For both mother and daughter, the makeover process begins with a richer brunette hair color. Then, highlights are layered on top. "For Maureen, we're using a balayage technique to paint highlights into her hair," says Warren. "It's a subtle change -- like she's been out in the sun." With Mary Anne, Warren's team adds shimmery highlights that are variations of the same shade. "It'll create dimension and look really pretty when she moves," he says.
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Haircut
When it comes time to cut, both women already have the fundamentals in place. "They don't need anything drastic," says Tricomi. "I'm going to soften the shapes and give them both soft layers around their faces." He layers and thins out Mary Anne's cut in a way that will work both straight and curly. And for Maureen, he cuts flattering angles around her face, starting at her chin.
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Makeup
Maureen doesn't wear much makeup to her teaching job -- it's her mom who's the beauty buff in the family. "I won't even go to the gym without putting on some BB cream and mascara," says Mary Anne. However, they are both open to trying anything when they get into the makeup chair.
"They have such gorgeous eyes, so that's where I'm putting the emphasis," says Chapman. "I'm going to use dark plum shadows on Mary Anne to give her eyes more definition." On Maureen, Chapman opts for a pale wash of purple. "It's dramatic in a way that's also subtle -- you don't need to wear a ton of makeup to have the look pop," she says.
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Their reactions
Both Mary Anne and Maureen are thrilled with the results. "I feel transformed -- I really do," says Mary Anne. "I came in here with a head of unruly, half-curly, half-straight, no-definition hair, and I'm leaving with a very polished, beautiful look that I'll be able to do on my own."
Maureen also loves her look. "It's not anything too drastic, which I like," she says, and her mom jumps in to add: "It's the subtle changes that can make a huge difference."
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Mother and daughter: Eleanora and Ilona
Ilona, 31, was a teenager when her father abandoned the family. "My mom was a stay-at-home mom -- she had no career," she says. "We had to learn to make the best of the situation, and that made us very close." Her mother Eleanora, 55, went back to school and became an accountant, and she's now happily remarried. Meanwhile, seeing her mom struggle made Ilona extremely motivated. She's currently finishing up her master's degree at Columbia University. "I'm so proud of her," says Eleanora with tears in her eyes.
Both women love the idea of getting glammed up -- even though their everyday beauty routines are minimal. Today, they're planning to put their makeovers to good use and go out dancing after they leave the salon. "I want to look young and beautiful," says Eleanora. "When this opportunity presented itself, I thought 'why not?' Life is so chaotic -- it's wonderful to have a day to get pretty together and then go out and have some fun."
A makeover is an awesome Mother's Day gift -- and one we wanted to help facilitate. So we asked women to nominate their moms for a day of pampering in the salon, and chose three deserving mother-daughter pairs who also happen to be best friends. Then, since the only thing better than getting a makeover is getting a makeover with your best friend, we brought in both the mothers and the daughters for transformations.
Not only are the three pairs truly deserving, they're all working towards admirable goals and overcoming obstacles. Mary Anne and Maureen are training for a charity run. Eleanora and Ilona struggled through Eleanora's devastating divorce, but are now stronger -- and happier -- than ever. And Carol, a cancer survivor, says that she wouldn't be here without her daughter Laura's love and support.
To make the experience extra special, we took them to the Warren-Tricomi Salon located inside New York City's Plaza Hotel. There, owner/stylist Edward "Scissorhands" Tricomi -- the stylist who actually inspired the movie "Edward Scissorhands" because of his cutting technique -- gave the women gorgeous haircuts with assistance from Zachary Morad and David Richards. And owner/colorist Joel Warren worked his magic with the help of colorist Kristina Noto. To complete the transformations, makeup artist Misty Chapman gave each of the women a fun look that they could take out on the town. "Wow -- I really feel like a princess here," said one of the moms upon arriving at the salon. And the royal treatment was just beginning.
