Bride’s Confidence Restored After 7-Hour Makeover

By: Kate Row | Last updated: Oct 31, 2023

For most brides, their wedding day has to be perfect and planned well. That includes the bride’s hair and makeup. Most brides make an effort to go to facials and hair treatments to make sure they look perfect on their big day. However, for the bride-to-be you’re about to meet, the concept of getting all glammed up was totally new.

Holly Garido, our bride-to-be, came to Avantgarde Salon with messed-up hair that had the stylists staring in disbelief. Somehow, these talented creatives worked wonders and made the impossible possible. After spending nearly seven hours on her makeover, Holly couldn’t even recognize herself in the mirror. Keep reading to see her final look for the big day!

Time for a Change

All Holly Garido, the bride-to-be, ever wanted was to have a simple yet perfectly planned wedding. She knew that wedding preparation would be hectic and tedious. She also knew that a major change was long overdue upon looking at herself in the mirror.

Advertisement

saramay_level10/Instagram

Holly decided that it was time for her hair to undergo a makeover. After realizing that her wedding was only a few months away, she got up the courage to go to a salon in hopes of having her crowning glory fixed. Little did she know that her transformation would be drastic.

Working as a Gate Guard

In her field of work, having to splurge on expensive hair treatments would just be a waste. Working as a gate guard meant being on watch day in and day out, so Holly couldn’t care less about her hair situation.

Advertisement

ArtisticOperations/pixabay

“Who would even bother looking at my hair?” she thought. We now understand why the hairstylists reacted the way they did upon seeing her. With her dry and damaged hair, she had to take an entire day off of work to have a hope of fixing it. 

A Different Side to Holly

With no haircuts for two years, Holly’s hair grew out to two-feet long. The last time she went to a salon, she had her hair bleached, but unfortunately, she failed to take care of it, causing her long locks to get dry and frizzy.

Advertisement

Holly_Garrido/Twitter

This lack of care seems at odds with the Holly you see on her social media accounts. Shots from a few years back show Holly’s natural color, and her hair looks bouncy and healthy. She even has her hair and makeup done. Holly from the past looks well-put-together. So, why did she change all of a sudden?

What Happens When Hair Isn’t Taken Care Of

When hair is grown out without being taken care of it can really damage the hair. The stylists were tasked with giving life to her hair again! Not only was this important for Holly to feel beautiful on her wedding day.

Advertisement

Foursquare

It was important for her confidence as well. And according to her old instagram posts, Holly enjoyed being put together. She decided to make the change for herself and take the time to go get the hair that she deserves! She should not have to sacrifice beauty because she is a hard worker.

A Long Day for the Hair Stylists

Holly chose to have her hair cut at Avantgarde Salon. But the stylists there were taken aback upon seeing Holly and her disheveled hair. Just one look and the stylists knew that it would be a long and tiring day for them.

Jo_Johnston/pixabay

Of course, they couldn’t let Holly live with that hair forever. The stylists wanted to bring back the confidence she needed for her big day. At the same time, they wanted to make Holly feel happy and beautiful whenever she looked at herself. So, without any further ado, they let their hands do the magic.

Advertisement

The Reason Behind the Change

What was the reason for her sudden change? The stylists were also dying to know the bride-to-be’s life story. It seemed like, in the past Holly took pride in her looks, yet more recently she lost interest in the struggles of maintaining her long locks.

Holly_Garrido/Twitter

Holly didn’t want to reveal this change had occurred. All we know is that someone told her long-haired women were more attractive. One thing’s certain: She wanted to make herself look extra beautiful for Vashon Ridgeway, her husband-to-be.

Advertisement

The Long Hair Struggle

Unfortunately, being told that beauty and femininity is associated with long hair is very common among women. Holly is certainly not the only one to go through this kind of struggle.

Lots of young women are told that “beautiful women” have long hair. This encourages a lot of girls to keep their hair long, even if they are not properly taking care of it. Thus, the disheveled mess that stylists often see come into their salons.

Advertisement

Wedding Preparations

After being together for years, Vashon is probably the only one who knows the real reason why Holly suddenly grew her hair long. With everything they went through, Vashon decided to get down on one knee and ask for Holly’s hand in marriage. She agreed without a doubt.

xiaobohe011/pixabay

Holly was thrilled, but she also knew that saying “yes” to Vashon would mean agreeing to significant changes. Apart from being busy with all the wedding planning, she knew that a hair makeover was long overdue.

