Would like an opinion (beauty retouch)

[Brian2]

Here's one of my retouches done back in 2004 or so and recently came across it again. Unfortunately I don't have a bigger version, this was the size I had to work with.

[dodezaine]

Hello, for me it seems good, no work excels, it would execute your duty if that will make light finishing touches for a personal book. if it went a finishing touch to commercial beauty was owing. But for being some of the first ones the note it is positive, I only see black excess, it lost many details.

Cya,
Fábio

[JD Spears]

Yeah, it's a little dark and contrasty. I would bring back some of the details.

[ashphotoart]

I would like to shaping the hairs too.

Ash

[TommyO]

In looking at the original, one would want to bring attention to the face, add a little color and remove a few age lines. The resulting image adds color and removed the lines, but I'm not sure it brings attention to the face. Also, her hair is very pretty and much of it is lost in the later image.
Considering what you had to work with, not bad though.

[Brian2]

Thanks to everyone for the critiques.

@ashphotoart: What would you change about the shape of the hair?
@TommyO: By darkening the entire picture, her eyes stand out more, which to me, added some attention to her face. What other way would you suggest to bring more attention to it? Same question goes for the hair.

[TommyO]

Most people would add separate layers for dodging and burning each body part, for example 1 layer for dodging the eye area, 1 layer for burning the same.
Alternatively, you could add an adjustment layer of your liking, then invert the mask to all black and paint white on the layer with a soft low opacity brush to bring back the effect where you want it.
It's more layers but much more control over what and where.