The Shophound

Buyer Beware: Bed Bath & Beyond's Sunscreen Switch

It's that newly balmy time of year again when The Shophound is reminded to stock up on sunscreen, and as much as we can gripe about Big Box stores, we have to admit that vastness of Bed Bath & Beyond's Harmon drugstore department does have a relatively unmatched selection. We were halfway to the register, however, when we discovered that the Neutrogena sunblock in our hand was not in fact the brand name item it appeared to be, but a cunningly designed, generic private label lookalike found sitting alongside the genuine article on the shelf. Coincidence? Perhaps, but the Coppertone Sport product in our other hand proved to be yet another impostor.

Isn't Trovata in the middle of suing (and re-suing) Forever 21 over exactly this sort of thing? "Trade Dress", we believe it's called.
Legally speaking, this is something for attorneys to pursue if they so desire. We're just reminding you to check the labels before you check out. (Misleading packaging and display strategy aside, the brand name prices were still $2 cheaper at BB&B than at Rite Aid, for what it's worth.)
Happy sunning.

Today In Downsizing: Limited Shrinks C.O. Bigelow Chain

While Limited Brands appears to be busying itself with trying to transform Henri Bendel into a more profitable mall chain, another of its smaller properties is being pruned back. New Yorkers know C.O. Bigelow as the quaint, yet upscale Greenwich Village pharmacy on Sixth Avenue, but the brand has been owned by Limited for the past several years. They have expanded in an attempt to create a sort of Kiehl's/Sephora hybrid, which apparently hasn't been going too well. Six of the company's 11 stores will be closed by the end of July, and the brand's manager was dismissed about six weeks ago.
Interestingly, the beloved original Bigelow's location is safe from the corporate bloodbath as it is privately, separately owned. Apparently, its owner was able to strike a deal with Limited that allowed company to expand the brand while protecting the neighborhood institution from corporate meddling.
If only Bendel's had been so lucky.
C.O. Bigelow Closing Six Stores (WWD)

Be Green Or Else! Earth Day Approaches

Can a marketing hook be both socially responsible and increasingly tiresome? Can we be blamed for suffering from "Green Fatigue"? It doesn't mean that we have stopped recycling or we're deliberately leaving lights on and taking extra long showers, but we worry about what the inevitable backlash might be.
And there will be one. We only hope that all of the high-profile "green" goods we keep hearing about will hold up to proper scrutiny.
It you have noticed an overabundance of stories about eco-friendly clothes, food, cleaning products, furniture, contraceptives, etc., it's probably because Wednesday is Earth Day, which has been going on for decades, but has taken on added significance in recent years as the merchandising opportunities proliferate. This year, for starters, Kiehl's had formed an alliance with Waterkeeper Alliance, which is dedicated to protecting our water supplies from pollution. To celebrate Earth Day 2009, Kiehl’s has introduced a Limited Edition Superbly Restorative Argan Body Lotion, 100% of whose net proceeds will benefit Waterkeeper Alliance.
Beginning Wednesday, April 22^nd, Keihl's will host a three-day online auction of 10 unique items to further support Waterkeeper Alliance featuring one-of-a-kind signed and donated items including:

Adrian Grenier Autographed "Entourage - Season 4" DVD Set (2 Sets)
Best of Kiehl's Since 1851 - For MEN ($494 Value)
Best of Kiehl's Since 1851 - For WOMEN ($493 Value)
Kelly Slater Autographed Al Merrick TUFLITE (SURFTECH) K-BOARD Surfboard
Kelly Slater Autographed Biography – For The Love, by Kelly Slater, Jack Johnson, and Phil Jarratt.
"Israel" Limited Edition Poster, designed by Emek, signed by Erykah Badu and Emek
"Moscow, Russia" Limited Edition Poster, designed by Emek, signed by Erykah Badu and Emek
PARSONS, The New School for Design: Online Course: Hot Cities, Cool Solutions: Living in a Low-Carbon World ($570 Value)

