Have a make-over and feel a million dollars! (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Have a make-over and feel a million dollars!

A Cirencester company has launched a trendy make-over and photo shoot business - and is making local ladies feel great, as Essence discovered.

The things a girl will do in the name of journalism! I know having a make-over isn't up there with some things an editor could ask you to do - like jump into the lake at Cotswold Water Park in the middle of winter just to write about the experience - but I was still nervous about it.

Okay for the record I'd like to say that I don't usually go make-up-less. Nothing heavy: just a bit of foundation to help nature.

I've never had a make-over before and am very fussy about make-up and hair styling and know what I want.

Every girl has had a bad haircut experience and will know the cause of my fears. Anyone who knows me would say I'm quite a feisty kind of girl but bad hair dos cause me to slap on a frozen smile, say 'yes, lovely, thank you,' pay up (no tip) and run for the door before I can burst into tears.

So I was a bit wary of this experience - hair colour, make-up and photoshoot. I could still do the frozen smile if it all went wrong, but what could I write?

I needn't have worried. Clutching a picture of a model with just the red hair I wanted, I rocked up to Diane Peplow's house in Shipton Moyne. After a discussion about the hair colour that would suit and the highlights to give it that multi-tonal effect, the colour went on and we waited for it to develop.

Diane has been working as a self-employed hairdresser for most of her career and has bags of experience and satisfied customers. The conversation flows naturally (no 'are you off on your holidays?' questions) and I ask her if there is a 'conversation' class at salon school.

Apparently they are told what not to say, rather than what to say: religion, politics and sex are out. According to my husband this is the exact opposite to the barbers.

My nervousness started to evaporate. Next for the blow dry and set and the final husband test. "It looks great!" He says, grinning. "It'll look even better when the make-up's on."

Next - to Cirencester: through the Arcade, out of a door on the side and into a little beauty haven called New Visage. I can imagine people sitting in the courtyard in the summer, drinking coffee, waiting for their transformation to commence.

Kate (make-up) and Simon (photographer) offer a cheery greeting. Kate gets to work on my bare face: brightening my pale complexion, applying cosmetics that make my eyes and lips stand out. Kate also glues on fake nails - the ones that look like a French manicure.

They look great but zipping up clothes becomes a problem (not to mention typing this review!). Still, no pain, no beauty gain. Kate is a theatrical make-up artist by trade, working for organisations such as Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre.

Simon started this enterprise by creating photographic portraits for people off the street as they were, but quickly realised that if they were to have a really special portrait they would need to look their best before the photo.

That's where Kate came in with make-up and hair styling skills, and now Diane. In the future, Simon is looking to have haircutting on-site and a clothes advice and selection too. From 10 Years Younger to What Not to Wear on your doorstep.

Make-over finished I get changed. I've been advised to bring a selection of clothes. People mostly like face or upper body portraits so blouses and tops are important, but Simon likes my boots so he's going for full length shots too.

Kate helps me out choosing jewellery and we decide against earrings as 'too busy' and lip gloss gets the heave ho as too shiny for photographs.

Simon warms up with a few gentle poses, showing me the pictures on his lap top. "A lot of people feel uncomfortable at first, and aren't used to being the centre of attention," he explains.

Husbands take note: apparently there are wives who don't get compliments from their partners. Lack of praise mean that wives don't want to bother with their appearance: it's a big vicious 'dowdy' circle.

They may find another man, namely Simon and his camera, to make them feel special. "If they feel great they look great. It really shows and they leave here brimming with confidence."

What with Diane's earlier advice to "think of something saucy" and Simon's "I love those boots" I'm really starting to enjoy myself and the smiles come naturally.

After every conceivable pose, a couple outfit and jewellery changes, I get to see the results. I say results but that's not the end of it. Simon then digitally chops, re-colours and fills in to enhance the photos.

There are headshots with Warhol-style dense colour to bring out my dark eyes and new red hair, full length shots in black and white and natural torso shots. I ask him to get rid of excess bottom and tummy - well isn't it just what portrait painters did years ago? Plus it's less painful and cheaper than surgery.

Later, Simon will complete the artistic process and present me with a portfolio of images. Customers can take away their framed portrait (included in the price) then or decide later which one they want. "Often their partner will see the photos and say 'you must have that one' because they really like what we've done," explains Simon.

Well, as they say, a picture says a thousand words, so you can see the transformation for yourself. A really enjoyable, pampering experience. I left ready glammed up for an enjoyable Saturday evening, with a great photograph capturing how great I felt.