New York City

Benefit’s New House of Beauty

September 26, 2011 at 1:50 pm
By April Franzino

Last week, Benefit Cosmetics opened the chandelier-clad doors of their flagship boutique in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood. When we arrived for our tour of the three-level beauty emporium, we were greeted by a display featuring the first-ever Benetint Rose-Tinted Lip & Cheek Stain (right) created 35 years ago from pressed rose petals by the brand’s founders Jean and Jane Ford. The precious original vial was transported via armored vehicle (!) from Benefit’s home base in San Francisco for the occasion.

The boutique not only stocks the brand’s full line of products, but is also home to an On the Spot! Beauty Bar, offering a full menu of primping services, including:

• Lash and brow threading, shaping, and tinting
• Face and body waxing
• Body and face airbrush tans
• Faux lash and makeup application

The best part: You can drop in at your leisure, no appointment necessary.

Benefit Boutique SoHo: 454 West Broadway between Prince & Houston St., New York City

A “Fresh” Take On Beauty Shopping

September 13, 2011 at 2:10 pm
By April Franzino

Last week, Fresh founder Alina Roytberg walked us through the brand’s newly revamped apothecary-style Union Square flagship store in New York City. Here, a photo tour of the stunning highlights:

The store mixes the elements of a bakery (see the ‘cake tower’ of their iconic soaps, above right), a kitchen (the communal washbasin and island in the center, below), a library (rows of shelves and books interspersed), and a laboratory (see the glass vats dispensing previously-discontinued fragrances, above). You can sample products in the shared sink and Kitchen Table area, fill a mini bottle and experiment with your favorite fragrances at the Sensorial Bar, surf the web on in-store iPads, learn the story behind the brand’s products and ingredients through an interactive wall, and get your goodies gorgeously wrapped (for free!) at the Gift Bar—truly a beauty buff’s paradise and worth a stop if you’re near NYC.

Fresh Flagship Store, 872 Broadway at 18th Street,
New York City.

Tell us: What’s your favorite place to shop for beauty?

Get Gossip-Worthy Lips!

August 5, 2010 at 7:35 pm
By Fitness Magazine

SPOTTED: Gossip Girl filming in New York City! The glamorous cast is back for another drama-filled season. We caught them filming an upcoming scene at the Diane von Furstenberg store in the Meatpacking District. As eager fans crowded the sidewalk, we kept an eye out for our favorite cast member, Leighton Meester. She finally showed, wearing a gorgeous glittery frock and of course, her signature power pout.

This week, Leighton revealed the secret behind her luscious lips: Benefit’s Benetint ($28, benefitcosmetics.com). The original rose-tinted lip and cheek stain is perfect for adding a natural flush to the face. The long-lasting color won’t budge through workouts, office meetings, or in Leighton’s case, steamy makeout scenes with on-again-off-again bad boy, Ed Westwick. Now that’s something to gossip about!

For more celebrity-inspired looks:

Lucy Hale Raises Eyebrows

Claire Danes Eye-Opening Lashes

Cheryl Burke’s No-Sweat Secrets

–Catherine Q. O’Neill, beauty intern