Space NK (CLOSED)

Take a break from Sephora and Duane Reade to get dolled up at this U.K. luxury beauty retailer. Joining the Soho and Upper West Side locations, the chain’s Upper East Side shop features a clean, minimalist interior that’s divided into smaller rooms, organizing more than 60 highly coveted cosmetics, hair-care and fragrance labels. Certain brands (NARS, Oribe and Caudalie) are fairly well known, while others (Eve Lom, Elemental Herbology and Rococo Nail Apparel) are more niche, but no less posh. Since 1993, founder Nicky Kinnaird has traveled the globe searching for the most innovative, unique products she can supply to her sophisticated, discerning clientele. Treasures she’s found include Danish-born NYC makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis’s organic lip tints in stunning silver compacts ($48), nourishing and sweet-smelling By Terry lip and cuticle creams ($58) and Rococo gold-leaf nail polish ($33), all of which make perfect stocking stuffers.