Kiehl's has formed a special website, kiehlsgivesback.com, to showcase its charitable activities, which will offer other products and events throughout the week as well.
Joining the fun, Louis Vuitton has announced that 15% of all sales purchased on the company’s U.S. site,  onthis Wednesday will be donated to The Climate Project, an international non-profit organization founded by Al Gore with a mission of increasing public awareness of the climate crisis at a grassroots level worldwide. Vuitton has been working with it since 2007.
In other Earth Day Shopping news, GILT GROUPE is featuring eco-friendly designers this week including Matt & Nat, Loomstate and Stewart + Brown, Edun for Men and Women, and Stella McCartney for LeSportsac. Also this week, look out for Issey Miyake for Men and Women, Richard Chai, Gryson and Amrita Singh. Click HERE for your personal invitation.

Renovations & Upgrades: Kiehl's Gets An East Village Upgrade

Back in the '90s, when it was still a family owned cult cosmetics brand, Kiehl's was famous for its no -nonsense packaging, late deliveries, scarcity of product and its main East Village headquarters at 13^th Street and Third Avenue dating from the mid 19^th century, where customers were encouraged to take an abundance of free samples to try at home before making any purchases.
Since the Morse family sold the company to L'Oreal in 2000, deliveries have improved, distribution has broadened, and there are now 33 freestanding stores, but the Third Avenue home is still a destination for the faithful, and now it has been given a facelift as well as exclusive products that will sold nowhere else.
“This store is our Graceland — the ultimate Kiehl’s store,” Kiehl’s president Chris Salgardo tells WWD, “We wanted people to leave here with special merchandise and a feeling that they’d been on a journey with us.”
New additions include a "gifting bar" elaborately carved with a subtly stylized skull pattern, which customizes gifts with special packaging and wrappings. Popular products are also available with exclusive packaging designed by an eclectic group celebrities including Erykah Badu and Adrian Grenier. There's logo gear as well for the faithful making pilgrimages for far and wide including a $90 bathrobe found only at the store. If this all sounds a little too slick for the hometown favorite, be comforted that teaching skeleton remains on display.
Kiehl’s Spiffs Up Flagship (WWD)

Today In Grooming: The Art Of Shaving Now In Residence At Bloomingdale's

Once again we find ourselves at Bloomingdale's as their men's department renovations continue to unfold. This morning we were invited to see The Art of Shaving's new Barber Spa, a 400 square foot mini barber shop on the newly refreshed section of the main floor.
This is the first in-store shop of its kind for both Bloomingdale's and The Art of Shaving, and it's a natural evolution of the rising interest in men's grooming that has happened over the past decade. Tucked behind the frosted glass partitions are two chrome and leather barber chairs ready for customers who have either never had a proper professional shave, or are now hopelessly addicted to them. Master barbers are now on staff, offering a range of services from a moustache trim to a 30-minute royal shave, an elaborate grooming event which we are told is like no other.
In addition to the pampering, the new shop offers the brand's extensive range of grooming products including all the "4 Elements of the Perfect Shave", the company's signature grooming regimen including exclusive pre-shave oil, creams, luxury razors and a dizzying selection of after shaves. It's all housed in an a sleek alcove combining the brand's retro signatures with Bloomingdale's new gleaming black lacquered décor. As the store's makeover is revealed in stages, it's nice to see it return to a high glamour look reminiscent of its 1970s and '80s heyday.
We left with a starter kit of the shaving regimen, as well as a supply of the new 3-Minute After Shave Mask, so we should be feeling shiny and new by this time tomorrow.
The Art of Shaving Barber Spa at Bloomingdale's Third Avenue at 60^th Street, East Side.

