13 Surprising Beauty Buys from Urban Outfitters

By Taylor Bryant

Since the introduction of Urban Outfitter’s Beauty Shop back in 2010, the brand has seriously stepped up its beauty game to new and impressive levels. For some, the excitement of going to the hipster standby starts to lose interest after hitting their 20s, but the beauty department has given us reason to stick around way past our post-collegiate days.  

According to this article from Fashionista, UO adds about 10 new beauty brands per month, which range from more mainstream lines like Carol’s Daughter and Klorane to small-batch ones like Herbivore Botanicals and The Gnarly Whale. And, just last year — much to the delight of beauty lovers around the world — it started adding a slew of different Korean beauty brands to the mix.

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Urban Outfitters’ senior beauty buyer Laura Zaccaria told us the store is always on the hunt for the next big thing, which prompted its expansion into K-beauty. “The BB cream phenomenon really shed light on the Korean beauty industry, uncovering innovative products and formulas. Their approach to skin care in particular is so intriguing and like nothing I’d ever seen before,” she said. “It raised eyebrows, which is what we’re looking for.”

Color us impressed. The diversity in UO’s selection almost rivals that of the big names in beauty retail — except now can you pick up trendy overalls and some snail cream or Beautyblenders all in one trip.

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Ahead, we rounded up some of the best beauty buys to get your hands on, ASAP (but, we’d suggest checking out the site for more because, trust us, there are a ton). While most of the beauty products are exclusively online, we’re sure you won’t have a problem hitting that $50 free-shipping mark.

Korean beauty brands aren’t that easy to come by. You might be lucky enough to find the product you want on popular e-tail sites likeSokoGlam or Peach and Lily, but if they don’t have what you want, you’re usually SOL. Which makes the fact that Urban stocks so many popular K-beauty buys such a big deal.

This hard-to-find product from Mizon is formulated with 92% snail extract and is rumored to be the cream that brought the brand its esteemed fame. It helps to rejuvenate the skin while helping to clear up acne and the scars it leaves behind.

Mizon All-In-One Snail Repair Cream, $38, available at Urban Outfitters.

Beauty powders are a new phenomenon that has started to gain momentum (we’ve given you a breakdown of what they are, exactly right here). This particular formula from Moon Juice includes ingredients like pearl, stevia, and goji. It promises stronger nails, shinier hair, and a more radiant complexion — all three of which we wouldn’t mind having.

Moon Juice Beauty Dust, $65, available at Urban Outfitters.

Related: The Korean Beauty Products You Need To Try In 2015

Anastasia Beverly Hills’ brow products have a cult following for a reason: They’re the best of the best. And, the brand’s Brow Wiz is one of its standouts. The ultra-fine pencil is great for filling in stray hairs, while the brush helps to keep them tamed.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, $21, available at Urban Outfitters.

Inspired by founder Nancy Twine’s mother and grandmother, who made their own hair products, semi-new brand Briogeo is all about natural hair care. Its volumizing conditioner is free of parabens and silicones, while being infused with ingredients like ginseng, argan, and sweet-almond oil. Its organic ingredients and cruelty-free motto is not only good for your hair, but your conscience, too.

Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Volumizing Conditioner, $23, available at Urban Outfitters.

Not able to make it to the spa this season? We get it, not everybody has a couple hours to spare or a couple hundred dollars to blow. Which is where this facial steam from Fig + Yarrow comes in handy. Just add some hot water to the herbal blend, hover over it with a towel over your head, and enjoy a deep pore cleansing. Think of it as a $16 facial without leaving the comfort of your home.

Fig+Yarrow Facial Steam, $16, available at Urban Outfitters.

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This all-purpose skin cream (which has the consistency of a balm) is a cult favorite among almost every beauty insider you can think of, which is thanks to its all-natural ingredients and all-purpose benefits. Warm up the product in your hands and it quickly (gasp, like magic) turns into an oily texture that soaks right into your skin.

Egyptian Magic Cream, $26, available at Urban Outfitters.

When we told you back in December that there’s a sheet mask for pretty much any and every part of your body, we weren’t joking around. This vitamin-rich one for, as you can guess, your nails, helps to protect, repair, and prevent splitting and peeling.

Kocostar Nail Therapy, $3, available at Urban Outfitters.

I currently have the tangerine version of this hand cream sitting on my desk and I’m here to say, first-hand (ha), that this product is worth every shiny penny. It’s not only moisturizing, but it smells glorious and is definitely one of the cutest beauty products I own.

TonyMoly Fruit Hand Cream, $10, available at Urban Outfitters.

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Get beachy hair anywhere and in any weather with this spray from up-and-coming brand The Gnarly Whale. The vegan formula consists of grapefruit seed extract, Mediterranean sea salt, coconut oil, and aloe vera gel. That, combined with the mango scent will have you feeling like you’re lying on a beach somewhere tropical. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with dreaming.

The Gnarly Whale Beach Waves Hair Spray, $14, available at Urban Outfitters.

Natural hair-care brand Carol’s Daughter is another unexpected, but pleasant, find among the bounty of UO’s beauty products. If you’re familiar with textured or curly hair, you know that moisture and conditioning is key to keeping it healthy. This hair mask not only penetrates the strands of more coiled coifs, but also nourishes and hydrates fine, fragile, or chemically treated hair with ingredients like monoi oil and bamboo water.

Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask, $32, available at Urban Outfitters.

Sandal season is approaching, and what better way to get your feet prepped than some week-long peeling? The Smile peeling foot mask is a sheet mask, but for your feet. Place the sock-like masks on and your calluses and dead skin are exfoliated with serum. The fun doesn’t start until a couple of days later, when your skin starts to shed all snake-like. Gross? Yes, but effective.

The Face Shop Smile Peeling Foot Mask, $6, available at Urban Outfitters.

Related: Korean Women Aren’t Messing Around With Their Contouring

Take the chillest bath of all time courtesy of these all-natural salts from brand Herbivore Botanicals. The soothing effect of the salts — which come straight from the Dead Sea, by the way — will definitely result in lots of pruning. You have been warned.

Herbivore Botanicals Bath Salts, $18, available at Urban Outfitters.

The crème de la crème of makeup sponges, there’s a reason this product is coveted by makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike. The unique shape allows you to apply makeup in those hard-to-reach spots around your nose and eyes, while blending your makeup to a smooth, non-streaky finish.

Beautyblender The Beautyblender, $20, available at Urban Outfitters.

Check Out The Rest Of The UO Beauty Amazingness On Refinery29!