Sephora and Ulta will always be my one-two punch and my top two go-tos when it comes to makeup shopping, with CVS coming in at a close third. These retailers have everything I could ever need and want to test, to play with, and to purchase. Sephora even lets you share images of your makeup hauls and style on their social shopping network, The Beauty Board. Sephora and Ulta are my, and likely your, makeup meccas. But there is a new player on the makeup retail scene throwing a hip check to these titans: Kohl's.
The discount retailer also hawks wearable clothing lines by Lauren Conrad and Jennifer Lopez, picked former high-end jeans brand Rock & Republic off the bankruptcy heap, and has hosted capsules by Peter Som, Narciso Rodriguez, and Derek Lam for its DesigNation program, which is similar to Target's game-changing GO International series. Kohl's has indeed cemented its footing in fashion.
Now, the store is actually becoming quite a cool makeup shopping destination. No, really! Kohl's is anything but a basic bitch when it comes to cosmetics.
Kohl's Beauty has opened its arms and added some exiled Sephora brands, the displacement of which is often discussed on makeup message boards, to its cache, including LORAC, CARGO, and theBalm, to name a few.
Each of these brands can appeal to different sects of Kohl's customers: LORAC is a bit more prestige-like and sophisticated. CARGO is full of wide-ranging and all-age-appropriate makeup basics. theBalm, with its kitschy, comic book packaging, attracts a younger demo. But no matter what your personal makeup style, you can still browse the brightly lit makeup aisles at Kohl's and nab awesome finds.
This a sampling of some ace beauty finds in the Kohl's beauty department.
LORAC's upcoming Elegant Orchid Collection celebrates Pantone's 2014 Color of the Year and will get your visage totally ready for fall. I personally love the metallic Chrome Eye Shadow, which creates a dewy lid canvas before I line the upper lashline with the Liquid Eyeliner. You can use every item in the set in concert or with other products in your makeup bag.
CARGO Powder Blush, $23, Kohl's
CARGO is a Canadian brand (like MAC when they began) and I lurve the iconic, circular tin packaging of their blushes, eye shadows, and lip glosses. They look so pretty sitting on my vanity. Their High-Definition range of concealers and foundations are pretty aces — my makeup artist friend Samantha Lennon swears by 'em.
theBalm Read My Lips Gloss , $13.50, Kohl's
theBalm's glosses have always been my favorite of the brand's offerings, and not just because I am a total sucker for the comic book aesthetic. Like, the boxes are so cute that I don't want to throw 'em out. But what's inside the boxes is of the utmost quality, thanks to the concentrated color payoff and the scent, so theBalm allows makeup to be fun on every level. That rich red pictured about is Hubba Hubba — even the names are sassy.
Other brands that call Kohl's home include sugar, Pur Minerals, and Simply Vera Vera Wang.
Oh! Before I forget, don't snooze on the in-house Flirt! and American Beauty lines, either. Flirt! is decidedly teen oriented, but their fat tube glosses have always provided me with the megawatt shine that I want and need. I was never really big on their eye shadows, though. I found the staying power to be nil. American Beauty offers classic items with a skincare focus.
Next time you want to browse for makeup, I recommend giving Kohl's a try. They are making such a pointed effort to become a makeup destination. Kohl's is beauty cool.
Images: Giphy (1); Amy Sciarretto (3)
