makeovers

Bobbi Brown is continuing her quest to make all women feel pretty powerful.

The makeup artist and cosmetics genius has launched Pretty Powerful 2.0 -- a follow-up to her debut beauty campaign that features "real women," including WNBA player Alana Beard, model Jenny Shimuzu and news anchor Mary Alice Williams. It symbolizes Brown's belief that all women possess natural beauty, and with the right tools, are empowered to a higher level of gorgeous.

"I believe that beauty comes in all ages, colors, shapes and sizes," says Brown. "It's not about looking like someone else or trying to be someone you're not. It's about figuring out what works for you."

Starting today, you can log on to bobbibrowncosmetics.com/prettypowerful and peruse a gallery of before and after photos, connect with each woman in their testimonial videos and recreate their day to night looks with pro application tips and product suggestions.

Pretty Powerful 2.0 is also kicking off with a "Tour of America" contest where women across the country are encouraged to upload a picture of themselves for a chance to be crowned the face of their state. Those with the most votes and "likes" will advance to the top of the list. Fifty semi-finalists will receive a $100 bobbibrowncosmetics.com shopping spree and one grand prize winner will be handpicked by the makeup maven for a trip to New York City for a Bobbi Brown photo shoot as a new face in the campaign.

We're huge fans of a makeover, but Brown puts it all in perspective reminding us that loving yourself is key.

Adds Brown, "Being Pretty Powerful is much bigger than beauty it's about confidence and the path you take to achieve it."

Right on, Bobbi!

What makes you feel pretty powerful? Tell us in the comments section and click here to check out an amazing transformation.

Lernert & Sander: Natural Beauty on Nowness.com.

Ever wonder what a year's worth of makeup looks like? Well, that's exactly what Dutch artist duo Lernert & Sander set out to do.

Employing seven bottles of foundation, two bottles of blush, three lip glosses, and two bottles of cream eyeshadow (which made up 228.40 ml of makeup -- the equivalent of about 8 ounces), they applied layer after layer (365, in fact) of Ellis Faas makeup to model Hannelore Knuts during the 9 hour shoot. Luckily, the directors are friends (and neighbors) with Faas, so "running out of makeup" wasn't an issue.

Head over to Nowness for a full breakdown of the shoot. And, for a makeup look that's less extreme, check out our flipbook of summer eyeshadow ideas.

In Makeover Diaries, women tell the stories of their real-life beauty transformations. When her marriage ended, Bridgit Torbett, a mother of two from New Mexico, embarked on an inside-and-out makeover to bring back the happy, energetic and attractive woman she used to be.


I was a stay-at-home mom of a 4-year-old and a 6-month-old when my marriage ended. When I moved out of our house, I looked in the mirror and realized the young, vivacious, athletic person I'd been was gone. Now I was a depressed 225-pound woman without the energy to get off the couch. I'd been unhappy for a while, and I was seeking comfort in the kitchen. I didn't want my children growing up with this person as their mother, and I embarked on a whole-life makeover.

During my marriage, we lived in a small town outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have no family nearby, so I decided to move back into the city for easy access to work, babysitters and stores. I re-entered the workforce after a two-year hiatus, and decided to finally finish up the college degree I had put on hold. I got a job working for the same college that I attended.

I was fortunate enough to be able to buy a house. The house was almost 50 years old and quite run down, but it had a huge yard that the children could play in. As I began rebuilding the house, I started rebuilding myself. I watched do-it-yourself shows and pretty much lived at Home Depot, and I managed to create a home that my children loved. Meanwhile, the harder I worked on the house, the more weight I lost! One day I noticed that my clothes were feeling loose so I stepped on that dreaded scale. To my surprise I had lost 45 pounds. I was excited and happy, and wanted to keep losing that weight.

Because I was on a very tight budget and could not afford a gym membership or any fancy diet plans, I just utilized what I had around me. Running was hard because I had two little ones, but running after them in the backyard was definitely a workout! I also found a website, Sparkpeople.com, on which I could calculate my daily caloric intake versus the calories I needed to burn to lose weight. I tracked my calories every day on the page and monitored my progress with a weekly weigh-in. In a matter of months I lost an additional 30 pounds. I was feeling healthier and lighter, and my colleagues at work began commenting how thin I looked.

