CARA Cosmetics

There are friends that come into your life for a season… and then there are the ones that become family. My beautiful friend Shana is one of those people.

We met years ago on a movie set when she was in her early 20’s and I was the makeup artist. From the very beginning, we instantly connected. Shana has always had this wild, joyful spirit that lights up every room she walks into. She is the kind of person who would give you the shirt off her back and love you completely and unconditionally.

I remember she always had a mole on her chest. Years later, she shared with me that it was melanoma. That mole was cancerous.

Right before her wedding, her life changed forever. She underwent surgeries, a double mastectomy, reconstruction, and the emotional journey of rebuilding herself from the inside out. Watching someone you love go through something so life-changing is heartbreaking, but watching them rise through it with strength, grace, humor, and courage is truly inspiring.

Shana is one of the strongest women I know. She faced fear head on and never stopped loving, laughing, and living fully. Her story is also such an important reminder to all of us to pay attention to our bodies, get checked, and never ignore changes in our skin. Early detection matters.

Today, I celebrate her beauty, her resilience, and her incredible heart. Cancer may have changed part of her story, but it never took away who she is — vibrant, beautiful, loving, and absolutely unforgettable.

Love you forever, my crazy beautiful friend. 🤍

Twenty years ago, Kim walked into my life after reading an article about Studio CARA. What began as a client relationship quickly became a friendship rooted in honesty, strength, humor, and heart. Today, I want to honor her story.

Breast cancer. The club no woman wants to join.
A sisterhood formed through words and experiences you never imagined you would speak out loud — drains, wigs, premature menopause, reconstruction, implant recalls, estrogen blockers, mood swings, scars, and survival.

Kim shared something so raw and true: the hardest part is not always the surgeries or treatments. Sometimes it’s having to sit in front of the people you love most — especially your children — and tell them your world has changed forever.

Cancer strips away modesty and replaces it with vulnerability, courage, and resilience. You become accustomed to scans, tests, poking, prodding, and living with the reality that even after survival, the journey never fully leaves you. Every new diagnosis you hear about brings you right back to that moment. And with survival often comes guilt — wondering why you made it when others did not.

But in the middle of all of that pain, something beautiful happens too.
People show up.
Friends become family. Communities rally around you. Meals appear at your door. Someone walks your dog. Someone cleans your house. Someone holds your hand. Someone makes you laugh when you thought you forgot how.

Kim reminded me that even in the darkest moments, humanity shines brightest. And perhaps one of the greatest gifts survivors discover is realizing just how incredibly strong they truly are.

To every woman fighting, surviving, healing, or remembering — you are seen, you are beautiful, and you are never alone. 🤍

Some people walk into your life quietly, and you don't fully realize until later that everything shifted the moment they arrived. Vanessa Echols was one of those people for me.
She came into Studio CARA to learn something most people would consider small — how to apply lashes, how to design her eyebrows. But what Vanessa was really doing was something far more profound. She was reclaiming herself. She was deciding, in the middle of one of the hardest seasons of her life, that she was still worth showing up for.
Because here's what you need to know about the woman who sat in my chair: she was still anchoring the news. She was still putting on her blazer, sitting under those studio lights, and delivering the stories of our city — all while quietly, privately, bravely going through breast cancer treatment.
I remember watching her that first day — the way she carried herself into the studio. There was a dignity about Vanessa that wasn't performed or polished for TV. It was just who she was. She was warm and direct and funny, and she had this energy that made you feel like you were the most important person in the room.
We talked while I worked. About beauty. About identity. About what it means to look in the mirror when your body is going through something you didn't choose. Treatment has a way of quietly stealing the things that feel like you — your lashes, your brows, the face you've known your whole life. And for a woman whose face was on television everyday, that was its own particular kind of weight to carry.
But Vanessa didn't crumble under that weight. She made an appointment. She showed up. She learned. And she walked out of Studio CARA looking and feeling like herself — because she refused to let cancer make that decision for her.
"She was going through treatment and still showing up on camera for an entire city. She taught me that strength isn't the absence of struggle — it's deciding you still matter, even in the middle of it."

