ACS's Look Good, Feel Better

faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy
faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy Member Posts: 319 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
D'uh...I can not recall on which board I saw a query regarding the ACS's 'Look Good, Feel Better' class.

I attended the 2 hour session today with 8 other ladies ranging in age from mid 20s to late 60s. The class was held at my cancer center, so I knew a couple of the other ladies in attendance. The class was directed by a volunteer cosmetologist and survivor. She presented us with kits according to our skin tone and they were loaded with goodies...she said the value runs between $300 and $350. The coup for some was the BIG jar of the Aquaphor. The products ranged from Avon and Bobbi Brown to Clinique and MAC.

We started by telling our stories, and jumped right in to skin care. Our presenter gave us step by step instructions for application and also explained the how the various therapies can effect our complexion. We discussed diet, nail care, and head coverings. She also discussed our spiritual needs and longings for connection during this time. A few of the women there today seemed a bit isolated.

It was a simple intimate meeting. The best part was we didn't feel alone as we encouraged one another and even giggled. I would recommend the course for the tips alone, but meeting other survivors made it a comfortable morning. Nothing at all like trying to draw on eyebrows at a Sephora counter.

Comments

  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175
    #2
    I loved this class when i
    I loved this class when i went. They give you lots of great tips and you get to keep the makeup kit. I would recommend it for anyone who likes makeup or skin care. I even brought my otherhalf with me...no i did not twist his arm in going he voluntered to go with me...i was shocked...turns out that other ladies brought their hubbys too. I think its a good experience for them also to know all the little things we have to go thru not just the big ones.
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #3
    I Definitely Recommend This Class
    Besides the free product, you get a lot of good information. My class was a small class of two (me & another girl), so we got lots of personal attention when we were doing our make-up. It was great.
  • heidijez
    heidijez Member Posts: 441
    #4
    my makeup experience was not so good. . .
    as far as the makeup . . .sparkly gold face powder?? i don't wear sparkly gold when i don't have cancer! we all got the exact same shade of lipstick!! the presenter was kind of a ditzx - i was hoping to get some hints on tying scarves. that's the bad.

    the good is that it was the first time i was in a group of women going through the same thing i am, and that was enlightening! i also met a woman who had her treatments at the hospital where i had just requested a second opinion (that was back in may) she works in clinical research and had done a great deal of searching before deciding on froedert and the doctors that made up her team. she gave me the name of her surgeon and i called the next day to say i wanted an appointment with him. after meeting with him, his pa, the medical oncologist, the radiation oncologist and all the other people who make up my health team, i felt like a huge weight was lifted off of me. so look good feel better turned out to be a good thing for me, but not as far as the looking good part ; )
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #5
    volunteer for LG/FB
    I signed up to volunteer to help lead these classes. I have a training dinner in September to attend. I'm really excited about it. This seems to be a perfect volunteer opportunity for me. I went to a class last year when I had no hair, eyelashes or eyebrows and I loved it.
  • m_azingrace
    m_azingrace Member Posts: 399
    #6
    elm3544 said:

    volunteer for LG/FB
    I signed up to volunteer to help lead these classes. I have a training dinner in September to attend. I'm really excited about it. This seems to be a perfect volunteer opportunity for me. I went to a class last year when I had no hair, eyelashes or eyebrows and I loved it.

    Question...
    Do you have to be getting chemo to take the class?
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #7
    heidijez said:

    my makeup experience was not so good. . .
    as far as the makeup . . .sparkly gold face powder?? i don't wear sparkly gold when i don't have cancer! we all got the exact same shade of lipstick!! the presenter was kind of a ditzx - i was hoping to get some hints on tying scarves. that's the bad.

    the good is that it was the first time i was in a group of women going through the same thing i am, and that was enlightening! i also met a woman who had her treatments at the hospital where i had just requested a second opinion (that was back in may) she works in clinical research and had done a great deal of searching before deciding on froedert and the doctors that made up her team. she gave me the name of her surgeon and i called the next day to say i wanted an appointment with him. after meeting with him, his pa, the medical oncologist, the radiation oncologist and all the other people who make up my health team, i felt like a huge weight was lifted off of me. so look good feel better turned out to be a good thing for me, but not as far as the looking good part ; )

