Amazon Is Getting All Fancy With Its Beauty Offerings

We've long felt that Amazon is a secret goldmine of stylish deals — $8 (!) Eugenia Kim hats, anyone? — and our jaws have dropped at the low, low prices of some of its beauty goodies. Now, though, we're newly intrigued by the retailer's new luxury beauty store, which showcases high-end brands such as NARS, Burberry, and Vincent Longo. While the 24-brand selection isn't huge just yet, it's still pretty solid. Plus, we like free shipping.

What's interesting about this store-within-a-store is its attempt to reach luxury-leaning shoppers. Unlike some other parts of Amazon, the luxury beauty boutique doesn't have bargain-basement prices; they're similar (if not identical) to competitors, which makes sense considering the caliber of brands in stock. Nope, this is a play to enter the prestige beauty space, and if anyone knows how to dominate in e-commerce, it's Amazon.

The question is, will shoppers bite? We're not sure just yet. The perks that Amazon offers are great, but they're not unique. For instance, Amazon offers samples with select items, but Beauty.com and Sephora offer samples with every purchase. Then there's the snob factor: Buying a Deborah Lippmann nail polish at Net-A-Porter means it's delivered in a stylish black box, and a regular Amazon box doesn't feel as fancy. Without special incentives, consumers might not naturally click their way to Amazon to buy high-end beauty.