Advertisement

It Takes a Team

The time for change had finally come. However, the stylists were hesitant to tell Holly the truth about her hair situation. They might need to chop off a massive chunk of her damaged hair to restore it back to good health.

Niels Wenstedt/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Jeremy Hartfield, the senior stylist, believed that he could restore her hair. He just couldn’t do it all alone. Jeremy figured it would be best to get a whole team working together to fix Holly’s hair in time for her wedding.

Advertisement

The Chop was Necessary

Holly’s hair had been so damaged that Jeremy knew a large chunk of it would have to go. At a certain point, when hair reaches “the point of no return” there is very little a stylist can do, even if they’re super talented.

Facebook

If you color the damaged hair it will only become more damaged. And if you put any heat on it, it’s even worse! Jeremy knew they would have to do a chop. As a stylist it can be difficult to have these kinds of conversations with clients.

Advertisement

Holly and Her Long Hair

As the saying goes, “You gotta do what you gotta do,” so Jeremy brought over his team to help. He asked the help of Sara Pestella, his co-stylist, and colorist at the Avantgarde Salon. They sat down to discuss the best way to deal with Holly’s hair.

Romy Arroyo Fernandez/NurPhoto via Getty Images

For her part, Holly had no idea what to do with her hair. She was overwhelmed with how long it had grown, and she’d stopped bothering to take care of it. She didn’t even know what hairstyle she was aiming for aside from having it long. 

Advertisement

Who Told Her to Grow Her Hair So Long?

The stylists were itching to know the reason why she stopped caring for her hair properly. But the only thing that she told Jeremy and Sara was that her father was the one who said to her that a woman must have her hair long.

themoderngypsydiaries/pixabay

Holly grew up with her father always telling her how long hair automatically makes a woman more attractive. That must be the reason why she refused to visit a salon for so long. Understanding this, the stylists were even more determined to make her feel beautiful. 

Advertisement

A Much Needed Confidence Boost

Although Holly was determined to change her overall appearance, it seems that a makeover wasn’t the only thing that she needed. Apart from having a makeover, Holly needed a morale boost to bring back her confidence.

saramay_level10/Instagram

In their interview with Modern Salon, Sara mentioned how Holly’s hair consumed her. She couldn’t seem to forget what her father said. It stuck in her mind that a woman must grow her hair long to be considered pretty. With a mess on their hands, it was now up to the team of Avantgarde Salon to boost her confidence.

Advertisement

A Happy Holly

Holly’s hair was originally 2 feet long! It had been terribly damaged by bleach and heat tools like straightening and curling irons. Not only was the hair damaged but it completely covered the beautiful woman!

Allure

Her hair completely consumed her and took away from her beautiful face! While she might have been apprehensive to chop her locks, her smiling face is a great indication that she was ultimately happy with her decision.

Advertisement

Only the Beginning

Everyone was nervous when it came time for the first cut. To start off, Jeremy put up her long hair in a ponytail. He made sure to tie it just above the blonde part of her hair. After getting the desired length, he began cutting off the damaged ends.

saramay_level10/Instagram

Holly watched in the mirror and felt the strange sensation of her head becoming lighter. Jeremy held the solid length of her dry and damaged hair with a huge smile. It was like he’d successfully finished a very important mission, but that was just the beginning of a long journey.

Advertisement

Holly Was Shocked

After seeing that massive chunk of hair that she had grown for so long, Holly couldn’t help but scream. The other customers at the salon were surprised to hear the sounds coming from Holly’s area, and they immediately rushed over to see what was happening.

saramay_level10/Instagram

They were thrilled and happy for the bride-to-be. Even after just a simple cut, her hair already looked healthier. Plus, her face became brighter and happier than it had before. All Jeremy had to do now was to style her hair.

Advertisement

The Styling Begins

With the bleached and damaged part cut, Holly’s hair now fell to just below her shoulders. Jeremy started snipping and styling away. He made sure that the cut would be perfect for her face shape, accentuating her face in just the right way.

saramay_level10/Instagram

After an hour, Holly looked like a new person. Her smile grew bigger as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was as if a huge load had been removed from her shoulders. Holly’s confidence was slowly starting to return.

Advertisement

Time for Some Color

After a few more snips here and there, Jeremy was finally done with her haircut. Seeing that the style definitely suited her, he figured it was now time for some color. He sent Holly over to Sara to spice up her hair even more.

saramay_level10/Instagram

Jeremy couldn’t believe that this was the same woman who had entered just a few hours ago. The new style was a perfect fit for Holly, but they were still only in the middle of the transformation. They had plenty more to do to get her all prepped up and ready for her big day.

