Vanessa Opstal is surrounded by a quirky mélange of Old World crystal vials and space-age plastic tubes at Simply Spoiled, a cheery 21st-century iteration of a Renaissance apothecary.

A former Manatee County attorney who switched careers to be with her young family, Opstal says her mission is to ensure product promises are kept. “We’re a luxury shop, but we want to give our customers the best results and the most for their money. We look for the top beauty lines in the market at every price point, so there’s something great for every budget,” she explains.

Opstal’s encyclopedic knowledge of every important skin, hair and make-up line is dazzling—and reassuring. “We try everything ourselves before we stock it,” she says. But there’s also a policy of giving back to the community with events at the store to benefit six local charities. Indeed, the beauty at Simply Spoiled is more than skin deep.

Simply Spoiled, 1471 Main St., Sarasota (941) 364-3337

Get Vanessa’s Look 

What’s on your nightstand? “LaLicious Lip Butter ($12)—a wonderful moisturizer. I use it every night. And Fusion Beauty’s StimuLash, an intensive night conditioning lash enhancer ($79) that makes eyelashes grow longer and stronger in six weeks—it really works. It’s ophthalmologist-tested, so there’s no damage to the eyes.”

Can’t live without “Spending quality time with my kids, and the love and support of my husband, Maurice. We have four children [ages 10, five, and four-year-old twins]. They are the reason I gave up my law practice and why I adjust my work schedule to be with them before and after school every single day.”

What this town needs: “To close down Main Street and make it a completely pedestrian-friendly shopping district, just like Lincoln Road in Miami.”