Cintra Wilson Goes Shopping:War Paint Edition

In today's Critical Shopper column, Cintra Wilson begins her assessment of SoHo's flagship Sephora with a story about Disney Princesses that seemed so tangential that we almost thought that Kuczynski herself had returned to the Thursday Styles. Alas, that intro turned out to tie into the review with actual relevance.
It turns out that La Cintra has some ambivalence about Sephora. She likes what she finds there,

Indeed, the left side of my face was noticeably reanimated. I consented to pay $40 to restore my symmetry.

but she doesn't always like how she finds it,

...there is a constant mess; one display bleeds in greasy, opalescent smears and snail trails of gelatinous pink goo into the next...

We learn that Cintra's striking alabaster visage may not be as intentional as we thought,

I asked: 1. What color of eye shadow should I use? and 2. How can I look less dead?

and also that some Sephora employees may be given to oversharing,

I asked what products she couldn’t live without. She extolled the merits of the Fresh Soy Cleanser ($38) and dry shampoo by Oscar Blandi ($19).
“I carry trial sizes in my purse, because you never know where you might wake up,” she said, matter-of-factly. “No shower? Spray it on — boom, ready to go.”

Really? Who never knows? We would say that at least 95% of the time, we have a pretty good idea where we are going to be waking up on any given day. But that's just stuffy old us. If we had known about that dry shampoo, we're sure we'd have been having a wilder time of it.
Critical Shopper | Sephora: All’s Fair in Beauty and War By Cintra Wilson
Sephora 555 Broadway between Prince and Spring Streets, SoHo & various locations throughout the city.

New Beauty Additions:A Platinum Opening In Chelsea

Last week, WWD told us that women are saving money by cutting back on their manicures and spacing out their expensive haircuts. That may seem prudent, but seriously, the news is grim enough without watching people let themselves go.
To remedy this problem, Rick Kelly and Peter Diaz have opened Platinum Salon on West 23^rd Street. "We don't believe people should have to pay a fortune for top quality services," Creative Director Diaz told us. Well, who can argue with that?
To celebrate the sleekly appointed salon's Grand Opening, they will be offering free blowouts Monday through Wednesday from 10 AM to 2 PM as well as 15% off all cuts and services.
Platinum Salon 134 West 23^rd Street between 6^th & 7^th Avenues, Chelsea

This Ain't No Pop-Up:Diptyque's Bleecker StoreTo Be A Permanent Fixture

We heard that Diptyque, the popular French parfumer known its extensive range of aromatic candles was opening a pop-up store on Bleecker Street, but yesterday, when we visited the elegant little shop we discovered that while it is expected to close after the holidays, it is only to complete a full buildout for a permanent boutique to be opened later next year.
"We signed the lease ten days ago. Our computer just got hooked up," we were told by a breathless staffer still faced with a few boxes to unpack.
Designer Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz whipped up a temporary décor including a bit of sheer drapery, a wall sized photo-reproduction of a lovely First Empire painting and a feathery chandelier that sets the stage for pretty much everything Diptyque makes.
Of course, the star product here is the scented candle which is represented in endless variety. It is a superior default, all-occasion gift. It's even worth having a few extra on hand for emergencies, because when all else fails, nobody minds receiving a Diptyque candle.
We certainly don't.
Diptyque 377 Bleecker Street between Perry and Charles Streets, West Village

