When FOF Mary Jane Andrada won our
Carolyn Diamond makeover contest this January, we had no idea how much she deserved it.
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FOF Mary Jane Andrada, of Queens, New York, is a tiny woman (not even 5 feet!) with big responsibilities. She works fulltime as a paralegal for a top intellectual property firm while raising her two children--a daughter, 27, and son, 15--on her own.
“My husband and I met in college,” she says, smiling. “We were together for more than 20 years, but he passed away twelve years ago of a heart attack.” That’s when MaryJane went back to school for her paralegal degree and started a whole new life--at 41.
Mary Jane arrived for her makeover at New York City’s
Mizu salon, right on time, beaming from ear to ear. “I can’t wait,” she says, fingering a tiny heart-disease awareness pin on her lapel. “I recently went to my 35th High School reunion, and all my friends made me promise to send photos after the makeover and share all the tips!”
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Step 1: Haircolor
Expert: Karen Freely, colorist at
Mizu salon, and dead ringer for actress Heather Graham
Karen’s critique: “Mary Jane is covering her gray with a harsh, at-home dye containing red undertones that are bringing out too much pink in her skin."
Karen's Fix:
A demi-permanent Gloss from Redken that matches Mary Jane’s natural, deep brown color. “Demi-permanent will fade out slowly over 2-3 months so you won’t get a harsh line of difference,” says Karen.
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Step 2: Haircut
Expert: Ray Symons, master stylist at
Mizu salon. (Follow his
Twitter!)
Ray’s Critique: “Mary Jane has lovely hair, but the layers and length are not showing off her high cheekbones and square face. She needs a shorter cut--but NOT a bob. That will make her face look too round.”
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“I don’t know what you did, but it feels like baby hair!”
Ray's Fix:
(1) “A shorter cut where the front layers are styled away from the face.
(2) The key is to blowdry the hair forward and then blow it back to create volume at the roots. Also, use a round brush containing a mix of nylon and natural bristles. The nylon grabs the hair, but the natural bristles smooth the cuticle and add shine.”
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Step 3: Makeup
Expert: FOF Carolyn Diamond, professional makeup artist to the stars and medical aesthetician. Carolyn was named “Best Makeup Artist of the Year” in the Philly Hotlist.
Carolyn’s critique: “Mary Jane has beautiful eyes, but her brows--the most important feature on every woman’s face!--are thin and undefined. Her eyeliner application is making her eyes appear smaller. I’m seeing uneven skin tone and age spots, which can easily be covered. She’s also using pink makeup tones when she should be using apricot and corals to complement her yellow undertones.”
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Carolyn's Fix:
1. “First, I’m prepping her face with a toner containing glycolic acid, which breaks down the bonds that hold dead skin cells. I tell all my clients to sit in a hot bath every once in awhile--that sloughs off the dead skin on your neck and chest. It’s the best exfoliant! Mary Jane has slightly oily skin, so I’m using just a little Ultra Benefits cream. I always pat it on my hands first and then on the face, so I don’t apply too much.”
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2. “For FOFs, I always use
GloMinerals,
a mineral-based foundation and concealer in one. I like it much better than Bare Minerals, which tends to be very unforgiving on FOF skin because it has a lot of mica, a shiny mineral that shows every wrinkle. GloMinerals is finer and more matte. Sort of like the difference between painting a wall in matte or high gloss--high gloss shows everything.”
MaryJane’s shade: GloMinerals Golden Dark Pressed Base, $42
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3. “For an instant eye lift, first use a yellow-based primer all over the eyelid, then apply color from the crease to the brow bone. Eyeliner should get thicker and higher as you move from the inner to the outer eye. Use very little liner on the bottom lid!”
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4. “Eyebrows--so key! I use
Nutraluxe Lash MD to make my own lashes and brows thicker and fuller. Then, fill in your brows by tapping on
brow powder with
a brush. Don’t use pencil and don’t drag the brush across your brow to create a defined line. Just tap, tap, tap!”
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5. “Finally, GloMinerals Blush in Papaya and GloMinerals Gloss in Peony are the perfect shades for MaryJane--they add warmth and flatter her skintone.”
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All products listed here can be purchased directly through Carolyn Diamond's studio. Call 267-664-7712 to order.
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"I am transformed!" says Mary Jane when she sees her complete look for the first time. "I feel youthful and more confident. And this color, cut and makeup are effortless--I can do these myself. The whole experience has inspired me to want to take better care of myself."
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Enter to win a gift bag of luxe Carolyn Diamond skincare samples when you answer this questions in the comments: What do you think of Mary Jane's new look? (10 women will win!)
10 FOFs will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes May 3, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.
Photographer: Katherine Miles Jones 
{Test this} Elave Age Delay Daily Cleanser, by Ayla 
{FOF Book Critic & Giveaway} Read like an author 
{FOF Homework} Then & Now 
{FOF Coach} Making her own rules
She looks great
I think she look fabulous! She looks younger and perkier.
Great new look!
Mary Jane looks great with her new look!
She looks like a million bucks! I want to try!
