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Los Angeles has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around LA that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.
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Image via Flickr
There was a point in his life where Scott Barnes wanted to become a fine art painter. Thankfully for ladies like Kate Hudson, Nicole Ritchie, Mary J. Blige, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez, he decided to become a makeup artist instead. Barnes' work with J Lo truly catapulted him into cosmetic stardom when he conceived a look for the singer known as "The Glow," which helped him launch his now best-selling beauty product, Body Bling bronzer. When this beauty wizard needs an escape, he checks out a quirky little spot on Melrose that is worlds away from blush, lipstick and eyeliner.
"I love Japanese art, and you can go to tokidoki and purchase these great little art pieces that aren't expensive. And it's really fun. Say they come out with a new line of unicorns, there are like 20 different ones, but you don't which one you're getting until you open the box. It's a surprise, but not an expensive surprise, so it makes you really giddy. Whenever I feel down, I go there and buy a bunch of them and give them out to friends and it always makes everyone smile. They make you feel like a kid again, and that's what I love about it. I take my favorite tokidoki unicorn with me everywhere, he just came to Vegas with me when I worked with Celine Dion."
· tokidoki [Official Site]
· Scott Barnes [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked LA]