Kryolan

The products are perfect and the ladies amazing.
I came in for a new foundation and my friend to have her make up done. Its hard to improve on perfection but they did make her more beautiful! They recommended a primer under the foundation as well as a setting poweder neither of which Iv used and it turned out fabulous, thank you!

I went into this store looking for a product I had heard about. Was sold a Kryolan product instead. Told them my face is oily so when they sold me a product I thought it would be ok but it wasn’t. Made me break out. I went back into the store to talk to them about it… they told me to try it again. I tried it several times. Made my face look wet and several of my makeup friends said it wasn’t good for me. So I just went into the store and the manger wouldn’t do anything but talk to me with a condescending attitude. What kind of expensive apparently good makeup company doesn’t help out a customer who isn’t satisfied with the product they told her would work? I will never go here again and will tell anyone I know to not either. Horrible customer service and apparently has a staff who doesn’t know how to sell.

Im in makeup heaven here if you want quality products this is it! The staff was very helpful it was my first time in this store I will definitely be a regular here :)

Cannot say enough good things about this place. I called to ensure they had what I needed in stock, and Ulrike put it aside for me. When I arrived, Lane helped me pick some additional supplies, and was amazingly patient and helpful while helping both myself and two other customers. Despite the phones and credit card reader both going down at the same time, she kept her calm and got things done.
Great place, good selection of professional grade products, and I don’t know if they changed the lighting from a prior review, but it is not an issue at all!

The prices, selection, and quality are fantastic here. I would definitely recommend going in and trying things out. They have hundreds of colors of foundation and eyeshadow. Everyone in the store is very knowledgeable about the product and beyond pleasant to work with.
I was matched to a foundation that had me a little reluctant because I felt that it might be too warm in color. However it offered a flawless look when paired with the primer and transparent powder. It was starting to get late so the lighting in the store and by the windows wasn’t the greatest, and they said I just needed to blend it at the neck.
I asked if they had a foundation texture that was slightly less likely to melt in the summer heat than the one they had tried on me and they recommended the ultra foundation in the same color. This foundation is definitely too warm for me, and I think it’s making my skin tingle in not a good way. Despite this possible reaction and the fact that I was right… this color is too warm, I can’t take it back. No returns all. Based on the fact that’s $ 23 + tax down the drain, I can’t give it higher than 3 stars. I might try again another time, but right now I’m just too disappointed.

What an amazing place — went for a workshop, and learned so much about makeup techniques. The instructor was knowledgeable and patient, despite varying skill levels. The makeup is fantastic as well. Highly recommended, and I can’t wait to go back!

Everything in this store is amazing! The quality and the price is mind blowing. I guarantee that you will love anything you purchase here. The staff is super nice and helpful.

**My 100^th review in 2013 and ending on a good note!**
Halloween is my Christmas. I first discovered Kryolan randomly shopping on Armitage and Halsted with a friend. What a great place to look around, and no fear there is more than just special effects makeup so there is everyday wear here too.
Lane Swasko did my makeup for Halloween and this was better than the Cheetara I had done by another makeup/​special effects artist the prior weekend in NYC. It was so true to the pic I couldn’t believe it. The makeup was lightweight but incredibly durable. Shhhh it’s a secret, but I slept with it all on a) to preserve the Halloween spirit longer and b) to see how durable it was… and no I was at my place it was not the walk of shame. It was all on there the next morning and came off with soap and water. The makeup came out of my hair with one shampoo as well.
The staff there has always been great, I’m so happy I got to work with Lane! I can’t wait to go back and buy some fun stuff and prepare for next year’s costume!

This place is incredible. It’s a mecca of really high quality makeup combined with associates that really know makeup! Unlike those at Sephora lol. The two girls that worked with me gave me a perfect combination of 2 cream foundations (one that’s my color, the other is one shade darker) that I can mix to create a shade as I get darker or lighter. I also use the darker shade to contour. Oh and btw, for this super high quality makeup and service, their products are pretty cheap! Each of the cream foundations was $ 16.50 — seriously?! Amazing! I have easily paid 2 – 3 times that for foundation at Sephora, without getting anywhere NEAR the results that I got with the derma color foundation I got from kryolan. I’m hooked!

Love love Love love it!!!
Awesome pigments for fun. And pretty pigments for real life. I think the black body pigment is one of the best blacks I have ever seen in my life. Go for the black and leave with the rainbow.

Brought my cousin here to get her prom makeup done and the staff was excellent.
Clara took her time and made sure with every step that my cousin liked what she was doing with her makeup.
Staff helpful!
They offer classes!
Theatrical and Just for Fun makeup!
Illamasqua!
I can’t wait to come back for the tattoo coverage class.

Love this store so much!!! Staff is great, helpful, knowledgeable of all the products. They offer makeup classes as well.
Love Love Love the Lip Care Balsam
Only con’s are street parking and no pro card for professional makeup artists!

Just had a great experience at the Kryolan store. I am a pro makeup artist and Clara was so nice and showed me all around the showroom. Telling me the pros and cons of which products I was looking at, Thank You!
I will be going here again for sure!

