It's the New Duane Reade on 34th Street

Today Craig, our Fashion Herald intern, visits the new Duane Reade in the 34th Street district.

Beauty at Duane Reade? Now, I’ve seen everything.

When I heard that the new Duane Reade in Herald Square had an epic beauty section, I was skeptical. I expected more shelves of Revlon and Covergirl, both respectable brands in their own right but with Sephora so close to this location, I am not impressed with drug store brands when Dior and Chanel are calling me from across the street. I ascended the escalator to the second floor and found myself speechless.



This is what I imagine heaven to look like; cosmetics as far as the eye could see. However, these aren’t just drug store cosmetics. Duane Reade is carrying legitimate brands like Too Faced, 100% Pure, MoroccanOil, and OPI.

Perhaps the most interesting display at the new Duane Reade is the Demeter Fragrance Library.



I think it’s safe to say that you are bound to find the right scent for you in this collection but be sure to steer clear of these gems:



and



I can’t believe Duane Reade is selling OPI and Essie nail polish. They have a great selection of color, as well as, some matte shades if you are adventurous enough to tackle that trend.



On my way out, I found the beauty tool display which (dare I say) rivals Sephora! The prices are very reasonable and the brushes look decent.



Before I left, I spoke to the woman who does the eyebrow shaping there. Yes, there is an eyebrow bar as well here but it’s not so much a bar, as it is a chair with a sign next to it. For $30, you can get your eyebrows shaped with tweezers. I was willing to try until she hit me with the price. If I wanted to get my eyebrows done, I would just go down the street for $5. Have any of you tried getting your eyebrows done here? I’m anxious to hear a review.

Overall, I was totally impressed with this. Name brand cosmetics, Duane Reade prices, and I can use my rewards card! Who could ask for anything more?

Duane Reade, 1350 Broadway between 35th & 36th

Why I Love 34th Street's Duane Reade

The Duane Reade on 34th Street and 5th Avenue embodies everything I love about the big drugstore. Let me elucidate in bullets:

• Open 24 hours. So reassuring.
  
• Huge snack area on the first floor. Huge. This means not just kettle corn and all other varieties of organic, "healthy" chips, but also sandwiches. And I have it from my new intern that their sandwiches aren't bad. Crazy!
• Huge, revamped beauty section. Huge. I could browse makeup for hours in a drugstore. For some reason, I'm more comfortable shopping for beauty in a drugstore than a department store. I like getting lost in a drugstore aisle.

Now for a few visuals:

















That little boutique called "Look" on the left is at the top of the escalator, and carries the more high-end skincare brands (spotted 100% Pure on the rack). Right are racks of some of my favorite products, namely Burt's Bees. I was able to score some of their suntan lotion, which is always tough to find. And not in the picture but in between the two is a selection of MoroccanOil haircare. Nicely done, Duane Reade.

And guess what's at the new Duane Reade on 35th & Broadway? A brow bar! Crazy. But that's for a future story, as I'm in dire need of a brow shaping.

Duane Reade, 34th Street and 5th Avenue
Duane Reade, 35th & Broadway