How does one go from prepping and primping sheep for Farm Show competitions to doing hair and makeup for Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence? For Bobbi Nicole Bentzel, the owner of Glamour Room, it was a career path that started in Manheim and took her to Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles and back home to Lancaster County. 

Bobbi is simply a delight to talk to. First off, while she loved working with Jennifer Lawrence for an awards show, her all-time in-awe client was Johnny Depp. “Oh, my, gosh … I just love him,” she says. “I kept the brushes I used for him and never used them again.” While working on a photo shoot for fashion designer Michael Kors, she met the man himself. “What I really liked about that project were the shoes one of the models wore. I ended up buying them,” she says of the feathery stilettos she wore for our photo shoot. “I just love shoes!” she says. 

Let’s get back to those sheep. “Their names were Glitz and Glamour,” she says of the duo she showed on the fair circuit and helped her to win Grand Champion honors at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. “I was so excited to be on WGAL!” she says of the news coverage she and her sheep received. To this day, she thinks the secret to her success on the show circuit entailed grooming – the sheep’s beauty routine included a dusting of sparkle before they took to the show ring. 

Bobbi always dreamed of bigger things and after graduating from Manheim Central, she set her sights on Philadelphia. “I loved living there,” she says. She enrolled at the Jean Madeline Aveda Institute and after completing her courses, went to work for a salon in Rittenhouse Square. “That was a learning experience in itself,” she says of working with the salon’s wealthy clientele. “I wasn’t used to dealing with people who were accompanied by maids and drivers! Some days I’d find myself holding a dog while I styled its owner’s hair.” 

Next, the ambitious Bobbi headed for New York. “I figured there were more opportunities there,” she says. Her intuition was spot on. She prepped models for New York Fashion Week, which ultimately provided her with a ticket to France for Paris Fashion Week. Her work also took her to Miami and Los Angeles for such projects as the Golden Globes, the Victoria’s Secret Angels fashion show, the Nike Kids event, as well as Hollywood galas. “It was very exciting!” she says. 

Motherhood prompted her to return to her roots. “My kids needed a babysitter, so I called my mother and said, ‘Mom, I’m coming home.’” Back home, she parlayed her experience into styling the hosts and models at QVC in West Chester. 

Opening her own salon was always in Bobbi’s playbook. Three years ago, she found a perfect location on the 400 block of North Duke Street. “It was formerly a doctor’s office,” she explains. “I spent nearly a year remodeling it. I had very specific ideas about how I wanted it to look,” she says of the salon area that was inspired in part by Bobbi’s heroine, Marilyn Monroe. “It’s a little bit Hollywood,” she says of the design. “And, it’s a little bit me,” she says of the touches of pink and glitter – her two favorite colors – that accent the space. Down the hall are two rooms that are devoted to skincare. 

A year after opening, Covid arrived. “We were closed from March to July [2020],” she explains. “I was so worried! But, we made it through. Aveda was so helpful – they guided us through all the steps we needed to take to reopen and stay safe. I’m continuing to follow their guidelines. We were busy when we reopened. I credit that to social media – I kept our name out there and stayed in touch with clients through posting how-to videos that focused on trimming hair and touching up root growth. We rebounded nicely.” 

Despite her tutorial efforts, Bobbi remembers that during her first month back in operation, most of it was spent in repair mode. “Hacked hair, waxing disasters and color fiascos kept coming through the door!” she recalls, adding that she spent considerable time remedying “colors gone crazy and leopard spots.” Women who stopped dying their hair and went naturally gray during the quarantine had second thoughts and turned to Bobbi for help in restoring their preferred hues. “It was a wild ride!” she says. 

Then, something unexpected occurred. Clients who had recovered from Covid began to notice alarming changes in their hair. “I’d estimate that 95% of my clients who had Covid experienced hair loss,” Bobbi shares. “Others noticed that their hair post-Covid was dry, brittle and dull. I started doing research and suggested they take supplements such as vitamin E-biotin and regularly treat their hair with a conditioner. Bleaching and perms were no-nos.” 

