Oct 25, 2012–In “one of the best days” she’s had in recent memory, 74-year-old Eleanor Weaver, an FOF from Lutherville, Md. got a makeover. The primping and pampering took place at Pendleton, a clothing store in Towson, Md., a suburb of Baltimore. It was sponsored by FabOverFifty, Foxcroft apparel, and About Faces salon.

For most of her adult career, Eleanor worked as a saleswoman and buyer at a dress shop called The Wardrobe, in Roland Park, Md. Despite a career in fashion sales, Bonnie says she typically plays it safe with her clothing choices. “My wardrobe consists of black and gray but all my accessories are bright colors. I like classic but updated clothes.”

With a little encouragement from Bonnie Souleyret, the FOF Style Guru who assembled Bonnie’s makeover look, Eleanor stepped out of her fashion comfort zone. Bonnie chose this Foxcoft leopard print cardigan, a basic black shell and these Foxcroft black pants for Eleanor.

“I would’ve never normally tried something with leopard print,” says Eleanor. “In fact, I said to Bonnie, ‘I’m not going to put that on.’ But, I did and since I’ve worn it, I’ve received so many compliments.”

“She ended up wearing it out,” says Bonnie. “That outfit took 10 years off of her.”

After her style session, Eleanor got a makeup application and her hair styled by experts at About Faces salon. “I’m not a makeup person at all but it was so lightly done,” says Eleanor. “If I had the money I’d go back to her once a week. And I’d never go to bed or take a shower.” The hair stylist parted her hair and gave her an up to date style.

According to Eleanor, when she got home, her husband of 54 years couldn’t believe it. “He said, ‘that looks fantastic, we’re going out.’” says Eleanor. “So, we got some friends together and did just that.” Eleanor’s friends also loved her new look.  “One of my friends said, ‘Eleanor I can’t believe you have that [sweater] on. You should wear that more often.”

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

Next weekend (Oct 1 & 2) at The Beauty Bash, FOFs will be stunned to see the total transformations of Cathy Furegno and Karen Hansen, last month’s makeover winners. Both will receive $3,500 transformations including new clothes, new makeup, new hair and a color consultation. Meet them, below.

Meet Cathy:

Why did you enter this contest?

I thought ‘why not?’  I am a bit on the shy side and never had much self-confidence. I felt if I won, this would be my 15 minutes of fame. I always dreamed of being a model.

How has your appearance changed since you turned fifty?
My weight is about the same, although I do have a tendency to fluctuate by about five-to-ten pounds (but don’t we all?) My face is a bit longer and I have ‘parenthesis’ but no wrinkles. My eyes also look tired at times. I have some gray hair but I dye it. I’ve always had baby fine hair.

Describe your self-image.
I am not ashamed of how I look, but I don’t spend much money on myself. I have 4 children and a husband and always felt guilty if I put myself first.

Describe your style.
It’s on the conservative side, although I admire flamboyant people because they are not afraid to wear what they want. I don’t spend much money on clothes.

Do you have a fashion icon?
Jacklyn Smith. Her taste is simple, yet she always looks wonderful. She was and is one of the most elegant women in the world.

What are you looking forward to most about your makeover?
Learning how to bring out the best in myself. I know I will enjoy all the attention. A dream come true!
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Meet Karen:

Why did you enter this giveaway?
I’ve always wanted a makeover. I grew up in the straight hair, no makeup, jeans and t-shirt generation and have never been great at putting myself together. My kids always said I was ‘hair and makeup challenged.’

What do you wish you could change about your appearance?
I wish my thinning hair was nice and thick. I’d like to get rid of the wrinkles starting under my chin and neck. My biggest wish is weight loss.

How would you describe your personal style?
Confused. I love the preppy look, like the “hippie” look but also like my jeans-and-T-shirt days. It all depends on my mood and activities.

How do you want to look on your 60th birthday?
Younger — like 50 on my 60th. I feel 24, my body acts 80 and my birth certificate says 58.

What do you hope to get out of this makeover?
How to look my best. I want to learn how to accentuate my best features and how to play down my flaws.

FOFs Janet Prensky and Anne-Marie Aigner have been best friends since Anne-Marie was Janet’s voice teacher at Emerson College. Over the years they’ve shared a radio talk show in Boston and a flourishing marketing agency, Aigner/Prensky Group.

