9 Atlanta Women are Transformed by Amazing One-Hour Makeovers
By Melanie Preis | Photography by CatMax Photography | Fashions by Tracy Nicole Clothing and SIMPLE by Tracy
Want the chance to join in on the fun? RSVP For The 2022 Amazing One-Hour Makeovers Event Here.
One-Hour Amazing One-Hour Makeovers has become a staff-favorite event at Best Self Atlanta. It’s a chance to bring together our community of readers and share with them our philosophy of “feel good, look good,” by offering them an opportunity to receive a makeover. The event truly embodies the ideas behind our publication.
At our fourth annual Amazing One-Hour Makeovers event held in February of 2020, some of our favorite makeup artists and hairstylists worked their magic on lucky reader attendees. These creative talents had an hour to transform their lovely models, with the help of Atlanta clothing designer Tracy Nicole, who brought racks brimming with her fabulous pieces.
In light of the coronavirus interruption that shortly followed, we are revisiting these looks to give everyone a chance to see these amazing transformations. Read on to see how our gorgeous readers revitalized their style and unleashed their inner diva.
Miami Cool
Makeup: Heather Petty-Harris, Beauty and the Brow @beautyandthebrow | Hair: Byron Evans, Urban Tangles @theurbantangles
Heather: “I’m an artist and I put my work on faces—my canvas. This developed my pursuit of making people feel good about themselves.”
Model: Grace Diffy
BEFORE: Heather wanted to give Grace a new take on the power of cosmetics and how someone else’s vision can transform you. Grace wanted to make sure to address her “dark circles and hollow temples.”
AFTER: “I love a Miami glow and bronze,” says Heather. Much of the attention went to create the smoky bronze eye, with the help of Stila liquid glitter eyeshadow. Byron completed the fun look, perfect for date night, with a cool side braid and loose curls.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Heather: “My specialty is eyebrows. You just need brows and lashes to make your face look alive. Smith & Cult mascara is the best on the market, and Anastasia Beverly Hills is the mother of eyebrows.” Model is wearing the SIMPLE by Tracy Melia dress in red.
Hollywood Glitz
Makeup: Renelyn Thomas, Makeup By Ren Ren @makeupbyrenren Hair: Adriana Zamudio, Artist A Hair Studio @artistahairstudio
Renelyn: “I love what I do because I can really bring joy to somebody. And it’s more than just the physical. Being a part of a big moment, like a wedding, is so special for them and me too.” Hollywood Glitz
Model: Farah Khan
BEFORE: Farah is a busy wife and mother of young kids, so she doesn’t get a lot of chances to show off a high-glam look.
AFTER: Renelyn and Adriana wanted to create a classic Hollywood look, with big waves, a bold red lip and a style that screamed total transformation.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Renelyn: “I love Laura Mercier. All of their products make you look lit from within.” Adriana: “I love the soft hold of MONAT STUDIO ONE™ Refinish Control Hairspray and the finishing look of Redken Triple Pure 32 Hairspray.” Model is wearing the Tracy Nicole Elle top paired with the Dina wide-leg pant in black.
Soft Glam
Makeup: Nisha Lagana, A Glamour Affair @aglamouraffair @nishalagana Hair: Byron Evans, Urban Tangles @theurbantangles
Nisha: “[The Amazing One-Hour Makeovers event] is one of my favorite events of the year because I get to hang out with makeup artists and help women look and feel their best. I love the before and after photos!”
Model: Lauralyn Mustaki
BEFORE: “Lauralyn has the most beautiful, icy-blue eyes that I’ve ever seen, so we focused on them,” says Nisha.
AFTER: Because of Lauralyn’s vibrant blue eyes, Nisha used gold, a complementary color, to truly make the hue pop. She went with a gold shimmer on the lids, adding Anastasia Beverly Hills’ bronzer as another layer of depth. Byron’s hair added to the soft, elegant look with fun body curls.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Nisha: “A must for me is a nice set of false lashes. They can make anything glam.” Model is wearing the Tracy Nicole Kristian top paired with the Ebony long shorts, both in teal.
Girls Night Out
Makeup: Raya Johnson, The Glamatory @theglamatory @rayaroxmakeup | Hair: Alicia Igess Jones, Urban Tangles @theurbantangles @aliciaigess
Raya: “I try and encourage clients to step out of their comfort zone with a bold lip or color on the eye to make their features pop.” Alicia: “A hair consultation is always first [when I work with clients]. A lot of our discussion is centered on the client’s wants, but I’m always going to suggest what I think is best.”
Model: Sonya Slaton
BEFORE: Being open to anything is the perfect way to go into a makeover, and Sonya was ready for whatever Raya and Alicia wanted to do. Sonya, who admits to splurging on weekly hairstylist visits, wanted a bold and vibrant makeover.
AFTER: Both stylists worked together to create a girls-night-out look. Raya created a gold smoky eye and a pop of burgundy on Sonya’s lips to celebrate her youthful spirit.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Raya: “I’m obsessed with mascara, especially Too Faced Better Than Sex. I also need to have Glamatory’s lip potions. They’re all matte shades and they’re amazing.” Alicia: “I love the whole OLAPLEX line. I can use it on just about anybody’s hair and they can get success. Also, my own product, Urban Tangles’ Urban Curl, is a curl amplifier and definer that’s amazing.”
Glamazon
Makeup and hair: Thomasina Moyer, TM Beauty @tmoyerbeauty
Thomasina: “I have a passion for people. To me, makeup artistry is more of a ministry to encourage and empower women—both on the outside and inside.”
