How we can help
Look Good Feel Better provides skincare and make-up workshops for women coping with the visible side-effects of cancer treatments.
The therapeutic and psychological benefits of women wearing make-up have been well-documented. In particular, in the face of adversity, the desire to look good still remains. In essence, this is the thinking behind the Look Good Feel Better Programme.
These free workshops are offered through a network of hospitals across the country. The charity is supported by many different companies and brands in the beauty industry, who donate funds and products.
Look Good Feel Better helps women in a very practical and positive way. Trained beauty consultants volunteer their time and expertise to help women with simple skincare and make-up skills. The two hour workshops are informative and lively but most of all, fun – making this particular visit to hospital something to look forward to.
The workshops are held monthly depending on each hospital’s requirement. Women attending workshops are taken through a 12-step skincare and make-up regime and, as an added bonus, everyone is given a substantial gift bag of products, donated by different cosmetic companies, to use and take home at the end of the session.
If you are interested in attending please contact your oncology nurse or the Daffodil Centre in the hospital where you are a patient.
Here's what some of our Workshop Attendees, Nurses and Volunteers have to say:
"Just had a Look Good Feel Better session yesterday in St. James’s Hospital. A brilliant session on make-up, how to apply properly and you get a really good gift-bag full of lovely make-up. The session gives you a chance to discuss problems in using make-up whilst on treatment. If anyone has a mother, sister, daughter or friend attending St. James’s Hospital for cancer care I would highly recommend that you contact the hospital to enquire about the session"
Workshop Attendee, Dublin - February 2014
“After the Look Good Feel Better workshop I felt like I looked normal, I didn’t look sick, and that’s all you want under the circumstances. I felt like a million dollars after the workshop! Now my make-up is constantly admired as I know what I’m doing when applying cosmetics.
My eyebrows did not come back fully after my treatment and it makes the face very bare looking, so I was glad to learn the technique of skillfully creating eyebrows with pencils. The beautician illustrated how to put eyeliner on properly and gave us suggestions as to how to enhance the eye area, especially when there are no eyelashes.
Just being with other women and being able to talk to them about their experience was wonderful, and it was private. If one of us took off the wig everybody understood and the environment was nice and cool, which is so important when your body is going through so much treatment.
My children loved seeing their mammy looking herself and happy. It brought some cheer into the house, knowing I was feeling fantastic rather than feeling miserable”
Sheila, Workshop Attendee, Cork - October 2013
“Any change in appearance can affect how you feel and lead to a loss of confidence and a lack of privacy. They just go through a rollercoaster of emotions really, but Look Good Feel Better empowers them and educates them so that they can take back the control. It is a great psychological boost and the impact is immediate, they are so thrilled with how they look and they do tell you: ‘I am better able to cope with my treatment now that I look so amazing’”
Marguerite, Nurse and Workshop Coordinator - October 2013
“Volunteering for the Look Good Feel Better Programme, was one of the most worthwhile and fulfilling things that I have done in my life. Being able to make a patient's life that little bit easier and happy, was such a joy. On a personal level it also helped to put my problems in perspective and make me realise how lucky I was to be healthy and happy. I would definitely recommend volunteering to any beauty professional”
Emma O'Farrell, Volunteer Beauty Adviser - March 2014