Why Don’t You… Add This to Your Vanity?

22 Sep Why Don’t You… Add This to Your Vanity?

‘Why Don’t You’ is my weekly tribute to legendary editor Diana Vreeland who penned a column of the same name for Harper’s Bazaar for 26 years begging, “Don’t just be your ordinary dull self. Why don’t you be ingenious and make yourself into something else?”

Vivrant Beauty is the brown girl’s answer to Sephora that celebrates all shades and textures of beauty.

Harlem’s newest resident is full of swoon-worthy skincare, hair products, and cosmetics that I can’t wait to bring home with me.

And trust me, I tried.

I went to check out the store last month for the grand opening and my mouth dropped open at the sight of it all. I didn’t know where to start—or what to buy first.

So, I sought out Vivrant Beauty’s owner, Desiree Verdejo—former lawyer turned entrepreneur—a self-described product junkie, to find out what every girl (namely me) needs on her vanity and in her bathroom cabinet.

“Every girl needs a good mask in her bathroom cabinet, that’s very dependent on your skin type, but one general category of skin masks that I’m loving right now is the clay masks,” she said as she popped open a bottle of champagne. “It’s a detoxifying, purifying mask. We have a beautiful one, that is a rose clay mask (gentle enough for most skin types she stressed) by a company called flo + theo, two Nigerian sisters that make their own products.”

“Okay, so on your vanity, we have this brand that I’m, like, obsessed with right now. I’m a packaging junkie, and Stiks Comestiks, a small indie line, has these rich, saturated colors. The chrome packaging is definitely something that you want to sit on your vanity. They’re only $15.”

I brought home Mauve with every intention to sit it on my vanity. And I will, once I take it out of the rotation in my bag and give it a rest.

Promise.

Pick up something to add to your vanity at Vivrant Beauty 220 Saint Nicholas Avenue. Mon through Sat 12pm to 8pm, Fri 12pm to 6pm. (212) 865-0100