Sarah Guirguis Follow along as Laila Ezzat, 21, one of the most sought-after models in Egypt right now, walks us through her typical work day.
Night Before
“I like to mentally prepare myself the night before and just de-stress.”
How do you prepare? I have to check whether I need to bring shoes, clothes or makeup – I always ask before a shoot. Occasionally, I might be required to do my own makeup but there’s a makeup artist most of the time. Then, I make a list of everything I need to take with me. That could be nude or black heels, tank tops and whatever they need for the shoot, and I pack a little duffel bag or carry-on with all those items the night before.
Do you do anything to relax? Before going to sleep, I usually sit in bed for about two hours and I watch a show or a movie. Sometimes, I look up podcasts to listen to because they help me fall asleep. Lately, I’ve been listening to The Joe Rogan Experience.
Night skincare: I exfoliate and cleanse my face, and then I apply a toner and moisturizer, and that’s about it. After that, I try to go to sleep early especially if the shoot begins at 6am the next day. I like to aim for at least six hours of sleep.
Morning of
Morning skincare: On the day of the shoot, I don’t apply any makeup in the morning because there’s usually a makeup artist who will do it on set. I just wash my face, moisturize and head out the door.
What do you usually wear to a shoot? I make sure to wear something really comfortable because I know I will be sitting for about two hours getting my hair and makeup done. I usually go for sweatpants and a big T-shirt or hoodie, depending on the weather.
On Set
“I always love being on set. I love meeting new people – the makeup artists, photographers and creative directors. I love all that; probably one of my favorite things about modelling is the cool people I get to meet that I would’ve never met otherwise.”
Hair & Makeup: It’s fun but it’s not as glamorous as you would think. When it comes to makeup, we get to play with colors depending on the mood of the shoot so that’s very fun. As for hair, I tend to cry inwardly when it’s being styled because I can imagine the damage that’s going to happen to it.
Any challenges you tend to encounter? The hardest thing about modeling is the amount of time we shoot for, honestly. Some shoots take six hours, while others take twelve hours. An ad shoot can go on for two days. It can get pretty exhausting. I love my job but after the ten-hour mark, you won’t find yourself in the mood to stand, look good and take pictures.
Midday snacks: I usually have protein bars with me, in case I get hungry. If it’s a long shoot, we usually get a lunch break and whoever is organizing the shoot orders food for everyone on set. Most of the time, that would be pizza or grilled chicken.
Your favorite type of shoots? I really enjoy the shoots that are more than just product shots, the ones that entail a lot of creativity and detail from the set to the hair and the makeup. It makes the experience different and a lot of fun.
How do you feel at the beginning and when you’re done? I tend to really pick up on people’s energies around me. It really depends on where we’re shooting, who’s with me on set and the vibe going on. If the team is chill and fun, I will feel very comfortable and at ease. If I could sense tension on set, it would make me anxious. It also depends on how early I woke up that day. If too early, I will probably be half-asleep during the first hour but I’m usually up and ready by the time I get my makeup done.
After the Shoot
“After the shoot, I’m usually pretty exhausted. I take my makeup off in the car, as soon as I can. I always have a makeup remover with me because think about it, I’ve had heavy makeup on for long hours and my pores are probably screaming and dying.”
Do you treat yourself after? If it’s not too late, I will go out and eat dinner. By that time, I usually feel like, “I’ve worked a lot today so I just want a break and I want to see my friends.” We would go to the cinema when we were able to do that.
Night skincare: When I get home, I wash my face again to make sure I have all the makeup off and I moisturize. Then, I put on a face mask either that night or the next morning to repair and refresh my skin from any damage.
We also asked Laila about her popular presence on social media. She said, “I love social media. It’s probably my favorite thing to do. I love making videos, creating content and taking pictures. Sometimes, I reach a point where I’m out of ideas and I have nothing to post. And I’m experiencing that frustration right now and it’s on my mind 24/7. You start feeling stuck and you keep thinking, ‘I should be doing more.’ Because it is part of my job. Without this platform, I would’ve missed a lot of opportunities and I wouldn’t have connected with so many people. I’m really grateful for it.”
Regarding future plans, Laila told us, “I’m working on something right now but it’s not time to announce it yet. It’s very exciting for me because I’m basically starting my own business. I’ve always been dreaming about it but I had just been waiting for the right timing.”
Name two makeup staples you go to whenever you’re in a rush.
The clear brow gel by Benefit and Maybelline’s Fit Me concealer.
