Bella Hadid Almost Didn’t Become A Victoria’s Secret Angel

Bella Hadid’s dream of becoming a Victoria’s Secret Angel almost didn’t happen. The supermodel just walked at the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which aired this week on CBS.

Bella Hadid shocked everyone when she was announced to appear in this year’s show in Paris, but she revealed that she was rejected by the lingerie brand last year. The 20-year-old donned her wings and stepped onto the runway this year alongside her sister Gigi Hadid. The brunette beauty said she was “surprised” to be there among the other models.

“I was really surprised, but definitely excited,” she revealed to Paper magazine. “I tried last year [to be cast in] the show [but] I think everything happens for a reason.”

Bella said that she was glad to walk alongside her sister Gigi, who she calls her “comfort blanket,” according to The Sun.

“It’s amazing; she’s really my comfort zone and my comfort blanket, so to be able to turn around and to be able to talk to her, it really grounds me and makes me a little less nervous to have my best friend with me.”

Though it was Hadid’s debut, all eyes were on the fact that her ex-boyfriend, The Weeknd, was also performing at the show. Hadid and The Weeknd’s eyes met as they came face to face on the catwalk. She smiled sweetly at her former boyfriend before reverting back to her usual model pout. The singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, sang his new hit song as she walked past him and strutted her stuff. Hadid and the musician, 25, have split last month, with sources revealing that their hectic schedules were to blame.

But, back to Bella’s interview with Paper magazine, in which she poses shirtless and wears sheer lingerie all the while showing off her nipple piercing. Bella said that she wants to be seen as more outgoing like her older sister.

“People say that I don’t smile, or that I don’t have a personality,” she stated.

She also admitted that she wants to become an actress, which will require invoking some personality or smiling.

“I think it would really be fun, because it’s exciting to be in front of the camera on film instead of just pictures.”

“I’m not a good smiler on cue,” Hadid previously told PeopleStyle. “I have to practice that a lot … I have to close my best friend and roommate’s door and put a big mirror in front of it so she can’t get out of her room so that I have a part of the apartment to walk and practice. Sure, I wish I could smile bigger but it’s everything you can work on.”

Bella seems aware that she needs to practice her walk and smile more for the runway. The model and social media star also stuck to a special skincare regimen before the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which was revealed by Teen Vogue. The fashion publication spoke with Bella’s facialist, Mzia Shiman, owner of New York’s Mzia Shiman Spa.

“I worked with Bella the night before the show,” she said. “She has the most beautiful skin, but to prep for such a big event, I wanted to give her a little brightening, hydration, plumping and freshness.”

She gave Hadid the $300 Oxygen Infusion, which is a 30-minute treatment that you can get at her spa year round if you can afford it. Then, she started by applying Decléor Aromessence Rose d’Orient Oil Serum to Hadid’s face to reduce redness and irritation and applying the Decléor Aurabsolu Hydrogel Mask for 15 minutes. When it comes to Bella’s eyes and lips, Mzia recommends Intraceuticals Rejuvenate Eye Masks to reduce puffiness and Rejuvenate Lip Mask to plump her pout.

[Featured Image by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret]