Makeover: restoring confidence post-illness

Martina, 37, is currently on maternity leave after having her son Taylor, now eight months old. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer nine weeks after her son's birth and has since had a full hysterectomy, followed by chemotherapy.

‘Losing my hair hasn't been as traumatic as I thought. Other people find it more upsetting than I do,' explains Martina. ‘Although I've become a dab hand at putting on scarves, I'm definitely up for a wig and some make-up magic to make my skin look better. It's gone to pot with all the medication.'

The hair

Martina copes fantastically well with going bare-headed but hairdresser Kerry Warn, creative consultant for John Frieda, agreed a wig would be a great asset. A day of wig shopping resulted in a wonderful wig from Trendco, London; prices start at £67 for synthetic and £310 for real hair; 01273 774 977; www.trendco.co.uk.

‘Natural-hair wigs are more expensive and higher maintenance than synthetic ones,' warns Kerry, ‘but they look the most realistic because the hair moves in a way only real hair can'. This one has a natural-looking parting and range of colour through it which adds texture.'

Kerry restyled the wig, cutting it to the most flattering length and shape for Martina. He used a hairdresser's razor to slice into the body of the hair for a tapered cut - scissors give a more blunt edge - which adds more texture and helps the hair fall in a natural way.

The makeup

One of Martina's main concerns since her treatment has been an outbreak of blemishes on her skin. Makeup artist Lisa Eldridge used a foundation brush to apply Mac's Studio Sculpt Foundation, £22.50. ‘The brush allows you to layer the base gradually to get extra coverage but without it looking like a mask,' she explains.

Lisa then applied Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in beige, £16 (0870 034 2566), to areas that needed more camouflage. A peachy blusher gave Martina's cheeks an instant bloom.

Her eyelashes are beginning to fall out, too, so Lisa put on a full set of Eyelure Naturalites in 116, £4.95 (020 8573 9907), then applied a matte grey eyeshadow followed by No7's Vivid Violet Eye Shadow, £6.75. and No7 blue grey eye pencil, £7.50. ‘The grey shadow base and liner give wearble drama to Martina's eyes,' says Lisa.

Because the new hair and eye-make-up looks are so glamorous, Lisa chose Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in Pink, £13, a muted pink that gives Martina's lips a delicate sheen.

The verdict

‘I'm loving the wig. It's instant glamour,' says Martina. ‘It moves with me and feels so realistic. I'm going to call her Wendy! My skin feels amazing, too. Lisa has managed to conceal my blemishes, yet it doesn't feel or look as if I'm wearing foundation. I felt I'd lost my femininity, which has been hard for my partner to deal with, too. The experience has given me - and him, I think - light at the end of the tunnel, knowing that when I really need a lift I can get dressed up, go out and feel glamorous and happy for people to look at me.'

Look Good..Feel Better supporting women with cancer

Suzanne Duckett adds .. ‘We found Martina through Look Good...Feel Better, a brilliant cancer support charity that provides uplifting makeover workshops to help women manage the visible side-effects of cancer treatment. Martina had signed up for one of their workshops and had a fabulous couple of days with me, getting top advice on how to cope with her hair loss and other beauty concerns.

Look Good...Feel Better has also put together a fantastic DVD and comprehensive booklet bursting with invaluable advice and techniques on head coverings, scarf tying, choosing and styling wigs, with loads of top beauty tips from sought-after experts like hairdresser Charles Worthington and celebrity make-up artist Caroline Barnes. It costs £2.50 (to cover p&p), plus a donation, visit www.lgfb.co.uk, and click through to the confidence kit page for more information.