In 2009 they launched “The Boomer Broads,” a hilarious web-based talk show “for and about grown-up women!”

To help them get camera-ready, FOF teamed up with Soft Surroundings and gave the sassy, brassy, hilarious duo… a serious beauty do-over.

Farukh Shakeel, Soft Surroundings makeup artist extraordinaire, came armed with her bag of foolproof flaw-fixers from Sue Devitt. “Sue Devitt products are particularly fantastic for FOFs,” says Farukh. “They provide great hydration and contain nylon 12, an ingredient that bends and moves with the skin so the product won’t settle in lines and creases.”

Flaw: Wrinkles and deep lines from spending summers on Cape Cod.
Fixer: “Microquatic Anti-Aging Primer (1) fills in pores and wrinkles so the makeup doesn’t set into fine lines,” says Farukh. “Primer is the most important product for FOFs.”
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Flaw: Redness around the cheeks and nose.
Fixer: “Ruddiness can become more pronounced after fifty,” ” says Farukh. 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation in ‘Tanami’ (2) covers the redness in Janet’s nose and cheeks, but it’s very light–70% water–so it won’t look heavy.”
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Flaw: Pale, “unfinished” lips.
Fixer: “Balanced Sheer Lipstick in ‘Villefranche’ (3) is a beautiful, pinky-nude that’s not at all overpowering,” says Farukh. “It gives a slight bit of color, so her lips don’t overwhelm.”
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Flaw: Sparse eyelashes.
Fixer: “Lash Intensifier Treatment and Lengthening Mascara (4) makes Janet look awake and alive. It brings so much definition to her eyes. And if she uses the conditioning treatment every night, she should see significantly longer lashes in a few weeks.”
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*All products listed are from the Sue Devitt Cosmetics line available online at Soft Surroundings or Soft Surroundings retail stores. Call 1-800-240-7076 for more information about products not available online.

Flaw: Dark under-eye circles
Fixer: Bermuda Triangle Undereye Corrector(1) works universally on all skin tones,” says Farukh. “The peach undertones camouflage the blue-green of dark circles. It has orchid extract which helps hydrate the under-eye area and fight free radicals. It starts off very creamy and works down to a powdery finish.”
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Flaw: Too much mascara and overly lined eyes.
Fixer: “Anne-Marie shouldn’t use mascara on the bottom lash because that creates a younger, doe-eyed look,” says Farukh. “When all the mascara is on the top lashes, the eyes appear lifted. The Eye Intensifier Pencil in ‘Ava’ (2) goes on creamy so it doesn’t create a hard line around the eye, and the deep purple shade brings out the green specks in Anne-Marie’s eyes.”
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Flaw: Uneven lip color
Fixer: Ann-Marie’s lip line looks heavy, and too dark for the inside of her lip. “Long-Lasting Lip Liner Pencil in ‘Safi’ is creamy, not hard, when applied, so it won’t create a hard line and it won’t feather and bleed. Use it to fill in the lip–not just to line.” says Farukh. “Balanced Sheer Lipstick in ‘Hollywood’ (3) is a dusty-rose, perfect to match the pencil and finish the look.”
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Flaw: A dull winter complexion
Fixer: “Triple Touch Light Reflecting Bronzer in ‘Beausoleil’ (4) has graduated color, from light to dark, to prevent a flat, streaky tone. Just brush it lightly over your t-zone–where the sun hits–to liven dull winter skin.”
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**All products listed are from the Sue Devitt Cosmetics line available online at Soft Surroundings or Soft Surroundings retail stores. Call 1-800-240-7076 for more information about products not available online.

You can watch the Boomer Broads makeover, with all their commentary, here.

“She did a great job,” says Janet. “I like it, and I didn’t think I would. Now I’m going to have to go home and keep playing the video back so that I can replicate it.”

“This is the first time anyone has done my makeup. Isn’t it every woman’s dream?” says Anne-Marie. “Farukh from Soft Surroundings is a miracle worker. Now, she’s going to have to come home with us.”

“Hot dates tonight ladies?” We asked the pair. “Umm…Is American Idol on?” jokes Anne-Marie.

Images by Katherine McPherson for FabOverFifty.com

According to FOF Jill Kirsh, “Hollywood’s guru of hue,” any FOF can look younger, thinner and more radiant, with just a little bit of color intervention. Her clever system is based on hair color, and includes makeup kits and a portable booklet of fabric swatches to help you identify your best colors.

