Vert (Abbott Kenny Location)
As mentioned previously, I’m a huge fan of the developing trend of organic/naturally derived and/or vegan cosmetics that are coming into the marketplace. But no product does anyone any good if you can’t find it anywhere, so before I go into talking about the various product lines I’ve discovered, I decided to take a moment to talk about specialty stores I’ve found that carry them.
My first and favorite of these stores (in Los Angeles) is Vert (french word for Green, pronounced Ver like the beginning of ver-y). Vert was founded by makeup artist Renata Helfman who is a passionate advocate for the Green movement within the cosmetics industry. Led by her success as a media makeup artist (where she worked on such stars as Balthazar Getty and Kate Hudson) she sought to find an answer to the questions all makeup artists are asked regularly – “What’s the best makeup?” and “What’s the best skincare?”. Her store is a tightly pieced together collection of some of the finest hair care, skin care and makeup available on the market currently. I took a client there last summer and she and I both went amok amongst Vert’s vast collection. As much as I like the makeup they carry (Vert carries Josie Maran, Jane Iredale and RMS Beauty) I have to say it’s the Skin Care/Bath and Body selection that wins the prize. They have several brands I’d not heard of before going there including the 100% vegan and “dirty-30″ free line, Keys Soap, Red Flower – who makes skincare, bath and body and hair care and is one of those lines where everything smells so delicious you just want to eat it, and the absolutely incredible Ayurveda inspired line Pratima. The selection of haircare is quite strong as well (including Sebbag Essentials, a new line started by celebrity hairstylist Eric Sebbag with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working so you KNOW I’ll be talking about that line further), and the store also has some home products. The space is light and airy and smells wonderful when you enter and the staff are friendly and helpful without being pushy. It’s the kind of space where you can take your time and see what things are but then when you need help someone will be there to help you.
NOTE: I went back to the store just to get an update before writing this article and it turns out that Vert is moving from it’s Venice location to a site more in the city (likely on La Cienega Blvd.). They are currently having a sale of all of their existing stock and then will be closed for about a month while they transition to the new space. For more information and to stay current on developments of the new space opening, join the Vert mailing list.
