Best Place to Shop for Makeup

Forget that the company's so hip it needn't pay a supermodel millions to peddle its products -- one visit to the M"A"C store will convince even the most makeup-wary that cosmetics can be a fun indulgence. Single eye shadows cost $12, a lipstick costs $13.50, and brushes range from $11 for an eyeliner brush to $62 for a blue squirrel powder brush. And M"A"C doesn't employ your run-of-the-mill "yes, yes" salespeople, but professional-quality makeup artistes who will honestly consult with you on your cosmetic foibles ($40 will buy you a makeover, application tips, and a complimentary mascara). The shop is wonderfully airy and pleasant, resembling the annex of a day spa -- there's a cozy couch on which you can recline and an open patio in back. The company's "Back to M"A"C" program also earns you a free lipstick for every six plastic containers you return (instead of discarding in your bathroom trash can). Finally, all proceeds from the purchase of M"A"C's Viva Glam lipstick go to a charity supporting men, women, and children living with AIDS.