Amour Luxury Swimwear Fashion Show

United Miss Is collecting donations for The Downtown Women's Center

From now until May 25th you can contact me for drop of locations or visit Sun Studio La! Thanks so much for everyone's help! 

My upcoming pageant! Miss West Coast USA

This coming Sunday March 30th I will be competing for the Miss West Coast USA title in Los Angeles. This pageant is a preliminary pageant to Miss California USA, where the winner will receive coaching and their entry paid for the competition. The contestants can be seen on their website: http://misswestcoastpageant.com/view-contestant/miss-contestants 

Miss California USA 2014 Competition

The Miss California USA pageant was this past weekend! 

My swimsuit was purchased at Everything But Water. I chose it last minute and had originally planned on wearing a black suit. My mom loved the color and I had wanted something with an underwire. 

The gown I had worn before for a photoshoot. I loved it on stage- it really isn't a traditional pageant choice but really does reflect my own personal style. 

Onstage introducing myself. 

Team seven right before our individual interviews with the panel of judges. I chose to wear my most favorite outfit I own which is my trusty Herve Leger dress and Prada peep toe pumps. 

Thank you China Glaze- one of our nail sponsors. 

My roommate for the weekend! 

I was very proud to be able to represent my Polish heritage and meet so many accomplished young ladies! I can't wait to compete again next year! 

My Vocal Clip- Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball

I recently had to create an audio recording for a submission for MTV. This was recording in a production studio in downtown Los Angeles. My dress is by Herve Leger. Enjoy! 

Miss California USA 2014 Contestant Page is up!

Polonia - Marcela Danilowicz 

It's so exciting to be able to represent POLONIA during the Miss California USA 2014 pageant on January 3rd 2014. I chose Polonia, not only because I am Miss Polonia of CA, but because I wanted to be able to share and represent my heritage! The term Polonia encompasses any Polish person living outside of Poland. 

Here is the link to the contestant page: http://www.misscausapageant.com/?page_id=1129

Anyone interested in coming to the pageant can also purchase tickets from Ticketmaster on the www.misscausapageant.com 

The top I wore was from Bebe, and the earrings were on loan from my jewelry sponsor Tara Jewelry. 

Leadership

“ Abilities wither under faultfinding, blossom under encouragement. ”

— Donald A. Laird

I came across this quote today on Forbes, and it really spoke to me. I think that everyone has some form of leadership in their lives. I think that is it important to always remember to help foster growth in those around us by  sharing joy, happiness and passion versus any other type of negative emotion- like anger, passive aggression, guilt or greed. 

Hope everyone is having a great week!  

By: Marcela Mia Danilowicz 

Airbursh Tanning 101 with Alex Tarin

I went in for a custom spray tan earlier today and wanted to show you where the particular highlights and contours are, which are important to look your best in a swimsuit or for a photo-shoot. For a beauty pageant Alex normally sprays me twice with a competition formula, and then with a contour. I met Alex 6 years ago at author Neil Strauss's house, we have been friends ever since! 

Q. Tell me about yourself and how you got into the tanning industry?

I always LOVED the beauty industry! My first job was at a little spa/boutique in Sherman oaks .There I became involved with the business and I realized how much I loved the beauty treatments. One of the main services was  SPRAY TANNING! with the guidance of my employer I learned how to do the service. It was love at fist tan!

After that job I got involved with a company that manufactured tanning equipment. I learned a lot over the years. I became the lead trainer of the company and was able to teach others the art of airbrushing all over the US. I also got to spray a few celebrities like Paris Hilton, Jessica Alba, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Costner, Brandi, Holly Madison and more.

 Now after 10+ years of doing what I love, I'm the general manager at the Sun Studio LA !The salon offers the most advanced custom airbrushing system available today, which garnered notoriety after being voted LA’s #1 Spray Tan by CitySearch in 2013.

(The first picture is how abs are contoured, two lines are drawn with a the small contouring gun, then blended again with a second coat of the airbrush solution.)

