Seattle Sunday: Bluemercury Arrives
It's finally here, the public grand opening for Seattle's own Bluemercury! I must admit that prior to the arrival in U Village, I had never heard of the brand, despite it being the fastest growing makeup, skincare and spa destination in the country. After all, the closest option for a store is Corte Madera, California (although a Portland store is in the works.) But, almost instantaneously, I was hooked.
In 1999, founders Marla Malcolm Beck and Barry Beck wanted to open a neighborhood store that was filled with "friendly beauty junkies" who would give customers accurate information without being restricted to recommending just one or two lines. Back then, cosmetics were only available in department stores. Sephora opened three months later.
With this original concept in mind, I wanted to test the theory and so I made an appointment for a facial and some eyebrow maintenance. It was, dare I say, magical. The staff were kind, generous with information and totally nonjudgemental. To be clear, I'm a clothes junkie. And, while I do very much appreciate the benefits of makeup and high quality skincare products, I've never been the kind of girl who spends an afternoon experimenting with various colors of eye shadow. As a personal stylist, clients come to me for clear direction on executing their personal style. Now, I have somewhere to send them to offer detailed answers on skincare and makeup. I couldn't be happier.
It took me about two hours to fall in love with Bluemercury. I'll do my best to help you, Dear Reader, have a similar experience in 500 words or less.
3 Ways to Get You To Bluemercury This Week
1. Marla Malcolm Beck.
A Harvard educated mother of three who runs the business in partnership with her husband, Marla is authentic, inspirational and bursting with scientific knowledge. Seriously. My interview with her includes her skincare recommendations at every age, her thoughts on work life balance, a laundry list of science to back up her commitment to natural products and even her thoughts about getting her kids into bed at night. Make sure you are signed up for the Poplin e-newsletters to see the full interview, coming next month.
For now, I've created a short quiz to test your knowledge of natural ingredients. Every question comes directly from my interview with Marla.
2. Someone will finally do your makeup and explain each step as they go.
In my experience, having your makeup done usually has one of two results: A) It doesn't look like you—and you hate that. B) It's glorious but you know you can never repeat it.
The Bluemercury team is committed to making sure you understand what is happening and why. Where do you invest, where do you cut back? They can help. When District Manager, Sarah Elaziz, did my makeup, she included a constant narrative throughout. I recorded it to share the tips with you in future posts, Dear Reader. If you hit the store on your own, you can learn what works for you, straight from the experts.
3. Finally, the person who gives you your facial can recommend the best products for you.
How many times have you received a facial from someone that was wonderful and yet the products the aesthetician recommended didn't work at home? Or, how about the times you received a facial and you didn't see a significant impact? Skincare can be fun, but it can also be daunting. And when you are investing at that level, you want it to be the best choice. I am such a fan of Bluemercury because the very same aesthetician that gave me my facial made me a list of the products that work best for my skin. And, because they carry a huge number of lines, I can find them all in the store.
4. The price is right.
I tried the modern facial ($95) and added on the Vitamin C treatment for $35 (Marla raves about Vitamin C in every interview) and the eye zone treatment ($30). $160 for an over the top facial, practical advice about my skin and a facial that was TRULY the best I've ever had. I woke up in the morning and asked my husband to feel my face. That's good stuff.
5. Party!
Today is the grand opening party at the store. That means give aways, great service and opportunities for you to experience Bluemercury. Stop by from 10am-7pm.
Look for more incredible tips from Marla and District Manager Sarah in future posts and on the Poplin Style e-newsletter. I used the Vitamin C blast again this morning. I'm going to sit down and just touch my soft clean skin. I encourage you to do the same.
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