Like all make-up addicts, one of the first things I noticed when visiting Penn as a pre-frosh was the convenient location of Douglas Cosmetics. I envisioned a beauty haven nestled between the bookstore and the Inn at Penn. Two years later, I can safely say I know the ins and outs of Douglas and I have to say, my relationship with this cosmetics store is ambivalent.
Douglas is definitely your one-stop shop for anything nail polish related. Usually, you have to go to a professional beauty supplier or a nail salon to buy Essie and OPI polishes, but Douglas stocks a wide selection of their best colors. Douglas also carries the Lippmann collection, for those in the mood for some sparkle. If you’re looking for a gift, Douglas has a great selection of pre-packaged nail polish sets, such as OPI’s new Alice and Wonderland collection. Douglas’s other strength is its perfumes, and it carries all of the major brands you can think of.
However, where Douglas fails is its make-up selection. If you’re looking for new make-up, you’re better off hitting up a department store, or making a quick trip downtown to Sephora, because Douglas’s pickings are pretty slim. Douglas basically only carries Lancôme and Clinique, make-up I typically associate with grandmothers. Even the one brand of younger make-up Douglas does carry, Stila, has been relegated to a small table of 50% off leftovers. For being situated on a college campus, Douglas tends to carry products that cater to a much older crowd, such as a large selection of expensive face creams. Most Penn students aren’t worrying too much about wrinkles quite yet, so why does Douglas devote so much of its store to these products?
Even with its faults, Douglas is still great to have on campus, for your smaller beauty crises. Though I’m still waiting for Douglas to step up its make-up selection, hopefully before I graduate!
By Stephanie Ghitis