Look Good, Feel Better, Beauty for Women with Cancer

Look Good, Feel Better, an organization for women with cancer, offers makeovers to improve the self-esteem of women who are fighting for their lives. Doctors take care of the medical issues however the women are left with changes in their skin, nails, hair and faces. At a time in their lives when they need an extremely positive attitude to fight this disease, they look in the mirror and see a woman they don’t recognize.

Each patient receives a box of cosmetics that includes cleanser, toner, moisturizer, eye makeup remover, foundation, powder, eye makeup and blush, eye liner, lip liner, eye brow pencils and mascara. They are also instructed in skin care and makeup application as well as how to choose a wig and what to do as their hair falls out. The products are donated by many of the cosmetic companies all across the country. Members of these same companies volunteer their time to teach the women in attendance how to care for skin that is now considered sensitive and dry. Learning to create eye brows that may be missing or are soon to be missing and how to hide the dark under eye circles resulting from their treatment is information they are eager to learn.

Many of the women coming in the door looked scared and unhappy however by the time they left, they had found friends with a common factor… they were not alone! One woman that I assisted, 83 year old Lisette, was a spunky little French woman who told me she had been washing her face over the kitchen sink for the last three years because she couldn’t bear to look at her face in the mirror. As the morning advanced I could see the change in her attitude. Her skin now moisturized and with a glow aided by a good foundation, looked radiant. The dark circles under her eyes had been minimized and she had applied a small amount of eye color and mascara, a little blush and lipstick. Lisette was smiling! “I think I’ll go dancing tonight!” she exclaimed.

The experience in working with the Look Good, Feel Better patients changed my life. I always thought that volunteering was about giving to someone else. I had no idea of the gifts they would give me in return. Even with their fear and uncertainty, these women had optimism and strength I could not believe. I left each session feeling thankful for knowing them and feeling that I was one of the luckiest people on earth.

.Dale Kathryn Grove, formally trained as a fashion designer, has been in the fashion and beauty industry for many years. For more FREE expert advice on how to present a perfect personal image please visit dalegrove.com. To register for our FREE ezine, please click here