Former Centerfold Nicole Wood Perfects Her Westmont Spa, Lounge And Boutique
  Nicole Wood is a former Playboy centerfold, MTV makeup specialist and poster girl for Australian wine.
  And she thinks the rest of us look just fine.
  In fact, everybody is welcome at her Westmont establishment, The Beauty Lounge, where men and women of all ages, shapes and sizes can blend right in and get toned right up.
  “We welcome everyone with open arms,” says Wood, who started The Beauty Lounge six years ago as a destination for skin and beauty products, but expanded the Haddon Avenue site last year to accommodate Cherokee High School pal  Lori Porter, who helped introduce full service for men and women, plus clothing and accessories.
  “Hair care, facials, massage, pedicure, manicure, skin care,” says Wood.  “We have folks in here ages 15 to 65 and we help transform them into what they want themselves to be.”
  Wood and Porter graduated Cherokee in 1988, put took different paths until reconnecting last year to debut the 2 Hip Chix clothing and accessories piece of The Beauty Lounge. Porter’s path after Cherokee included working in a law firm and raising her child. Wood took a more extravagant course.
  She left nursing school after three years and started modeling. Her major break came in the spring of 1993, when she beat out over 10,000 contestants to become the April centerfold for Playboy.
  Did her parents back in Marlton peek? “Sure,” says Wood. ‘They were very proud, and realized what it meant for my future.”
  It meant, among other things, modeling gigs as Miss Hawaiian Tropic, Miss Diamond Swimmer and the poster girl for Rosemount Wine of Australia. Good looks aside, she soon realized she had more fun making others shine, and became a hip makeup artist, working for Voque, MTV, VH1 and E Entertainment.
  She finally settled on sprucing up the folks back home, buying a home in Merchantville and establishing her beauty business in Westmont.
  “People have inquired about making it a franchise, but I don’t know,” says Wood. “What’s to franchise? It’s really revolves around my personality, and the atmosphere we create here at the lounge.”
  The atmosphere includes a waiting area with high-end Eames chairs from the 1970s given to her by her Dad, leopard carpeting and crystal chandeliers. There are nothing but earth tones and happy faces, both men and women.
  “If we do 4 facials a day, at least one or two are men,” says Wood.  ‘All of what we do helps prevent aging and promotes skin rejuvenation.  We even use cold lasers for photo rejuvenation.  We can help someone 65, for instance, look a few years younger, but more importantly look very, very good. “
  To get the works at The Beauty Lounge – manicure, pedicure, facial, massage, hair – can run you $300, but  Wood is always helpful with a discount if it helps you feel better about yourself.
  She started Martini & Massage Night once each month to let folks gather and shop at discounted prices in the 2 Hip Chix portion of the lounge. Wood also hands out this free advice on ways to look and feel better, especially attuned to beautiful skin:
  ~  Eat plenty of raw veggies, especially the super greens;
  ~  Women should always be taking pre-natal vitamins;
  ~  No sun;
  ~  No smoking;
  ~  Maintain a healthy lifestyle
  Wood, who obtained her beautician license from New Jersey in 1992 and later graduated from the Joe Blasco Cosmetic and Makeup Center in Orlando, also has developed her own line of 100 percent Hypo Allergenic cosmetics, but is not shy about stocking various product lines throughout the lounger.
  She is shy about very little.
  “You know what I say: Just bring your stilettos and we’ll do the rest,” boasts Wood. “Shoes are about the only thing we don’t sell.