Meet Your Merchant: Tracy's Essential Skin Care

Relaxation is the vibe in Tracy Williams' new Minden office.

On Wednesday afternoon, a soothing instrumental played on speakers next to a small fountain in a room filled with soft yellow light, accentuated by candles on the wall and with a centerpiece that looked like a bed, complete with a blanket that encourages a long rest.

But it's the far corners with the medical equipment that shows that she doesn't run a typical spa.

"It's kind of a medical spa with the spa," she said.

Williams, a licensed esthetician, runs Tracy's Essential Skin Care, where she performs work that includes facials, repairing sun damage, helping to clear teen acne, and more, all with pharmaceutical-grade products.

"They actually change things in the skin at the cellular level," she said.

Williams said she has been in the Carson City and Gardnerville area all her adult life, previously managing a medical spa in Carson City and still running a branch of her medical spa there. She said she was initially drawn to the beauty side of skin care, with much of her family being cosmologists. But then her interest became deeper.

"The skin is the largest organ in the body," she said. "It has to be taken care of, almost more importantly than the others, because it acts as a barrier."

She offers a free consultation to new customers, attempting to get a comprehensive idea of a person's lifestyle, including diet and exercise. She then tailors treatment to individual needs, be it basic maintenance and facial massages or microdermabrasion repair. She also works with a licensed massage therapist and a doctor specializing in cosmetic procedures to make her building a one-stop-shop for skin care needs.

"There's a lot of interconnectedness" when it comes to skin care, she said. A massage, for example, can increase blood flow and help tighten the skin.

It took Nanci Glogauer only a few visits to become hooked. She said she goes in for facials and shots of vitamin B12 monthly.

"I can tell a huge difference in my skin," she said.

She also gushed about the atmosphere - and Williams as an individual. Glogauer described herself as somewhat picky about where she spends her money, but with Williams and the treatments, it's undoubtedly well-spent, she said.

"You want that welcoming feeling when you have someone working on you," she said. "You don't want to feel uncomfortable, and she makes you feel super comfortable."