By Susan Shinn

Salisbury Post

ROCKWELL — Mary Lou Michelin is one of those women who’s always doing something nice for other people.

On Thursday, she had a day all to herself.

Michelin was the winner of a makeover contest sponsored by Creative Cuts and Tans in Rockwell.

“We wanted to give back to the community,” said owner Angela Goodman. “Why can’t we do a makeover in a small town? There’s so much of it on TV.”

Although she only had a handful of entries — people were surprised there was no cost for the $350 package — Goodman was happy to have Michelin spend the day at her salon.

“I couldn’t sleep last night, I was so excited,” Michelin said Thursday morning.

She lives in Rockwell with her daughter, Michele Yount. Her granddaughter, Heather Yount, is a seventh-grader at Southeast Middle School.

She was completely surprised to win because her daughter entered her in the contest.

“I love creature comforts,” Michelin said of such treats as manicures and pedicures. “This is gonna by my year. I’m gonna be 60 this year, but you can put down 45.”

Michelin’s day of pampering included a hair color, cut and style, make-up, manicure, pedicure, paraffin wax for hands, lip and brow wax, massage and fitness consultation.

A native of New York, Michelin lived in California for 31 years. She took early retirement from the DMV, and moved to this area to care for a family member.

She just celebrated her second Christmas in Rockwell.

By lunchtime, Michelin’s hair and make-up were complete. She strutted her stuff in a black pantsuit, frilly white shirt and new hair color.

(As her picture was being taken, she took to calling Post photographer Wayne Hinshaw “Snappy,” which was a hoot.)

“We’re gonna go a little darker and put some red in it,” Goodman explained earlier in the morning. “We want her eyes to pop.”

Goodman used a mocha base color, with red for highlights.

Her blue eyes sparkled, and Michelin couldn’t keep her hands off her loose, sexy curls.

“Hot mama! Coming together,” she said. “I like that. It’s very loose and it feels good. It doesn’t look like I had it done.”

She reveled in the compliments of the salon employees.

“Wow!”they said more than once.

“I haven’t stopped smiling since I came here,” Michelin said. “It’s a great day for me. What a wonderful day. It’s been fun. Angie’s got a new client. I feel good.

“It’s such a treat to say, let somebody do for me all day!”

***

Contact Susan Shinn at 704-797-4289 or sshinn@ salisburypost.com.