Bare-faced college student who had not cut her hair in FIVE YEARS and rarely ever wore make-up left speechless after being totally transformed in a dramatic makeover

A college student who professes not to have cut her hair for five years and rarely wears make-up was almost unrecognizable after she was transformed during a television makeover.

Libby Acker, 19, was plucked from the crowd outside the Rockefeller Center in New York to

appear on Today for an 'ambush makeover'.

The Xavier University sophomore from Colorado Springs, Colorado, arrived at the studio wearing a university baseball cap and T-shirt, a Nike sports jacket and her hair long brown wavy hair, which she claimed not to have cut since she was 14, tied back.

Dramatic: Libby Acker, 19, pictured left before the makeover and right after, was plucked from the crowds to be transformed on Today

After a three-hour makeover by hairstylist Louis Licari and a fashion expert she reappeared looking completely transformed with a side parting, long, lightened hair with highlights and make-up. 

In a dramatic departure from her sportswear, she was dressed in a black pencil skirt, a white leather jacket and wore strappy stiletto sandals.  

Before the makeover, the college track athlete said: 'I'm pretty excited, honestly, I haven't cut my hair in a long while, so I'll be excited to see what it looks like.' In a message to her mother she said: 'Mom, don't freak out'.

But when she reappeared fully made up the transformation was so dramatic that her friends screamed and Libby also shrieked when she saw her reflection. Two of her friends were so shocked they cried, she said.

Libby is the youngest person to have appeared on the show and producers said it was the best reaction they have had. 

Afterwards, she gave her new hair her seal of approval but admitted in a video interview with Xavier: 'I'm not sure I'll keep wearing the makeup.'

Libby, who was not allowed to see her reflection until the final reveal live on television, said she was astounded. 

'I couldn't believe it, she said. 'It feels beautiful. And I got to keep the clothes—even the shoes. I was told they never let people keep the shoes, but they let me keep them.'

She said she had to do it when she was picked because it was 'the chance of a lifetime'.

Louis said of the look: 'Libby's 19, she wanted to keep her hair long, she's got a rather new boyfriend, two months, I'm sure she's going to have many more, and so what you get is it shows you can have long hair and shape. I lightened, softened it, added a few highlights.'

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