Q. How does airbrush tanning work? 

Spray tanning is the safest, easiest way to achieve a natural-looking tan that you can be proud of. Amino acids in your skin will respond naturally to the DHA and other complimentary ingredients in the tanning formula to produce the most beautiful sunless tan you’ve ever seen.
Spray tanning eliminates all of the mess and problems associated with tanning creams. No more streaky mess, orange palms, or dirty looking knees and elbows. The service is tailored to your individual skin tone and desired look—that’s why we have 5 unique formulas that can be mixed to precisely match what you want.

(The calf muscles and clavicle bones are also contoured with the small gun.)

(After the spray, you are left with a sort of sticky film, Alex likes to use a golden dusting powder, which helps to absorb any moist areas, and deepen the tan)

Q. Why is airbrushing better then the standard tanning beds?

Our technique is unique because our equipment has a mini spray gun for tanning the bulk of the body and an artistic airbrush for fine detail work. Detailing is important when applying solution to troublesome areas like the face, hands, and feet, etc. Other companies use a single vacuum cleaner powered spray gun that can only spray in wide patterns. These larger guns lack fine detail capability because they were originally designed for painting wooden fences, siding, and furniture – not people. Instead of an artistic tanning experience, they leave you feeling like you were hosed down, with a wet and sticky “I can’t wait to shower” feel.

(Alex also likes to contour the cheek bones to create an deeper arch. This isn't necessary if you are planning on wearing makeup). 

Q. What are some tips to maintain and prolong your airbrush tan?

Wait as long as possible to shower, I typically recommend 24 hours. Also, make sure that you aren't wearing any lotion, cremes or makeup when you are sprayed, so that your skin is porous to absorb the formula. Moisturize after, using a scent-free lotion. When you come in for an airbrush tan, bring a loose-fitting dark colored outfit to wear after- and don't wear a bra. 


http://sunstudiola.com/

By: Marcela Mia Danilowicz
November 9th 2013 

Interview with Courtney Bentley of Star Systemz

I met Courtney in 2012. She had just moved back to Los Angeles after living in Cabo San Lucas. I chose to interview her because Star Systemz is living proof that hard work, making goals and having self control can make you into the person you want to be. Courtney lives by what she teaches, and it works! Her blog and personal journey is also very inspirational, and she has helped me to realize some of my dreams.

My goal, as a little girl, was to be a prima ballerina, this of course changed when I entered into high school and boys, homecoming and cheerleading took over. I have always been active and interested in a healthy life although it took me until the age of 19 years old to actually research and transition from McDonalds to Whole Foods. I am certified through NASM as a CPT, Youth Exercise Specialist and Women's Health Certification. I also have dipped in to TRX, Cross-fit, Pilates and Ballet Barre. In college I knew I wanted to learn more about health and nutrition so I changed my degree from Computer Science to Nutrition and graduated with an Associates of Science degree in Health and Nutrition. I have been featured as a Fitness expert on ehow.com, run the health section on the Jackie Fame Network, have been published in a few books and have worked with the famed, fabulous and even a super model. My passion is not only in fitness and health but is in helping women gain confidence in themselves and to teach them how to live a healthier lifestyle.

Q. What is Star Systemz? How is Bangkok and your transition there? 

Star Systemz was created as a program dedicated to teaching women how to shine like a star. In other words, my goal is to inspire women to get fit, eat healthy and empower ladies to be confident everyday! I created an official Star Systemz Fitness method in college and just recently launched my Star Diet Plan which is a ten day jumpstart to eating clean. My fitness method and diet plan go hand and hand and are a result of my personal journey of trying everything from working out for two hours to taking diet pills which of course do not work. My fitness method is combination of my background which is Ballet, Pilates, Weight Lifting and HIIT Cardio. I most recently moved to Bangkok where I started the group The Bangkok Babes. I host bootcamps every Sunday at the park as a way to create a fit community of women who support and inspire each other. The beauty of living in Bangkok is the abundance of fresh foods and being able to walk everywhere.

