I can never pass up a Korean beauty market when I spot one. K-Beauty is everywhere these days, from the drugstore to department stores. I have a post about my favorite K-beauty products coming soon but I wanted to list some of my favorites stores and online sources. Online sources are convenient but physical locations are so much fun to browse in person. I can easily lose myself for
A quick post today highlighting some of my favorite skincare finds from Quebec, Canada. The best part about making a pharmacy run to Quebec is the wonderful abundance of all my French AND Canadian skincare favorites in one place. I’ll admit, I hit three pharmacies in total in order to pack my suitcase to the maximum with products; some new to test, some old favorites, from Indeed Labs, Coup d’Eclat,
I’ve been traveling to Vancouver, BC for decades. It’s one of my favorite cities to visit. While my main objective is usually to visit friends, explore the city and surrounding area, eat good food, and hit the shops on Robson Street, a beauty run to the nearest pharmacy is always on the list. It goes without saying that there are numerous skincare and makeup brands available in Canada that one
When I went to Prague this summer, I had high hopes of browsing Old World pharmacies. I’m sure they exist but on this trip, my time was limited and I was melting away by the minute due to the sweltering heat. I discovered Ryor, a Czech skincare brand and picked up a simple moisturizer to try. I also nabbed a tube of A-DERMA Dermalibour Cream. This is a French brand and
This summer, my family and I went to Madrid during a heatwave. The blistering temperatures didn’t spoil my fondness for the city. I’d love to visit again, most definitely in the cooler months. I had a serious browse in Antigua Farmacia de la Reina Madre, the oldest pharmacy in Madrid, created in 1578 by a Venetian alchemist. The carved wood interior, tiles, and old apothecary jars were beautiful. How lucky for
When I’m perusing pharmacies in foreign countries, I try to stay focused on skincare and treatments loved by locals and unavailable in the USA. No reason to spend money on things I can buy at home. I didn’t see too many brands unique to Vienna in the two pharmacies I popped into but they are well stocked in wonderful French skincare lines. I picked up a few things such
I always bring back a sampling of beauty products when I visit a new city. The amount of which is usually dictated by how much room I have in my suitcase. I love to explore the numerous offerings (foreign to me) in far away pharmacies. When I’m able to strike up a conversation with the store clerk, I enjoy learning which creams, treatments, and routines their local clientele gravitate toward as well as
Santa Maria Novella or Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy is probably the world’s oldest and still-operating pharmacy and apothecary in the world. Founded by Dominican friars in 1221, the monks first began producing rose water at the monastery to be used as a disinfectant during the Black Death. It’s still sold today as a toner and is one of their most popular products. For over
I had so much fun cruising through Boots while in London. Grabbed some new items to try. Sexy Mother Pucker is a long time favorite. I hope the entire range eventually makes it the U.S. So many more products available! I love this foot exfoliator and exfoliating cleanser! Max Factor was started in 1909 by a Polish-born make-up artist of the same name. It left the U.S. market a few years