— Leslie Christin, Studio CARA
This is Why We Give.
If Vanessa's story moves you — if it reminds you of someone you love, or of yourself — please consider donating. https://www.facebook.com/donate/990427303641461/

My career has given me the extraordinary privilege of meeting women at so many different moments in their lives. At Studio CARA, they walk through the doors for all kinds of reasons—some want to refresh a makeup routine, others to learn how to conceal a scar, or a joyous wedding day makeup.
That’s how I met Tammy.
She came in for what seemed like a simple makeup lesson. But as we began, I noticed something unique about her and, I soon understood why part of her jaw was missing.
Tammy is one of the most positive and radiant women I have ever met. There is a light in her that comes from a place far deeper than beauty. It comes from a profound love for others.
This is her story, in her own words—one that deserves to be felt:

It started with something small—so small I never would have noticed it myself. My hairdresser felt something unusual, a lump on the back of my neck.
What followed was a journey I hadn’t planned for—appointments, second opinions, surgery, then radiation.
Through it all, I found deep gratitude for my surgeon. The initial tests were inconclusive, but his care never wavered. When the surgery was over, I could still move all of my facial muscles, especially the ability to smile. Part of my upper neck was gone, and he gently offered reconstructive surgery.
I said no thank you.
It wasn’t out of fear, but out of acceptance. Even now, that part of me is still missing—you wouldn’t notice if we met.
A life lesson for me: focus more on caring about others than worrying about what they think of me.
More than twenty years have passed, and I’ve remained cancer-free. When I look back, I see the people who changed the course of my life. A hairdresser who noticed. A surgeon who cared. Two individuals who became part of my story in ways they may never fully understand.
And every day, I carry gratitude for both.

Meeting Tammy was a reminder of why I do what I do.
Beauty is not perfection.
It is not symmetry.
It is not about what is missing.
It is about the light that shines through, no matter what life has taken or given.
Tammy, thank you for trusting me with your story—and for reminding all of us what true beauty looks like.

Jan – A Story of Strength, Grace, and Unforgettable Light

Some people walk into your life in the most unexpected ways…
and leave an imprint you never forget.

I first met Jan when she came into the studio to purchase an eyebrow pencil. What began as a simple visit turned into a conversation that stayed with me long after she left.

There was something about her—warm, open, and full of life.

After talking for a while, I asked her if she would be open to doing a step-by-step makeup video for CARA Cosmetics. She smiled, and in that moment, she began to share her story.

In 2008, Jan discovered a lump in her left breast.
What she learned next was unimaginable—there were two masses, and they were two different types of cancer.

She faced it head-on, undergoing a double mastectomy followed by aggressive chemotherapy. Later, she moved forward with breast reconstruction, continuing her journey with courage and determination.

But her story didn’t end there.

In September of 2012, Jan lost her husband to brain cancer—a heartbreak that no one should have to endure.

And then, in 2013, her cancer returned. Quickly.

What I remember most is not just what she went through—
but how she showed up through it all.

Jan is one of the most beautiful and encouraging people I have ever met.
She made me laugh. She made me cry.
And she reminded me what it means to truly be human.

During our video together, I wasn’t just applying her makeup and making her feel beautiful—
she was sharing her heart, her strength, her vulnerability.

She wanted the world to see that beauty still exists in the midst of hardship.
That even in the most difficult moments, there is light.

Jan, your spirit, your courage, and your willingness to share your story will never be forgotten.

This is what strength looks like.
This is what humanity looks like.
This is Jan.
If her story touches you, I invite you to support the mission of the American Cancer Society—because every story shared brings us closer to hope.

Being a makeup artist, I have always believed in the power of beauty—how it can transform not just how we look, but how we feel.

But when I opened Studio CARA, something deeper began to unfold.

I started meeting women who were not just coming in for makeup…
they were coming in carrying stories. Stories of diagnosis, treatment, survival—stories of cancer in so many different forms.

I was saddened by how prevalent it was.
And at the same time, I was deeply moved by how every journey was so different—yet equally filled with courage.

One of these beautiful souls was Keishawn Knight.

From the moment I met her, I could feel her strength and kindness. There was something undeniable about her presence—faith-filled, grounded, and powerful beyond words.

