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Sofia Eiworth wears the same outfit every day: leggings and a sweatshirt. So when YOU asked for candidates in need of a dramatic restyle, her husband, Jack, immediately suggested she apply. A bold move by him, but one that worked: she told him to 'tell them I'm a sleep-deprived mother of two who's desperate to feel human'.
Seven years ago, Sofia had a traumatic birth with her first son. She had a second son three years later and struggled with post-natal depression afterwards. In the past two years, she has faced more challenges: her mum passed away at the same time that Sofia was made redundant. 'It's probably not surprising I've not felt like getting dressed up,' says Sofia. 'I've gone through so much and I have lost all sense of my identity.'
Now, Sofia is ready for a rebrand. She has just launched a TikTok page (@therantymum) and, because no influencer ever made it big in trackie bottoms, it's time for YOU's glam squad to overhaul her look. Here's exactly how they helped Sofia 'feel human' - and then some.
BEFORE
AFTER: Blouse, £140, reiss.com. Earrings, £115, byalona.com.
Reiss Polka-Dot Tie-Neck Blouse
Was £140
£98 Shop
By Alona Jupiter Earrings
£115 Shop
First stop, the hair salon
Sofia's current hair routine includes 'whatever box dye is on offer in Sainsbury's', and a six-monthly trim by, wait for it, her husband with his hair clippers. 'I say to him: "Just make sure you do a straight line."'
At John Frieda's Mayfair salon, colourist Arron noted Sofia's hair was greying and damaged from the harsh chemicals in box dyes. It was also too dark to suit her skin tone. 'When you colour your hair at home,' he explained, 'it nearly always ends up darker than the shade on the packet because you're applying product over previously coloured hair.'
The quickest way to make a dye job look more expensive? Add dimension. Arron introduced warm copper pieces around Sofia’s face to boost luminosity and used Wella Professionals Color Fresh Mask (£16.70, lookfantastic.com) to tone down brassy notes.
Stylist Honey, meanwhile, chopped around three inches from the length and added face-framing layers. 'Hair that's heaviest at the bottom can make the lower face look wider, which can often be quite ageing,' she says. She kept the blow-dry easy for everyday life, smoothing the fringe with a round brush, then adding volume through the lengths using a large-barrel tong.
Styling tips from the expert
YOU's fashion assistant Hope Palmer picked two looks for Sofia, focusing on pieces that felt comfortable but elevated. The first was a powder-blue co-ord. 'For Sofia, this felt like the perfect option,' says Hope,'because if time is an issue, co-ords are your best friend. They take all the effort out of outfit planning yet still look polished. This one can be worn with trainers for the school run or made evening-out ready with kitten heels.'
Sofia usually sticks to long-sleeve tops because she is self-conscious about her arms, but for the next look Hope deployed a smart styling trick. 'Cape sleeves are a feminine alternative and ideal for spring,' she says. 'This Reiss blouse (opposite) has draped chiffon that skims the upper arms and is light and pretty.'
A make-up refresh
Sofia only wears mascara and brow pencil day-to-day, so make-up artist Aimee, best known for glamming up the Strictly Come Dancing cast, says she wanted to create a soft, natural look Sofia could easily replicate.
For a glowing base, Aimee applied Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup (£39.50, johnlewis.com), then Jane Iredale Colorluxe Liquid Blush in Cinnamon Girl (£30, janeiredale.co.uk) to give Sofia a natural rosy-cheeked flush. On Sofia’s eyes, Aimee used shades from Beautifect Nude Eyeshadow Palette (£39, beautifect.com) and swapped Sofia’s crayon brow pencil for the fine-tipped Vieve Modern Brow Definer (£23, vievebeauty.com), which is thin enough to give precise, hair-like strokes. She then swept on Avon Exxtravert Extreme Volume Mascara (£11.50, avon.uk.com) and added Et Al Gloss Balm in Latte (£26, harveynichols.com).
The verdict
'I'm delighted,' says Sofia. 'From the hair to the outfits, everything feels fresh. And I've got loads of tips from the team to maintain my new look.' And husband Jack's verdict? 'Very happy,' she says. 'He's taking me out for dinner tonight to show me off.'