Photos by Elizabeth Balis/Arizona Daily Wildcat Judaic studies senior Sarina Gluckman watches as her stylist combs through her hair during her makeover Saturday. Gluckman, who was one of two students selected to receive a makeover and go out on a blind date, said she wasn't nervous about trying a different look.

See what happens when two strangers win a day of pampering and a night on the town

For two UA seniors, Homecoming weekend meant more than a parade, bonfire and the football team's first Pac-10 home win in three years.

For Sarina Gluckman and Tim Cloninger, it was the opportunity for a makeover and the chance at finding love on a blind date.

After more than a month of searching, two UA students were selected from a pool of applicants to be made over separately at the Markley on Fourth salon and then sent to meet and dine on a blind date.

On Saturday morning, the sun was shining, the sky was blue and the air was charged with anticipation.

Inside her apartment, Sarina Gluckman had just gotten out of the shower.

Dressed casually, Gluckman perched on her sofa as her roommate looked on from the kitchen.

Gluckman's roommate nominated her for the makeover and blind date, with Gluckman's consent, in an attempt to update her look and meet someone new.

"I'm at that point where I'm so stressed out with school that I'm ready for a change," Gluckman said as she towel dried her dark, naturally curly hair. "It's a good mid-semester refresher."

Gluckman is a Judaic studies major with a minor in studio art, and she plans on graduating next December.

She is currently taking 12 units and an art class, in addition to working for SafeRide and volunteering with children.

"I'm really busy and I took on all these responsibilities - like work, school, clubs - that make it hard to expand my circle of friends, which makes it harder to meet new people," Gluckman said.

Gluckman and her roommate had narrowed down outfit choices earlier in the weekend and she made her final decision on a black and cream patterned skirt with a black, high-necked tank top and denim jacket.

Sarina Gluckman

To add a finishing touch to the ensemble, Gluckman selected two sparkly red bracelets.

"I always need to have one eccentric piece to my outfit," Gluckman said. "Like if I dress up, I'll wear sneakers, or like, last night I wore a salmon colored skirt with black and white checkered tights."

As a woman who takes an average of five minutes to get ready in the morning, including brushing her teeth, Gluckman said she was looking for an easy-to-maintain style that would work for both straight and curly hair, and was toying with the idea of red highlights.

Upon arriving at the salon, Gluckman's stylist, Josephine Braun, assessed the situation and decided to put in some depth to Gluckman's hairstyle by adding layers, trimming the ends and face framing the front.

"Longer layers will be good with Sarina's hair because they will work if she wears her hair either curly or straight," said Braun.

Braun also decided to add some caramel blonde highlights to bring out Gluckman's hazel eyes and add warmth to her complexion.

A virgin to the world of hair color and highlights, with the exception of one time in eighth grade when she tried to dye her hair purple, Gluckman was not apprehensive about doing something different with her look.

"I'm not nervous," Gluckman said. "Hair grows back."

After having her eyebrows shaped to frame her eyes, Gluckman nestled down in her stylist's chair to describe the qualities she looks for in a man.

"I want someone who has confidence but isn't cocky, is sure of themselves but isn't full of themselves," Gluckman said, eyeing herself in the mirror as Braun carefully coated strands of hair in dye and seemingly effortlessly wrapped them in silver foils.

Additional qualities Gluckman looks for in a man are a similar sense of humor and body type.

"I want someone taller and bigger than me," Gluckman said. "Otherwise I feel like I'll smush them."

Gluckman said her faith also plays an important role in her dating life.

A Jewish vegetarian who only eats kosher meats, she made a deal with herself early in life to never date outside of her religion.

"My religion is such a big part of my life that it would be a conflict of interest to date or marry anyone who couldn't share that with me," Gluckman said. "I never want to put myself in the position to have to choose between my religion and him."

After the foils were taken out her hair, Gluckman was greeted by makeup artist Marla Kopkie and an array of trays, covered in pots, jars, pencils and lipsticks in every hue known to mankind.

Negating the artist's suggestion to go natural, Gluckman gave the OK for a more dramatic, night-on-the-town look.

"I always go natural if I do anything," said Gluckman, who claims she's never worn lipstick in her entire life. "So I'd like to do something more than that because I've never done anything."

After the finishing touches, the stylists crowded around Gluckman for her unveiling.

"I like it!" she exclaimed, grinning. "It's fun, it's definitely not too drastic, but it's definitely different."

It was time to look toward the date.

Photos by Elizabeth Balis/Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior Tim Cloninger relaxes as he receives a facial during the makeover he won. Cloninger, who was nominated by his roommate, said he enjoyed the experience.

Enter Tim. A senior majoring in agricultural technology management and education, Tim Cloninger was nominated unknowingly by his roommate in the hopes of introducing him to someone special.

A laid-back, athletic guy who golfs and plays basketball, Cloninger accepted the invitation to a makeover and blind date because, he said, it sounded new and exciting and he was in need of a haircut.

"I'd like to get some advice on my hair. I've had the same hairstyle for probably three years," Cloninger said. "I've let it grow out, but it's still just the same old thing."

Never having been on a blind date before, Cloninger claimed he was not expecting anything special.

As he rifled through his closet, and then his roommate's, in search of suitable date apparel, Cloninger talked about taking 24 units in school, the work he does as a superintendent at the La Paloma Golf Course and what his expectations were for the day.

"I'm not really looking for a big change in my life or anything," said Cloninger, rejecting a pair of cargo-style khakis that had been plucked from the closet.

With that thought in mind, it was off to the salon to update Tim's look.

The salon smelled of a fragrant aromatherapy scent, characteristic of most Aveda-concept salons, and as Cloninger stood waiting for his appointment, he said, "It's pretty much what I expected."

Cloninger's services included a facial, a haircut and highlights to add a little something different to his look.

Laura Sutton led Cloninger to a back room where soft music was playing and invited him to choose a scent he liked from a selection of aromatherapy oils.

The door closed and Cloninger was left alone for a half hour of total relaxation.

Tim Cloninger

Upon emerging from his steamy haven, Cloninger was introduced to his hair stylist, Barb Trujillo, a fun, upbeat woman with bright pink highlights in her dark hair.

Settling Cloninger in her chair, Trujillo began running her fingers through his thick hair, making mental notes about what she would try.

As far as the cut, Trujillo decided to texturize Cloninger's wavy locks and take out "the bulk."

She also chose a custom caramel color for his highlights, and after she left to retrieve the necessary supplies, a receptionist rounded the corner with a flute of champagne for Cloninger to sip.

Because of the texture of Cloninger's hair and the way he prefers to style it, Trujillo designed a cut for him that would be low maintenance and would not require ultra-frequent trims.

"It's perfect for a guy," Trujillo said. "No commitment and low maintenance: Can you get any better?"

Trujillo strategically placed highlights throughout the top of Cloninger's hair and then guided him to a comfy couch where he sat with the mixture on and received a soothing hand massage from an assistant.

"I might do this regularly," Cloninger said.

Before he could drift too far off, Trujillo checked his color and signaled that it was time for the rinse.

"Are you nervous?" she asked.

"I'm not worried about the color. I trust you," Cloninger said.

After a rinse, complete with a scalp massage, Trujillo texturized Cloninger's hair by snipping selected strands at different lengths, making it look trendy-messy and also lengthening the time between trims.

She added a control paste to the recently trimmed down hair and swiveled Cloninger around to check out his new look.

"I really like it," Cloninger said with a smile.

The question was: Would Sarina?

Find out what happened when the couple met for their blind date in Friday's LiveCulture.