I invited Keishawn, along with Ria Clark, to be part of a CARA Cosmetics photoshoot. What I witnessed that day was something I will never forget.

These women were walking through unimaginable circumstances—
and yet, they stood in front of the camera with confidence, grace, and light.

It was not just a photoshoot.
It was a moment of empowerment.

Keishawn’s story is one of profound faith and resilience.

At just 31 years old—only two days after losing her father to colon cancer—she received her own diagnosis: Stage 2 and Stage 3 breast cancer.

September 6, 2017, changed everything. And in that moment, she made a decision that would carry her through it all— she chose to trust God.

Having witnessed her mother and sister both go through ovarian cancer, she knew what lay ahead.

Her treatment plan was intense:
16 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and 28 radiation treatments.

April 19, 2018, The day she lost her breasts. After that came radiation, 28 treatments.

Days when it would have been easy to give up. But she didn’t. Because her faith carried her.

This is what faith looks like.
This is what strength looks like.
This is true beauty.

If her story touches you, I invite you to support the mission of the American Cancer Society—because every story shared brings us closer to hope.

Skin cancer awareness is not just important—it is life-saving.

Debbie has been a beautiful client of mine for over 15 years. In that time, I have come to know her not only for her outward beauty, but for the strength, discipline, and joy she carries within. She is not only physically strong—she is powerful and deeply proactive about her health.

For over 30 years, Debbie has made that commitment to herself, scheduling regular skin checks every six months. What began with a spot on her back became a journey that would continue over decades—her arm, her chest, and most recently, her forehead.

Each time, she faced it with awareness, action, and courage.

What makes her story so important is this:
Many of these spots didn’t look alarming. They didn’t feel urgent. They could have easily been ignored.

But Debbie chose not to ignore them.
She chose to check. To question. To take care of herself.

Because of that, every diagnosis was caught early—before it could become something more serious.

Her story is a reminder to all of us:
Do not wait. Do not assume. Do not overlook the small things.

Check your skin.
Pay attention to changes.
Schedule regular visits with your dermatologist.

Prevention is power. Awareness is everything.

Today, I honor Debbie—not just for what she has faced, but for the example she sets for all of us.

This is what strength looks like.

Joie Cadle – A Story Close to My Heart

There are clients who come into your life…
and then there are those who become part of your story.

Joie Cadle is one of my dearest clients, and truly, one of the most special women I know.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of seeing her not only through the lens of beauty—but through moments of strength, resilience, and grace that go far beyond the surface.

Joie carries a light about her.
A warmth. A kindness. A quiet strength that speaks volumes without ever needing to say a word.

There are moments in life that quietly change everything.

For Joie, it was a day that could have easily been skipped.
A busy schedule. A full life.
But she made the decision to keep her mammogram appointment.

That decision saved her life.

What she expected to be routine became something far more serious—a small cancerous tumor was found.

With a family history of breast cancer, Joie made a powerful and proactive decision. She chose to undergo a double mastectomy with reconstruction—facing her diagnosis with clarity, strength, and intention.

Further testing revealed she was HER2-positive, and her journey continued with six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by a full year of Herceptin.

It was not an easy road.
But Joie walked it with courage, grace, and unwavering resilience.

At the end of her treatment, she received the words every woman hopes to hear—
cancer free.

That was in 2008.

Today, Joie stands as an 18-year survivor.
A woman who not only endured—but thrived.

Her story is a reminder that the smallest decision can become the most important one.
That early detection matters.
That strength comes in many forms.

Joie, it is an honor to know you, to work with you, and to share your light.

This is what courage looks like.
This is what survival looks like.
This is Joie.

If her story moves you, I invite you to support the mission of the American Cancer Society—because awareness, research, and early detection save lives.

Today begins something deeply meaningful.
31 days. 31 portraits. 31 stories of strength.

So many of my clients have walked through cancer with grace, courage, and resilience. This month, I honor them.

Join me in supporting the American Cancer Society and help us create a world without cancer as we know it.
Donate. Share. Be part of the story. https://www.facebook.com/donate/990427303641461/