{Beauty} Creating the best space, for making up your FOFace

LEAVE A COMMENT 2011 October 19

We’ve all met one of those older ladies who looks as though she put on her makeup in the dark. Lipstick is askew, eyeliner is wonky and foundation is clearly not the same color as her face. Well, FOF beware, this can happen to you!

“Our vision for details isn’t the same as it used to be,” says FOF Jennifer Snowdon, a makeup artist specializing in seamless makeup for high-def films. “If you don’t have proper lighting and mirrors when you apply your makeup, you can end up applying it really wrong.”

The trick, says Jennifer, is making sure you have the right tools so you can actually see what you’re doing. Here, her top tricks for creating the best FOF makeup space.

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{Beauty} The best eye makeup of your life

LEAVE A COMMENT 2011 October 6

“If you’re over fifty and you’re not wearing eye makeup, you should be.”
–Beauty Expert Lois Joy Johnson, The FOF Beauty Bash

FOF makeup artist Sandy Linter has been helping models and celebs look gorgeous for three decades. In her book, The Makeup Wakeup–co-authored with beauty editor Lois Joy Johnson–she brilliantly demystifies her techniques. At this year’s FOF Beauty Bash, she took it one step further, and created the perfect eye-makeup look, live, on a real FOF woman.

Watch this video from the event and then tell us what you think.  Could you create this look at home?

The Best Eye Makeup Of Your Life from faboverfifty on Vimeo.

1.  Use a 10x magnifying mirror.

2.  Do your eye makeup first–before you do anything else, including your foundation.

3.  Use a primer or oil-free concealer on your lids–it will help you eye makeup stay in place.

4.  Hold your eyelid skin taught and apply black pencil along the upper lash line, in short strokes, from the outside in. Line the bottom lashline as well, and stop at the center of the lower lid, right below your pupil.

5.  Don’t line the inner corners of your eyes.

6.  After applying your pencil, apply liquid liner to your upper lid, right against the lash line.

7.  Define the crease by brushing black or charcoal shadow along your brow bone.

8.  Add concealer to the inner corners of your eyes.

9.  Curl your lashes and apply black mascara.

10.  Keep the lid light–using a color on your lid can actually detract from your eye color.

{Giveaway} $360 worth of anti-aging products

LEAVE A COMMENT 2011 July 26

FOF beauty guru Marta Wohrle, of TruthInAging, is giving away her 3 fave products for FOFs. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: What brand of moisturizer do you use?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

FOF Marta Wohrle, a former journalist and publishing exec, launched TruthInAging three years ago as a source for unbiased product reviews on the plethora of beauty products flooding the “anti-aging” market. “I realized that many indie beauty brands–that didn’t have big ad budgets–weren’t getting the media attention they deserved,” she explains.

“For years, we were told nothing works for anti-aging but sunscreen or thousand-dollar injections,” says Marta. “But, over the past few years, smaller companies have been producing products with new ingredients that are actually very effective.”

Since then, Marta has tested hundreds of independent beauty products, stocking her e-store with only the ones she deems effective after at least three weeks of testing. Here she shares her five faves (and gives away 3!):

Your Best Face Correct Eye Cream (Win!) – “I started using this about two years ago and haven’t stopped since,” says Marta. “It’s the product I always go back to. It’s pricey — $150– but it really does repair fine lines. I use it daily.”

Reluma Anti-Aging Serum (Win!) – “All the products in the Reluma line are very good, but if I had to choose one, it would be the anti-aging serum,” says Marta. “It’s very effective for wrinkles and smoothing out the skin. Everything in the line is based on cutting-edge stem-cell technology. This serum has human growth factors that help skin repair itself. I use it daily.”

La Vie Celeste Extra Rich Face Cream (Win!)– “La Vie Celeste is a natural skin care line with lots of organic ingredients,” says Marta. “Their extra rich cream is great for very dry skin and has a good anti-aging peptide called chronoline. My skin isn’t terribly dry so I use it 2-3 times a week, at night.

Nutra-Lift Simply Superb Shampoo with Goat Milk – “I’m still looking for the holy grail of hair product, but I like this goat milk shampoo,” says Marta. “It’s not expensive, has all natural ingredients and makes aging hair look more youthful if it’s losing the shine.”

Sirius Aurora LED Light Therapy System – “I’ve found this at-home light therapy system is really great for plumping up the skin and building collagen,” says Marta. “It has blue light for acne, green for age spots or hyper-pigmentation and red for wrinkles. It’s our bestseller, and it’s really effective.  But you have to be diligent and use it three times a week.”

Enter to win Marta’s 3 fave products for FOFs. 1 FOF will win. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: What brand of moisturizer do you use?

(See all our past winners. See official rules. One winner is chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes August 4, 2011.)

