Andover Townsman, Andover, MA

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Two win $10,000 extreme makeovers: Now, three months of training begin for Andover and Tewksbury mothers

By Bethany Bray
Staff Writer
Published: August 14, 2008

It's just like a reality show — minus an annoying host and celebrity bickering.

This week, Cherish Brunet and Cheryl Forbes won a local extreme makeover giveaway, and soon will begin a rigorous fitness and beauty regimen. In November, after three months of personal training and skin, teeth and hair treatments, the two women will reveal their new looks at a "coming out celebration" at Glory Restaurant.

The makeovers are the brainchild of a group of local businesses, including Indra Salon and Fitness Together in Andover and Tewksbury dentist Nitish Nahata. After the three-month transformation is over, the two makeover recipients will have received treatments valued at close to $10,000.

Brunet and Forbes were chosen for the makeovers on Monday morning, Aug. 11, after finalist interviews and deliberation by the judges, a panel of business owners donating their services for the makeovers.

Brunet, 31, an Andover mother of three, and Forbes, 36, a Tewksbury mother of two, were selected from more than 100 applicants.

"I'm so excited. This is insane, crazy," said Forbes after her name was announced as a winner.

"This is very surreal," agreed Brunet. "I'm shocked! I'm very excited, and so ready to get started."

On Monday, seven finalists were invited to Indra Salon for interviews. From surviving cancer to looking for a job, each candidate had a different story and different reasons for wanting a makeover.

In the interviews, the women talked about wanting to look good for an upcoming high school reunion, setting a healthy example for their kids and families, re-entering the work force after raising children and just "never having time" for themselves.

In the style of a reality television show, the panel of business owners deliberated on their favorites, and announced the two winners to the eagerly awaiting finalists.

"Every one of you is a great candidate, it's been such a hard decision. It's been a pleasure to meet you all," said Jose Batistine, co-owner of Indra Salon, before he announced the winners with Nitish Nahata.

Organizers had initially planned on awarding a makeover to one male and one female winner. But few men applied, and none of them made the cut as a finalist, said April Graffeo, who co-owns Indra with Batistine, so they gave both makeovers to women.

Brunet and Forbes will begin three months of personal training and nutrition counseling from Fitness Together, beauty and skin treatment from Indra Salon and teeth whitening by Dr. Nahata. Each will be given an outfit from Dresscode, an Andover boutique, for the unveiling party.

Brunet, who has had three children in four years, said she "jumped right in" to apply for the free makeover after reading about it in the Townsman. Before she had children, Brunet had taken ballet since age 3 and taught dance as an adult. But motherhood has changed her body and hasn't given her time to dance anymore, she said.

"Oh, I needed a makeover," she said, with a smile, of her reason to apply.

Forbes had sent in a makeover application herself, not knowing that her husband had also secretly nominated her for the contest. In Monday's interview, she admitted that she wears a baseball cap over her hair most days, and looks forward to a new style.

"It's hard to put that out there, and admit you have things you don't like about yourself. I had to come to terms with it," she said of filling out the makeover application.

As the judges deliberated to pick the two winners, the finalists chatted and introduced themselves to one another. Several finalists are teachers in the Andover public schools.

Each of the seven finalists received a gift box full of beauty supplies and a $50 gift certificate to Indra Salon. Fitness Together and Nahata also planned to give the runners-up some complimentary services, they said.

The business owners agreed they hope to make the makeover giveaway an annual event.

Extreme Makeover: Andover edition

Two winners, Cherish Brunet and Cheryl Forbes, will receive makeover treatments as part of a program organized by several Andover businesses. Over the fall, they will receive:

r Three months of personal training, nutrition counseling and health evaluation from Fitness Together.

r New hairstyle and high-end beauty services from Indra Salon. Depending on what they're looking for, treatments could include a facial, eyelash extensions, hair color correction, a makeup lesson and hair extensions.

r Teeth whitening from Dr. Nitish Nahata, a dentist at Cooper, Spiller & Nahata and Associates in Tewksbury.

r A new outfit from Dresscode for the "coming out celebration" in November at Glory Restaurant.

Photos