Safety pins could only tack back so much fabric. It was time to face that full-length mirror in the changing rooms, so I walked into a store that I loved to window shop but had never ventured inside. The Limited has always been full of cute clothes that I would look at and say to myself, "someday." Well someday was today! I found the courage to start trying on different outfits. My weight was now down to 150 and I finally fit back into size 12 pants. I found several pants that I liked and even donned a skirt that made my legs look great. It was the first time since my early 20s that I walked out of a clothing store with a smile. I was so ecstatic that I completed the transformation with high heels. I always wanted an office job where I could wear cute shoes, and now I had one!

But I wasn't done yet. I called a local salon, Mystique, and made an appointment for a pedicure and a cut, color, and styling session for my hair. My hair had been one length to my waist with no bangs for over 20 years, and it was a dark blond hue that continued to get darker - except for my new gray hairs. I wanted to do something dramatic, so I cut my hair to mid-shoulder length and layered it, while adding blond highlights. I went for bangs for the first time since fourth grade and now wear them in a loose, wispy style. As a final touch, my toes nails were coated with a dark, shimmery purple that stood out against my old flip flops.

Before my transformation I rarely, if ever, wore any makeup. I didn't want anyone noticing me. But now that I liked myself again, I slowly started highlighting my features. Now, I begin with Cover Girl AquaSmooth foundation, in natural ivory, and add some blush to the tops of my cheeks. I line my eyes with Cover Girl's LineExact Liquid Liner, in Very Black, with LashBlast Fusion Mascara to complete the look. I like Cover Girl Wetslicks for lip gloss.

As my appearance changed, I started working on my inside. I wanted to be carefree again, so I started counseling once a week. It helped me set my anger aside. I began to laugh more, and so did my children. The house seemed brighter; I began to walk a bit taller. I again became the happy person my friends enjoyed being around.

I got several compliments from girlfriends and coworkers, but I think the defining moment came when someone asked me out on a date. It gave me that final boost of confidence. I'm so proud of how far I've come in these two years. I remain active and have joined an adult soccer league. I've even ventured into the realm of dating with surprisingly positive results.

If a wall has a hole in it, you can't just paint over it. You need to fix the hole first. And that's exactly how I did my makeover.

Got a makeover story you'd like to share? Visit Seed.com to find out how you can contribute.

In Makeover Diaries, women tell the stories of their real-life beauty transformations. Eve Price, 58, of Alabama, lost 50 pounds... and gained back her self-esteem! I used to be pretty. I used to be skinny. A hysterectomy, menopause, heart condition, and several steroid treatments for COPD later, I was fat, and I was miserable.

I hated myself, literally. I was fortunate to be married to a man who kept telling me that I was beautiful, but unless you feel that beauty inside yourself, it does not compute. I worked from home at a desk job, so the more miserable I became about my appearance, the easier it was to sit and eat and to get fatter. It was a vicious cycle.

For most of my life I was a thin and confident woman. At age 56, I was not only overweight, but I was also aging rapidly. The medical conditions multiplied as my weight gain accelerated. My final weight, before the makeover, was 268 pounds. I had, by that time, developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, aching knees, breathing problems and a "fatty" liver. Something had to be done.

I considered my options. Losing weight on my own was not working. My weight fluctuated up and down, depending on how depressed I was on any given day. It truly was not something I could do without some help. I opted for the Lap-Band.

Surgery seemed drastic, but with laparoscopic surgery, the scars are tiny, and the recovery is faster. The Lap-Band is placed at the top of the stomach, creating a little "pouch" that cannot hold very much food. The band can be "refilled" easily through a small port beneath the skin, if it gets too loose. It was the right decision for me.

Eventually the weight began to fall off my body. I remember the day I realized all of my clothes were too big for me. For the past 10 years, I'd shopped at thrift stores because I felt there was "no need to buy nice clothes to put on my fat body." This time, I ventured out into one of my favorite dress stores, Peebles. The first shirt that I purchased that day was two sizes smaller than usual, and the thrill of that simple fact spurred me on. With each size I dropped, I was more eager to shop.