Q. Do you have a favorite workout? Favorite meal? When I am not practicing my Star Systemz Method I enjoy taking a dance cardio class like Cardio Barre. Cardio Barre is a fun way for me to switch things around, work on my flexibility and have a great time! My all time favorite meal is egg whites with spinach, kale with a few sprinkles of Himalayan Sea Salt cooked in Coconut Oil next to a Pomelo or grapefruit paired with a green tea latte <--almond milk of course

Q. What motivates you to go to the gym even after a long day? I keep motivational quotes and photos in my phone gallery. I always say if you really want to make a change in your life you need to be passionate about it and make the decision to just do it. Plus, a killer playlist never hurts either.

Q. Tell me what a typical day looks like? (I was actually very curious to know this, Courtney has recently moved from LA to Bangkok, which is quite a change!)

Every morning I wake up, do my AM routine of hot lemon water, dry brushing, oil pulling and apple cider vinegar and walk my dogs. During this time I am also organizing my day and writing down what needs to get done by the end of the day and what I can do if I have down time that will keep me productive. I make breakfast and design my workout for that day while eating with my husband. Since we workout together we try and stay on the same body part since we both split train. We head to the gym, sweat up a storm and get ready for the day. I prepare lunch or we head to the British Club in Bangkok to eat lunch and work online. We both work online so we like to set up shop outside of the home on the occasion to get out of the house. We both work for a few hours, I set up blog posts, answer emails, write articles and workouts for clients. We head home have a snack and continue working. During this time I either go and train clients via skype or try to create YouTube content. Dinner time comes and after dinner the states are awake so we try and make important phone calls and keep in touch with everyone before heading to bed.

Q. Who inspires you? Any favorite quotes? I have two inspirations Monica Parodi of P90x and Chalene Johnson. Both women are fitness gurus and extraordinary business women. My favorite quote for this year is, if you don't ask you won't know. I am not sure who said it but I always say it to myself when fear of hearing no creeps up.

Website: http://www.starsystemz.com My Diet Plan: http://www.stardietplan.com YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/starsystemzchannel Twitter: @StarSystemz Facebook: StarSystemz

Education

 I wanted to write a post about my journey in education. I took an alternative route in this, but am so grateful for all of my experiences and people I have met along the way! This coming December I will finally graduate with my Bachelor's in Science in Business Management. I received two different Associates in Art's degrees before this. 

One was from my local community college in Washington, South Puget Sound. I started college in my senior year of high school, and would strongly suggest everyone to go this route if possible! The classes were paid for, and my only expense were books and supplies. After graduating high school I received an Achievement in Arts scholarship for the school, which was enough to pay for the rest of my degree. 

Soon after high school I went to New York for a Fashion Design Summer Program at Pratt Institute. My dream has always been to have my own fashion collection and dress celebrities for the red carpet, so I jumped on the chance to study in New York. 

I had applied to 12 different colleges and received over $100,000 in scholarships and grants. But my dream college was Pratt Institute, I remember I stayed up all night waiting for my acceptance letter, and cried when it started with Unfortunately.... The school looks for a students who have a fine arts background- and that was not exactly something I had. My high school didn't really offer classes to help build portfolios or anything like that, so I was very limited.My specialty has always been hand work, sewing and beading garments. So attending their summer program was the next best thing in my books. 

After this program I packed my life and shipped it in boxes to Chicago to attend SAIC- The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I loved the city so much, but it was much much colder then what I was used to. I was enrolled full time- and actually did a few online classes from my community college at the same time. At one point I was taking 9 different college classes. I left Chicago almost a year later and I applied and got accepted to Western Washington University. I was there for only a quarter and remember taking one costume making class where my teacher's experience was working in a factory sewing sleeping bags. 

After this my sister and I decided to both move to Los Angeles. I was accepted to FIDM in LA the year before, and luckily they give you a year to decide if you want to attend. I really liked my time there, and the Fashion Design program made me into the person I am today. After working full time for a solid year I decided I did want to return for my Bachelor's. I did my entire program online while working full time! 

