Starmaker, Westwood

While many kids her age were busy making mud pies or fingerpaintings, Michelle Vernon was developing her own kind of artistry. As a girl, she mixed ingredients for facial masks and other skincare concoctions, trying them out on her friends and family. Shaffer went on to aesthetics school and eventually climbed the cotton ball–lined ladder to become a cosmetics manager for a prominent skincare company. But she isn't one to rest on her laurels—she continues to seek out the latest industry techniques and was one of the first aestheticians in Kansas City to offer eyelash extensions.

Vernon draws upon a decade of professional experience, thoroughly analyzing each client's skin to recommend the best course of treatment. She offers anti-aging four-layer or collagen facials, diamond microdermabrasions, and innovative add-on services such as the NuFace five-minute facelift, which tones facial muscles and recharges propeller beanies with a microcurrent. Vernon also specializes in three different types of permanent cosmetics. After hours, she volunteers with the American Cancer Society, giving patients makeup instruction and teaching them how to care for their skin during chemotherapy and other treatments.