As the director of operations of Los Angeles' Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center, Gretchen is a very busy lady. "I'm in a very masculine position at the Center," she says "and this opportunity was a serendipitous one for me to do something for myself." Her day began at the hands of Gerald Niederwieser, an Austrian colorist and stylist whose talents brought him stateside in 1994. "Gretchen has a razor cut that's choppy and frizzy," said Niederwieser of his client's long, thick hair. "We are going to take two-to-three inches off the ends and change the proportions of the layers so that the curls can fall a little looser, especially around the hairline," he added. Gretchen, who has a two-year old daughter to contend with, is a very low-maintenance kind of woman who wanted "wash and wear" hair.
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Her Color
For Gretchen's color, which is naturally light brown, Niederwieser looked to the sun and surf for inspiration. "We want to do a 'kids on the beach' look -- with subtle wisps of gold, beige-y blonde running through her natural shade. But not too symmetrical," he emphasized as he began the process of balayage.
Doing highlights at home can be tricky, but if you're naturally talented at it or want to give it a whirl, try Clairol Nice 'n Easy Hair Paint, $9.99. For a modern look, as Niederwieser said, don't paint the color on in a sure symmetrical manner. Also, highlights are meant to replicate what the sun would naturally do to your hair over time, so think about the areas on your head that would get the most exposure and use those as your guide. Adding some around the face and into your bangs looks natural and is a safe bet. Just be sure to part your hair the way you normally wear it, before applying any color.
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Her Style
When it came to styling her newly cut and colored hair, Gretchen reiterated that she wanted a low-maintenance look and Niederwieser was happy to oblige. He first ran an anti-frizz styling cream (try Suave Professionals Sleek Anti-Frizz Cream, $2.99 through her hair and then, wanting to keep her natural wave intact, used a diffuser to dry it. As for being able to recreate the look herself, it'll be a cinch. "I just need to add the cream and scrunch it as it air dries," said Gretchen who noted that Niederwieser had also recommended a once-a-week deep conditioning treatment (like Nexxus Humectress Hydrating Treatment Deep Conditioner, $14.99) to prevent her highlighted strands from drying out.
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"I am not a makeup person," Gretchen, who just turned 40, announced. "I haven't a clue how to apply anything and have never been into products." Happily, she was in the very talented hands of makeup artist Chantal Moore. In going for a gorgeous golden-eyed look to compliment her newly sun-kissed hair, Moore started by evening out Gretchen's skin tone. "She has beautiful skin so I just applied coverage where needed and then, keeping summer hues in mind, swept a powder bronzer (try Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends Natural Radiance Bronzer, $10.99) across her cheekbones and used a golden pink blush (try Wet n Wild Beauty Benefits Beauty Brilliance Blush in Golden Pink, $3.99) on the apples of her cheeks."
"Bronzes tend to make the whites of the eyes look whiter and any gold hue makes eye color pop," explained Moore. She then swept a green shimmery shade over the crease, then, on the inside of the eye, applied a peachy eyeshadow shade. Moore completed the look by blending a bronze shade out toward the edges of the eye. She then used a copper eye pencil (try Cq Smartliner Automatic Eye Pencil in Copper, $2.99) along the lower lash lines. Hint: If drawn too severely, a line under your eye will look harsh, to avoid that, smudge the line with a brush to achieve a more natural, sultry style. A couple of coats of black mascara (try Hard Candy Ginormous Mascara in Black Out, $6.99) and Moore moved onto the lips.
What does the woman who never spends time on her looks think of the "new" Gretchen? "I love it," she said beaming from head to toe. "It was really nice to do something for myself."
On a recent Saturday morning three moms walked into the Argyle Salon and Spa on Los Angeles' famed Sunset Strip. And, while the celeb-centric spot welcomes hundreds of clients through its mahogany doors six days a week, these three were different -- none had taken the time to "maintain" their naturally good looks or spent money on being primped, in a long, long time.
And, while they may have been different from the typical Argyle client, all three working mothers -- hovering around the 40-year mark -- have loads in common with moms across the nation. Mothers tend to put everyone else's needs ahead of their own, so getting their hair done isn't necessarily a priority -- and, in these tough economic times, dropping dough on unnecessary luxuries is difficult to justify.
But for these three lucky ladies, today would be different. They were being treated to a makeover and, with the help of a team of colorists, stylists and makeup artists, would emerge looking renewed and feeling revitalized.
And, while "Bully for them" might come to mind as you read this, the good news for you at home, is that as we watched each transformation take place, we talked to the pros to get expert tips and how-tos to share -- oh, and we've also substituted the higher end cosmetics and products they used with budget-friendly ones that'll get the job done just as well. Because, after all, you don't have to be a harried mom to crave or need a little sprucing-up, me-time every now and then.
