Franchise opportunities compared

    Merle Norman Cosmetics vs SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    $47,870 – $262,938

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    $367,200 – $584,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    $0.00

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    Not available

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Merle Norman Cosmetics and SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    $47,870 – $262,938
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    $367,200 – $584,200
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    $0.00
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    $14
    SMS Texting Marketing — $14
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    757
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    3
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    −74
    Calculated: 831 at end of 2023 → 757 at end of 2025

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    +1
    Calculated: 2 at end of 2023 → 3 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Merle Norman Cosmetics

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    SESKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — AVERAGE
    $710,006
    other AVERAGE
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Skin Experts - Shadow Lake
    1,154 count
    other Skin Experts - Shadow Lake
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Skin Experts - Lincoln
    955 count
    other Skin Experts - Lincoln
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    +2 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Merle Norman Cosmetics vs SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Merle Norman Cosmetics or SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa?
    Merle Norman Cosmetics: $47,870 – $262,938 (2026 FDD · Item 7); SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa: $367,200 – $584,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Merle Norman Cosmetics. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Merle Norman Cosmetics or SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa?
    Merle Norman Cosmetics: 757 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44); SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa: 3 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Merle Norman Cosmetics and SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Merle Norman Cosmetics makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; SKIN EXPERTS by Brentwood Spa has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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