Within a few months of the surgery, I walked a little prouder, I smiled more, and I liked being around people again. However, the real test was yet to come. Would I allow my photo to be taken? I did, and I was happy to see a thinner version of myself staring back.

It encouraged me so much that the next step was a beauty makeover at a Merle Norman studio. I'd stopped wearing makeup when I started gaining weight, though it had always been something I'd enjoyed. Now my makeup is rather natural. I wear a shimmery eyeshadow, made by L.A. colors, called Radient. For mascara, I use Revlon's Lash Fantasy. I also wear Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Cream Foundation, in porcelain ivory. Finally, I add a little color to my lips via Cover Girl's Almost Nude. If we are going out, I'll wear a darker shade of lipstick.

I got a sporty new haircut, with stylish layers. I also treated myself to an all-day spa adventure with a facial and a massage and lots of pampering. Why do we feel we are not worthy of those little pleasures when we are overweight?

That night my husband and I went out for our 12th anniversary. I stopped by his job after the makeover, and was pleased to hear his co-workers say, "Rodger, there is a beautiful lady up here to see you," and "WOW! That cannot be the same lady I met before." Some thought that I looked younger.

So far I've lost 50 pounds. I have a long way to go. The difference now is that I see success in sight. My health issues are all nearly gone and I take only one medication now instead of seven. The most significant change is the fact that I feel better about myself as a woman, and as a person. The "new me" has adjusted a mental attitude that sorely needed a makeover, too.

Got a makeover story you'd like to share? Vist Seed.com to find out how you can contribute.

In Makeover Diaries, women tell the stories of their real-life beauty transformations. This week, Bobbi Leder, a 40-year-old "cocker" mom (to her English cocker spaniel) and freelance writer from Houston, Texas, realized that a more mature look could make her look younger.

As I've grown older, I've tried to hold onto my youth -- wearing my hair longer than I did in high school and dressing in t-shirts. But once I turned 40, I realized that if I didn't do something soon, my husband would nominate me for the TV show What Not To Wear. Instead of making me look younger, my long hair made me look older. The t-shirts were frumpy and shapeless. Even my makeup was dated. I wore lipstick, eye shadow, and bronzer that were all way past their sell-by date.

I started with a trip to CVS to buy new makeup. At first I tried an anti-aging under eye concealer by L'Oreal but it just made my skin dry (which made me look older) so I switched to Physician's Formula. That turned out to be perfect for my sensitive skin. Maybelline Lash Blast mascara worked brilliantly, giving my straight lashes volume and definition. I added nail polish to my routine, making my hands look more feminine and less childlike.

I also bought some Avon makeup from a friend. Avon's Glazewear lip gloss was perfect because it had the right combination of color, shine, and moisture without making me look dated or trampy. I played up my best feature, my eyes, by using Avon's Big Color Eye Pencil in two colors: celadon and eggplant. They were softer than my usual black or brown eyeliner and yet they still brought out the slight hazel I had in my brown eyes.

Next came my wardrobe. I wore T-shirts most of the time: they were comfortable but probably made me look frumpy rather than chic and sophisticated. I do not possess the female shopping gene so I took the least painful route by avoiding the mall and went straight to T.J. Maxx. I picked up a few flattering pieces to suit my body type and saw that without T-shirts I could actually show off my shape.

The biggest change came by accident. I went to one of the best salons in Houston, The Upper Hand. The hairdresser and I agreed on a style she called the "lob" -- a long-angled bob. It sounded great, until the hairdresser accidentally cut off several more inches than we agreed upon. She snipped my hair while my head was down, I looked up and saw what was left and was mortified. "Where's my hair?" I asked. I knew it was on the floor but I thought that if I said it out loud my hair would magically return. She apologized over and over again and did not charge me for the haircut but I was traumatized. My hair was gone and I was devastated.

I was nervous about my husband's reaction, but he actually loved it! His constant compliments forced me to finally look in the mirror and play with my new hairstyle. It was youthful, cute, playful, and sassy, suiting my personality.

Now, when I look in the mirror and think I look chic, sophisticated, and grown up – something I've been avoiding for years. Maybe 40 is the new 30 after all.

Got a makeover story you'd like to share? Visit Seed.com to find out how you can contribute.