    Heidijez I laughed when I
    Heidijez I laughed when I read what you wrote because my experience wasn't very good either. It really was the lady that ran it, she wasn't very good. But I did get some nice stuff but your powder comment reminded me that they gave me a medium shade kit and when I put on the foundation I was a ghost! So of course I asked if I could have the dark kit, and she said NO! Too funny when I think back because my daughter and I had a good laugh ( she was always trying to make me laugh, God Bless her) and we then referred to it as Look Good Feel Bad! Just a joke of course and it is a great organization, I just had a bad experience. She really didn't teach us anything either.
    I must say that I went to Macy's and asked them to exchange my shade and they gladly obliged. I still use it to this day, it's tinted moisturizer by Clinique called Almost Makeup, but it runs light so make sure you sample it! :)
  • faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy
    faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy Member Posts: 319 Member
    #8
    m_azingrace said:

    Question...
    Do you have to be getting chemo to take the class?

    Grace...
    Nope, I'm about two months out of chemo and am in radiation. It was the radiology tech that gave me the invitation.

    Also, from what I could determine today, it's not limited to breast cancer patients.

    http://www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org/
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #9
    faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy said:

    Grace...
    Nope, I'm about two months out of chemo and am in radiation. It was the radiology tech that gave me the invitation.

    Also, from what I could determine today, it's not limited to breast cancer patients.

    http://www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org/

    My experience was not of value ... If you look at
    your 'red' bags you will see that there is .. color - print (light, fair, med to dark) .. well' every women in my class of 5 - received the medium bag - cuz all other shades had been on back order.

    Yes .. same Beauty manufacturers .. however, eye shadow color's given out .. Pumpkin Orange // Frushia Pink // Lime Green or as I referred to them - 'hooker's choice' .. I attend my class back in Oct or Nov 2009 and ended up using the facial scrub and 1 brush - the balance of products were given to my daughter and her friends as practice make up. Come to think about it, I don't recall seeing the girls sport any of the make-up. Instructors stated that we had slim pickin's due to the economy .. and lack of donations coming by way of the ACS. There was 2 - 60 ish woman in the class that learned several techniques --- but left the majority of eye makeup, face and cheeks colors with instructor .. No one in our class was of med. tone.

    Just my sad experience ...I did enjoy conversing with the other gals!

    Vicki Sam
  • faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy
    faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy Member Posts: 319 Member
    #10
    VickiSam said:

    My experience was not of value ... If you look at
    your 'red' bags you will see that there is .. color - print (light, fair, med to dark) .. well' every women in my class of 5 - received the medium bag - cuz all other shades had been on back order.

    Yes .. same Beauty manufacturers .. however, eye shadow color's given out .. Pumpkin Orange // Frushia Pink // Lime Green or as I referred to them - 'hooker's choice' .. I attend my class back in Oct or Nov 2009 and ended up using the facial scrub and 1 brush - the balance of products were given to my daughter and her friends as practice make up. Come to think about it, I don't recall seeing the girls sport any of the make-up. Instructors stated that we had slim pickin's due to the economy .. and lack of donations coming by way of the ACS. There was 2 - 60 ish woman in the class that learned several techniques --- but left the majority of eye makeup, face and cheeks colors with instructor .. No one in our class was of med. tone.

    Just my sad experience ...I did enjoy conversing with the other gals!

    Vicki Sam

    Hooker's choice...
    HA!

    I'm sorry that your experience was frustrating. The hooker's choice is damned amusing. I am imagining that the kits came from a convention in Las Vegas, they simply removed the feather boas and change makers.

    Speaking of hookers and my daughter, yes a rather odd segue, I recall walking through my local mall a few years back with my daughter and seeing a store catering to preteen girls and thinking, "Hookers in training?" Needless to say, but I will say it anyway, she got the message that mom was too keen on the shop. I think I was playing the 'high blood pressure' card in those days.
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #11
    I'm looking forward
    to my class September 14th. While I was getting my chemo a staff member of ACS from my local chapter gave me the invite and signed me up. If there are products I would never use I'll donate them back. I think just sharing the experience with others will be beneficial :-)
    Char
  • lillith
    lillith Member Posts: 29
    #12
    class
    I really liked my class but it was because of the other 3 breast cancer women - they were so neat. All of us came in looking great to begin with so none of us needed the class but it was fun anyway. I wanted to start a meeting group with the other 3 but got sidetracked as i was still doing chemo, etc. wonder if i can still find them.

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