The competition giving away three top-to-toe makeovers each worth £25k was launched in October and reached its emotional conclusion when the winner’s life-changing transformations were unveiled. Popular TV presenter Jeff Brazier hosted the ‘reveal event’ after tweeting about the competition to his huge following and stimulating considerable interest amongst his 378,323 followers. Jeff invited the audience to share the winners’ journeys showing interviews, before and after pictures and clips filmed as they were made over.
All three winners embarked on stunning transformations which included full mouth cosmetic dentistry; laser eye treatment; facial aesthetics; body pampering and grooming, personal training and fitness and fabulous hair makeovers. Together with a personal fashion styling and photographic portraits, the prize was completed with a suite of oral health products from sponsors Philips, leaders in the field of oral healthcare.
The Dream Makeover Essex competition was the brainchild of Cosmetic Dentist Ash Parmar of Smile Design by Ash who drew together a team of makeover experts and thanks to his dental credentials brought in Philips, not only to provide the Zoom tooth whitening and Sonicare toothbrush and AirFloss used as part of each of the winners’ treatments, but to support the whole competition.
The three winners were selected from thousands of entries after their stories and photographs were judged by the makeover team as most deserving of a transformation.
Eleasha Newberry, aged 25 from Chatham in Kent, is the youngest winner. She found out about the competition when looking on the internet for help to improve her stained brown teeth after suffering from nerve damage as a child. She was so self-conscious she held her hands in front of her mouth to hide her teeth and even refused to celebrate her 21st birthday. Thanks to Ash’s transformation Eleasha beamed from the catwalk as her new smile was revealed. Her big black glasses have also gone along with her extremely poor vision after laser treatment gave her 20:20 vision, when before she couldn’t even read the top letter on the reading chart.
Eleasha said “I was emotional when I heard I had won and I still am. It’s been absolutely wonderful and I still can’t believe my looks and how I feel. Is it a dream? Will I wake up? I’m certainly made over that’s for sure and feel so lucky.” Sister Katie said “She is beautiful and now there is nothing to hold her back.”
Loughton Dad Keith Welch, aged 54, was entered by his daughter Emily who felt sorry for him after several tough years of heartache and unhappiness. She said he had rather let himself go to concentrate on providing for the family. When his tooth fell out in front of Emily it was the final straw that set her entry in motion. Ash treated his periodontal disease, exacerbated by years of smoking before restoring his dentition and whitening his remaining teeth.
Keith said “There are no words to describe how I feel about the experience I have been through. I’m a new man and so grateful from the bottom of my heart.” Daughter Emily is thrilled and Dad has a new girlfriend too!
Irish Mum of two Caroline McKenna, aged 44, lives in the Isle of Dogs. She also had help to enter the competition when daughter Lianne, aged 10, decided her Mum needed help. Shy and rather nervous Caroline had low self-esteem and her vision was very poor before corrective eye treatment, so much so that daughter Lianne had to read labels for her.
At the reveal event she smiled shyly – revealing her rejuvenated mouth and commented “I still can’t believe it’s me especially now I can read what everyone else can read. I feel so different about myself now.” Martin, her proud and emotional husband, said “You have done a brilliant job and we want to thank everyone.”
Ash Parmar, who appeared on the TV series Extreme Makeover, said “When we decided to put on Dream Makeover Essex we were looking to find a dream team who could complete fantastic makeovers so our winners would be smiling from their hearts. Well we certainly achieved that! These people have blossomed into beautiful butterflies. It’s been uplifting and we are humbled by the experience and the results.”
Mr Pillai from Advanced Vision Care who treated the winner’s eyesight added “It’s a privilege to change a person’s view on the world. We have successfully treated thousands with eye imperfections. The eye is an incredibly complex organ and it gives us such pleasure that our winners now all have 20/20 vision.”
Whilst Carina Leney, professional marketing manager Philips, concluded “Philips is a leading brand in oral health and well-being and is helping people to have brighter, whiter, healthier smiles. We smile 25 times a day - about half a million in an adult lifetime – but many people are ashamed or embarrassed because of the appearance of their teeth. Our winners prove that a confident smile changes lives.”