3 Gorgeous Makeovers—for Women Who Really Deserve Them

When you're busy cooking holiday meals for 500, who has time for a manicure? These phenomenal women spend most of their waking moments taking care of others—and often rebuilding lives. So in the spirit of the season, for one unforgettable day, hairstylist Ken Paves, fashion stylist (and founder of Glam4Good) Mary Alice Stephenson, and makeup artist Sarah Lucero took very, very good care of them.

Erica Ford, Age 48 (Before)Founder, LIFE Camp, Inc.

Her Rescue Mission:As a teenager in Queens, New York, in the 1980s, Erica watched the crack epidemic claim the lives of friends and neighbors. She vowed to do something to stem the carnage. Her foundation, LIFE (Love Ignites Freedom through Education) Camp, Inc., promotes violence prevention in schools, with programs that range from group counseling to hip-hop yoga. "If kids can find something positive inside, they'll quit taking out their pain on themselves and each other," Erica says.
Above: Erica leads an all-ages yoga class on the playground of the Baisley Park housing project in Jamaica, Queens. "It's important to show young people there's a bigger world out there than what's on their block," she says.
To learn more about Erica's mission for peace, go to PeaceisaLifestyle.com.

Her Beauty Treatment

The Clothes:Erica wears at least one orange item every day—it's the signature color of peace. Her uniform is a T-shirt and jeans or a sweat suit (accessorized with Nike sneakers). This dramatic, mermaid-style Misha Nonoo gown in Erica's favorite shade shows off her knockout figure and would ensure that she'd stand out in a sea of black at corporate functions.
The Hair and Makeup:Erica began going gray at 19, when she started helping troubled young people. "I've named each one of these gray hairs after a kid I've worked with," she says. Ken loved Erica's color and brightened it with a low-peroxide toner that reduced yellowing and added shine. After her hair air-dried, he smoothed the curls around her face with a small-barreled curling iron. Erica's makeup is polished yet low-key: metallic gold eyeshadow, almost imperceptibly shimmery pink lip gloss, and a sheer berry-red blush.

Her Reaction:"As a child, I was teased constantly about my looks; no one ever told me I was pretty. When I saw myself in the mirror today, I couldn't help but cry. For the first time in my life, I thought, "I am somebody." I have never, ever, in my entire life, felt so special."

Dress, Nonoo. Necklace, Anton Heunis. On her right wrist: Gold and crystal bracelet, House of Lavande. Brass bracelet, Anton Heunis. On her left wrist: Brass and crystal bracelet, Anton Heunis. Charm bracelet, Lulu Frost.

Melissa Rioux, Age 30 (Before)

Manager, COLOR Club at Publicolor
After graduating with an art degree, Melissa had an epiphany: "I realized that making my own art satisfied only one part of me. I have a collaborative nature and I really wanted to help others." She found her opportunity in Publicolor, an organization that creates art-based programs to help at-risk kids engage with their schools and their community. Melissa oversees COLOR Club, an intensive yearlong curriculum offering academic tutoring, career workshops, and weekly painting projects that transform schools with vibrant color. "I didn't grow up in an affluent home, but it was always rich in the arts," she says. "That exposure was such a gift; I love being able to pass it on."
To learn more about how Publicolor uses art to inspire young people, go to Publicolor.org.