#BeautyTroop

Touring Hudson’s Bay at Yorkdale Mall.

Touring Hudson’s Bay at Yorkdale Mall.

Jim Hicks with previous COSA winner Seeta Samaroo, Givenchy/Kenzo selling specialist at Hudson’s Bay Sherway Gardens.

Jim Hicks with previous COSA winner Seeta Samaroo, Givenchy/Kenzo selling specialist at Hudson’s Bay Sherway Gardens.

To celebrate our new summer issue and to launch our new #beautytroop, we hit the shop floor! 

Last week, Jim Hicks, director of beauty publications, social media manager Stephanie Hicks and editor-in-chief Alex Laws visited 15 stores in three days and met with 25 beauty advisors and managers.

Touching base about what’s selling in stores, challenges being faced, success stories, as well as who is being nominated for the Cosmetics Outstanding Achievement Awards — the deadline for which is this Friday, June 16 — we collected inspiration by the bucketload.

Stephanie Hicks posted the story on Instagram as we made our way around the GTA trying and testing, walking and talking through multiple Hudson’s Bay, Sephora, Rexall and Shoppers Drug Mart locations. We also took the opportunity to launch our #beautytroop, a hashtag set up so beauty advisors across the country can share information with us at any time, and shout about their favourite things — from makeup must-haves to the co-workers that make their days. And we offered the chance to win an iPad mini when you sign up for our newsletter before June 23, 2017. (If you haven’t yet, sign up here!) http://cosmeticsmag.com/beauty-buzz/2016/11/sign-up-for-cosmetics-digital

Learning from the BAs on the front line of beauty was enlightening and inspiring, and the enthusiasm shared for people (Jim Hicks caused quite the stir in some stores) and products, was contagious. We can’t wait to share their stories in our fall issue, and here online, and to meet more of you on our next store tour in September.

Testing out precision eyeliner at Rexall, Bathurst and Eglington.

Testing out precision eyeliner at Rexall, Bathurst and Eglington.

A rainbow of colour in Sephora’s own cosmetics line.

A rainbow of colour in Sephora’s own cosmetics line.

Alex Laws gets the scoop from Darren at Sephora Yorkdale.

Alex Laws gets the scoop from Darren at Sephora Yorkdale.

We would love to know what's hot and what's happening at the counter. Keep us in the loop by using #beautytroop on Instagram and Twitter and tagging @cosmeticsmag!