Trending Store: Beauty Story, New York City

There's a new story at Story — the innovative retail outpost in downtown Manhattan that totally reinvents itself every couple of months — and this time it's all about beauty.



Story has partnered with global beauty giant Coty to transform the space into a beauty lover's paradise. Beauty Story showcases Coty's Covergirl, Clairol, Sally Hansen and Rimmel brands along with an array of cutting-edge and lesser known ones. (According to a report by WWD, a typical sponsorship at Story costs $500,000 and holiday concepts cost $1 million.)



Shoppers at Beauty Story can virtually try on and share the latest makeup looks from Coty looks via an app (Perfect Corp.'s YouCam AR Makeup Mirror). The space includes a prestige beauty section conceptualized by Space NK founder Nicky Kinnaird, an outpost of cult Manhattan salon Hayday offering 30-minute custom facials, complimentary skin consultations and related products, and a Sally Hansen DIY nail bar where customers can try out new looks.



Bold wall displays (by Instagram artist Adam Hillman) form a colorful backdrop for the featured merchandise. There are several displays or activations that encourage interaction, and even rewarding it with complimentary products. A Vengo Labs digital vending machine, for instance, dispenses a complimentary Rimmel product for guests who pose for a photo against the in-store backdrop.



Beauty Story will be open through October 8. During that time, it will host various events, including makeup tutorials and touchups, and a Business of Beauty session featuring Kinnaird, who will discuss trends, insights and lessons about the current state of the beauty industry.



Founded by Rachel Shechtman, Story takes the editorial viewpoint of a magazine, and changes its merchandise and theme similar to a gallery.