A Little Glam, A Lot of Heart

By Heather Rule

After more than 20 years in the beauty industry, from red carpets to tv shows, Mallory Hunter noticed something missing when she moved to the Ottertail area: a welcoming space where women could learn, explore, and care for themselves all in one place. That vision became YOU Beauty Boutique and Spa, a thoughtfully curated blend of boutique shopping and spa services now open in downtown Ottertail.

“I realized this was a huge opportunity and a real need in this area,” Hunter said.

The business, located above the Williams Company Store & Deli at 29 Lake Avenue South in Ottertail, opened in August 2025. The boutique offers a carefully selected mix of clean beauty products from skin care, makeup, and fragrances to self-tanning and holistic pregnancy items. Shoppers will also find bridal lingerie, robes, shapewear, and everyday bras, along with wellness favorites like elderberry gummies, teas, and castor oil wraps.

For Hunter, the goal was simple: “Just a little bit of everything you could possibly need and think of as a woman.” 

On the spa side, Hunter offers facials, body wraps, spray tanning, full-body waxing, eyebrow lamination and tinting, educational makeup services, bridal services, and more. Her suite-style spa also includes a hair stylist and a massage therapist who operate their businesses within the space. She hopes to add a nail technician soon.

Her vision is to create a one-stop shop for women (and men!)

“A woman could come up here, get her nails done, get her hair done, get a facial and a spray tan, and then come shop all the products that they would need for those services,” Hunter said. 

Originally from Osage, Iowa, Hunter graduated high school in Breckenridge, MN, and then moved to Fargo, where she became an esthetician and opened a spa at just 19 years old. From there, her career took her to Los Angeles, where she spent 14 years pursuing her dream of becoming a professional makeup artist.

“I was really blessed,” Hunter said. “I had an amazing experience and amazing opportunities. I worked on celebrities and red carpets, movies, television, print magazine campaigns, and personal clients. But out of everything I have experienced, I love to give the everyday woman an experience of a lifetime at You Beauty Boutique & Spa.” 

With family ties in Otter Tail County, Hunter returned to the area a couple of years ago with her young daughter. Otter Tail County, she said, had long held a special place in her heart and she knew the time was right to come back and build something meaningful here.

More information about You Beauty Boutique and Spa, including services and hours, can be found at: https://www.youbeautyspa.com/.