I was walking on Centre st. Saturday night and needed to stop at a Duane Reade for a few things. Somewhere between Spring and Broome was where I found thins Duane, it’s a lovely old building that’s been converted into New York’s favorite convenience store. Now here’s the thing with Duane: some are good, and some are not so good. A “good” Duane has all theses amazing new make up lines in what they call a “Look Boutique”. They carry POP beauty, Cargo, Gosh, Demeter fragrances and more. To my surprise I walked into the pharmacy and see a beauty stand for the brand The Balm. I couldn’t believe it. This brand is practically exclusive to online sales. Sephora carries a few of their products but not the entire line. As I stood gawking in front of The Balm display, I still could not believe the products were just sitting there, right before my eyes.

Here’s what I know about The Balm. Their packaging is amazing, think benefit but less modern and more 50’s kitschy-type names. People swear by their products, it’s totally a cult favorite. It’s also a higher end brand, more like something that would be sold in Sephora rather than a drugstore. I’m really glad Duane is trying to change drugstore beauty as we know it and aim for a more boutique-like feel. I think it’s a smart decision to bring in higher-end beauty brands into pharmacies, as it should be a mutually beneficial relationship.