With Spring comes a favorite time for our NoVA/DC/Md team…. The MISS DC Pageant!!!

Rewind a few years ago, our team had recently grown to the size we could finally do larger events. It was so exciting. The event was for local DC area celebrity moms, and run by the incredible Lara Akinsanya! One of the Moms stood out to us… she was fun, she was easily the magnet of attention (in a great way), she talked to everyone… she just owned the room. Who was she?? Sonya Gavankar.. that’s who.. come to find out she was a former Miss DC, worked at the Newseum, hosted local news segments… you name it she did it. She was referred to as “Fun Sonya” in our house from then on… hahah!! You can see why…

Fast forward to about a year later, I see her posting something about the pageant orientation and I happened to reach out and ask if they needed any help. I get a message back immediately that they needed a new makeup sponsor! We ended up beginning our relationship during that pageant season and we learned so much!! We met so many talented, intelligent young ladies that really just won my heart. I am so proud to watch young women succeed, and through the pageant, I get a front row seat to cheer them on!

I was excited to meet the girls competing this year, and Sonya is now the Miss DC President! So when last Saturday arrived, I jumped out of bed! The thought of watching these ladies develop just in the few months until pageant, and one of them so much so, that they win Miss DC and end up on the Miss America stage in September, is so cool!!! As our team arrived, the thought of the transformations these girls would get to experience was pretty cool. Besides, our Artists aren’t ALL together very often so it was fun for them too!!

From 9 am till 7pm, our BFF artists touched up, changed lip colors, curled hair, covered skin challenges, adjusted extensions, and so much more. Sonya helped oversee and give great guidance to the girls, and the absolutely amazing Moshe Zusman took the most incredible images!!! Here’s a few pics from the day….

  2 months and a few days from now, we will crown the new Miss DC. Who will she be??? Stay tuned!