312 Shops: Arch Apothecary

Chicago is a shopping destination and beauty boutiques are plentiful. 312 Shops features my favorite places to shop in the city and explores new territory as well.  Consider this your guide to Chicago, by way of beauty. Arch Apothecary in Old Town is a pretty palace — blowouts, makeup lessons, brows, lashes and some of the best beauty shopping around town.

When Arch Apothecary, the luxury beauty and style bar based in Rockford, Ill., opened its city doors in Old Town last year, it quickly gained a cult following and started racking up all sorts of Best of Chicago nods. Also, they share a motto of mine: live pretty. Those two words are in their DNA — aside from the long list of services they provide and gorgeous makeup they sell, the boutique itself is a stunner. Rustic chic wood floors, grand chandeliers, flawless marble counters, sleek glass shelving and products for days.

The Brands…It’s a makeup lover’s paradise. Luxury artistry brands like By Terry, Le Metier de Beaute, Kevyn Aucoin and high-end skin care from Sunday Riley and Natura Bissé. They also carry two of my favorite beauty lines, RMS and Jouer, both of which can be hard to find. Look for nail color from Deborah Lippmann and RGB and a massive wall of Oribe hair care. Arch also carries local makeup artist Jenny Patinkin’s brush line (which is incredible…more on that later!)

The Perks…Arch is a one-stop shop for all things pretty. They literally do it all — waxing, styling, makeup, facials, haircuts. They even have some stellar package deals if you’re looking for routine maintenance.

The Experience…I could spend hours at Arch, and that would be just in playing with all of the products. It’s a great place to fill up your makeup bag and discover new products, which is exactly what I did when this photo was taken! The team bronzed and sculpted my cheeks in a very natural way. I loved it and had to immediately buy this Kevyn Aucoin Bronzer.