Cheryl Shops

In my neighborhood alone, there are several beauty retailers to choose from—everything from big guns like Ulta and Sephora, to single-brand fragrance stores (Atelier Cologne and Le Labo), clean beauty (Credo), and super luxe  (SpaceNK). For a beauty junkie like me, the more the merrier, which is why I was eager to check out the latest addition to my neighborhood, Bluemercury. Owned by Macy's, this very boutiquey chain is ramping up its presence in the Bay Area; the location nearest me, in Laurel Village, was one of nine new stores that opened last week alone. But what makes Bluemercury different from other stores, and why should you shop there?



The brands  
The emphasis here is on skincare, and I'm totally ok with that. Bluemercury has a range of brands from clean to clinical; I was happy to see OneLove Organics and Osea, both of which are clean; Avène, which is French and hard to find (and, hands down, the best skincare line I've found for sensitive skin) and Darphin, also a French brand; and Molton Brown, a British body- and haircare line that carries the royal seal (e.g. Queen Elizabeth uses it). You'll also find heavy hitters like La Mer, Kiehl's, Fresh, Caudalie, and such. There's also haircare (Oribe, Moroccanoil, Klorane, and Drybar feature prominently) and color, including Chantecaille and rms beauty, one of my favorite clean beauty brands. But for me, the niche skincare brands are reason alone to shop here.


The services
Most Bluemercury stores (this one included) also function as mini spas, offering facials, waxing, massage, and makeup services. There happened to be a Drybar representative on the day I was at the store; she dry-styled my hair into perfectly beachy waves that lasted for, I kid you not, four days. (I nearly cried when I had to wash my hair.) Services vary by location, and you generally need to call for an appointment, just FYI.


The perks
I will admit to being a sucker for gifts with purchase, but Bluemercury's blew me out of the water—they had a special 16-piece set when you spent $200, I received an Avene gift (still going at the moment), and they threw in a bunch of samples at checkout. My sample drawer now runneth over! Seriously though, these freebies were better than most I've seen, even the fancy department store ones.



What I bought 
I've been obsessed with this Molton Brown Coco-Sandalwood lotion since I stayed at the Nomo Soho on my trip to NYC, so of course I snapped that up. Avène Hydrance intense serum makes my skin soft and less irritated, so I picked that up too. And I'd never seen this rms luminizer x quad, so even though I totally didn't need that, it was as add-to-bag as well. And like I said, I got majorly hooked up with minis and samples. In conclusion, luxe skincare brands, great services, and perks galore make Bluemercury a welcome addition to the neighborhood. If you aren't shopping there already, you should start now—tell 'em I sent you!