Every woman can look beautiful with a little help from her friends: her hairstylist and her makeup artist. Just ask any movie star. Most women don't want to look like a glamourous Hollywood star, but they do want to look their best.
Northern Life's annual Back to School Makeover Contest gives
three women a chance to see how a little TLC can give them
fabulous new looks and the confidence that comes with looking
and feeling good about themselves.
Tracy Ashfield, 28, went from mommy to yummy. Ashfield,a mother
of two, was one of the winners in this year's contest. Marie
Claude Bedard, 21, a first-year public relations student at
Cambrian College, and Jessica Brunelle, 17, a student at
Lockerby Composite School, also were treated to makeovers
courtesy of A Touch of Class and Mary Kay.
"Let's call them changeovers, not makeovers," said hairstylist
Frank Marasco, who has been participating in the contest for
almost a decade.
"This fall the look is 'streetwise'," he said. "Hair can be
blown dry for a natural, casual day look, or straightened with
a straightening iron for dress-up or a 'professional at the
office' look."
He spoke to the winners about their lifestyles and their
personal sense of style before beginning the "changeover"
process which took several hours.
"Students want something easy, fast in the morning," said
Marasco.
Ashfield, who recently lost 30 pounds, usually keeps her thick,
long wavy hair into a ponytail because it is quick and easy.
She wanted to keep her hair long enough to still tie back when
she wants to.
Marasco first "pruned" her thick brown hair before stylist and
colour expert Liliane Henzer added foil highlights which frame
Ashfield's face.
Later, Marasco layered Ashfield's hair and gave her shaggy
bangs for a more youthful look.
Brunelle is entering her last year of high school. She has Crohn's disease and spent many of her teen years in hospital or at home recovering from surgery. However, her optimistic personally (and her supportive parents) have kept her well-grounded. She recently went into remission, and has started to enjoy the type of things other teenagers do.
She is a member of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of
Canada, Sudbury chapter, and is responsible for public
relations to "ensure other people with this illness have
someone to turn to and cure to look forward to in the future."
she said.
The petite teen with long, wavy hair was ready for a
change.
Her hair was coloured moahogany, then Marasco cut her hair to a
medium length that frames her fine features. He showed her how
to style it wavy or straight.
First impressions are very important in public relations, so Marasco gave Bedard a neat and professional looking bob. But because she is young, he suggested red highlights for a bit of whimsy.
Bedard, who is bilingual, recently finished her BA in English
at Laurentian, and is looking forward to a career in
communications.
June Rumball, Mary Kay senior sales director, gave the women
information about skin care before giving them tips on how to
apply makeup.
"It's important to teach young women the benefits of skin
care," because it will pay off in future years, said
Rumball.
She told Brunelle about the teen line Velocity. The line
includes an "all-in-one" cleanser, toner and masque, and a
day/night moisturizer that keeps it simple for teens on the
go.
Mary Kay's adult skin line is called TimeWise and includes a
three-in-one cleanser, a day cream with SPF 25, and a night
"age-fighting" moisturizer.
She gave Brunelle a natural look she can wear every day to
class, while she showed Ashfield and Bedard ways to highlight
their eyes and lips with rich colours for a more polished
look.
The contest winners were soon ready for their closeups.
WOW!
