The Golden Ticket

Maria Martin is like the Willy Wonka in the world of beauty products. A walking Wikipedia on some of the industry’s most coveted, most elusive, and sometimes weirdest products, shopping in her boutiques can make you feel like a kid in a candy factory.

Beauty oddities and elites stock the shelves of her two bright little Arizona shops, where you can locate otherwise impossible-to-find brands. Maria, a former makeup artist and hairstylist herself, speaks with unrestrained giddiness about them all. Her excitement can only be surpassed by that of an eccentric inventor. And just like Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Maria tests all her products personally.

“Most of these products are things I would use in my professional kit,” she said. “If you love it, your customers will too.”

Kevyn Aucoin Beauty shares space with DERMAdoctor, Bliss, Sonya Dakar, Ole Henriksen and countless other lines.

Here are a few of her favorite things:

Principessa Bianco Breeze hair and body powder, $24 for 4.4 oz
“This is a product I can’t live without,” Maria said. “I was born with fine and less than lustrous hair, and I am always on the look for something that will make it look bouncy and feel fresh,” she said. “This hair and body powder is naturally talc-free and infused with vitamin E, aloe, chamomile and calendula. It extends my blowouts for days,” she said.

Sonya Dakar Fresh Eyes Hydrating Eye Cleanser, $35 for 0.5 oz
“I am ultra conscious about the delicate skin around my eyes and trust it to only a few. Sonya Dakar’s makeup remover is heaven sent. It’s naturally formulated with sweet almond, wheat germ, carrot seed oil and lavender. It’s really gentle, removes makeup and hydrates.”

Julie Hewett Cosmetics lipsticks, $20-$22.50
“Nothing in this world makes my heart flutter more than makeup from Julie Hewett!” Maria raved. “Her lipsticks are made with camellia oil, which is said to be the closest oil to human skin. It makes them extremely hydrating and long-wearing,” she explained. “The lipsticks were created in an array of colors,” she continued, “but Julie Hewett is most famous for her wearable reds. She has 11 reds…There is one for every skin tone,” Maria said, “from sheer to matte and everything in between.”

Rodial Glam balm, $80 for 50ml
According to Maria, there are “101 reasons to fall in love” with this rich salve. “You can use this stuff for everything,” she said. “It restores moisture, increases collagen to smooth fine lines and give fuller skin. It acts like a lip plumper, an eye cream, a conditioner for split ends, and it helps heal skin post-op,” she said. “Are you kidding? What more could we ask for?”

“Before I actually tried this product, I was highly skeptical. It is not often a product with this many claims can really deliver,” she said. “But now I am a believer!” Maria’s husband even uses it to protect his skin from chapping on the slopes.

Dex New York Mineral Foundations (tinted, loose or pressed), $25-$38
“It has taken me five years to find a mineral line that I’m in love with and this is it. There are so many things I love about this foundation,” she said. “It was created by artists, not CEO’s, and is equipped with all the bells and whistles. It’s rich with color, silky smooth and full of anti-aging peptides.”

South Seas Tahitian Tan Mist, $24 for 7 oz
“I like to spray tan,” Maria said. “But I don’t like to be orange. This is my solution,” she said. “It offers the most glowing mahogany color, smells like beachy coconut yumminess and dries in an instant. Plus, it will spray upside down and lasts 7-10 days. You have to try it!” she gushed.

In addition to her amazing inventory, Maria offers services such as brow design, waxing, lash tinting, spray tanning and light acid peels in her boutiques, where she hires only the most knowledgeable licensed estheticians.

Product Boutique
Tucson Arizona
at Casas Adobe Plaza
7051 N. Oracle
520.615.1200.

Sedona Arizona
101 N. Hwy 89A Suite C11
928.282.9100