Advertisement

Trust the Process

As mentioned earlier, it was now time for Sara to do her magic. However, since they wanted everything to be perfect, it would take a few colors to get the ideal shade. Holly believed that Sara would do a great job, even if it would take a while.

Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images

So, she trusted the process. Holly just sat there and watched as Sara brushed the dye into her hair and folded it with foil. Although the hair dye started to make her scalp a little itchy, Holly didn’t seem to mind. After some time under the hood dryer, Sara began to remove the foils.

Advertisement

A Need for Some Tweaking

After taking off the foils, Sara became a little flustered after noticing she had made a miscalculation in her attempt to dye Holly’s hair blonde. In her interview with Modern Salon, Sara said that the color was slightly different because of the existing red tone.

Jens Kalaene/picture alliance via Getty Images

But of course, being the professional that she is, she knew just what she needed to do. With years of handling different hair types, Sara then started mixing and tweaking the colors to get the right shade. After a short while, she finally got the look she wanted for Holly.

Advertisement

The Hair Reveal

The team, solely dedicated to Holly’s makeover, started blowing out and styling her hair. After getting the right shade of blonde that fit Holly’s features, it seemed like she was a different person. Where did the lady with the long mop of damaged hair go?

saramay_level10/Instagram

Her hair floated just above her shoulders, slightly curled in a gorgeous shade of white-blonde. She was looking more youthful and beautiful than ever. Looking at her huge smile, Holly felt genuinely pleased with her makeover. But a total transformation wouldn’t be complete without a bit of makeup, right?

Advertisement

The Makeup Transformation

They didn’t let Holly leave with just a new head of hair. They were dedicated to making Holly feel beautiful, so the stylists wanted to take this makeover up a notch. They gave the bride-to-be an entire hair and makeup package to complete her overall look.

saramay_level10/Instagram

Holly was never really fond of getting dolled up, so she gave the makeup artists the freedom to create whatever look they thought would work. She figured that by letting them do what they wanted, they would achieve the ideal look to match her hairstyle.

Advertisement

Something Holly Never Imagined

The makeup artists were given the freedom to express their creativity, and they sure had fun with it! They decided to give her a kind-of dramatic look by using dark silvery-gray eyeshadow and adding thick fake lashes to make her eyes pop even more.

saramay_level10/Instagram

To complete the look, Sara took charge of choosing the lip color that would fit Holly. With such dramatic eyes and hair, she knew she needed to keep it soft and gentle with the lips. So, she went ahead with pale pink lipstick and gloss.

Advertisement

An Instant Confidence Boost

Holly never even imagined that this time would come – a time where she would feel confident looking at herself in the mirror. The team’s goal was to create a look that would make Holly feel extra beautiful.

jeremyharfield/Instagram

After the last stroke of the eyeshadow brush, no one could deny that the team did a great job. Holly looked confident and ready for her big day. Although she had a few more months to go, Holly seemed eager to walk down the aisle and spend her life with her husband.

Advertisement

Seven Hours in the Making

Thinking that her salon appointment wouldn’t take too long, Holly walked inside Avantgarde at 7 PM. Not even the stylists believed that her makeover would take at least seven hours. By the time they were done, it was already 2 AM.

Jens Kalaene/picture alliance via Getty Images

Still, they all agreed that it was worth the time and effort. The stylists couldn’t help but feel like they’d accomplished something significant, judging by Holly’s face after seeing herself in the mirror. They were reminded of their purpose – to make people feel confident and beautiful.

Advertisement

The Chance of a Lifetime

This sweet story doesn’t stop there. The stylists at Avantgarde Salon who worked hard for Holly’s makeover weren’t sure whether she could keep it up until her wedding. So, they decided to give her a special pre-wedding gift.

saramay_level10/Instagram

They gave Holly a year’s worth of hairstyling sessions for free! This is something that they don’t usually offer. However, they wanted to make sure her hair would stay healthy and picture-ready as long as possible. So, they went out of their way just for Holly. And, of course, who would decline such a generous offer?

Advertisement

Beautiful Inside and Out

Holly transformed into a new person overnight. She became more confident than ever, thanks to the team of stylists who gave it their all to make her feel good. Holly is living proof that women don’t need long hair to be beautiful.

saramay_level10/Instagram

In their interview with Modern Salon, Sara even mentioned how excited Holly was to embrace herself as she was. She was extremely grateful to the talented team behind Avantgarde Salon for giving her the best result possible. Little did she know, her soon-to-be-husband would be completely stunned by her transformation. 