Younger,brighter,and happier. She looks great
Great!
Mary Jane looks great. She looks confident with her makeover.
She looks so much younger and fresher, ready for anything in a busy day! She has a professional air about her appearance now.
Wow, she looks so pretty! everyone did a fabulous job in helping her “look like a new woman”. You go girl!
Wow, she looks great. What a transformation! She looks much happier and less tired. Way to go Mizu Salon!
What a transformation and just shows what a fresh, new look can do for anyone.
Totally refreshened!!!
Mary Jane looks just lovely. She is now “glowing” and her smile says it all. Her entire face is smiling!
She looked so pretty before–and now, even more so! She looks radiant and stylish–and very happy with how it all turned out.
Fabulous!
She looks younger and refreshed. The tired look is gone.
Mary Jane’s inner glow is showing all over her face. Her new hair and face have brought out her best and she’s happy to show the world that she’s as lovely on the outside as she is on the inside.
Excellent result!
She looks fabulous! Good makeover without being “overdone”.
There is hope for the rest of us.
She looks wonderful– refreshed and vibrant.
Mary Jane, you look wonderful! So pretty and refreshed. Looks like you received some wonderful tips.
Mary Jane looks glowing, lovely, not overdone. I can see that she is pleased with her new look. Sometimes just watching an expert gives us an insight to makeup tricks that we would never think of by ourselves. One nice hint is the coloring choices to use under make up to do away with yellowness or too much red. Great job!
Congratulations on shining up the beauty that was within. I think you look transformed and totally happy. That’s got to be what it is all about in the long run. Looking happy and feeling it too.
Wow!
Whoa! She looks energized, refreshed, younger. Being a paralegal is a tough, tough job. Good for her — she deserves this make-over!
Wow! What a difference. She looks incredible. Amazing what the right cut can do!
She looks WAYYYYYYYY better. Good job team.
This is a major appearance change for Mary Jane; sure she will get tons of compliments and really FEEL like a new woman! I meet so many people that I’d like to “make over”–I can see that potential lurking under that bad haircut/color/makeup–whatever!
I’d love to try the skincare you prescribed for Mary Jane!
Mary Jane looks fabulous – an encouragement to us all!
I think she looks wonderful, her eyes are more open and brighter. The cut is perfect not a bob as they said but shows off her wonderful cheekbones!
Love it…………………
WOW she looks fab! Younger, healthier & more confident!
She looks great! Her hairstyle has a great impact in her looks! The hair style made it all the difference!! Congratulation!
Wow, I didn’t know hair and makeup could make such a difference! Makes me wonder what I can do to look better.
Mary Jane looks lovely ! She looks like she had a vacation at a spa. Rejuvenated and radiant!
Wow! This is all her, just ‘fine-tuned’. I hope she now believes her kids the next time they tell her that she’s beautiful.
She looks so happy, confident, and polished!
Mary Jane looks very vibrant and rested. Her skin is glowing and smoothe. As we get older, it gets more and more difficult to achieve that look. I have tried everything from minerals to airbrush and still every wrinkle is emphasized. Cudos to the experts who transformed Mary Jane. Congratulations to her for her strength in fighting on.
Stunning! A classic beauty!
Amazing, joyful look
I think she loks great.Very refreshed!!!!!
She looks great.
She looks great and it is so nice to hear that the new look has given her a new attitude. Well done.
Great makeover – she looks wonderful. Would love to try the products.
Wow! She deserves it and she looks amazing!
She looks great and happy! Good for her and what a wonderful job your experts did for her make-over! Impressive!
I think she looks great!
Skin care samples needed here!
WOW! Mary Jane looks fabulous.
She looks fantabulous…her skin looks soo rejuvenated!!
She looks great. Now she looks like the professional she is.
Go get’em Mary Jane.
I think that Mary Jane has underwent a magical transformation! She looks wonderful; more youthful and radiant. The hairstyle really frames her face, along with the more defined and fuller brows. Her skintone is much warmer and vibrant looking, and her skin looks lifted and much firmer. Ms. Diamond and fellow makeover associates did a fabulous job and Mary Jane looks very happy and confident!
One of the best makeovers I’ve seen. She looks fabulous-younger and much more chic. Good for you Mary Jane!
Mary Jane looks fabulous. What a wonderful transformation.
Boy! What a difference! She looks terrific!
She is BEAUTIFUL……… before AND after….
She looks fabulous and I’ll bet she feels just as fabulous too! Sounds like she has had a lot on her shoulders so hopefully this makeover will be that lift we all need sometimes.
Wow…you look amazing dear classmate.Keep it up!
Mary Jane looks fabulous! Refreshed, smoother, younger but herself. Likes she’s had a wonderful, relaxing vacation that completely re-energized her. Congratulations, Mary Jane!
Wonderful! SO happy for her!!!!!
Absolutely awesome makeover. She looks so much younger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amazing, what a difference this makeover made. She not only looks younger, but more lively and awake. Well done.
She is gorgeous. You guys did a wonderful job. I would love to win the gift bag. I need it.
