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A few weeks ago, I was approached by a beauty boutique I had never heard of before – Cos Bar. They invited me to host a little makeup party with a few Houston ladies to learn more about their services, the brands sold, and why my readers may love it as much as I (now) do. Naturally, I’m a hard-facts-kinda-gal, so I drove 45 minutes north to their location in Houston – Cos Bar The Woodlands – to do some preliminary ‘research.’ This research included what this place looked like, the products offered, if the staff was helpful and humble, and why I would want to shop here versus the abyss that is my local Sephora/Ulta/Nordstrom/Neiman Marcus.
I think you’ll find I was beyond pleasantly surprised and most importantly, why you should consider shopping on CosBar.com before swiping or inserting your chip at your go-to beauty destinations. HINT: it includes insider tips and a reward system to rival Ulta’s…
Cos Bar was founded in 1976 in Aspen, CO. The founders realized that there were these small, ’boutique’ towns hours away from a Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue (forget Sephora or Ulta back then) where those with finer tastes could not access their go-to beauty products. They also understood that sometimes, these large department stores with commission-driven employees can be overwhelming. Cos Bar is an easy-to-navigate miniature-sized version of department store beauty departments. They’ve curated the best of the best in high-end cosmetics/skin care/fragrance/hair care and their employees are experts in guiding your purchase to the best brand suited for your specific needs. AKA: They’re not loyal to ONE brand over another and will give you unbiased advice on your beauty investment.
You won’t find Cos Bars in the middle of your mall (right now at least). These stores will be sort of in the middle of nowhere – where you aren’t exactly close to a Neiman’s, Saks or Sephora. However, you can always shop online at CosBar.com anytime, anywhere with free shipping over $49.
When I met with the Director of Stores and Cos Bar The Woodlands Store Manager, I didn’t get the typical ‘check me out from up and down and scrutinize my brows, lipstick choice, purse brand or shoes’ that I’ve certainly experienced at other beauty counters. In fact, we talked about actual life. Of course, the natural conversation led us to bond over common beauty must-haves and I felt like I was chatting with old friends about products we love.
During the beauty party with some of my favorite Houston blogger ladies, Nicole from Lipstick and Brunch and Wendy from Hey Wendy Vanessa, I spent nearly 45 minutes getting schooled on the history of fragrance from one of their employees (who also nailed the fastest winged liner application on me I’ve ever seen).
Most importantly (and I hope they never change this), Cos Bar’s B. Cos Rewards Program is perfection. Once you sign up (for free), each dollar you spent accrues a point. You also earn 150 points just for signing up! If you purchase a product from them and then review it on the website, you earn 50 additional points. Certain times during the year, you can earn double points on your purchase. 100 points = $3 off a future purchase. You can see how this system is a HUGE WIN over department stores (or even our beloved Sephora); particularly since Cos Bar carries many of those pricier brands like Tom Ford, Cle De Peau, Tata Harper and La Mer to name a few.
I was beyond shocked that the sweet team at Cos Bar The Woodlands shut down the store during our two-hour beauty party! They had the place stocked with yummy snacks and even brought in a Temptu Airbrush Makeup Artist to touch up our foundation and even fix some of our highlights (and my husband’s thinning hairline… lol).
Wendy got to experience high-end makeup for the first time and loved her Patchology eye and lip mask experience, and HOW GORGEOUS is her YSL lip color combo!? She used YSL Lip Liner #13, Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick #24 Blond Ingenue, and Gloss Volupte in #20 Nude Carat.
Nicole was blown away by how perfectly natural the Temptu airbrush system touched up her highlights and fell in love with a new pink lipstick by By Terry.
As for me, I had fun getting a full glam smokey eye using Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier products with a little Tom Ford lipstick. Also, can we talk about my husband!? What have I done here? I’ve created a monster. He comes to help me take pics and leaves eating all the snacks, drinking all of our wine and even getting touched up with the Temptu system! -__-
TIP: Cos Bar loves working with their local clients. If you live near a Cos Bar, inquire about hosting your own beauty party for a bachelorette party, Sweet 16, baby shower pre-pamper session or just to freshen up your look. They’re very helpful and will make sure you are red-carpet ready!
me with a couple of my favorite Houston bloggers: Lipstick and Brunch, Hey Wendy Vanessa
I hope you check out a Cos Bar near you soon or start shopping on CosBar.com like I will be. It’s not often a beauty junkie like myself is truly impressed, but Cos Bar gave me the Beauty Elevated experience and now I’m sold.
-Steffanie
