Pretty Bald: This month, you might spot me in Cosmopolitan...

Initially, when we first started organising the calendar, we asked Alopecia UK Communications Manager Amy to be involved! First she said yes, then she heard about the nudity and said no, then with a bit of peer pressure and the promise of gin, she said yes again! On the day, it's fair to say she didn't totally enjoy herself, although Champagne, G&Ts and Pimms did numb the edges a bit!

Anyway, what does this have to do with Cosmopolitan I hear you say! Well... just two weeks after the calendar photoshoot when we'd all spent the day in our dressing gowns with no knickers, Amy got approached with a request for an Alopecian to take part in one of their #BodyConfidence articles! It isn't a normal article either, this one too was nude and involved a day in London at the shoot! I think Amy took one look at it and thought #revenge! Only Joking, but understandably she thought of me and put me forward!

So it's finally arrived, nine month's after I had my photos taken, the article is in the magazine! I'm in the March issue, out first week in February and you'll find me on the #BodyConfidence page. There's also a version of the article online at http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/body/news/a33154/my-amazing-body-alopecia/

Next month, once the next issue of the magazine is out, I'll share some of the other images of that Cosmopolitan took! It's the first time I've ever felt more beautiful without hair than with! #Amazing!

In the meantime, here's a diary post of the photoshoot day!

My morning started bright and early with a 7am alarm beeping in my ear; in truth, I barely slept a wink and definitely saw 3am, just because of the excitement I was feeling! To put that in perspective, I sleep through anything; loud noises, stress, excitement - nothing normally gets between me and my sleep! Anyway I digress...

Up I get at 7am to shower, make myself look glam and make some sandwiches (not so glam)! I toddle off to the train station and begin a really exciting journey to London Paddington! Why I hear you ask? Well today, I have the privelege and excitement of participating in a photoshoot for Cosmopolitan Magazine! I cannot wait!

I know my day is just going to get better and better - as I picked up my pre-paid train tickets, the man at the counter (who was old enough to have hearing aids) said 'I hope you don't mind me saying but you look absolutely gorgeous'! I'm trying not to let it go to my head, but that's not too shabby for a day without makeup and a synthetic wig with a touch of friction burn!

Starting my journey...

On the train to London Paddington:

Arriving at Paddington...

My train pulls in 7 minutes late and I've already had two text messages to let me know my Chaffeur Driven car is outside! I scurry through the station looking for the taxi rank next to platform 12 and try not to feel apprehensive! The car is there and waiting, just where they said it would be, and I'm on my way! I could get used to this I think!

It's supposed to take 20 minutes to get to the studio, but unfortunately the traffic is horrendous. Even at 10.30 it's crawling and the driver is riding the clutch waiting for his moment to inch forward! It takes a full 45 minutes to get to the studio and the Picture Editor in charge has begun to get worried; she texts me, but luckily I'm just around the corner! 'Sorry!' I say as the car pulls up; 'don't worry about it' she says. She escorts me through a gorgeous studio space which has quirky urban features (sorry I forgot to take a picture) and introduces me to the photographer and two assistants - all male! Now that might not sound like too much of an issue, but what I might not have told you is that it's nude! Yes really! I start to worry what I've let myself in for, but they're really friendly and the studio is discreet!

I'm whisked upstairs to make up and this bit is my favourite! For the first time ever I have make up applied using an airbrush and it does a great job of disguising the bags! I start to relax and enjoy myself - a full 40 minutes of being pampered. I felt a bit bad because the hairdresser had nothing to do, but still!

After the make up, I go downstairs to a blank canvas in a gorgeous turquoise with lighting board either side - it's just me and the photographer. I take off the dress and throw myself into it! It's what I'm here for so I convince myself I'm wearing a gorgeous dress rather than standing there with no clothes on. The photographer encourages me into various different poses which keep me covered; he offers pointers to improve my posture and takes picture after picture. I start to go a little blind from the flash and my cheeks hurt from smiling but once I get into it, I start to feel fantastic!

It's over before I know it and the shots look alright! The photographer said 'wow' so much I think he lost his voice - he'd done it to the girl before too so it's just a platitude to encourage you! That's it; it's over and I'm back in the car, back to the station and back on the train. All that remains is for me to complete my interview and wait for it to come about in print! Eeeek!

What a day!

An airbrush base later: