Whether you’re a seasoned local or a wide-eyed tourist, one of the best ways to get to know a city is to explore its streets. When you allow yourself to wander, you find incredible gems and meet amazing people – and that’s we’re so excited about our NYC Beauty Walking Tour! It’s like having your savvy New York bestie show you their favorite local spots, with tons of perks and surprises along the way.

I had the best time on one of our beauty walking tours recently, and I have the inside scoop for for you. Read on to learn all about our Beauty Walking Tours and get ready for your own New York beauty adventure!

The Alchemist’s Kitchen, where our tour begins.

Every tour starts at the Alchemist’s Kitchen, where participants introduce themselves and see the timeline for the day. Everyone gets a seriously adorable passport with an itinerary, along with some goodies to kick things off! Alchemist’s Kitchen is all about harnessing the power of plants and medicinal herbs, as well as keeping up with cutting edge holistic beauty treatments (their lower level is a spa and treatment center with everything from cryotherapy to infrared saunas). The store is just bursting with greenery, light, and color, which makes it a refreshing start to the beauty journey. It’s also a great place to grab a drink to go for the tour– I recommend the “Beauty Elixir”!

After leaving Alchemist’s Kitchen, the tour heads first to the Detox Market, a store that’s leading the charge for sustainability and accountability in the organic and natural beauty world. You’ll find industry veterans like RMS and Tata Harper alongside up-and-coming brands, and you’re guaranteed to find your new favorite product here. What really sets Detox Market apart are their strict guidelines for what products they’ll sell: they can’t contain certain ingredients and have to have ethical manufacturing practices in place. So, you can feel good about shopping here, especially with our exclusive tour discount!

Trying out clean beauty at the Detox Market.

Our next stop is Natura Brasil, and if there’s any beauty store that can make you feel like you’re home, it’s Natura Brasil. The culture of Brazilian hospitality greets you from the moment the tour walks in and is welcomed to relax and take their coats and bags. Our group sipped rosé and learned about Natura Brasil’s sustainable beauty products inspired by the Amazon, as well as their community outreach and corporate responsibility. It was so refreshing to see a company that’s so dedicated to its philanthropic commitment, and the double bonus is that their products are amazing! Natura Brasil has you covered from head to toe, and their face cream is one of the lightest and most hydrating moisturizers I’ve ever tried!

Learning about Amazonian beauty secrets at Natura Brasil.

The biggest surprise for me was our stop at Atelier Cologne. I’ve been trying to get out of my fragrance rut recently (read all about it here!), but I’m still someone who never really shops for fragrance. Our experience was such a treat for the senses! Emitsu, one of the fragrance experts in their New York store, took us through the brand history and gave us testers of their most popular fragrances. His knowledge and enthusiasm was infectious, and I loved Atelier Cologne’s unisex perfume philosophy. I know that someday soon I’m going to treat myself to one of their adorable monogrammed perfume cases!

Emitsu, our amazing fragrance guide at Atelier Cologne.

One of my favorite finds on the tour was Red Flower, a cozy shop focused on ancient bathing rituals. The girls who worked there were so passionate about the products, and took us through a luxurious mini spa treatment for our hands and arms. After washing, exfoliating, soothing, and moisturizing, I felt revived and relaxed – not to mention that my arms were smoother than a baby’s bottom! I can’t wait to go back and try out some more products (we love their Moroccan Rose line!).

Ancient beauty rituals bottled and ready to take home at Red Flower.

All good things have to come to an end, though, and in this case our tour ended at Le Botaniste: an amazing restaurant and natural wine bar. I knew it was going to be delicious before I even walked in, because it smelled incredible just standing outside on the sidewalk! Inside, the space is open and airy, with a cornucopia of vegetable-based foods on display. Here, everyone gets to unwind and enjoy some seriously delicious nibbles and natural wine. It’s the perfect end to the perfect day of beauty exploring, with healthy, hearty food to nourish you from the inside out.

A wonderful group of ladies, and the perfect end to our New York City Beauty Walking Tour!

The experience that Stephanie has created is so indicative of her travel and beauty philosophy: discovering new things without fuss or pretense, surrounded by a supportive group of women, and having an absolute blast along the way. There are so many perks, goodies, and fun surprises sprinkled throughout the tour, but I can’t give everything away – you’ll just have to sign up and see for yourself! Whether you’re a New York/tri-state native looking for a fun weekend activity, a traveler with have a few hours to kill during a layover, or someone who’s looking for a unique gift for a loved one, our NYC Beauty Walking Tour is an wonderful experience for you.

Can’t wait to sign up for our amazing NYC Beauty Walking Tour? Click here to claim your spot!

Written by: Mallory Huron

Media by: Stephanie Flor and Brenda Jaramillo