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On July 20th, Byrdie Beauty lab opened its doors in the trendy boutique-filled area of Melrose and La Cienega. If you’re well-versed in the beauty/skincare world, you’ll know that Byrdie is a website heaven for beauty mavens. From makeup tips and styling ideas, to how-to tutorials and a Youtube channel where makeup artists and celebrities share their essentials beauty products, Byrdie has decided to expand their exposure with a second pop-up shop in Los Angeles. This one is a follow-up from their previous pop-up shop in Manhattan, which opened its doors for two weeks last December.
I wish I could write that I felt over the moon with the store, but I didn’t feel it was as immersive as they intended it to be. The design was cute and perfect for the gram, so that was a major bonus point. The highlight of the pop-up shop were undoubtedly the master classes which are hosted by renowned beauty/skincare industry professionals like Kate Somerville and Stevi Christine.
All the products you will see are a curation of the favorite beauty/skincare products from Byrdie’s editors. Unlike Sephora, where they give you the side-eye if you take more than 3 samples, the staff encourages you to take all the samples you want! I saw people leaving with a heaping pouch full of samples. You just walk in, stuff the pouch with products and leave. Just like that! If you’re head over heels over a certain item, the staff have iPads on-site for your purchase.
The lab has different stations with a wide variety of beauty products: hair products, bronzers, piles of mini-creams, supplements, perfumes and so much more! The only thing that didn’t do it for me was the brands. I hadn’t heard of half the brands that were showcased there. When I try out something, I need to have done my research on at least 5 different websites. After going through a lot of trial and error with my skin, trying out countless products before finding what works best for me, I don’t easily gravitate towards whatever skincare product is handed to me. Right now, my skincare regimen is very established, so trying out something without doing prior research, feels apprehensive and I don’t fully enjoy it.
I came across this super interesting article from TheCut.Com right after writing this. Yes! This is me 100%
However, this gave me a chance to venture out and find out about brands like Skin Laundry, which they carry at Sephora and seemed to be at the top of the list of Byrdie’s editor favorites given the strong presence of the brand at the beauty lab. Other known brands were Mario Badescu, Kate Somerville, which I have been dying to try out for a really long time, and La Roche sunscreen.
Eyeshadow samples are so messy and inconvenient to use, but I couldn’t leave without stocking up on some Stila’s samples! Every time I walk into a Sephora I’m completely mesmerized by the insane pigment!
Byrdie has also teamed up with Amazon, so if for whatever reason you couldn’t make it to the store, you can order the items off the popular online retailer. If you love something and decide to buy it there, you can scan a QR code using your smartphone and a custom Amazon shopping screen will guide you through the process.
Additionally, they give you a free Amazon Luxury Beauty box with more goodies to try!
My favorite products were the samples from the Kate Somerville eye-cream, Peter Thomas moisturizer and Yu Be! The latter was my favorite discovery. Yu Be is the best-selling moisturizing cream in Japan. It’s multi-purpose and you can slather it anywhere from head to toe to help heal dry patches. Peculiar as it sounds, you can find Yu Be at Target.
Right now, with the new era of Youtube makeup gurus, along with new skincare brands popping up on our Instagram feeds, we are experiencing a change in the beauty and skincare industry at a break-neck speed like never before. I really liked the concept of playing, touching and smelling the products like there’s no tomorrow without persistent clerks pushing you into buying anything. This same concept can be found at Glossier’s LA store on Melrose place, where you’re allowed to play with the products and purchase them through the iPads on-site—- no lines or the same-old traditional registers. The future of the beauty retail industry is here!
Byrdie beauty lab was a nice way to spend leisure time on a hot sunny Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. However, the products didn’t wow me enough to buy something there on a whim. If I want to buy a Stila eyeshadow, or a product from Mac or RMS, I would rather go to Bloomingdale’s or Macy’s and buy it there. Like I said before, the lab is a curation of the editor’s holy-grail products, so you won’t find the whole collection of products or the latest releases, but rather one specific product from each brand. The sales clerks were super nice and were available if you had any questions.
If you live in the LA area, visit the lab before it’s too late.
611 N. La Cienega Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069
Mon–Fri: 2–8 PM Sat-Sun: 11 AM–6 PM.
If you’ve been there, let me know!