We were intrigued, but skeptical. What about skin tone or eye color? “No, no” says Jill. “The hair rules the day.”

“We’ll believe it when we see it,” we said, and put Jill to the test.

The challenge: Take 4 FOF celebs and tell us, were their Golden Globes dresses a hits or misses? If it was a hit, show us why. If it was a miss, work your color magic and help that star shine.

The results: Ta-da! 4 show-stopping color transformations.

She missed. “The warm champagne tone of the dress that Helen wore to the Golden Globes takes away from her silver hair and drags her down. Icy blue would have been a better choice for her. It lifts the attention up to her face and makes her look more vibrant.”

She hit…sort of. “Black is great, it’s basic and we all love it,” says Jill. “The black dress Melissa Leo wore to the Golden Globes works. But, eggplant should really be her new black. The eggplant dress brings out the warmth of her face and auburn hair.”

She hit. “Catherine Zeta Jones nailed it with the forest green dress she wore to the Golden Globes,” says Jill. “Since she’s a deep brunette, she really pops in forest green. If the dress were a different shade, such as olive, she would fade right into it.”

She hit. The marigold that Kyra Sedgwick picked for the Golden Globes was a great choice for her warm blond hair coloring. She looks vibrant and alive,” says Jill. A taupe would have grayed her out and made her look older.”

[Enter to win one of Jill’s complete color kits, here.]

Images via American Superstar Mag

A few months ago, FOFs voted Sharon Hoffman the winner of our Mother-of-the-Bride makeover contest. They were touched by Sharon’s story and her daughter Erin’s selfless nomination.

“The closest I had to a wedding was a party my family threw for me when I got leave from the military in 1983,” said Sharon. “I was pregnant and wearing a borrowed maternity dress.”

Sharon may not have had a wedding day, but last month she certainly was queen for a day. As the M-O-B makeover winner, she won a head-to-toe look for Erin’s wedding including makeup and hair styling from Senses New York Salon & Spa and a style consultation with designer-to-the-stars Kay Unger.

HAIR: We turned to Antonio Rosa, owner of Senses New York Salon & Spa to work his magic. “I didn’t know if he’d go real short. I’m happy with the direction he went,” said Sharon. “The length will give me the option of wearing my hair up. I haven’t worn my hair up since prom.”

{Click here to get stylist and colorist, Antonio’s tips and techniques}

MAKEUP: Adam Maclay is a makeup artist with Senses New York Salon & Spa and also does makeup for WE tv’s show “My Fair Wedding.” He gave Sharon a wedding-worthy look and armed her with tricks to replicate the look on the big day.

“Adam did an excellent job with the makeup,” said Sharon. “He was sensitive to the fact that I normally don’t wear makeup and kept it very light and natural looking. I’ll try to replicate the look as best I can for the wedding.”

{Click here to get Adam’s makeup products list}

For skin:
For moisture; Skin Medica TNS Ultimate Daily Moisturizer + SPF20 applied with a Foundation Brush by Mac
For reducing redness; Green concealer by Makeup Forever
For concealing blemishes and evening skin tones; Foundation by Temptu applied with an airbrush or Face and Body Foundation by Mac

For eyes:
For filling in eyebrows; Creamy Brow Pencil in “Blonde” by Lorac
For definition; Technakohl Liner in “Brownborder” by Mac
For color; Shadow in “Swish,” “Retrospeck,” “Expensive Pink,” and “Woodwinked” with a touch of “Crystal Avalanche,” by Mac. “I used the darker colors on the outer corner of the eye and peaches and pinks on the inner corner then blended with a blending blush,” said Adam.
For volume; Colossal Volum’ Express Waterproof by Maybelline. “Waterproof is necessary especially on wedding days.” He recommends going over it with a brow brush if it’s clumpy.
For curl; Eyelash curler by Tart. “She should look into false lashes for the day of the wedding,” said Adam.

For lips:
For definition; Lipliner in “Natural Blush” by E.L.F. “I filled in the outer corners so as the lipstick wears off there is still color.”
For color; Lip gloss in #27 by Makeup Forever. “Everyone should own this color,” said Adam. “It goes with every skin tone.”
For shine; Lip Buxom by Bare Escentuals

DRESS: Then it was off to Kay Unger’s NYC Fashion District showroom to meet the world-famous designer herself. Kay pulled different looks for Sharon to try on based on her measurements and Erin’s wedding color scheme of aqua, peony, ivory, and green. Read on to see the winning look (and a few runners up too!)

