Stripper Tips: How to Look and Feel Your Best

Looking good is often a key ingredient in feeling good as well. Confidence is key. When you look your best, it not only shows in your appearance but also in the way to walk and talk. People can feel confidence and it's intoxicating. Here are some tips and advice on how I keep myself looking and feeling my best.

Hair:

Keep your hair cut fresh and up to date. If you're doing extensions, beware of fusions. They are the most expensive kind of extension and are the most natural looking, but will kill your hair. It takes out inches of hair when they're removed. Never bleach your hair. If you want blonde, do a natural blonde. Bleach, again, will ruin your hair. I know a girl who used to have long, gorgeous hair but bleached it over and over and now her hair is fried and only a few inches long.

Nails:

Getting your nails done used to be an absurdity to me. Who wastes their money on that crap? Now I always have them done. Gel or acrylic nails look best but regular manicures are fine too. The feeling of complete put-together-ness is unreal. I feel so…frumpy, without them done now. Guys like it too. It shows that you really take care of yourself. Plus, it's always nice to take that hour and relax at the salon while getting them done.

Shaving:

As a stripper, you have to have all the hair from your neck down gone. Waxing is preferable but it sucks having to wait to let it grow so shaving is usually better than waiting. Shaving every day is hard on your skin though. You get razor burn, cuts, etc. In order to prevent this, shave with a thick conditioner instead of shaving cream. Also, I find men's razors to be better. Mach III, actually. If you do still get razor burn or bumps, use diaper rash cream (yes, for babies) on the area before bed and wash off excess cream in the morning. I use it everywhere, mostly on my thighs. I don't know why, but for some reason I tend to get razor burn there most often.

Down under, if you prefer "landing strips" or anything like that, it is acceptable at the clubs. If you're not a dancer but are considering a Brazilian wax anyway, do it. Absolutely. I used to be under the impression that it was gross, and that I'd look like a prepubescent child but I will never go back to my bushy ways. It's so clean and fresh. You don't have to worry about bathing suits or sexy underwear.

Tanning:

I know, I know. Cancer, cancer, cancer. But honestly, tanning makes me feel so much better. You look thinner when you're tanned too. Also, in the winter when you're not getting enough Vitamin D from the sun and people fall into S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder), tanning is the cure. You get your dose of sunlight and feel refreshed. Trust me. Use a tanning lotion every time you go or you're just wasting minutes, and use a lotion with bronzers in it.

Baby Wipes:

The use of toilet paper is now over, especially at work. Use baby wipes instead, preferably non-scented, hypoallergenic ones as it is a sensitive area of your body. These are much cleaner and thorough than toilet paper. On the topic of feminine care, do not use those "vaginal deodorant" spray things. I don't care who you talk to, those are not good for you. Just shower regularly and use the baby wipes. No spray. Just no.

Dry Shampoo:

My new best friend. You can get dry shampoo at any drug store for less than $10. As you should know, washing your hair every day isn't good as it takes all the oils out of your hair and causes dry hair or even split ends. Now, I have oily blonde hair that gets progressively darker and grosser the longer I don't wash it. I can't go 2 days without washing it or it looks like it's been a week for normal people. Dry shampoo is the answer. It's a spray that goes on your hair between washes and removes excess oils so it looks fresh and clean. Especially with hair extensions, you can't wash your hair more than once or twice a week as it loosens the braids, so this is a lifesaver. I use this brand:

Shoes:

New shoes are the worst to break in, but stripper shoes trump them all. The plastic digs into your toes and your foot which can often cause cuts and bleeding. In order to stretch them out without killing your feet, use a hair dryer to heat the plastic and stretch it out. Do this a few times until they are comfortable again.

Black Lights:

Keep in mind that many clubs have black lights in them so make sure to wash your clothes carefully. Also, make sure that outfits that glow under black light match colours. Often times they won't glow the same. Pinks, for example, will often glow orange in the black light. In order to make them glow pink, wash them in fabric softener a few times.

Gum and Perfume:

The last thing you want is a customer to be interested in you -- until you talk to him. Bad breath is a huge turn-off, at work or not. Carry gum or breath mints with you. Also, use perfume or body sprays, but sparingly. You don't want to choke a customer. If a customer says, "I'd love to go for a dance, but my wife will kill me if I smell like perfume, sorry," tell him it's only in your hair and it won't rub off. I've had this happen many times before. Spraying it in your hair will actually make it last longer anyway as perfume doesn't stick as well to skin or clothing as it does to hair.

Sleep:

Sleep. Sleep as long as you need. Take naps. Take more naps. Sleep some more. Okay, good. Next.

Food:

C'mon, ladies. Don't starve yourselves. Diets don't work! It's all about portion control and what you're eating. Calories don't mean shit, it's where the calories are coming from. If you're counting them, stop. Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full. If you're like me and you eat when you're bored, replace chips with veggies and dip, or popcorn, or something you like that's moderately healthy. Everything in moderation right? Eat that pizza if you want it one night. Have a slice of that cake. Go for it. Just be mindful of moderation.

Exercise:

You don't have to be at the gym 24/7 to be in shape. In fact, I never go to the gym. I do sit-ups at home sometimes and yoga when I watch TV. I stopped taking the elevator and I walk up the stairs to my condo. If you live 20 floors up, take the elevator to the 16th floor and walk from there. Then as you get used to it, add more floors. I promise it's not that bad. I take my dogs for a walk everyday or every other day for at least 45 minutes. Be creative.