Model: Chloe Cruz
BEFORE: Eighteen-year-old student Chloe spends most of her time in sweats and leisurewear and is still dealing with acne and acne scars. She wanted to address her skin’s problem areas and “look like a different person.”
AFTER: Thomasina took Chloe to full glamazon mode with a bronzy, brown, smoky eye and a nude lip. The look completely played up Chloe’s stunning curly hair, adding lots of volume and drama.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Thomasina: “I typically use my own line of eyeshadow sticks: Glamour Sticks. They’re really easy to use, either as a primer for eyeshadow or alone.” Model is wearing the Tracy Nicole Gail wide-leg jumper in powder blue
Springtime Fresh
Makeup: Maria Dowling, Blo Blow Dry Bar | Hair: Kaya Glenn, Blo Blow Dry Bar @blobuckhead
Maria: “It can be hard to see women who put themselves down. I try to uplift them and remind them they’re beautiful inside and out.” Kaya: “I have a passion for hair. My favorite part of my job is the transformation. It changes a client’s demeanor and confidence in such a short period of time.”
Model: Lauren Loper BEFORE: Lauren wanted a fresh look that would also cover up her age spots.
AFTER: This fresh, bright look that screams springtime was created by sticking with bright pops of color on Lauren’s cheeks. Says Maria: “I used bright but neutral eye colors and made sure to keep all dark colors in the crease and not on the lid, which can age and darken your face.” Maria also used a foundation that provides great coverage without looking cakey and aging skin. The look was finalized with a basic blowout featuring soft curls.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Maria says her go-to is “Glo Skin Beauty, a line of natural, mineral makeup that helps with skincare and doesn’t have any adverse effects.” Kaya swears by Unite 7Seconds leave-in conditioner, which she says anyone from a busy mom to a professional hairstylist can use every day and have wonderful results in seven seconds. Model is wearing the Tracy Nicole Chloe dress in fuchsia
Earth Mother
Makeup and hair: Crystal Ngozi, Crystal Ngozi Beauty @crystalngozibeauty
Crystal: “Self-care ties into self-image. I really enjoy being able to help my clients feel better about themselves, to become their own motivators.”
Model: Veronica Stewart
BEFORE: Though Veronica reported there were no real problem areas she wanted to focus on, she did request to look like a “breath of fresh air.”
AFTER: Crystal turned Veronica into spring incarnate with a bright, “amped-up” look that included a soft, nude eye and color on her cheeks and face. Crystal completed the “Nubian goddess” makeover with a flower crown.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Crystal: “I’m big on skincare, so my go-to is a really good cleanser and moisturizer, like Sonia Roselli Water Balm Skin Prep.” Model is wearing jewelry by L George Designs.
Soft Romance
Tabitha Dove, Beauty and the Beat @tabbydbeauty | Hair: Renata Williams, Drybar @thedrybar @rn_beauty87
Tabitha: “I’m more into the natural look. Even when I try to be extreme, it always comes back to natural glam.”
Model: Melanie Whitten
BEFORE: Melanie enjoys wearing her hair natural and wanted to style it accordingly while learning how to find the right makeup for her complexion. Though her style is classic, she likes to push the envelope too with a few avant-garde pieces.
AFTER: Tabitha went for a natural glam, romantic look with a bridal-type theme for Melanie. She evened out her complexion and added shimmer on the eyes. Renata left her hair curly for a simple, soft updo, adding a few accessories to create a crown halo.
TRUSTED TOOLS: Tabitha: “Skin prep is important so makeup lays as smoothly as possible and gives you a flawless face. I love Milk Makeup’s Vegan Milk Moisturizer.”
Beach Babe
Makeup: Olivia Gagne, assisted by Crystal Archibald, Authentic Beauty | Hair: JazmenGlory Kelly, Authentic Beauty @authenticbeautyllc
Olivia: “I like helping women find their authentic look that represents how they feel on the inside.” JazmenGlory: “My favorite part of this whole process is having the client turn around, look in the mirror and see their reaction to the makeover and what they envisioned.”
Model: Jennifer Prins
BEFORE: Jennifer wanted a look that was different from her everyday, simplistic style yet still celebrated the things she loves, like being outdoors. The team decided to go with a sassy, beach look that was sexy, playful and fun.
AFTER: JazmenGlory created tussled, beachy waves with a volumizing spray. Olivia stuck with bronzes, peaches and gold shimmers to create that sun-kissed beach goddess look.
TRUSTED TOOLS: JazmenGlory: “I love Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner because it works for every hair type.” Olivia: “Everyone should own Organicspa Rosehip Oil. You put it on in the morning and evening, before moisturizer, and it creates the most beautiful glow.” Model is wearing the Tracy Nicole Lisa top paired with matching Camille skirt, both in sage.
Special Thanks to Tracy Nicole Clothing
A true makeover happens from head to toe. Good thing Atlanta fashion designer Tracy Nicole was on hand to dress each of our readers-turned-models in her beautiful clothing. Her designs offer classic, versatile looks for women to dress up and feel sexy, comfortable and confident. Tracy Nicole creates pieces for women of all body types and for a variety of events. She understands how we look on the outside completely impacts how we feel on the inside. This award-winning designer has many titles— mother, author, breast cancer survivor, activist, entrepreneur—and tirelessly works to help women of every shape and size look and feel their best.
Tracy Nicole Clothing tracynicoleclothing.com , @tracynicoleclothing
SIMPLE by Tracy simplebytracy.com , @simplebytracy
Looking for more makeover inspiration? See the Amazing One-Hour Makeovers from 2019 here.
