Teena Twilley is not one to rest on her laurels. In fact, it would be fair to say that the word “complacency” doesn’t even exist in her vocabulary. But it has been that determined desire to grow and change that has made her creations, Designer’s Edge Hair Studio and Bella Vita Garden Spa, skyrocket since its inception to unprecedented success in the region, establishing it as local entrepreneurial hallmarks of the highest order.

But even though the sensory seduction of the European-luxury-spa theme begins from the moment you pass through the majestic, Doric-columned entranceway, with sky-high ceilings and arched, keystone portals, Twilley would be the first to tell you it’s actually her sense of hearing that has been the most instrumental in her sterling success.

“There’s a lot I’ve done over the years to make this business grow,” offered Twilley from a wrought-iron patio chair in her Tuscan-looking café (where clients may have lunch or dinner, incidentally), “but if I had to distill it all down to one key thing, I’d say it’s that I always made it a point to listen. Sure, that means having listened carefully to my clients for the additions and changes they’ve been looking for to enhance their lives, but I’ve made it a point to listen to my staff, too, many of whom have had very creative ideas and care about the business a great deal.

“The result of this tendency to listen carefully,” Twilley continued, “is that it creates clients who want to come back and employees who want to stay, even though new and different things may be happening around them. That’s really the ‘edge’ in Designer’s Edge and why we’ve always been different than the rest.”
It’s a trait that has obviously served Twilley well, considering that late January of 2010 not only saw Twilley celebrate the 15th anniversary of Designer’s Edge and Bella Vita, it also provided the perfect opportunity to unveil some of the most exciting developments in the business to date.

Used to be that when one approached the reception area on the first floor, they would find the staff flanked by a bank of circle-top mirrors with shelves displaying the quality health and beauty products the studio represented. Now, when you look over the shoulders of the staff at the front desk, what you find is the brand-new line of Designer’s Edge hair-care and skin-care products.

“I’m very proud of our exclusive line of men’s and women’s products,” admitted Twilley, the mother of five children who all work in or with the business in some capacity. “They were a long time in the making, but I wasn’t going to debut them one moment before I was sure they met the standards of the salon and were exactly what I wanted to put my business’ name on.”

In fact, Twilley invested so much time and care in the development of her products, even their chemical composition was formulated based on things like the mineral content of the Eastern Shore water supply— making the products the ideal hair-care solution for us Delmarva dwellers.

Equally conscientiously, no Designer’s Edge product was ever tested on an animal, and none have sulfates or other preservatives.

But that’s not all.

Twilley is also proud to announce the grand debut of a fresh and exciting menu of cosmetic treatments and services guaranteed to make the relentless march of time stop dead in its tracks for a while. Administered on-site by physician assistants and overseen by medical director and 2009 “Best of the Best on the Shore” physician Brent Fox, of Fox Laser Skin Specialists in Salisbury, Designer’s Edge now offers Botox treatments in addition to industry-standard injectable treatments such as Juvederm and Radiesse. Designer’s Edge is also your hometown one-stop shop now for DermaSweep (microdermabrasion), Latisse (eyelash growth), Obagi medical products (adult and adolescent acne) and chemical peels. Even oncology massage is now available at Designer’s Edge.

Sure, it’s all very cosmopolitan, but don’t assume that means you and I can’t easily afford it. In fact, Twilley reports that through some very painstaking budget management, there has not been one price increase among any of the products or services offered at Designer’s Edge and Bella Vita as a result of this latest expansion of operations. Be sure to inquire, too, about the signature packaging, VIP-member offerings and special events occurring throughout the year.

“There’s no point in doing any of this if it can’t be for everyone,” asserted Twilley, who hinted that her next project may just be the addition of a cosmetic dentistry division. “I’m not trying to serve a particular clientele… I’m trying to do what I can to boost an entire community. Ultimately, I want to know that someone who comes into my business is guaranteed to leave feeling at least a little better — if not a lot better — than when they arrived. If I can do that for every single person in this community, all this effort will have been well worth it.”

Designer’s Edge Hair Studio & Bella Vita Garden Spa, 2407 E. Naylor Mill Rd., Salisbury, Md., 410-548-9010, www.desalonandspa.com