The world's best beauty stores

"Beauty shopping used to be a holiday add-on: a quick pharmacy sweep, a last-minute lipstick. But it's quickly become the main event. Skyscanner's Travel Trends data suggests beauty is actively shaping where (and how) we go next: 27 per cent of Gen Z say they plan to seek out beauty treatments and skincare stores while travelling in 2026. And honestly, it makes sense."

"Santa Maria Novella's Florence flagship is effectively a living museum, with vaulted rooms, hushed reverence, and shelves lined with fragrances and remedies that feel as if they belong in a Renaissance painting. The address is a pilgrimage for fragrance and beauty fans who love cult brands with apothecary appeal. But it's also a masterclass in heritage retail: being here feels like you're time-travelling."

"Created by the design team Mesura Studio, the interior of this incredible space is made of reclaimed Montjuïc stone fragments assembled into an installation that makes the store feel excavated rather than built. Created with pieces from Gothic quarter buildings, ancient fountains and centuries-old relics, it's a rare retail experience where you're just as likely to photograph the stonework as the hand wash. Come for the fragrances; leave newly obsessed with masonry."

Beauty shopping has shifted from a travel add-on to a primary travel motive, with 27 per cent of Gen Z planning to seek beauty treatments and skincare stores while travelling in 2026, according to Skyscanner's Travel Trends data. Modern beauty stores function as mini-museums, scent libraries, wellness labs and architectural showcases. Personalisation, consultations and exclusive location-only souvenirs create destination appeal comparable to galleries or boutique hotels. Historic houses such as Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence offer living-museum experiences, while contemporary interiors like Aesop Diagonal in Barcelona repurpose reclaimed materials into photographic, sculptural retail spaces.

Read at CN Traveller