Makeover Update: The Reveal

As I first told you two weeks ago, hairstylist Tera Rae Stephens and I embarked on a makeover. This wasn’t the type of makeover where we take a fashion flunkie and magically transform her into beauty queen. Although our subject, Shannon Smith, is definitely beautiful, the objective of the makeover was to enhance her existing beauty by showing her how to make more effective use of her wardrobe and hair.

Shannon in the chair with Tera

Since Shannon is an aesthetician and wears a uniform often, she confided her wardrobe was a bit sparse. I told her not to worry, though, because a small and concise wardrobe is much better than an overflowing closet of garments which are just wrong. We could build from a small wardrobe and choose the right things for her.

The makeover began a few weeks ago when Shannon and I met to discuss her lifestyle and wardrobe needs. First, I organized her wardrobe in her closet to help her choose outfits more easily. Once her closet was organized, we could easily see what was missing – which was helpful, because then we did a little shopping to fill in the gaps.

She needed a somewhat substantial boost to her wardrobe, so I took her to a local Goodwill and a high-end consignment store. As a wardrobe coach who works with clients on a budget, I’ve been able to hone my thrift shopping skills and I helped Shannon find 3 pair of pants, 2 cardigans, 2 sleeveless tops and a blouse – just at the Goodwill. All in excellent condition and all totally wearable.

Although her wardrobe still needs a few more skirts, blouses and shoes, she’s well on her way to building a nicely-rounded wardrobe which expresses her personality and suits her lifestyle.

To finish it off, Tera taught Shannon 3 hairstyles for her fine, blonde locks – and the result was dazzling. Shannon’s megawat smile and uber-confident stride we saw from her once everything was put together was proof that small changes make a world of difference.

Like I said, instead of cutting or coloring Shannon’s hair, Tera taught her how to style her hair 3 ways. Lucky for me, I got to listen in and Tera’s techniques are amazing, and simple to perform. But I’ll let her tell you about that. Below is her account of the makeover and her secrets to making everyday hair gorgeous.

From Tera:

“When I first met with Shannon, she had recently cut and highlighted her hair.  Her true hair needs were figuring out different ways to wear it and taking it from day to work to evening. 

 ”The first look was a voluminous blow out.  I used Gel Serum by Oribe, about a nickel size, and distributed it evenly throughout her hair.  This would create a strong foundation of hold and memory in the blow out and give staying power.  Next I used Volumista by Oribe, sprayed on evenly in sections from root to ends.  This product is a favorite for creating fullness and the look of more hair, since Shannon has baby fine hair.  I showed her how to blow it out using a large, round brush for maximum volume with movement on the ends.

 

 

Shannon’s first look: thrifted cardigan with satin tank and leggings we found at the consignment shop

“Next, we decided on a sleek ponytail with some volume in the front for a little more fancy!  She plans to wear the look to work instead of the usual boring ponytail.  We achieved this by using a working hair spray like Impermeable by Oribe sprayed on the front sections and giving them a good tease.  We smoothed out the front with a boar bristle brush and pulled the rest back into a ponytail.  To finish it off, I took a small section of her hair and wrapped it around the hair elastic, pinning it.  So chic, right?!

This look is entirely from the Goodwill (except the shoes)

“Finally, Shannon put on her evening look and we glammed her up with messy, flirty curls.  I used a 1 inch clip less curling iron by Enzo Milano.  If you’re in the market for a curling iron, this is my all time favorite!
We used Impermeable again and in 4 sections curled 2 inch wide pieces holding the iron horizontally.  

“The important tip I gave Shannon was to hold the iron pointing one direction for the first section, the opposite direction for the next and keep switching as she moves up the head.  This makes the curls fall more naturally and not clump together.  When the curling was complete, we shook it out and raked through using fingers to break up the curls. So pretty!”

This makeover experience was such a fantastic experience. As a wardrobe coach, it’s amazing to me to see clients transform and gain some instant confidence – who can’t use more of that? Plus, this makeover is attainable for EVERYONE. We built up her wardrobe with savvy finds from Goodwill, and Tera taught her some simple but sexy hair tricks.

We had so much fun that Tera and I agreed we’ll be doing this again in December. We may already have a candidate, but please feel free to refer a friend (or yourself?) for January’s makeover!

 

Tera Rae Stephens contributed to this blog post:

Located at Tek Salon and Spa on 17th Street in Costa Mesa, Tera Rae Stephens stands behind the chair, feeling blessed that she does what she loves!  She cuts and colors hair, specializes in Hot Heads hair extensions and has a passion for making clients feel authentically beautiful.  You can learn more about Tera at www.teraraestephens.com where she blogs about hair and the fun going on in her life!