Get it Joburg West | Lifestyle Magazine | Entertainment Johannesburg | Shopping & Fashion

There is true beauty in every single woman as we have experienced with all the make-overs we did over the last two years. This time around we took Wilgeheuwel’s Sonette Reid on a journey of transformation.

Our lucky candidate:
Name: Sonette Reid
Age: 27
Occupation: Online Community Manager - Westrand WOMF website.
Her feelings on shopping for clothes: I really love shopping, just not for myself! I never know what to buy and everything that I like, doesn’t suit me. I felt that overweight people don’t have a great variety of clothes to choose from. However, after the make-over I realised that I just didn’t know where and how to look for the right clothes.
Feels most self-conscious about: I don’t know where to start! Probably my stomach.
Her reaction to the make-over: I was completely stunned. I looked totally different! What boosted my self confidence was that everyone used what I already had and made it beautiful!
I love my hair in this style and the color suits me very well! The make-up was done tastefully - I didn’t feel like a clown!

Cropping the top:
Hair stylist and owner of Brush Hair Boutique, Dillon Jacobs was in charge of Sonette’s brand new hairdo. “Her hair is naturally very curly which we thought was beautiful. It would have been inappropriate for us to cut it short or straighten it!” All they did, was to cut her hair in layers to give it more body and added some fine highlights to create movement. By colouring her hair Mahogany brown it took away the redness from her face. The flattering layers, which created softness around her jawline, also enhances Sonette’s beautiful eyes. A soft, round brush was used to blow-dry her hair.
Sonette has a round shaped face – the silhouette of the face is hardly tapered toward the chin. She needs to avoid short hair feathered into the face and rather opt for hair tucked behind the ears – the face will look longer and slimmer. Soft curls or a straight style will make the cheekbones look more defined.
Handy tip:
If you have very dry hair it is advisable to reduce the amount of heat by keeping your dryer on medium, not high. Your hair will take slightly longer to dry, but the gain will be healthier hair. Blow dry hair from the roots to the ends, aiming heat downwards to prevent frizz and boost shine. Remember to give your hair a moisturizing hair mask at least once a week.

Getting the look:
Professional make-up artist, Melanie Brock created Sonette’s glamorous appearance. Melanie started by shaping Sonette’s brows to give a lifted and fresher appearance to her eyes. The perfect shade of foundation was applied to suit her golden sun kissed skin tone. Powder was applied to ensure that her make-up remained fresh looking and shine free. Melanie highlighted Sonette’s eyelids with a shimmering golden eyeshadow to accentuate her beautiful eyes and to create a focal area on her face. Blusher was applied to Sonette’s cheekbones to create the illusion of shape. Lip liner and lipstick was applied to the lips and rounded off with the right amount of gloss. Mascara was used to frame her eyes and to create an oh-so glamorous appearance.
Handy tips:
Concealer - It hides a multitude of flaws from dark circles under the eyes to blemishes. The colour of your concealer and your foundation should tone and blend. If you look tired, blend a little concealer just away from the outer corner of your eyes - it will highlight this area of the eyes, making them appear brighter and more alert. Apply concealer on top of the foundation and before you add powder.
Eyeshadow application - Apply the lightest shade over the entire eyelid, the medium shade on the crease line and the darkest shade on the outer edge of the eyelid.
Blusher - To know ‘where to glow’, bend over for 30 seconds, then slowly stand up. Where your cheeks are flushed is where you are meant to blush. Apply your blush there and it will be naturally rosy every time. Blusher should be used to enhance your complexion, not to change your natural skin tone. Use sparingly for daytime, then add more or a deeper shade for a dramatic night time effect. For special occassions, dust a light frosted powder over your cheekbones for a subtle but alluring glow.
Face powder - It can be used on its own, over foundation or over your moisturizer for a natural, sheer, no-shine look. For the closest color match, choose a powder shade that is 3 shades lighter than your foundation. If you are over the age of 30, avoid powdering under the eyes as it can make fine lines and wrinkles appear more obvious.

Dressing up:
For Senior Certified Chata Romano Image Consultant, Anike Range, there is no such thing as a difficult body type, it is merely a matter of knowing where your problem areas are, balancing them out and drawing more attention to your flattering areas. Because Sonette’s working attire is of a casual nature, Anike decided to dress her in a stylish, yet relaxed style. Sonette had two main concerns - the shape of her body and her wardrobe. Anike took Sonette through the Chata Romano Style System which consist of the neck, shoulders, arms, bust, waist, stomach, hips, buttocks, knees, calves and ankles.
She suggestedd the following style solutions:
Neck: Sonette has a short neck - the aim is to make her neck look longer and slimmer. The best style for a short neck is deep v-necklines, open necklines, regular collars and long necklaces. She should avoid high, rounded necklines, turtlenecks, mandarin and wide collars as well as scarves and chokers.
Shoulders, arms, waist, buttocks, knees, calves, ankles: Sonette’s shoulders, arms, waist, buttocks, knees, calves and ankles are perfectly balanced.
Bust: She has a full bust and I aimed to make it look smaller. She needs to avoid tight fitting tops, stiff, structured fabrics, high rounded necklines, short, shallow pleats, double breasted garments, wide collars and belts. The best option for her body shape will be garments with a good fit, soft fabrics, scooped necklines, deep, long pleats and single breasted garments. Stomach: Once again I aimed to make her stomach look flatter. She should avoid short tops, pleated waistbands, big pockets, full, wide skirts or pants and bags that are too wide. Anike’s advice to Sonette is to always opt for longer tops, regular waistbands, garments with a good fit and no pockets, tapered skirts and pants and the correct size bags.
Hips: Wide hips can look slimmer! She must wear long jackets, matt fabrics and regular pants without pockets and should avoid short jackets, hipsters and wide skirts.
Handy tip:
How to dress for wide hips - Instead of lamenting how large your hips appear, use accessories to emphasize your head, neck and shoulders. Drape a colourful, silk scarf or a dramatic, handmade necklace to draw the eye upwards, away from your hips. Wear lighter or brighter colours on your upper body and darker coloured pants or skirts that are not too form fitting. Darker colours cause the hips to recede and appear less prominent. Avoid fabrics that have a strong pattern, particularly horizontal stripes and bright graphics.

Contact details:
Brush Hair Boutique, Dillon Jacobs - Corner of Beyers Naude and Juice Street, Honeydew, 010 222 0673 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Professional make-up artist, Melanie Brock - 083 738 5906 or visit www.mobilemakeupro.com
Senior Certified Chata Romano Image Consultant, Anike Range - 084 505 9632 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.chataromano.com