The department-store beauty counter is losing ground in New York to a wave of small, curated shops built around "clean" formulations and radical ingredient transparency. From NoLIta to Williamsburg, these boutiques stock brands that publish every component on the label.

The fictional retailer Bare & Honest vets each product it carries and trains staff to talk chemistry, not just color. Its founder says shoppers, especially younger ones, arrive already fluent in ingredients and skeptical of marketing.

Critics note that "clean" is a loosely defined term with no legal standard, and some claims outrun the science. But the boutiques have tapped a durable demand: customers who want to know exactly what they're putting on their skin.