I plan on starting my MBA program next year. Looking back on this journey seems so crazy. Sometimes I wish I hadn't hopped around so much, but I did get to experience all of these cities and know I love LA and California the most. What struck me most about this today is that I had no idea that I would be doing what I am doing now, life is actually better then what I predicted. My advice to anyone who is applying for school is to be persistent, choose the path that is right for you (not your family, friends or boyfriend), and to always be persistent. Even when I faced rejection I always knew that maybe that's not exactly right for me for a reason! 

How to be Red Carpet Glam

There are many tips and tricks to ensure a flawless appearance during your red carpet moment. The picture above is of myself at the opening gala of the Polish Film Festival Los Angeles at the Egyptian theatre in Hollywood, CA. 

• Bleach your teeth! I use Tom's whitening tooth paste regularly and get ZOOM whitening from my dentist two time a year. I also touch up using a peroxide based gel. (This may sounds excessive, but I drink a LOT of coffee so this helps to combat any stains) Brush and floss before the red carpet, as you probably won't get a change to chew gum. 

• Airbrush tan! But do it a few days before so that it does not ruin your outfit. 

• Have a small clutch to pack your essentials of money, ID, phone and mints. (I didn't have time to chew gum, and think it is rude to be chewing away like a camel during an interview or when meeting new people). It is also best to go with someone who can hold your clutch while you walk the red carpet. 

• SMILE! People will come up to you more, in my case everyone wanted a picture with me so I was smiling the entire time as I saw some people taking pictures from afar. 

• Double up on foundation and concealer, contour and lighten especially under the eyes. I used two applications of finishing powder after my foundation set. 

• Hire a driver! Depending on what your outfit is, the worst thing in the world is to have to take of your strappy high heels to drive yourself in a gown to an event. I use UBER's towncar service to drive me in an oversized SUV. Also the cars are equipped with phone chargers and mini water bottles. 

• Have your dress fitted and hemmed. Choose something that will stand out, but also compliments the occasion. I chose this gown because the material was heavier bodied, and the color complimented the back drop. My gown did have a long train, which got very dirty and was stepped on. This will happen, choose a sturdier fabric or darker color if it bothers you.

• Make sure that you are taped into your gown and it is not going anywhere. 

• Wear a colored lipstick and blush. Add color to your face, the cameras will wash you out. My lipgloss is Chanel Glossimier in 168. http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Lipgloss-LÈVRES-SCINTILLANTES-88721/sku/125568

• If you are wearing a tiara make sure it is sitting in the correct place and the combs are not showing in the back. As for the sash I would double tape it at the shoulder. 

Below are additional pictures from such a fun night!

Thanks to my sponsors POLAM Credit Union, Hellada Gallery and Polish Film Institute 

Pageant Jewlery Tips

The best advice I have received regarding pageant jewelry is to choose anything that will sparkle and catch the light for the judges when you are on stage. Your jewelry should not overpower our figure in your swimsuit, or distract from your face. Instead it should enhance your overall presentation. One pageant coordinator told me to only wear clear rhinestone jewelry. I don't think that this is avery good idea because too much rhinestone jewelry can look cheap and not complement the warm tones in your swimsuit or gown. 

For both swimsuit and evening gown a larger dropped chandelier is a must. I like something that incorporates or compliments the colors your are wearing. 

Royalty Earrings $25 (Such a good price!)

http://www.meghanshop.com/Royalty-Earrings_p_2622.html#.UmoAdK6_20k

For cocktail or evening gown portion of a pageant I would choose a wider bangle or cuff bracelet. Necklaces are harder to pull off depending on your dresses neckline. Even if you are wearing a strapless gown, having a necklace will distract from your collar bone, which I think showing is important.  These are two bracelet options I would choose, depending on your dress design. I love the Louisa May for a more simpler gown. The Cynthia is a staple I think everyone should have, it has both rhinestone and gold and looks luxurious. 