Because Glamour Room is located just a short walk from Lancaster General Hospital, Bobbi’s clientele includes quite a few nurses and other frontline workers. “Their skin has definitely shown signs of stress,” she notes. “It’s really irritated. They’ve been dealing with breakouts for the first time in a long time. Part of that has to do with wearing masks for as long as they do.” Clients who are not in the medical field but were wearing masks for extended periods also began to notice similar issues with their skin. 

To remedy the situation, she recommended they use her favorite Aveda products, treat their skin with steam and use generous amounts of moisturizer. Services such as facials are therapeutic from both an aesthetic and mental standpoint. Stephanie Collman, Glamour Room’s skin specialist, has been so busy with facials and the must-have treatment, micro-needling, that an expansion is on the drawing board. 

With Covid restrictions lifted, one service that has made a comeback is hair and makeup for special events. “Weddings are back with a vengeance,” Bobbi notes. Because weddings are in catch-up mode, she reports they have been “happening every day of the week.” Glamour Room has been helping bridal parties look their best by providing services in the salon or on-site. “All the venues now have wonderful get-ready facilities,” Bobbi has come to discover.

What’s trending? Bobbi, who also devotes her time to styling models for commercial shoots, fashion shows and other projects, says self-styling tools continue to improve. She raves about the new Dyson dryer that is a brush and dryer in one. “It’s really quiet and comes with interchangeable brushes,” she notes. “It’s going to be my Christmas present to myself.” 

The new color trends for hair include fantasy or hologram (think of the rainbow) and twilighting, which is a combo of balayage and baby lights. 

Probably the service generating the most interest is hair extensions. “They are all the rage,” Bobbi says. “I bet I do two to three a week.” She used a HaloCouture product to create Connie’s combination updo/high-ponytail for the cover shoot. It blended so well that it was difficult to differentiate Connie’s hair from the extensions. 

As for makeup, the dewy, glossy, sun-kissed look is in vogue. 

For more information, visit lancasterglam.com.  

When Dr. John Weierbach gained a business partner in Dr. Loren Genetti, the rumor mill went into overdrive. “I am not retiring!” he says, in the hopes of putting that widely circulating rumor to rest. “I love what I do – I love helping people. It’s my passion. And now with Dr. Genetti, we can provide double that enthusiasm.” Welcoming Dr. Genetti is allowing him to delve further into something else he is passionate about – teaching the art of dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Dr. Weierbach wasn’t actively looking for a partner. He had done just fine practicing solo at Weierbach Prosthodontics for the past 31 years and even managed to add teaching duties at Penn to his schedule. A year ago, however, a tooth fairy in the guise of a dental rep who has a knack for matching dentists with each other, suggested that he meet Dr. Genetti. 

The rep was so adamant that Dr. Weierbach agreed to meet her. Nonetheless, he had some reservations. “Seventy percent of partnerships don’t work out,” he explains. Still, he also was aware that he will one day need to pass his practice on to another dentist. “I want that person to be someone who shares my philosophy and whose goals are the same as mine in regards to taking care of patients, the practice and the team. It had to be a good fit,” he emphasizes. From a personal perspective, he also thought it might be “nice to have someone to share the responsibility” of overseeing the practice.  

Upon meeting Dr. Genetti, he realized he had found someone special.  “We just hit it off,” he says of finding common ground from the start. Both are from the Southeast Pennsylvania area – Dr. Weierbach is from Quakertown, while Dr. Genetti is from Pottstown. “We both have small town values,” she shares. He earned his credentials from Penn, while she earned hers from Temple University and completed her residency at the University of Rochester. “We both came from families that valued education,” she adds, noting that her interests outside the office include music, art and sewing. “Oh, and I enjoy fixing just about anything,” she says. Having family in the area attracted her to Lancaster. “I love it here; it’s so welcoming,” she says. 

Dr. Weierbach’s interest and talents in art (notably sculpture) and the encouragement of a dentist he met at the tennis courts where he grew up playing tennis led him to dentistry. Always knowing she wanted to go into medicine, Dr. Genetti credits her engineer-father and an undergrad professor for steering her in the direction of dentistry. 

Dentistry proved to be a perfect fit for Dr. Genetti from both a personal and professional perspective, as it is fast becoming a woman’s domain. “I’d estimate that it was an even split – 50/50 – between men and women in my specialized classes,” Dr. Genetti notes. Dr. Weierbach reports that at Penn, “70% of the incoming first year dental class is comprised of women.” The stats point to the fact that “some patients just prefer a woman,” says Dr. Weierbach. “Now, we can provide that.” 

