Faux Real: Gray for a Day with Pay

Faux Real is a blog series written by Jeanna Doyle

Gray for a Day with Pay

When actress Michelle Sherrill sat in my makeup chair, we immediately discussed her vibrant red hair that was punctuated by a platinum blonde stripe situated front and just slightly off center. This attention-getting look was totally perfect for this particular job where she was cast as a creative person. As she and I discussed the role and her hair, Michelle told me her agency wanted her to change her hair color to appear more commercial and appeal to a wider audience. I asked her if she had ever considered a wig. I told her she could keep her own hair completely intact and explained that with a wig, she could give the agency any hair they dreamed of by day and by night she could have her natural hair back damage-free. I suggested gray knowing it would be a big hit with the agency and explained that over the years, many models have lamented to me that their agencies always requested women with gray hair. Michelle’s eyes lit up and together we set a shopping date.  

Michelle's Bio Hair

We had so much fun trying on wigs and imagining new personas that we ended up with two wigs! Michelle bought one and I could not resist so I bought one as well. I wanted to photograph Michelle in the wigs to really showcase her new look and present it to her agency. 

Michelle Wearing Upstage by Raquel Welch in RL51/61

I made a quick call to my photographer friend Jonathan Miller and we set a date to play dress up with the wigs. One of the gray wigs was blended with some darker gray color to add depth, and the other was mostly platinum. I also brought an entire wardrobe for each new persona. With a swipe of makeup, a switch of some lighting and a click of the camera, we created some incredible images. 

Michelle Wearing Miranda by Jon Renau in FS36/56/60S4

Our photo shoot was such a success that Michelle called me later to say the agency loved her pictures and a client booked her directly from the image of her in the gray wig! So with a quick shopping trip, Michelle created a new persona and booked a job—a booking she would not have been a candidate for with her natural hair. This same job more than paid for the wig and the best part of all was that night she was back to her vibrant, red-headed self. With the ease of a well-chosen wig, Michelle went gray for a day with pay!  

About Jeanna Doyle

Jeanna Doyle is a licensed cosmetologist and Medical Aesthetic Provider with special training in oncology aesthetics and corrective makeup. Jeanna has worked in both medical and media settings as a hair and makeup artist for over twenty-five years.

Jeanna’s book WigED is the first beauty book for women on wig selection. She also writes articles and delivers key note speeches for beauty and medical industry giants.

Jeanna’s newest venture is The Hopemore, a specialty spa located in the flagship Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas. The spa offers a full suite of luxury aesthetics as well as a full menu of services focused on oncology aesthetics. The spa has recently added The Hopemore Podcast to offer expert beauty advise for persons diagnosed with cancer.