Charlotte’s Hidden Beauty Gems

WRITTEN BY Lesley Holland Downey

In Charlotte, tucked along a corridor of chic shops, restaurants and specialty stores is Woo Skincare and Cosmetics. I was thrilled when I learned from friends in Atlanta and Nashville (who were already fans) that Woo was coming to Charlotte. Woo features a curated selection of product lines (Tata Harper, Darphin, Caudalie, and 80 Acres) alongside go-to brands such as Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, Chantecaille and Nars.

Read the full beauty post to learn about fabulous must-haves from Woo Skincare and Cosmetics and Jeffre Scott Apothecary! A wonderful beauty report.

What I found at Woo was warm, personalized service in a comfortable environment (no sitting out in the middle of a busy store getting your makeup done). The other nice thing was that Lauren, who helped me, showed me items from many different lines, tailoring her selections based on what I was looking for rather than just recommending items from a single line. When I asked about the best concealers, a constant search of mine, she asked me thoughtful questions about what I was using and why it wasn’t working. I brought up creasing and dryness so she steered me towards eye cream. It is most likely that I needed to use a better moisturized surface to begin with. She sent me home with samples to try, and more importantly, the confidence that their motto “Everyone leaves happy” is truly their goal for every customer.

Woo also offers fabulous gift items perfect for graduations (beach bags, coverups, water bottles from Bkr), hostess gifts (candles, diffusers) and new mom treats (Noodle and Boo products). Also available are a full menu of spa services (waxing, facials, makeup application). While at Woo, I picked up two new lip colors—a sheer cherry gloss from Bobbi Brown, and a neutral pink toned lipstick from Laura Mercier—perfect and easy for spring. Lauren also suggested Laura Mercier’s Blue Suede eyeshadow—my first blue-toned shadow since the 1980s. I loved the way it brightened my eyes without looking too heavy or made-up. I literally had to restrain myself from buying more.

Jeffre Scott Apothecary was one of the first places I visited when I moved to Charlotte. I was hoping to find a boutique approach to beauty products that I’d experienced when living in and visiting bigger cities. I was not disappointed. Jeffre Scott’s namesake store is tiny (a jewel box, as he describes it), but is chock-full of hard-to-find brands and luxury items that would make any beauty addict swoon.

I went looking to replenish a couple of specific items but then I got hooked on getting my brows arched by Jeffre every month or so. I had bad luck with brow waxing (twice I had the skin ripped off and I have pictures to prove it) so the tweezing seemed so much more controlled and gentle to the skin).

I love the personalized attention you get there and how convenient it is to shop and sample products. From my favorite face creams to luxurious hair brushes, (Mason-Pearson—the gold standard of hair brushes) they have it all. Some specialty brands the shop carries include Jouer, Goldfaden MD, Eve Lom, Vincent Longo and Natura Bisse.

At my most recent visit there, I picked up a gorgeous shade of bronzer from Kevyn Aucoin that is ombre, from light shimmer to a rich matte bronze that is not at all orangish. Jeffre also looked so tan and healthy that I had to buy Dr. Dennis Gross’s self-tanning towelettes which he uses himself. My other fave here is the Alchimie Forever moisturizers and the Mario Badescu Shimmer Body lotion, especially when my white legs make their spring debut. I also love the Susan Posnick brush-on sunscreen and lipsticks. The lipsticks are so creamy and balm-like but have better staying power than gloss. They are named after cities around the world. Jeffre also carries a wide variety of specialty fragrances and fragranced products from Bond Street, Histoires de Parfums, Calypso St. Barth, and Soap and Paper.