{Giveaway} $250+ worth of Lancome products and the Makeup Wakeup beauty guide

LEAVE A COMMENT 2011 June 8

Celeb makeup artist and Lancome spokeswoman, FOF Sandy Linter, is giving away her 4 fave products for FOFs and her new beauty guide, Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: If you had plastic surgery, would you tell people or keep it a secret?

[Plus! Sandy Linter bares all about her plastic surgery. Read the entire interview here]

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.


What you win: Lancôme Absolue Bx lotion, Lancôme Progres eye cream, Lancôme Definicils Waterproof mascara, Lancôme Bi-Facil eye makeup remover

What is your own beauty routine?
I use Lancôme’s Galatee Conforte cleansing milk and their skin tonic called Tonique Douceuer. Then, at night, I use a cream called Platineum Night. I use either a liquid moisturizer from Lancôme, or, if my skin is super dry, I’ll use something called Precious Cells. I just started using Genifique serum on top of the cream because I’m going on a book tour and I’ll need something that’s good for airplane travel. They also have a cream called Progres that is really enriching and does the trick under my eyes.

You like to layer a lot of different products?
Not really. I don’t like thick layering of treatment creams underneath foundation. I hate that look of too much moisturizer — your face looks greasy and when you put your foundation on, you have streaks and caking. I like it all to look nice and smooth. I want my moisturizer and foundation to mix well together.

What foundation do you like?
Lancôme just came out with a foundation called Teint Miracle which is excellent. Every now and then I still use a foundation by Armani. Both formulations are liquid. I’m better off in a liquid than a cream. I’ve found darker toned skin looks better in cream foundation, and lighter toned skin looks better in liquid.

You’ve made up thousands of women over fifty. What is a common beauty blunder you see in this demographic?
A lot of women are still wearing ‘oil free’ moisturizer because it’s what they used when they were young and breaking out. That’s not for you anymore once you hit this age group. You’re not going to get a pimple.

How’s a 20-year-old sales woman behind the department store cosmetics counter going to help me, an FOF?
Many of them have the product lines memorized. They have charts that explain which products are for which age group and which type of skin. It’s all done by science. It’s not about the personality or age of the girl behind the counter.

Do you have a few tips for enhancing your eyes without surgery?
Do your eye makeup first before any face makeup. It prevents double duty cleanup later when your eye shadow flakes fall onto the under-eye and cheek area. Also, use primer to prevent your eye makeup from feathering and creasing.

Help! I have hormonal acne. What do I do to conceal it?
Misting an airbrush foundation can make spots, zits and excess redness virtually disappear.

I’m interested in getting a facelift. Anything I should be particularly wary about?
‘Lunchtime facelifts’ claiming no pain, no scars, no downtime are BS.
—

Like Sandy’s tips? For more, read Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age.

Enter to win Sandy’s 4 fave products for FOFs plus her new beauty guide, Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age. 1 FOF will win. To enter, answer this question in the comments below: If you had plastic surgery, would you tell people or keep it a secret?

(See all our past winners. See official rules. One winner is chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes June 16, 2011.)

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{Giveaway} Paula Dorf Eye and Face Primer

LEAVE A COMMENT 2011 April 27

FOF makeup maven, Paula Dorf, is giving away 10 sets of her eye and face primer. To enter, read her “7 FOF Beauty Sins,” then answer this question in the comments below: Which of these “sins” do you commit most often?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

[Read the entire interview with Paula here]

Sin #1: We don’t use primer.
Be a saint: Primer neutralizes oil, dryness and redness. It helps foundation go on better and stay in place. To use primer, let it absorb into the skin and dry before applying foundation. Try: Paula’s “Perfect Primer,” for oily or dry skin.

Sin #2: We don’t fill in our eyebrows.
Be a saint: As you get older, your brows get thinner and more sparse. Don’t fear filling them in–just do it correctly. Use a brow stencil that matches the shape of your brow and fill in with powder in your natural brow color. Try: Paula’s Brow Stencil Kit and 2+1 For Brows powder and wax

Sin #3: We’re over 50, but we wear our blush like 20-somethings.
Be a saint: Blush on the apples of your cheek looks great when you’re younger. But after 50, it can make you look sunken-in if not applied properly. Smile and place a cream blush on your cheek, then sweep it back to the hairline.  Follow with cheek color powder for added staying power. Use a professional cheek brush for the most natural looking results. Try: Paula’s Cheek Brush

Sin #4: Lip liner overload!
Be a saint: Put lipstick on first, then a little liner afterwards. This way you’re not going over your lips, you’re staying inside. Finish with a little bit of gloss.

Sin #5: We’re afraid of colored lipstick.
Reverse your sin: Any woman can wear colors on her lips. Don’t be afraid! Lips and eyes are very connected. When you put more color on your lips, your eyes will pop more.

Sin #6: We use too much eyeliner.
Reverse your sin: When eyeliner is too heavy, it closes the eyes. So as we get older, we need to apply a thinner line.