Look 1: One Shoulder Coral Dress

“This one shoulder, is very interesting and a lot of fun on you,” said Kay. “You don’t have to hold your stomach in and the pockets give you some place to put your hands!

“I really like the color of this one,” said Sharon. “It would be fun to dance in because of the full skirt. But, maybe it’s a little too young and might not marry well with the pink poppies Erin may use for the wedding.”

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Look 2: Satin & Jacquard Sheath Dress

“It’s a very unique fabric,” said Kay. “I think of all the dresses we’ve given you, you’d be most likely to wear this again. Whereas the coral dress you might not. It’s something to take into consideration.”

“It’s such an elegant dress but maybe the color is a little too close to white,” said Sharon. “I’m just not comfortable wearing something so close to white to a wedding.”

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The Winning Look: Green Strapless

“You look most comfortable. It’s so pretty and you look very, very slim in this dress,” said Kay.

“Green is one of my very favorite colors. Even my house is decorated in green,” said Sharon. “It’s a simple, elegant design. Often, strapless dresses are too revealing but this one comes up high enough that it’s actually quite tasteful. This is the one, I love it!”

Kay’s Recommended Accessories:

-Drop earrings or diamond studs
-Colorful cocktail ring with green gems
-Dressy, delicate silver watch

-Pearlized or silver slingback closed-toe shoe with a heel
-Control-top stockings from Spanx or Yummy Tummies that come above the waist
-A nude strapless bra such as the Nu-Bra Ultra Lite

Stay tuned…FOF will follow up with Sharon after her daughter’s wedding next Spring and report back!

Note: Satin and Jacquard Sheath Dress available through Nordstrom.com. Other Kay Unger styles can be purchased through Neiman Marcus and Saks.

Do you like the dress Sharon chose? Comment below and tell us what you think!

FOF LaDonna Hale Curzon, 53, emailed FOF founder Geri Brin a few months ago with this charming ode to turning fifty:

“Three years ago, I learned to ride a motorcycle and now own one; rode twice in Rolling Thunder; learned to fly my hydrofoil on the Potomac; sent my daughters to college; caught a large-mouth bass with a fly rod; learned to play golf; started *Sarah Palin Radio; celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary and had my first Botox injection. Life just gets started at 50!”

Geri loved LaDonna’s story and offered an FOF makeover to help transform her look to match her new lease on life.

LaDonna agreed, and this summer, she and her daughter Sarah, 19, traveled from their home in Alexandria to NYC to meet with an FOF makeover crew.

“She needs a firm hand sometimes with the style,” Sarah told us. “I think she likes to be relaxed so much that she just doesn’t think about it.”

“I’ve been raising two teenage daughters and all the focus has been on them,” LaDonna explained. “Their clothes, their beauty – and of course they look stunning.  They’d watch all the makeover shows on TV and say, ‘Mom, that should be you.’ And I’d say, ‘I know.’”

We turned to the team at Butterfly Studio Salon in Manhattan, where an expert hair stylist, colorist, and makeup artist combined to play the role of Fairy Godmother.  Sharon Roth at Jarbo Collection—one of our fave FOF designers—supplied the “after” outfits.

HAIR: “I love coming to get my haircut; it’s like therapy for me,” LaDonna said. “Because I always leave happy and it’s cheaper than going to a therapist.  It’s like massaging your ego.”

{Click here to see all of colorist Tammy Kopie’s techniques}

{Click here to see all of hairstylist Kelly Finneran’s tips}

MAKEUP: Francesca Roman worked her makeup magic with products from Paula Dorf.

{Click here to see everything she used}

After the make-up, we asked LaDonna how the finished makeover felt.

“I feel divine,” she said.  “I love everything they’ve done.  My hair feels so soft and sophisticated, and it has some highlights, which I’ve never had in my life.  The makeup is unbelievable. I really didn’t recognize myself – in a good way.  My daughter was complimenting me!”

Images by Katherine McPherson for FabOverFifty.com

[*Editor’s note: We love LaDonna but want to clarify that Faboverfifty has no political affiliation.]