It wasn’t the first time I had visited Riley Rose. I had stumbled upon the place about a month earlier, when going for a facial appointment at Skin Laundry.
Initially, I walked right past the store, with it’s cheery pink neon sign and friendly cursive, discounting it as another Claire’s wanna-be. As I walked past it a second time, I noticed a Lime Crime display at the front, and thought to myself, “Wait, like the brand you can only buy online?”
I went in.
The center of the store is lined with well-lit vanities, and the cheery pink and white displays are lined with products from Internet cult-favorites, both makeup and skincare alike.
Lime Crime, Winky Lux, Sigma, CosRX, Banila Co., Tony Moly, Missha, and many more call the store it’s home. Each display has samples for you to try, and the multiple sitting spaces urge you to try on a new look with the products offered there.
Riley Rose, launched by the daughters of the Forever 21 founders, is a fun concept store for the savvy Internet beauty consumer. Not to be limited by skincare or makeup, it also offers shoppers a variety of haircare (both Asian beauty choices as well as western favorites) and lifestyle pick-ups, like headbands (I almost bought at least five pairs of cat-eared headbands), notebooks, pens, coffee mugs, and cute phone cases.
There is even a space for you to buy drinks and snacks, like green tea or Hi-Chews.
There’s a space near the back of the store that seems to be entirely dedicated to the 10-step Korean beauty routine, with suggestions for every skin type as well as beautifully displayed samples to use.
Whenever I visited, employees were passing out 20% off coupons for the Friends and Family sale, and it didn’t seem to have any limitations. Prices were on par to Amazon, if only a little higher, but you’re guaranteed authenticity and there are frequent coupons online, if that is where you prefer to shop.
Overall, Riley Rose is a really fun experience if you’re a skincare fanatic, and akin to Disneyland if you use mostly Asian beauty products.
You can find Riley Rose online or in-person at the Glendale Galleria in Los Angeles.
That sounds so great, might have to try it!