Maximum Beauty Overload:Estée Lauder Pulls OutAll The Stops At Bloomingdale's

"Who's coming? The Queen?" a typically jaded New Yorker asked nobody in particular in response to the growing crowd on Bloomingdale's cosmetics floor.
"Gwyneth Paltrow," was the swift response, and the blasé shopper suddenly perked up, immediately understanding that the impending crowd frenzy was perfectly justified, rendering Gwyneth more important than a fusty, old Monarch.
It would otherwise have been just another sleepy July evening at 59th & Lex if the PR folks at Estée Lauder hadn't decided to bump up their promotional efforts a notch or three to launch their new fragrance, Sensuous. "Why have just one of our models make a personal appearance when we can have all four at once?" some executive must have thought, which is no mean feat when your stable of famous faces is led by an Oscar Winner coming off the biggest box-office hit of her career.
A casual visitor to the store would have found an unusually heavy presence of fragrance models dressed in identical white and purple blouses eagerly distributing matching scented ribbons (the latest alternative to a spritz in the face), while campaign images of the models were placed in every available space in the cosmetics department. Shortly before the 6:30 showtime, eager visitors assembled around the front of the department, while other shoppers were alternately annoyed or intrigued, and Bloomingdale's many tourists were simply bewildered. Surely, activity would be centered around the jewelry balcony which had been set up for signings with a table and four stools. Of course, when La Paltrow, Elizabeth Hurley, Carolyn Murphy and Hilary Rhoda serenely but punctually glided through the main floor, looking as gorgeous as humanly possible amid cheers and flashbulbs, they settled on a press photo area next to the escalators, shielded from much of the floor, causing more crowd swooning and frenzied scrambling. Of course, they would have to make their way through the crowd again to the balcony, and yet somehow they magically reappeared in place on their stools as the press photographers aggressively shoved their ways through the mere fans to get prime spots on the unfortunately (for them) descending steps. Perhaps Supermodels really do have special powers.
Now seated, the quartet was introduced by a Lauder exec: Hilary, "our newest"; Gwyneth, "our Oscar winning superstar" (every cosmetics brand has one these days); Carolyn, "our Grace Kelly" and Elizabeth, "our longest standing model who has been with us for thirteen years, and whom we would love to have for thirteen more." Hurley quickly accepted the offer, no doubt calculating that it would bring her to her 56th year, a ripe age for a cosmetics spokesperson, especially when compared to the dewy 21 year old Hilary Rhoda. "I'll take it," she must have thought.
And so the tranquil team of beauties remained smiling but virtually silent and went about the business of autographing new perfume boxes for 200 early bird customers in line from the balcony to the upper reaches of the men's department downstairs as PR troops from Lauder and Bloomingdale's fluttered about, keeping a firm hand on the proceedings.
And an expert fragrance launch was completed, capping off a controversial 40 pages devoted to the four women in the July Harper's Bazaar. The four are estimated to have spurred $30,000 of perfume sales that evening. What does the fragrance smell like, after all?
We can't really remember. It seems so beside the point now.

New Additons:Mastihashop Brings The Greek IslesTo The Lower East Side

We were almost going to scold the newly opened Mastihashop on Orchard Street for propping their door open on a supremely muggy day, wasting precious air conditioning, until we walked in and discovered that they had no air conditioning at all, creating a different sort of problem.
Yes, it was a humid, but illuminating few moments we spent inside the tidy new shop as the benefits of mastiha (pronounced mahs-TEEKH-hah) were explained to us. The resin from trees found on the Greek island of Chios was, among other things, the first chewing gum. It can be purchased in its original form at the shop, though it is mostly used as an ingredient in an intriguing variety of items sold there ranging from pasta sauces to toothpaste and beauty and home products.
Mastiha, we are told, is a natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial substance with a pungent aroma that can translate into a bracing, ginger-ish flavor in foods, or it did in the cookie we tasted. Unfortunately, in chewing gum, the flavor lasted only the duration of couple of block's walk, but it was delightful while it lasted,and we are sure that we are still feeling its therapeutic effects as we type this.
Though small, Mastihashop carries a broad range of products, many under its own label, and almost all including the precious ingredient. Given the current fascination with natural and homeopathic remedies, we expect it to catch on, assuming the humidity breaks.
Part of a chain of ten stores, this is the first location outside of Greece. We would imagine that on Mykonos, or Chios, the Aegean breezes keep everyone comfortable, but unfortunately, those breezes do not quite reach to Orchard Street.
Mastihashop 145 Orchard Street between Stanton & Rivington Streets, Lower East Side