Continued: Pretty, please

Experts: A makeup artist works three days a week and the three shopkeepers are authorities in all of the products.

Why go there: It’s a destination for those who seek a fragrance experience and care more about the quality of ingredients and blend than if there’s a celebrity name on the bottle. Also great for gifts and skin care.

Tip for now: If perfume tends to bother you, keep it away from your face, though a little on your chest is nice for people who hug you. Also, fragrance lasts longer on hydrated skin. Put an unscented body cream in your hand and spray perfume into it, blend it and use all over your body.

Cos Bar
3905 W. 50th St., Edina, 952-303-6249
Open since: September 2007.

What you’ll find: Department store lines such as Chanel, Nars, Bobbi Brown and Clinique along with harder-to-find, higher-end luxury lines such as Kevyn Aucoin, La Bella Donna (mineral makeup), La Mer, La Prairie, Kanebo and Clé de Peau and RéVive. There’s a waiting list for one of Oprah’s favorites — Clarisonic skin care, an electric-brush system.

Signature product: Créme d’Olives, a super-rich moisturizer made with olive oil ($125).

Other notables: Prada Lip Tint Balm ($38.50 each) and Jan Marini lash conditioner ($160), a treatment that helps lashes grow.
Aesthetic: Sleek and shiny in classic black and white.

Who: Lily Garfield created the original Cos Bar after experiencing the cold mountain air of Aspen, Colo., in 1976. That makes it a great fit for our climate. This is the ninth boutique in the mini-chain.

Size: Approximately 1,500 square feet.

Top seller: Chanel is its biggest brand.

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