Advertisement

They Became a Viral Sensation

With every step documented, Holly’s transformation went viral in no time. People applauded her for being brave in taking a step towards improving herself. Of course, they didn’t forget the team who went out of their way to fulfill the bride-to-be’s wish.

ectopsalon/Instagram

One user even took her praise to the Instagram page of the salon and commented, “The transformation is stunning!!! She looks beautiful and youthful.” Compliments like this were just a glimmer of what was really happening on the internet. No one ever thought they would go viral, so what happened next was a shocker. 

Advertisement

Holly’s Message to her Daughter

After becoming a viral sensation, Avantgarde Salon is no longer just a typical salon. They were even nominated as the top salon at The OneShot Hair Awards in 2017. This is all because of the impressive work they did to create Holly’s complete makeover. 

ectopsalon/Instagram

The award-giving body even wrote on their Instagram about Holly’s dream for her daughter. In a small blurb, they mentioned how Holly wanted to show through this event that women can be strong and beautiful inside and out at the same time. 

Advertisement

They Won the Hearts of Many!

By the end of the event, people were at a loss for words, not just because of Holly’s remarkable transformation but also because of her touching story and good heart. After winning the hearts of so many people, the salon also won the top award.

ectopsalon/Instagram

They expressed their thanks through their Instagram page with a caption announcing their win as the EC Top Salon. They said they were thankful to their beautiful model, Holly Garrido. They also congratulated their stylists and ended it with a hashtag, “#ECTopSalon2017 is Avantgarde Salon and Spa.” Indeed, karma is real, but in their case, in a very good way. 

Advertisement

Other Major Hair Transformations

Hair transformations can make you feel like a brand new person and lots of people share their experiences online to inspire others to do the same. While a lot of people are apprehensive about changing their hair, most people are really happy with the outcome.

Social Gazette

We’ve gathered some other incredible hair transformations that might just inspire you to take a page from Holly’s book and transform your look.

Advertisement

A Fun Change

A woman shared some photos of her mom’s super fun hair transformation online but the story is even more inspiring. This woman wanted to do something fun with her hair before she started chemo treatments.

BoredPanda

Her daughter gave her a bright pink updo that is sure to put a smile on your face. Shaved sides and mohawk really suit her! The bright pink color is definitely eye-catching. We love her confidence to try something new.

Advertisement

An Inspirational Cut

A high school student shared some pictures of her friend who chose to shave her head for an amazon cause. One of the teachers at their school had two children with cancer. This lovely lady shaved off her long blond locks in support of the 3 year old boy and 2 year old daughter.

Bored Panda

We have to say this is an absolutely inspirational move and a very caring show of support. Hair can be so powerful and we commend her strength. For someone in high school, she sure has wisdom beyond her years.

Advertisement

Unrecognizable

You would hardly be able to tell that these before and after pictures are of the same person. It really goes to show the difference a haircut can make in someone’s appearance as well as their confidence.

Bored Panda

This is about as big a change as you can make. The black to green balayage and bangs are chopped. The super short cut is icy silver and reveals the beautiful woman’s face. It’s a brand new woman!

Advertisement

Learning to Care for Your Hair

Curls can be hard to take care of! And hair is so unique that it requires some education to know how to care for your locks. This woman spent 4 years working on her hair and learning how to foster and grow healthy hair.

Bored Panda

Her hair was deeply damaged from bleach and did no justice to the amazing curls she was capable of. After a 4 year transformation, she has beautiful tamed curls that look healthy and vibrant.

Advertisement

Cut and Color

Getting an extreme hair cut or color can completely change your appearance. But if you make a drastic change to the length and the color, it is an even bigger transformation. This woman made a drastic change!

Bored Panda

While her hair is beautiful before and after, we have to appreciate such a major change! The wavy long brown hair and bangs vanish and reveal a bright blond pixie cut. Honestly, both looks suit her. She could probably rock anything.

Advertisement

A Transformation for a 6-Year-Old

When kids start to get older they want to start making their own decisions. Allowing them a way to express themselves is great for their self esteem and their happiness. This young lady decided it was time for a change!

Bored Panda

The little lady had beautiful long blond locks, but she was ready to switch it up! She cut off a whole 13 inches and donated those healthy locks. Her beautiful smile says it all: She’s thrilled with this change!

Advertisement