmag.com/people/fashion-story-between Are your hands insured?
Definitely not! I'm not even sure how to go about getting them insured. I'm also not crazy obsessive about my hand care routine. I do try to keep them moisturized and cut/bruise-free but I do hand make jewelry and that is just naturally rough on your hands. I just try to be careful and use a lot of cuticle cream. Have I seen Zoolander or the episode of Seinfeld where George becomes a hand model? Yes, I have! And no they did not inspire this career path. Do you go on castings? Surprisingly yes...and I've booked jobs this way. It is exactly like a normal casting except for your hands What makes a good hand model? I'd say the most important thing is healthy looking hands and nails with straight fingers. Is it an easy job? It can be! But it can also be really challenging, sometimes painful, and often incredibly time consuming. It can require being very still in awkward positions for long periods of time, so being steady and patient are pretty important for a hand model. |
AuthorSusan Schell is a working hand model in Paris and NYC. Archives
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