This is about making someone feel worthwhile life long.
• Skin Care
• Nail Care
• Hair Care
• Massage Therapy
• Personal Care & Grooming
Aging Gracefully
Seniors have specialized grooming needs. Our volunteers are equipped to provide care for those with limited means and grow dreams.
Feeling Beautiful
Studies have shown that touch and grooming boost endorphins. BBYF helps seniors feel good about the way they look in life. And Thrive.
Generate Respect
BBYF believes that seniors are our “National Treasures.” We promote a culture of esteem through service.
Our Story
BBYF was founded in 2006 by Alison O’Neil in memory and spirit of her kind hearted father who said to her, “Beauty becomes you,” just before he died. In an effort to provide a positive experience for older adults and their families by fulfilling common everyday grooming needs of seniors with limited access, opportunity, and means to aesthetic health programs, aesthetic healthcare services including basic hair, skin, and nail care as well as massage therapy are provided by volunteer licensed cosmetology and healthcare professionals (aesthetic health professionals) in safe, convenient locations for seniors. Since we started the program approximately 500 amazing volunteers have served more than 5000 senior clients over 15,000 services. We receive requests all the time from all over the world for programs. Come help to make our mission bigger and better. Help us touch the world.
Beauty Becomes You® Founder Alison O’Neil was selected out of over 6300 charity founders to be honored as a L’Oreal Paris Woman of Worth!
An Aesthetic Health and Mental Wellness Initiative
Alison O’ Neil, Founder
About the Founder, Alison O’NeilAlison O’Neil, B.S., MH/HS
Aesthetic Health Pioneer • L’Oréal Paris Woman of Worth
Alison O’Neil, B.S., Mental Health & Human Services is a pioneer in Medical Aesthetics and the founder of the concept of Aesthetic Health©, uniting neuroaesthetics, skincare science, medical aesthetics, and psychodermatology. In the early 1980s, she created the first dermatologic rehabilitation clinic at Emory University, dedicated to patients facing appearance loss from trauma, chronic skin disorders, or congenital conditions. She is Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Aesthetic Health Initiative and founder of the Beauty Becomes You® Movement, a nonprofit serving senior adults and caregivers, recognized by L’Oréal Paris as a Woman of Worth.
Alison’s latest program, the Senior Select Certification, educates beauty and wellness professionals in geriatric aesthetics—empowering them to restore self-image, elevate self-worth, and help prevent Failure to Thrive Syndrome in older adults. Her mission is to show that caring for one’s appearance is not vanity, but a vital part of health, identity, and living beautifully for a lifetime.
Ms. O’ Neil, B.S., M.E., A.R.S. has been practicing in the fields of Medical Esthetics and Aesthetic Rehabilitation for over thirty years. After twenty-seven years in dermatology and 5 years in plastic surgery she shares her pearls of patient care with professionals nationwide. Among her professional publishing and media credits, Ms. O’ Neil has served on the editorial board of Progressive Clinical Insights, The Medical Journal for Skin Care Professionals published by the NCEA. She has been nationally recognized in Self, Mademoiselle, Woman’s Day, American Health, Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country magazines as well as several major newspapers and television networks including CNN, TBS, ABC & NBC. Her most recent publication on Geriatric Aesthetics can be found in Aging Well Magazine.
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She was the Georgia State board of Examiners representative for Esthetics from 1989 to 1999 and Member and Esthetic Committee Chairperson of the National Interstate Council of Examining boards during that same period. For that same period she was an on-going subject matter expert for the development of the National Licensing Examination for the practice of Esthetics.
Ms. O’ Neil holds a degree in Mental Health and Human Services with a specialization in The Psychology of Appearance and Cosmetic Treatments, is a licensed Esthetician and was a Medical/Surgical Assistant in Dermatology for more than six years. In 1982, Ms. O’ Neil began the first Dermatological Rehabilitation Clinic in the country at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. She is also noted as one of the founding committee members of the National Look Good… Feel Better program co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society, Personal Care Products Council (formerly CTFA), and The National Cosmetology Association. For her role in this program she was awarded the Quality of life Award by the American Cancer Society’s Georgia Division.
Ms. O’ Neil represented Dermablend, Inc. and L’Oreal through The Dermablend Academy where she introduced the importance of physical appearance challenges to medical residents around the country. To date she has presented to 30 of the top 50 of the nations leading medical schools. Ms. O’Neil also presents regularly at Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Nursing and other related professional medical meetings.
Her proven commitment to the field of Medical Esthetics and Aesthetic Rehabilitation makes her a highly qualified speaker on topics from general healthy skin care to the Psychology of Appearance and the field she has pioneered, Geriatric Aesthetics. She is well versed on insights regarding dermatologic care, pre and post operative esthetic needs and patient care issues, as well as appearance changes implied by illness and its treatments. Her focus includes both the psychological ramifications as well as the aesthetic health challenges presented by appearance loss, or change.
Through speaking and educating, Ms. O’ Neil maintains her commitment to championing the rights of the appearance-impaired toward living an equal quality of life, and further supports those same individuals in reaching and maintaining their greatest personal potential. Ms. O’Neil also acknowledges the enormous impact related to the extremely popular interest in personal grooming and appearance in everyday society.
In 2005, Ms. O’Neil founded The Beauty Becomes You® Foundation (BBYF) a nonprofit aesthetic health initiative that embraces a holistic approach to addressing senior hygiene needs. The mission of BBYF is to preserve the dignity and self respect of senior adults through the provision of aesthetic health products and professional services in a safe, accessible, and familiar environment. Aesthetic hygiene services including basic hair, skin, and nail care as well as massage; these are provided by volunteer licensed cosmeticians and aesthetic professionals in safe, convenient locations for seniors. We’re changing the way society looks at Senior Adults, our most undervalued National Treasure.
Ms. O’Neil lives in Atlanta. Her new company, Aging Beautifully, LLC is the parent of the NEW SeniorSelect® Seal that produces and certifies products that make life easier as we age. As the company gains so will the charity, the Beauty Becomes You® Foundation, will be the recipient of support from the successful efforts of AB, LLC. She continues to serve patients in private practice while training Therapeutic Estheticians in Medical Spas, Personal Care/Private Home Care Providers on the practice of personal care aesthetics and medical/psychology considerations. Ms O’Neil has pioneered the development of “Geriatric Aesthetics©” and the SeniorSelect® Certification is also available to those professionals wishing to hold this credential. She is considered one of the leading experts in senior adult skin care and personal care. Her talks called, “Can’t Do That? Do THIS!!” are becoming all the rage as she presents with wisdom and humor at senior communities around the country. She introduces out-of-the-box options to creatively live with the challenges related to aging (loss of your 5 senses, mobility, dexterity and mental capabilities) AND don’t make you look OLD.