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When the sisters behind Benefits Cosmetics opened their first beauty shop in the Mission, no one would have envisioned waiting 10 minutes for a hand-poured single-serve coffee. Valencia Street was known more for punk rock and gangs than artisanal coffee and posh restaurants without signs. It was 1976, and Jean and Jane Ford were two models who called their first shop The Face Place.
They eventually changed the name to Benefit Cosmetics and sold their brand to LVMH. But the sisters are still fully involved in the company, and given their deep roots in SF, it's high time they opened a flagship in the city's central shopping district. You'll actually find the pink and white space bustling with makeup artists and shoppers now, because in some kind of construction miracle, they finished ahead of schedule, so some customers are getting a sneak peek. But the official opening date is Wednesday, August 1, at 262 Sutter Street.
Look for Benefit's trademark quick-fix products, like the Ooh La Lift and The Porefessional, and have a seat at the brow bar, where they will make that wispy hair above your eyes bold and Cara Delevigne-like. The shop also has three "pretty rooms," where you can get waxed head-to-toe and more. It even has a spray-tan room, where a tan technician will carfully brown your skin with a handheld device.
· All Beauty Posts [Racked SF]
· Benefit Cosmetics [Official Site]