A year later, Dr. Weierbach views the partnership as a perfect match that is balanced by his experience and her knowledge of the newest technologies. “The patient is the big winner,” he observes. “Dr. Genetti is a very talented clinician.” 

Dr. Genetti joined the practice just after it reopened following Covid closures. “We were closed for nine weeks,” Dr. Weierbach explains, noting that according to mandates, he was only allowed to see patients who were in pain or dealing with an infection. When the office did reopen, it was business as usual as far as patient care was concerned. “We always wear gloves and masks and use HEPA filters, so that wasn’t new for us,” he explains. “Being in the medical field, we’re very aware of how viruses are transmitted.” 

The new element was a change in logistics, which they relied upon the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Dental Association (ADA) for guidance. “From what I’m hearing, dental practices nationwide have done a great job of providing safe environments for their staffs and patients,” he notes. 

Team members are an integral part of Dr. Weierbach and Dr. Genetti’s practice. “We call ourselves a work family,” he says. “We really missed not seeing each other when we were closed. We’re so fortunate to have the team we do. They are talented people who want to be a part of something purposeful.” Susan Longchamp, the practice’s administrator, has been with Dr. Weierbach since “day one.” Other team members’ tenures range from 10 to 25 years. “We do things out of the office, too,” he relates. “We go out for dinner together on a monthly basis and once a year we do something special like go to New York to see a Broadway show. We go on a cruise about every four years, too.” 

When the practice reopened in June 2020, Dr. Weierbach didn’t know what to expect. He was aware of the fact that people were postponing or canceling regular medical check-ups and tests and was prepared that patients’ hesitancy could impact his practice. To his surprise, his practice only got busier. 

“As soon as we reopened, people were here. I think they spent the quarantine re-evaluating so many aspects of their lives that they decided it was time to do something for themselves,” he theorizes. “Apparently they were sitting at home researching procedures and decided to finally act. They were having everything done – implants, veneers, whitening and Botox, which we use to address TMJ [jaw-clenching], headaches and gummy smiles. Now we’re using Botox to complement the dental work we do. We’ve been going through Botox like crazy and are averaging two Zoom whitening procedures per day. Business has increased 35%.” 

Whether you are contemplating aesthetic procedures or are making plans to resume regular dental checkups, the doctors agree that taking care of your teeth benefits your overall health. “The mouth is the gateway to your body,” Dr. Genetti points out. “Infection can travel from your mouth throughout your entire body if you are not practicing good dental health. If you have periodontal disease, it can contribute to heart disease and make you seven times more prone to stroke.” 

Being conscious of a less-than-perfect smile also has a social impact. “It affects your entire life,” Dr. Weierbach says of having difficulty eating and becoming socially isolated because of your appearance. “Half the battle is getting in the chair,” he says. Dr. Genetti adds that their patient philosophy centers on the premise of “being a judgement-free zone.” 

The two maintain that communication and education are keys to developing a plan for lifelong oral health. “We meet with new patients for an hour and 20 minutes in order to establish their medical history and conduct a thorough exam,” Dr. Weierbach explains. “Then we develop a comprehensive plan – the patients know from the beginning what their options are and our plan of action.” Dr. Genetti adds that she recommends that parents begin to schedule dental exams for their children “as soon as the first tooth appears” in order to address problems sooner rather than later. 

Giving back has also become a part of practicing dental medicine. For a number of years, Dr. Weierbach has joined other dental professionals in traveling to such underserved areas as Honduras, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Romania and the Dominican Republic to provide dental services. “Being able to serve others has an incredible effect on your heart and soul,” he says. “Seeing how appreciative people are to receive just the basic services brings new meaning to life. Some of us take our team members along and some bring family members. The experience provides a really valuable lesson to kids, who come away with a new appreciation for what they have back home.”   

The two agree that the year seems to have zipped by. “It’s been a seamless transition,” Dr. Weierbach says. “It’s been a thrill,” Dr. Genetti concurs. “There’s nothing better than to be able to make a difference in the lives of your patients.” 

For more information, visit yourclassicsmile.com.