Makeovers: From drab to fab

Kyndell Harkness, Star Tribune

Christopher Hopkins, owner of reVamp, joked around withhis makeover model, Karen Peterson as he styled her hair.

When women of a certain age don't mind their age, but want to look better for their "second act," Christopher Hopkins' makeovers provide a guide.

By KIM ODE, Star Tribune

Last update: May 19, 2008 - 6:42 AM

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Makeover expert Christopher Hopkins says his favorite clients are older women who have heard all the beauty tips, tried many and settled on a few. For them, trends have lost their power, and friends have been winnowed to those who know that wrinkles get deeper when they laugh.

The trouble, from his point of view, is that rising above fads can also mean settling into complacency. For all the hand-wringing about how middle-aged women become invisible to society, many of them also stop seeing themselves.

Hopkins' book, "Staging Your Comeback" (Health Communications Inc., $22.95), is directed at older women who want practical, doable beauty solutions. Looking younger isn't necessarily the goal. Mostly, he said, older women -- which he defines as age 45 and up -- want to look better.

And, he added, they also must want it. Obvious? Not so much. Changing a routine requires motivation, but improving one's appearance requires vanity. Why Midwestern women don't embrace this as guiltlessly as Southerners, Easterners and Westerners is confounding. "I mean, people here spend more on siding for their homes than they do on themselves," Hopkins said.

Hopkins knows Midwestern; he was raised in Redwood Falls, Minn., and moved to Minneapolis after college. His work as a singer and dancer led him to California for a time. Always, he was the one doing makeovers for friends, so it seemed natural to open a salon upon his return to Minnesota.

His work with on-air personalities for KSTP led to working with celebrities. One day, Oprah called. Success ensued. Today, he owns reVamp! SalonSpa in Uptown Minneapolis, where makeovers range from $99 to $299.

While Hopkins isn't against cosmetic surgery or the botox bandwagon, he suggests neither option in his book. "Some can't afford it, some are afraid of it," he said. "People can't always match their income to their upkeep."

Upkeep. Not the sexiest word. But it's frank, just as Hopkins is in a way that somehow manages to still sound endearing. (See siding comment, above.) The frustration that women at 50 can feel looking at the "can you believe she's 60?" magazine spreads is no different than what 16-year-old girls feel looking at fashion models, said Hopkins, who's 44. And just as his days of having ripped abs are history, so women need different strategies for their postmenopausal lives.

Here are some of his top tips:

1 Don't expect the haircut to do it all. Women generally are too timid about wearing makeup -- except when they slather it on. It's all about balance.

2 Diagonal lines are slimming and can draw the eye away from figure or facial flaws.

3 Shapewear helps your body look slimmer, firmer and more proportional.

4 Bangs are more youthful than no bangs, but make them soft and wispy to frame the face. No "mall bangs."

5 Extending your eyebrows up and out will lift your face.

6 Brown eye shadow is always current and appropriate.

7 Curling your lashes before applying mascara is the best way to make your eyes look bigger.

8 Bright or dark lipstick ages you.

Kim Ode • 612-673-7185

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