Two teachers head back to school this fall with a whole new look.

Angela Villegas, 47, of Brooklyn, NY

Angela took 10 years off her look and gained a well-deserved sense of confidence

Coloring her hair was the last thing on Angela’s mind this year: The pre-K through 2nd grade science teacher at P.S. 11 in Brooklyn, New York, weathered a divorce and a diagnosis of breast cancer, all while trying to keep things status quo for her 6-year-old daughter, Mondriana. After recently finding a second lump in her breast and worrying that the cancer had spread, Angela decided she was ready to take control of her life. “My new motto has become: Fix it and move on,” she says. “I took a look in the mirror and realized the first thing that had to go was my out-of-control gray hair.” This year, she’ll return to her plant- and animal-filled classroom renewed in more ways than one. “The students are going to think a new, young teacher was hired,” says Angela. “My self-confidence is back and I feel ready to battle whatever comes my way.”

Makeup

Until now, elementary school teacher Angela Villegas had carried just one thing in her makeup bag: mascara. It’s not that she preferred going barefaced; she has just never been quite sure how to apply cosmetics. So New York City–based makeup artist Sonomi Obinata taught Angela a thing or two: First, Obinata hydrated Angela’s dry skin with a tinted moisturizer, which evened out her medium skin tone without emphasizing fine lines. Then she brightened undereye circles with a light shade of cream concealer, swept a shimmery silver cream shadow on Angela’s lower lids to open up her brown eyes and make them shine, and coated her curled lashes with, yes, black mascara. To give her a natural-looking flush, Obinata blended peach cream blush along her cheekbones with her fingers. And that bright smile? Courtesy of berry lipgloss.

Fashion

Since Angela is a handson teacher, crouching and kneeling all day helping students, she used to throw on any old thing—usually jeans, a button-down shirt and flats—as long as it was comfortable. But she learned a valuable lesson from WD style editor Donna Duarte-Ladd: You don’t have to sacrifice style to dress casually. Duarte-Ladd chose a pair of sleek, tailored denim pants and an eye-catching cotton top with a ruffle embellishment. Peep-toe stacked heels add height but are comfortable enough for her to be on her feet all day.

via Extreme Makeover Stories – Beauty Tips at WomansDay.com – Woman’s Day.