Sin #7: We use our cleanser as makeup remover
Reverse your sin: Your cleanser shouldn’t be doing double-duty as makeup remover. When you use cleanser, you tend to rub. A makeup remover takes it off gently–that’s especially important around the eyes. Try: Sweep Away Makeup Remover
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Enter to win a set of Paula Dorf’s eye and face primer. 10 FOFs will win. Read her 7 FOF beauty sins then comment below and tell her: Which one do you commit most often?

(See all our past winners. See official rules. Ten winners are chosen at random from all those commenters who answer the question. Contest closes May 5, 2011.)

{Makeovers} A hilarious duo gets a serious beauty do-over from Soft Surroundings

LEAVE A COMMENT 2011 February 2

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.”
—
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.”
—
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.”
—
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.”
—

*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.”
—
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.”
—
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.”
—
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.”
—

**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

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{Makeovers} Here comes the (Mother of the) Bride, all dressed in…..

LEAVE A COMMENT 2010 September 16

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}

For her hair, Antonio:
Used a single-process hair color in medium blonde (Level 7) by Organic Color Systems. He brightened it up and added depth and contrast with blonde (Level 9) highlights.
“We kept the length intact but added layers for movement,” said Antonio. “Sharon’s going to be able to wear it up or down for the wedding and not be limited to one style at all.”
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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}

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

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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.”

–

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!

{Beauty} Supernatural

LEAVE A COMMENT 2010 August 19

FOFs Cindy Joseph and Jennifer Snowdon built their careers on achieving “the natural look.” Cindy’s new cosmetic line, Boom!, uses three simple color sticks to achieve a radiant glow. Jennifer is a makeup artist specializing in seamless makeup for high-definition film.

Here, they demonstrate their favorite tricks for looking polished—not painted.

Cindy’s supernatural day look:

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Jennifer’s Step-by-Step:

Moisturize. “As skin gets older, it gets drier, so keep adding moisture, moisture, moisture! The Boom! Glo stick is a universal moisturizer that stays on top of the skin and gives a slightly dewy glow. You can use it on your lips, cheeks, neck and cuticles. The only ingredients are olive oil, beeswax, honey and vitamin E.” Boom! By Cindy Joseph, Glo, $24

Neutralize the Eye Area. “Don’t worry about shadow. Just lighten your eye area to the same color as the rest of your skin. Choose a concealer that matches the skin on your cheeks exactly and mix it with eye cream so it won’t settle into lines. Or try Alison Raffaele True Concealer, which hydrates and plumps and doesn’t settle. Apply it with a brush above and below the eye—anywhere the skin is darker, red or shadowed. I always use a brush; sponges soak in all the makeup—a waste!” Alison Raffaele True Concealer, $23

Illuminate. “’Frosted’ makeup sounds like something horrible from the 1960s. But a highlighting cream-based ‘frost’ applied to the cheekbone, brow bone, lid and the center of the lip suggests dewy, youthful skin.” Boom! By Cindy Joseph, Glimmer, $24

Flush the cheeks & lips. “Apply a cream-based color to your cheeks, lips and to your neck to suggest a warm flush.”  Boom! By Cindy Joseph, Color, $24

Cindy’s supernatural night look:

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Jennifer’s Step-by-Step:

Even your skin. “For slightly more coverage, mix your foundation with a little moisturizer and use a brush to paint it anywhere skin is slightly red or darker. If your foundation is the right color, you don’t need to cover your whole face. Work from the center of you face out.”

Draw the eye up. “Many FOFs try to ‘define’ the eye by using a strong line all the way around. In fact, anything you put under the eye highlights the bags beneath it! Instead, use a stiff brush dipped in water to press powder liner along the upper lash line. Use the same brush to apply your mascara; it allows you to get right up to the lash line and it looks more natural. Michael Marcus Kohl Cake Eyeliner, $20

Add a red lip. “Red always gives your skin tone a lift. There are so many new textures of lip color now, from stains to moisturizing sheers; red doesn’t mean the Marilyn Monroe matte of the past. I used a brush to apply a few coats of Kimiko’s sheer lip stain and then topped it with her plumping gloss. Dry red lips are not as attractive as wet red lips.”  Kimiko Sheer Tint and Lip Plumper in Pomegranate, $37

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{Beauty} More or less makeup after 50?

LEAVE A COMMENT 2010 August 18

FOF Marian McEvoy has taken it back to the basics after fifty. She finds that less is more when it comes to cosmetics.

For FOF Susan Grant, mid-life has brought along new beauty challenges and to combat them she’s cranked up her cosmetic use.

Marian and Susan have entirely different beauty routines, yet they’ve both found what works for them after years of experimenting. Take a look at how their cosmetic collections have evolved over time. Then, comment below and tell us, do you wear more or less makeup than you did when you were young?

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{Makeovers} LaDonna Gets All Dolled Up

LEAVE A COMMENT 2010 July 22

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.]