Before I started writing about beauty almost a year ago, when it came to shopping for beauty products, my main spots were Sephora and the local drugstore. I didn't really give much

thought to other retailers because I pretty much had all my needs met with those two—I could shop my tried-and-true makeup and skincare brands. Because I didn't really experiment with a bunch of new products, I always knew what I was going to get and that each store would be stocked with what I wanted.

Fast-forward to a year later and I'm much more knowledgeable about skin conditions, makeup looks and techniques, and, of course, products. I've been influenced so many times by my co-workers telling me about their favorite serum or moisturizer or their holy-grail mascara or must-have lipstick. I've also come across a slew of new beauty retailers to shop. One of my absolute favorite discoveries during this time has been Dermstore.