Are there any cosmetic stores in NYC that are a must see? Places you can only visit in NYC? I am going to go to the store Carol's Daughter (rave reviews about their natural products), but was wondering if there were any other cosmetic stores that are a must see for a visiting woman to the big apple.

Well, there's a Kiehl's store that carries there products, but you can also get them in several major department stores (Sak's comes to mind). I like the cosmetics department at Bendel's on 5th Ave. Beautiful, some different things, kind of a treat.

The makeup department at Saks is amazing. They carry everyone.

Also, I can't think of the name of it but a famous drug store/apothecary. I've been there a hundred times!

CO Bigelow! That's it!

topping

My girlfriend spends a fortune at Sephora and Kiehl's and says they're the best.

Thanks for the info---I go to mac and kiehls in sf often.

IMO, there is nothing like visiting the original Kielhl in the Est village. I used to go there before department stores ever heard of them. The motorcycle collection is unbelievable, as are the pictures of family adventures (mountain climbing, etc.) This family is unique in New York culture. I don't know of they still give free samples, but I used to live on them!

Kielhls, the original store, by far.

But if you've come to New York to have some "work done", you can check out Laura Geller.....

It's also fun to go into Henri Bendel's on 5th Avenue.

and you might want to pop in Ricky's. It's not exactly makeup,but the one in SoHo on Broadway seems to me to be the biggest and it has more stuff than you would believe. If you want a neon pink wig for Halloween this is the place to go and lots of other random stuff.

wish i'd known about these last fall when we visited nyc!