Christmas time 1961: a new wall separates Berlin; the first American military advisers have entered Vietnam; and throughout America, women are inviting cosmeticians into their homes for makeovers. Shelley Cabot is one such woman. The very image of a happy suburban housewife, Shelley’s greatest concern seems to be finding the ideal temperature for roasting a chicken. However, when an intrepid cosmetics saleswoman, Dorris Hallens, calls on her home, it becomes clear that Shelley is not as content as one might think. Throughout her makeover, Shelley confides in Dorris, disclosing what she feels to be her impossible predicament. But for Dorris, nothing is impossible and we learn that this cosmetician’s talents reach far beyond cosmetics.