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would bet a lot of money that you have a whole drawer in your bathroom
vanity
filled with partially used jars, tubes, and pots of makeup. How did this
happen? I bet I know that too. One day, perhaps last week, you peered
at your face in the mirror and saw yet another line on your forehead.
Maybe it’s because you were out in the sun gardening without a
hat. Maybe it’s because you neglected to put on your sunscreen
before you went to your child’s little league game. Maybe it’s
because you had one late night getting that presentation together followed
by a very early day to present it. You recently saw a commercial for a new line of skin care products. You head for the mall and get a sample. After all, you deserve a treat for all that hard work on that presentation. The sales clerk has prepared for this. She gives you the sample but also offers you a free makeover. When the makeover is complete, you look into the magic mirror on the counter under those specially treated lights in the store and voila! The wrinkle has disappeared. You buy close to $100 in products, but you can’t remember the routine the sales clerk described. Do I mask every other day or every third day? Is this the daily moisturizer or the night cream? Do I put the dark shadow in the crease of the eye or under the brow? Never mind. It’s too much effort. All those bottles, tubes, and jars go in the drawer. A few weeks later the cycle begins again. Is the solution a face-lift? Maybe in a few years. But right now I’m too young for plastic surgery. There must be another option. The independently owned Merle Norman Cosmetic shops in West Glen and Clocktower Square may be an option. Merle Norman was a Midwesterner who moved to California and opened her first studio in Santa Monica. Seventy-six years ago, Merle Norman began by helping her friends and other women in her community with their skin care issues. The cosmetics line evolved from Merle Norman’s experiences. It’s a family-owned business to this day. Shelley Scott is the owner of two Merle Norman stores here in the Des Moines area. She also got into the business because of a family connection. “My stepmother, Barbara Lukavsky, opened a Merle Norman store in Des Moines back in 1977. I wasn’t living in Iowa at the time; my husband and I were raising our children in Pennsylvania. But I grew up here, went to Dowling. After my divorce I decided that Iowa was a great place for my children to grow up too.” Shelley is an accountant by training, and her stepmother needed help from time-to-time, and as things progressed, Shelley became co-owner. “Being a business owner connects you to the community like nothing else. It’s one way to make a difference,” she says. In addition to the full line of Merle Norman cosmetics and skin care products, Shelley’s store sells wigs and has a licensed nail technician on staff who does manicures and pedicures using the Merle Norman line. “I’ve found that I really enjoy helping people—women in particular—look their best,” Shelley says. “When you look good you feel good, whether you’re a vice president at some corporation or a soccer mom.” What makes Shelley’s store different is the personalized customer service, she adds. The Merle Norman company’s Web site is for information only. You are not able to purchase anything online. You must shop in a store so that you can experience the personalized service. For example, Merle Norman offers a satisfaction guarantee at all of their stores. So if something doesn’t work out when you get home, you can bring it back for an exchange or credit instead of tossing it in that drawer. But it’s highly unlikely that the Merle Norman line wouldn’t work, she says. There are a whole range of colors available for skin tones from very light to very dark. Formulations include new mineral-based foundations, liquids and cream coverage, powders, tinted moisturizers with UV protection, and basic pancake makeup. “ I got into this business because of my stepmother. But I’ve stayed with it because I truly believe in the Merle Norman line. The investment in technology, research, and testing that this company puts into its products is staggering. And the ‘corporation’ really listens to store owners and responds,” she says. Before you even get to sample the products, Shelley or one of her highly trained associates softens your face with a steam treatment to open your pores. I tried this, and afterwards my skin felt moist and pliant. Then Shelley analyzes your skin type. I did remember that I had an oily t-zone around my nose but that my skin type was normal to dry. Shelley confirmed this. She recommended some cleansing, toning, and moisturizing products for my skin type. But instead of applying them to my face for me, I was surprised that she had me do it myself. “This way you’ll be able to do it yourself at home,” she explains. “But if you forget, call me. I’ll talk you through it. That’s what I mean about customer service. I’m here for you. My customers can and do call me with questions.” Most often than not, they call to order additional products. There are a lot of people who spend their winters out-of-state and only live in Iowa part of the year. Shelley keeps track of everything she recommends to customers in the computer, and she can ship it anywhere. She will give you a piece of paper listing it all, but this way you don’t need to keep track of it. The computer also tracks gift purchases for spouses, children, or friends who want to restock their family member’s supply. I took home my piece of paper and threw it away. I also cleaned out that drawer. Merle Norman Cosmetics Studios are located in West Des Moines at West Glen, 5465 Mills Civic Parkway, Suite 228, and at Clock Tower Square, 2900 University Ave. |
Merle Norman Cosmetics |
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