Which costs less to open, Merle Norman Cosmetics or The Lash Lounge?

Merle Norman Cosmetics: $47,870 – $262,938 (2026 FDD · Item 7); The Lash Lounge: $316,665 – $586,499 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24). 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 The Lash Lounge?

Merle Norman Cosmetics: 757 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44); The Lash Lounge: 132 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Merle Norman Cosmetics and The Lash Lounge disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Merle Norman Cosmetics makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; The Lash Lounge has reviewed Item 19 figures for 131 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Merle Norman Cosmetics vs The Lash Lounge

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.

Merle Norman Cosmetics2026 FDD

The Lash Lounge2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Merle Norman Cosmetics

$47,870 – $262,938

2026 FDD · Item 7

The Lash Lounge

$316,665 – $586,499

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Merle Norman Cosmetics

$0.00

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

The Lash Lounge

$50,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

Royalty · Item 6

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Not available

The Lash Lounge

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
Merle Norman Cosmetics discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
Only The Lash Lounge has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Merle Norman Cosmetics

The Lash Lounge

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

$47,870 – $262,938

2026 FDD · Item 7

The Lash Lounge

$316,665 – $586,499

Grand Total — $316665

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

$0.00

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

The Lash Lounge

$50,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

Royalty (Item 6)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Not available

No reviewed royalty record

The Lash Lounge

Royalty Fee — 6%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

$14

SMS Texting Marketing — $14

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

The Lash Lounge

Marketing Fee — 2% — 2%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

System scale & health

Disclosure

Merle Norman Cosmetics

The Lash Lounge

Total outlets (Item 20)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

757

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44

The Lash Lounge

132

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

−74

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

The Lash Lounge

Calculated: 130 at end of 2023 → 132 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

The Lash Lounge

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Not available

Not in reviewed records

The Lash Lounge

2010

From a verified franchisor listing

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Not available

Not in reviewed records

The Lash Lounge

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

Merle Norman Cosmetics

Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

The Lash Lounge

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All franchised salons operating at any point2025

$35,479,362

other Recurring Revenue of Memberships $

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 49

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Quartile 1 salon 1

$1,422,128

other Q1 Salon 1 IL

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Quartile 2 salon 1

7 beds

other Q2 Salon 1 MA

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50

+128 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 The Lash Lounge: common questions

Which costs less to open, Merle Norman Cosmetics or The Lash Lounge?: Merle Norman Cosmetics: $47,870 – $262,938 (2026 FDD · Item 7); The Lash Lounge: $316,665 – $586,499 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24). 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 The Lash Lounge?: Merle Norman Cosmetics: 757 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44); The Lash Lounge: 132 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Merle Norman Cosmetics and The Lash Lounge disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Merle Norman Cosmetics makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; The Lash Lounge has reviewed Item 19 figures for 131 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