Bravo. Mary Jane began very pretty and ended up even more pretty!
She looks so much better…fresher & younger!!
SHE is beautiful!!! It looks like she got the 12 years back she lost after her husbands death. I bet her children are so happy she won this experience. She did deserve!!! Great choice!!
Mary Jane looks beautiful, confident, and happy. She is glowing with inner and outer beauty.
Mary Jane is a beautiful woman. Her gorgeous smile says it all. It is nice to see the satisfaction in her eyes as well. What a great job. I love her hair!!
I think she looks lovely!!
She looks great; polished, glowing and younger!
I think she looks wonderful, like she had a facelift but without any surgery. Her new look has taken years off. Her hairdo is very flattering as well.
What a treat for Mary Jane! She looks absolutely terrific. I love the whole package – hairdo, hair color, and makeup!
She looks 10 years younger!
She looks 10 years younger!!!!! WOW!!!!!
She look beautiful! it is amazing what effect hair color, make-up and a new hair style can do to transform someone’s look. Mary Jane’s new look is so pretty!
Awesome!
Love the new hairstyle and the makeup application especially to the eyes is very natural looking and gives her a totally “bright” look. Nancy
Mary Jane looks younger and even more beautiful than before her makeover.
Wow! I wish I could see that difference in my appearance!! Beautiful!
Radiant!
She looks fabulous ! Her skin looks flawless .
She looks like she had a facelift! Looks years younger…fabulous!
She looks radiant and stunning! Her makeover proves the power of artful eye makeup a great haircut!
WOW! This shows just what a difference the right make up can make. She is beautiful, and I bet her self confidence has skyrocketed!
I love how her brows look thicker!
OMG. She looks absolutely fabulous. She looks so much fresher, happier and healthiers. I wish the products they used weren’t so expensive – I would love to buy them but I just can’t afford them.
She looks much younger and happier
Cynthia.Richardson@azbar.org
Wow, transformed! beautiful, polished look.
Wow! What a transformation! Mary Jane looks younger, more vibrant, classy! Excellent!
You can really see “an inward change” and isn’t that the most important? Yes, her hair looks fab as well as her make up BUT, I see an inner-beauty showing. The “New Mary Jane” looks fabulous!
This makeover not only enhanced Mary Jane’s physical beauty, but she now seems confident and happy. She looks like the kind of person who would light up a party.
She just sparkles now and exudes confidence. Amazing how she’s wearing the very same dress, and looks markedly improved in the “after” photo. Well done!!
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Her new hair cut & makeup makes her look years younger and so vibrant! She looks awesome & alive!
Wow! What a wonderful, natural transformation for a very deserving lady!She looks stunning now….Congratulations!
Fabulous! I could definetly use this!!
I hope she feels as fabulous as she looks! Well done.
All I can say is she looks wonderful! What a great transformation.
She went from plain Mary Jane to fabulous Mary Jane
Lovely, Mary Jane!! You look so fresh and glowing. Make sure you promise to keep it up…for YOU.
She looks 10 years younger!!!
Radiant, confident, and ready to conquer the world. Amazing what a great cut, color enhancement and some much needed tips on simple application of make up can do. FabOverFifty = Fabulous
After we learn all the tricks, the new site will be Sexy or Sixty. Thanks.
Radiant, confident, and ready to conquer the world. Amazing what a great cut, color enhancement and some much needed tips on simple application of make up can do. FabOverFifty = Fabulous
After we learn all the tricks, the new site will be Sexy Over Sixty. Thanks.
WOW – she looks ten years younger! The makeup with golden and peach tones bring out her pretty complexion, and the haircut looks shiny and polished.
Love the haircut, especially. She looks wonderful!
Wow she looks 10 years younger, great job.
Fabulous look, I’m going to get some of these products for my self.
Love the color and cut for her face shape.
She just looks so happy and approachable.
stunning…
The best is that Mary Jane looks natural and comfortable in her makeover. Can’t wait to get to Philly for a session with Carolyn Diamond. I love her soft touch!
I really love the new look! The shorter cut really highlights her beautiful features, and her skin is glowing now! Best of all, it looks so natural.
I was so impressed with Mary Jane’s new look especially her haircut so I decided to do something about my hair. I actually went to see Ray at Mizu salon, the same stylist who cut Mary Jane’s hair and he’s great, talented and very charming. My hair looks amazing. I didn’t dare to go as short as Mary Jane but Ray encouraged me to go for a sassy shoulder length look that I can still wear in a pony when I work out. I’m going back next week for color.
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She looks absolutely wonderful – I find it interesting, however, that Carolyn Diamond says quite emphatically NOT to use an eyebrow pencil on your eyebrows – and then in the photo right next to that quote, she appears to be using an eyebrow pencil on Mary Jane. No matter, however – the results were fabulous!!
LOVE IT!!!! she looks fabulous!!
I am thrilled for Mary Jane! She looks amazing! And she looks so happy. That is the most important part of a makeover.
I think she looks much more youthful and adventurous. The hair and makeup really bring out her beauty.
I’d like to know how can I get a makeover?