Portraits by: Carmelo Donato; Photo Reportage by: Sioux Nesi

2 of 5
Luana DeAngelis: Founder of You Can Thrive!

Her Mission:
After DeAngelis, 48, was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35, she hoped to supplement her treatment with alternative therapies—but to her surprise, she found nothing that met her needs. Undaunted, she remedied the problem herself, starting You Can Thrive!, which offers free or low-cost massage, reflexology, acupuncture, and other services to women with breast cancer. "After a few visits, their pain and stress decrease and quality of life increases," says DeAngelis, who believes in treating the whole person, not just her disease.

Her New Look:
The clothes: DeAngelis traded her typical neutral outfits for something more sultry. The flare of the mermaid skirt on this daring Jovani dress perfectly balances the bold one-shoulder detail. And she loved the sexy fit: "I feel like Jessica Rabbit!"

The hair and makeup: DeAngelis's nearly waist-length hair needed shape, so Melville trimmed four inches, blended in long layers, and applied copper highlights that show up whether her hair is curly or straight. To complement her dress, Lucero created a custom lip color (combining dusty rose and mauve) and cheek color (blending peach and maroon).

Her reaction:
"I've had a rediagnosis and a long journey through a double mastectomy this year. I needed to feel like a queen for a day!"

To learn more about DeAngelis's work, go to YouCanThrive.org.


DeAngelis performs Reiki on a patient in New York City.

Gown, Jovani; Necklaces, (from top) SparklePop, Sequin; Gold Bracelet, Alexis Bittar; Leather Bracelet, Trina Turk. On models: Trunks, Tani USA.