Marzen Salazar, a self-made businesswoman, recalls the several occasions when she would see her grandma filling in her aged eyebrows in front of the mirror.
There are reportedly close to 10,000 different facial expressions that humans can make. The non-verbal cues that make up the everyday unconscious chatter include the smallest twitch of a facial muscle, the direction of the eye, and the movement of the eyebrows.
But as one ages, it gets harder to do so because the muscles start to sag and, most significantly, the lashes and eyebrows start to thin.
“My grandmother always draws about her eyebrows. She would try it but (I) would never be satisfied,” remembers Marzen. “When I was growing up in the ‘90s, eyebrow tattooing was a popular solution to the fading of the brow for the elderly and people with thin strokes – but even tattoos have their limits.”
Today, as Marzen recalls her time growing up in Laguna with her lola, Marzen is gradually and decisively building her own business to provide a better solution for eyebrows, lashes, and other facial care woes.
In 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic, Marzen boldly launched Miss Derm – a clinic specializing in eyebrows, lashes, and facial treatment services, including microblading.
A relatively new technology for Filipinos, microblading uses small needles to create soft and subtle hair-like strokes and deposit pigment on the skin. It is a form of cosmetic tattooing but, unlike the traditional tattoo that embeds pigment deep into the skin, microblading only injects pigment superficially on the body and thus is only semi-permanent.
At Miss Derm, microblading is only done by certified microblading artists. Artists undergo intensive training to provide the highest level of quality and care for customers.
More than just a business
From one clinic in Makati, Marzen expanded Miss Derm to two more locations: Las Pinas and Quezon City – one additional business address each year. Despite travel restrictions, Miss Derm’s number of patrons have grown through word of mouth, attracted by the quality of premium services to help customers with their facial care needs.
“I’ve always been motivated by the fact that the services we do at Miss Derm directly affect our customers’ disposition. If eyes are the windows to the soul, eyebrows and lashes are the frames that help define what you want to express and how you want to be seen. We want to help our customers increase their confidence and wear a brighter face every day,” says Marzen, a former wedding photographer-turned communications manager in Oman.
Aside from its popular Elite Brows/Lips Package, Miss Derm offers a wide range of microblading, microshading, eyeliner, and blading solutions. Customers will also find a menu of no-needle procedures, including Brow Lamination, Lash Lift, Lash Extensions, and HIFU Skin Tightening for the face, neck, and the body.
Miss Derm’s complete facial care and skincare solutions prove to be perfect for customers who desire convenience and a highly personalized level of care. At Miss Derm, artists converse with customers about their needs and suggest ways to achieve how they want to look.
This level of service and hospitality is the product of Marzen’s entrepreneurial instincts, of putting customers at the heart of the process, and ensuring that employees are taken care of.
Marzen, who is based in Oman, has successfully managed Miss Derm’s growth and early success from a distance. She occasionally travels to Manila to check on the clinics, but she also speaks with her clients directly every day. “I always had a love for connecting with customers, especially ladies,” the entrepreneur said. “When customers chat with our social media channels for feedback or bookings, they’re likely talking to me. In my position as a wedding photographer in Laguna and Oman, I frequently interact with women. They know what they want, so one must pay attention. They will return for more and treat you like family if you amaze them with excellent service and develop a good working connection, according to Marzen.
The locations of Miss Derm are at 20 Shorthorn Street in Quezon City, 304 Aurora Bldg. in Las Pinas, and 9/f Centuria Medical Makati in Makati. Follow Miss Derm on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/missderm/ to remain informed.