Louisa May Bracelet  $23

http://www.meghanshop.com/Louisa-May-Bracelet_p_2825.html

Cynthia Bracelet $22

http://www.meghanshop.com/Cynthia-Bracelet_p_1398.html#.UmoCm66_20k

Cleanses, Diets and Flushes

In preparation for many important events I always turn to watching what goes into my body and making the best choices. There are many types of cleanses and diets I have tried, and I will only list a few. My favorite one is Kimberly Snyder’s green smoothie, which you can read about last.

1. SALT WATER FLUSH

The concept of a salt-water flush is to basically cleanse and flush your entire body of any toxic waste you may have stored. The ultimate effects are a cleaner colon. 

I never actually completed this because I threw up immediately after drinking ¼ of the salt-water solution you make with warm water.

I have heard that many runway models do salt water flushes at the same time as doing the master cleanse. I have also heard that this can be a very dangerous method of cleansing that is left as a last resort for people who get food poisoning. 

You can read about it more on this blog: 

http://www.yogitrition.com/salt-water-flush-for-colon-cleansing/

My alternative to salt-water would be drinking raw unfiltered Braggs apple cider spiked water once daily, or warm water with lemon.

2. Emergen-C

Increasing your consumption of the powdered vitamin solution has been known to improve weight loss and increase energy. I have heard that some of the Biggest Looser candidates were disqualified for overloading on Emergen-c. Personally I would not take this solely as a diet plan as the product still does contain sugar.

3. Juice Cleansing

I have tried juice cleansing on two different occasions. On both occasions I could only last for one whole day of cleansing before I felt extremely fatigued and could barely drive home from work. One cleanse I tried was the Suja cleanse system. I love the flavors of their bottled drinks, especially the cherry cayenne pepper flavor. The second occasion, was a cleanse made of fresh cold-pressed vegetables and fruits from Whole Foods. On both of these occasions I spent over $60 for one days worth of juice. I personally would suggest that if you do in fact choose to do the cleanse, prepare to take some time off of work and school in order to rest.

My alternative to juice cleansing would be to replace and solid snacks that you have throughout the day with a cold-pressed juice.

4. Starbucks Diet

I am guilty of this, and I know I am not the only city-dweller who eats, drinks and sometimes sleeps at Starbucks. I found this article about a woman who lost 85 pounds from strictly eating at Starbucks.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/starbucks-diet-one-woman-dropped-80-pounds-coffee-211600454.html

I have no complaints about this “diet”, it makes me really happy! My favorite items include: Venti Soy lattes, fruit cup, protein box and chicken and hummus. 

5. Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie

I first read her book as recommended by a friend. Her goal is to eat to look and feel younger, have smoother skin and more energy. I personally have tried her suggested methods and have found that when I am consistent with the meals and planning I can drop 5-7 pounds. I have also found that my stomach looks the flattest following her method. Not only that but you can still eat, and the smoothies taste delicious. The only problem I have is that I am sometimes too busy to go grocery shopping, her method recommends using the freshest ingredients as possible, therefore you are constantly planning and preparing your meals.  

http://kimberlysnyder.net

***Please note I am not a nutritionist or doctor. These are all various things I have tried personally and I am only sharing my own experience. 

About

Welcome to Crowned Life!  

Crowned Life is a blog designed to chronicle beauty, fitness, fashion and lifestyle advice. The author, Mia Danilowicz was born and raised in Olympia, WA. She has lived in Chicago and New York, and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. She is a dual citizen of Poland and America and was recently honored with the title of Miss Polonia of California 2013. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising with a degree in Business Management as well as Fashion Design. Mia has worked in luxury fashion and specializes in bridal, evening wear and red carpet. 

Mia's own experience of competing in beauty pageants, appearing on television as well as dressing brides and celebrities for red carpet events, has taught her a wealth of tips and tricks for a flawless and error proof presentation. 

Instagram:

@missrodeodrive