Skincare by Michelle
By Ashley Puderbaugh
Published November 2010
Women’s Edition magazine
Skin problems can plague many women, from their teenage years to well into their 50’s and 60’s. Problems can range from acne and large pores to rosacea and hyperpigmentation. And while these skin problems can be embarrassing, there are ways to combat them.
Michelle Shaffer, owner of Skincare by Michelle at Starmaker Salon, says she offers a variety of treatments that can clear sun-damaged skin, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, shrink pores, fill in acne scars, and blend uneven pigmentation. Michelle’s microdermabrasions, for example, use crushed diamonds to exfoliate your skin, buffing out fine lines and removing brown spots. They also help with acne scarring. After regular treatments, your skin will glow and look years younger, she says.
If you’re looking for a more relaxing skin care service, Michelle recommends her European facials. She says you can unwind during a candlelit facial with soft music, steam, and massage. With each facial, Michelle incorporates oxygen, an ultra-hydrating treatment for your skin. Medical-grade oxygen is infused into the skin to help it “breathe,” she explains. The oxygen also plumps fine lines and boosts your antioxidants for ultimate healing. In addition to oxygen, Michelle also offers her clients a complimentary enzyme or chemical peel after a microdermabrasion or facial.
Longtime client Dawn White adores getting facials from Michelle. “She’s really got the magical hands,” she says. “You’ll fall right asleep.”
Michelle says she has always been interested in skin, even as a little girl. When she was younger, Michelle made masks and potions and tried them on her family and friends. She started out as a cosmetics manager for a major skin care company, where she says she loved working with her clients and teaching them how to take care of their skin.
Eventually, she realized that she wanted to work in aesthetics and own her own business, so she went to the Academy of Aesthetic Arts in Shawnee, Kansas. Today, Michelle says she is serious about continuing her education. She travels around the globe to classes and skin care conferences because “There is nothing more thrilling than learning about my passion,” she shares.
In addition to facials and microdermabrasions, Michelle’s services include face-lifts and eye lifts. Her four-layer face-lift gives you instant gratification, she says. For the face-lift, she uses fruit enzymes to exfoliate your skin, in addition to infusing layers of vitamins.
One perfect face-lift for the woman on the go is the 5-Minute Face Lift, she says. Seen on the “Oprah” and “Rachel Ray” shows, this $20 face-lift instantly tightens the facial muscles so they look years younger, Michelle explains. Additionally, it helps drain the lymph nodes of toxins and infuses products for deeper penetration.
Michelle also offers the Sonicare Opal Eye Lift, which is a treatment that incorporates massage and hyaluronic acid (a substance found naturally in the human body in the eyes and joints) and sea algae to instantly lift the eye area.
One of Michelle’s favorite products—and also one of her most popular—is the Genie Instant Line Smoother, which instantly takes 10 years off your face, according to Michelle. This smoother temporarily helps to mask under-eye wrinkles, bags, and puffiness. Michelle says it’s formulated with collagen and aloe vera, and is hypoallergenic and fragrance- and alcohol-free. The bottle, which is $40, lasts for 90 days. You can wear it with or without makeup all day long, and some women even use it around their mouths, between their brows, and on their neck and chest.
In addition to healing facial treatments, Michelle also offers permanent makeup, waxing services, brow and eyelash dying, and eyelash extensions, among other services. In fact, Michelle says she was one of the first in the metro area to introduce eyelash extensions. She says she also pioneered the Dermafile and 5-Minute Face Lift. Michelle has been trained in permanent cosmetics by experts in Florida and New Jersey, and specializes in three different modalities. She offers permanent eyeliner, lip liner, brows, and eyelash enhancement.
Dawn recommends the eyelash enhancement. She says the enhancement creates the appearance of a thicker lash line by shading in the spaces between the lashes. “It doesn’t sit on top of your lash line like an eyeliner. You can barely tell it’s there, but it really works,” Dawn explains. “It’s very, very well worth it.”
Dawn believes that Michelle is very talented. She says Michelle is also very caring. She is always checking on her clients to make sure they’re comfortable and doing OK, she says. “She is just all around a great person, and is very passionate about her job,” Dawn shares.
The passion Michelle has for her job is evident in the way she talks about her salon, as well as the volunteer work she does to give back to her community. Michelle volunteers for the American Cancer Society’s Look Good, Feel Better program, through which she teaches cancer patients how to work with makeup and take care of their skin.
It brings Michelle great happiness to watch her clients and cancer patients learn to love their skin again, she says. “I have always been fascinated with skin and how it functions. For example, the ability to slow the aging process or to heal acne,” Michelle explains. “Nothing brings more joy than to help someone feel beautiful.”
Michelle credits her clients’ satisfaction as the reason for the success of her business, and she sees the rewards of her work every day. “I just love seeing the smiles on their faces when I hand them the mirror,” she shares.
New clients are always treated to a complete skin care analysis at Starmaker Salon. The consultation includes talking about how the client feels about her skin; what she wants to change; how Michelle will address the problems; and what the client can expect from the treatments. This skin care analysis is the most important step in the process, Michelle says, because it’s important that each client receives a customized program geared toward his or her specific needs.
She also sells products that are necessary to keep up your skin care regimen at home, she says. She offers SkinCeuticals, Glotherapeutics, and Vivier skin care products, as well as Jane Iredale and Glo Minerals Makeup.
Michelle’s hours at Starmaker Salon are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, although she says she can be flexible with her hours. If you’re interested in finding out more about Michelle’s services, call 913-514-4353 or visit her Web site. Starmaker Salon is located at 4742 Rainbow Blvd. in Westwood, Kansas.
