"GL, make me over!" Seven girls. Seven days. Seven big changes. The outcome? Nothing short of amazing!

Girls' Life, Feb-March, 2004

We randomly chose seven readers to have a week like none they've ever experienced. While many teen magazines have given girls new haircuts or darker shades of lip gloss, we at GL had to take it a step further. Like, a lot of steps further!

Inspired by hit shows like Made and What Not to Wear, we took seven regular girls, asked them what positive changes they wanted to make and then, in seven days, changed everything--their clothes, their hair colors, their hairstyles, their makeup, their diets, their workouts, even their lives! It was a makeover, inside and out!

On 24-hours notice, we brought everyone to the GL studio to have a "before" photo taken (shown at left). Most of the girls were a bit shy. After all, we had only given them a day to let the news sink in.

The next six days were an exhausting pace of appointments, treatments, consultations and shopping sprees (no complaints there!).

On the last day, our girls came back for their "after" pictures. While all of them look absolutely great, the biggest change is in how they feel: After spending a week with some of the best experts in the country, the girls feel as great as they ever have on the inside because they look and feel their personal best on the outside. Our once-shy crew has blossomed into a group of confident, positive, feel-fab friends. Now that's not just a makeover--that's a complete makebetter!

Ready to kickstart your own transformation? Read on to see what changes the experts made for each girl. Then see what advice they have for you to get your own makebetter going. Write us at GL Makebetter, 4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214 to let us know your amazing results. We can't wait to see the new, better you!

Fashion Holland, 13

Holly said, "I want to look less boring and more put together." Suzin's spin The easiest way to bust boring is to find one unique item and work off of it. This lab halter-neck, striped shirt with mini necktie sets the look. A hot-pink (Holly's favorite color!? tee layered underneath gives the shirt a vest effect. Cuffed capri pants don't overwhelm Holly's petite frame. Funky, colorful socks and simple fiats finish the look.

Hair

Holly said. "My hair is straight and brown and blab!"

Danielle's 'do Like a lot of girls, Holly had a grown-out bob that lacked shape and style. Danielle cut the top layer of Holly's hair shorter than the bottom layer, so the ends of Holly's hair can now be flipped out. Then she added natural highlights, just a shade or two lighter than Holly's natural color, from the back of the crown to the front.

Makeup

Holly said, "I need a punchier look!"

Lori's look Lori warmed up Holly's pale skin with a rosy gold blush (Bourjois Blusher in Lane d'Or) and used rosy gold shadow on her lids (Maybelline Holler Color in Cast On Pink). Her lips got the real punch with hot-pink color (Bourjois in Rose Atomic).

Workout

Holly said, "I mean to won out but, after school, I am just a couch potato." Josh and Scott's suggestion Holly doesn't have much motivation, so Scott took her through a number of workouts that are fun and effective--hitting a punching bag, kickboxing, using a physioball while doing push-ups, sit-ups and back extensions. Scoff also encouraged her to take a 10-minute activity break while doing homework or watching TV.

Diet

Holly said, "I am a super-skinny vegetarian who loves junk food!"

Martica's menu Holly has a varied diet mixed with some good foods and some not-so-good foods. She has excellent calcium intake and eats lots of fruits, vegetables and nuts, a great habit. However, she does not seem to eat enough beans or whole grains such as brown rice. Plus, Holly loves junk (donuts, candy, full-sugar sodas) and wonders why she is always stressed and tired. Hmm, could be too much of these processed, sugary foods. To keep the sugar overload to a minimum, Martica recommends replacing them with more fruits and nuts.

Life

Holly said, "I'm always stressed and tired."

Dr. M's mantra Think about what stresses you out most, then take action! The action you take doesn't have to he big, but it needs to deal directly with what's bothering you. Holly has a hard time getting organized, so she could start by organizing her notebooks, study schedule ... even her closet. To feel less tired, it's important to set a reasonable bedtime and keep to it, even on weekends. Get up at the same time, too.

Fashion Jillian 12

Jillian said. "I'd like to get out of pants and dress cooler."

Suzin's spin Jillian likes to incorporate her love for kitties into what she wears, so when she spotted this cat-print shirt, it was love at first sight! Jillian also loves this amazing mini-jumper, and thigh-high socks give her a leggy look. The ankle-strap wedge-heel shoe carries out the retro modern mood--the perfect complement to her new fab flip.

Hair

Jillian said. "I need something fun to do with my relaxed, textured hair!"

Danielle's do Danielle turned Jillian over to Nakisha, who specializes in African-American hair. Nakisha first gave Jillian highlights around her face, then cut long bangs. After parting Jillian's hair, Nakisha corn-rowed part of her head and used a curling iron on the other side to flip Jillian's ends out. Thanks to Nakisha, Jillian is finally out of a ponytail!