A Cow Town Goes Designer

Skin Chic: Employing Personal Trainers for Your Skin Since 2002

By fashion|Demographics|Designer fasion|designer|Missoula fashion|, 1-24-06

	Photo by New West Photo Editor Chris Lombardi

Editor's Note: This is the second in a six-part series looking into how changing demographics are creating a new age in Missoula's boutique scene. Each day, New West is bringing you snapshots of the local businesses that are part of, and setting, the trend. Click here to track all the installments.

Cindy Duncan, the owner of Skin Chic, Missoula's premier makeup shop, says the attention employees give to customers is one of the things that has given the store such staying power.

"It's sort of like having a personal trainer, but with your skin," Duncan said. All the store's employees are certified skin care consultants and mineral makeup artists. They are trained to highlight their customer's attributes and camouflage their flaws.

Since first opening its doors more than three years ago in October of 2002, the employees at Skin Chic have worked to provide their customer with products to qualm their skin woes and prevent future problems.

Duncan first developed the idea for the store when she was a sales representative for Colore Science, a mineral makeup brand Skin Chic carries. While traveling across the United States she began to realize many customers went to different experts for advice on their skin and makeup needs, including plastic surgeons, dermatologists, department store counters and wholesale chains. She saw a void for an all-inclusive skin care shop where a customer could stop in and find the products that will work for her based on one opinion by a trained consultant who has researched both skin and cosmetics.

Duncan realized she wanted to open a store that would be a one-stop shop for women with skin problems and changing makeup needs. She saw that people living their daily lives didn't have the time or energy to research the best makeup for any skin problem they might have, whether it's acne, rosacea or dry skin. She also noticed when women began to age, their skin would change and no one was around to help them tailor their makeup to their evolving skin needs. Skin Chic, Duncan decided, would fill the various needs of all its customers. It would fill the void in the market by providing advice based on research, about skin care, she said.

Duncan's philosophy is simple: "We're trying to help people live longer, better, healthy lives" -- an adage often followed by those living in the mountain states. Because she struggled with adult acne and rosacea herself, Duncan is intent on helping people better understand how to make their skin look the best. A quick look at her skin proves the cosmetics work -- it's flawless and without any of those pesky red bumps.

	Photo by New West Photo Editor Chris Lombardi

All customers can make an appointment for a skin color-coding with a Skin Chic employee, which is an opportunity for customers to try out the products. "There's not one person that can walk in the store that we don't have a product for," Duncan said. The store even offers skin care products for children younger than six-years-old.

Colore Science, one of the stores most popular lines, usually can only be found in five-star spas, medical spas, and through dermatologists, aestheticians and plastic surgeons.

The science behind the store makes as much sense as the science behind the makeup. Women love to be in the store because the employees are happy and willing to match the customer with the makeup to match her needs, and are not pushing certain products. Also, the store's Sephora-like vibe allows customers to play with makeup and try on a variety of products -- from the $178 per 3.3 ounce bottle of Bond No. 9 fragrance to the $15 Colore Science lip polishes.

"Many women come in and will bring bottles of wine and socialize while we do their makeup," Duncan said.

The store has been so successful in fact, that Duncan has decided to expand and open a second branch of Skin Chic in Highlands Ranch, Colo. The store has a tentative grand opening date of Thursday, February 9. Breanna Ortolla, a co-manager of the Missoula store will be the manager of the new store.

	Photo by New West Photo Editor Chris Lombardi

"I'm so excited to be in the upbeat atmosphere and see what a bigger city will do for Skin Chic," Ortolla said.

All the employees Duncan has hired have stuck with her since the store's opening except one -- and she left because she was moving. She even continued to work selling Colore Science. "I build my company through looking through the eyes of my girls that I want to grow professionally," Duncan said.

Duncan said she considers Missoula her lab and the Colorado store to be the more streamlined version. She chose Highlands Ranch, which is four miles from Denver, because of its customer base -- upwardly mobile and health-oriented.

Falling in love with the new location immediately, Duncan said, "I made the decision in half an hour, literally."

The new Highlands Ranch store is the first of many Skin Chics Duncan said she hopes to open across the country. It will be located at 3215 Lowell Boulevard.

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