Pink Makeover - September 2022

The Candidate: Jana O’Bryan

 Makeover0522

September 2022 Issue
Story by Elizabeth Skenes Millen
Photography by Lindsay Gifford & Elizabeth Skenes Millen

The Candidate: Jana O’Bryan

I knew Jana O’Bryan was going to be special when three different colleagues and her boss wrote to nominate her for our monthly day of pampering—the Pink Makeover. They said things like “To meet Jana is to have an instant connection. She’s kind, listens with intention and genuinely engages you. I cannot get enough of her!” and “Jana is so very deserving of a special day dedicated just for her. She always puts others first; it’s time she was recognized for the compassionate, dedicated woman of integrity that she is.”

They were spot on, as Jana was a pleasure to spend an afternoon with and watch her transform. When Jana walked into The Hair Designers Salon at Village at Wexford with her daughter, Ashtin, in tow, we were all excited to get started. Mark Goodman, salon owner, has more credentials than this article has space. He is a master at color, cut and making people look—and feel—their absolute best.

He started by talking to Jana about her lifestyle. “What does your morning routine look like? How much time do you want to spend getting ready? Do you have any ideas regarding length or color?” Wanting a fresh start and a new look, Jana was open to anything and willing to trust Mark’s suggestions regarding the cut and color.

Mark explained, “As we age, (Jana just turned the big 4-0!) where the fullness of the hair hits the face will direct the eye. We want to direct the lines going up instead of coming down—up, away and softer.” He set out to color Jana’s hair to add dimension, warmth and shine. Going for a tone-on-tone to enrich her dark brown, foils were first used to lighten certain areas and then Mark came back with a deep mahogany in a demi-color for extra body, depth and richness. The last step of the color process was to add Shine-Finity in gold pearl to blend the highlights and add shimmer. The result was beautiful; Jana’s hair looked natural, full and healthy.

Having good hair days starts with having a great, professional cut. Mark considered Jana’s face shape, which is a long oval, shared his idea and proceeded to cut, but not too much. Shaping was key in getting Jana’s hair to look and lie differently, and he did this by masterfully cutting vertical layers into her hair. Though her daily routine has been simply to pull her hair into a ponytail, at age 40, it’s time for the ponytail to maybe only make a cameo appearance on the weekends. Jana is a professional, works at a law firm, is involved in various professional organizations in leadership roles and, as you already know, is beloved.

Mark worked magic with a round brush, but not to pull her hair stick straight; he made her natural waves come alive, cascading throughout the back of her hair, shaping the frame of her face perfectly. With her hair looking gorgeous, Mark’s work was done, and he introduced us to Diane Cook, a professional hair stylist and makeup artist. Both she and Mark traveled all across the United States for years, him teaching hair and her teaching makeup and skincare. The two have worked at The Hair Designers together for 30 years and it shows. Hair Designers is a premier salon with long-time professional stylists and thousands of satisfied, long-time clients.

Diane began her work with Jana by shaping her thick brows, adding arch and drama. When consulting with Jana, Diane learned she never wears makeup, and decided to teach her how a little makeup can go a long way. She started with a simple tinted moisturizer. Jana has naturally smooth skin and nice color, so the tint just evened and smoothed everything out. “I want to focus on her eyes. She has beautiful eyes,” Diane said and taught Jana what to do with each step she took. She used powder eyeliner for a soft look, but knew she couldn’t go without some drama—strip eyelashes! Diane showed Jana that with tinted moisturizer, some reusable strip eyelashes and a little lip color, you can go from drab to fab in about five minutes!

“This is the most I’ve done for myself since my wedding!” Jana, who is now a single mom, told us. As I witnessed all this, I began to see a glow in Jana’s face while her hair was still wet in the stylist’s chair. By the time Diane was finished with her, her inner amazement could not be contained. It was visible, and we were all cheering!

Makeover0922 2Next we were off to Fresh Produce Clothing Boutique to find Jana a new outfit! As we were walking into the store, I noticed a dress in the window and said, “That one is awesome!” Low and behold, it was the first one she tried of about 12 dresses, and it was THE one! “I would have never tried that on before today,” Jana said, “It looks really good!” The dress finished off her look as if it was made for her. The deep colors, the animal print, the way it was cut, all worked perfectly. Twins Kelci and Jessica Smith, the store’s clerks and Fresh Produce specialists, helped us every step of the way. Once we decided upon the dress, they paired it with the perfect shoes, bracelet and earrings. Jana was finally ready for her “After” photos.

When Jana saw herself in the small screen of the camera, she was stunned. “I can’t believe that’s me. I mean I know it’s me, but the fact that they did just a little, they kept everything so natural looking, and I look so different.”

The day was a tremendous success. Jana felt as special as she really is, and for once, she spent a day doing for herself! I wish every one of you could have been there to see her look of wonderment and that happy inner glow that couldn’t be dulled.


The Professional Beauty Team
Check them out for yourself!


Mark Goodman, Salon Owner
The Hair Designers, Village at Wexford
Sarina Imperato is now accepting new clients!
Mark brought her into the team because she is
a “precision cutter and a master hair colorist.”
843-686-4247 | www.thehairdesigners.net

Diane Cook
Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist
The Hair Designers
Village at Wexford
843-686-4247

Fresh Produce
Jana’s ensemble features: Jude Connally, Charleston Shoes, Spartina, & Meghan Browne. All carried at both locations of Fresh Produce
Coligny Plaza: 1 N Forest Beach Dr # A-3, HHI | 843-842-3410
Harbour Town: 149 Lighthouse Road, Sea Pines Plantation | 843-686-3410

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