So I went to Kryolan the other day during my lunchbreak at work.
It caught my attention because I rememeber during the pageants they mention Kryolan makeup.
I was also interested because the sign said they offered theatrical makeup which sometimes in my spare I do special effects makeup
When I first walk in, I was greeted and ask where was the corrective makeup?
See I have a birthmark on my left cheek and I usually cover it up. I been using dermablend for awhile but I wanted to try something differernt.
They took me to the back and the assistant began to work on my face trying to find a color match.
I admit I was a bit hesistant. I am black and I have like a goldish reddish brown skin color. I wasn’t sure if one they offer my skin tone color and two if the lady would be able to find a match.
After some trial and errors, she eventually called over another assistant. She came up to me and seem to know exactly what the other asisstant fail to do.
She found the right pigment and show me up to add a corrective concealer underneath. Pure Genius!
It made my skin look so natural in bright light, natural light, and artificial light. I was so happy I brought the two makeups and was given a free shimmering foundation.
its day 2 since i been wearing the foundation and I havent smudge it all over the place. Its still on my face. My skin doesn’t look oily (i have oily skin) and it looks like im not wearing makeup.
I am a big fan and plan to definitely go back. I can’t wait to shop the theatrical makeup and make someone look gruesome this halloween. :)

I always have fun at this store, but I had read somewhere that this place would carry the full Illamasqua line, which does not seem to be the case.
For me the products have been sort of hit and miss, but I really enjoy shopping here. It would be better if they offered samples of foundation and so forth, and had a friendlier return policy. I really hope to be able to take a class here one of these days.

WOW! The new Kryolan Chicago store is AMAZING. A group of us were there yesterday for a class — and I couldn’t keep my chin off the ground… Sooooooo many amazing product I’ve never even heard of before — and I’m a professional face & body artist. I’m in love… :-) The store itself is absolutely beautiful — lighting is perfect — and the staff is right on point with their knowledge of the huge array of products they offer… The staff were helpful when we had questions — but were NOT pushy as another commenter had stated… This is my favorite new go-​to place «locally» for some amazing face paint proedu

The pigments are SO bold! The options of professional theatre makeup SO plentiful. I love that the new Kryolan store has opened up just around the corner from one of my favorite makeup stores, MAC.
I purchased several items on my first trip there (the actual purpose was to check out their makeup classes… would love to take the Indian Bridal one).
The ladies at the counter are super super super helpful.
I can’t wait to return.

I’m keeping an open mind, but so far-I’m, unimpressed.
Yes, the products are off the hook since it’s Kyrolan. They also have a good selection of Illamasqua (supplied by Kryolan) which is nice because it’s hard to find. I think Sephora only has some of it.
So yes, if you like or are interested in Kyrolan, it’s a gold mine. They stock SFX makeup too. I“m a pro MA, so I like being able to go to a B&M shop to play with products. They also offer classes in their rather nice looking back studio.
It’s got a few problems though.
No samples: None. It’s unique product and sampling can get expensive, I understand, but not being able to sample outside of the store is exceptionally problematic for a host of reasons…
The lighting: Really people? It’s flat out dark in there and what lighting there is is spotty and unhelpful. I’m there to buy makeup, I need to SEE it. I don’t use all the products on myself, but I’d like a mirror to give the testers a go for texture, color, and match. I need to know because of the second major issue which is…
Terrible return policy: You can’t return anything: Ok, it’s a pro store that seems to pretend to cater to retail customers, but as a regular retail customer, it’s not very user friendly. You have to have a good idea what the products are or how they work since there is little information available and a LOT of product. If you have not been irritated by the hard to see product, don’t be discouraged, there is staff there to assist. Which is the third, and most significant issue…
The staff: I was incredibly disappointed. A woman was helping me, and I could not shake her. I know some stores prefer this aggressive assistance, so I was willing to be OK with that, but she made the process frustrating, confusing, and irritating even for me and I buy a LOT of makeup. First off, and this is maybe rude to say, but her breath was absolutely offputting so much that was baffling. This is someone who works in people’s faces all day-​for crying out loud, please, a mint. I could have been distracted by makeup if she’d done a better job of selling it. She seemed to push Illamasqua, even after I told her they didn’t have a shade match for me. I told her at least 3 times-​once before she dragged me over there, once when we got there, and finally, after she looked at all the shades, she said there didnt seem one to suit me. She’d already tried to color match me for foundation so she should have been able to catch onto that pretty fast.
I told her I was breakout prone and quite oily and that I preferred a medium satin coverage. It was obvious I was oily as it was during Chicago ‘s 90 – 100 degree heat wave and I was a shiny-​slick mess. So… she starts pushing thick, full-​coverage creams at me. I said they seemed a little heavy, she suggested I thin them with moisturizer (???). I told her I don’t like powder foundation… again, twice. She tried to sell me a powder. I wasnt sure if it was some kind of finishing powder, duo cover powder foundation (like StudioFix or Lancome’s duo cover) but she could not explain that. She actually had someone else explain it. That person did explain it (yup — a duo-​cover one that applies dry for more sheer and wet for heavier coverage) but is this that hard to explain?
I finally suggested we try liquids and she asked me AGAIN what I wanted. Med coverage, slightly mattifying to ‘real’ skin texture. So she suggested a mousse (FOR DRY SKIN!). Really? .I was at the end of my rope. To top it all off, she NEVER made anything close to a color match either. Not even close. Heaven forbid I let her put makeup on me. Really. I wanted her to leave me alone. Stop blowing bad breath in my face, stop randomly pushing product at me, stop being so far off base with anything, stop dragging me through the damn store for no apparent reason.
When I shop I usually don’t tell them I’m a MA so they treat me like a regular customer, and all I could think was that if I was not as familiar with the product or different kinds of makeup in general, I might have walked out of there with easily $ 100 of useless makeup frustrated, irritated, and disappointed once I tried the products at home. I love to makeup shop; especially at a unique store with smart assistants to guide me was left feeling frustrated, annoyed, and confused for no good reason. I honestly don’t know if it’s worth shopping in the store that I was SO EXCITED to actually have a chance to play with the product is worth going into again. That’s a pity, because it’s such a unique potential.

My friend posed the question to me: «Do you want to take an editorial or drag class?»
«Perhaps» I replied, assuming she meant the MAC Master classes of which there don’t seem to be any in Chicago (but that’s beside the point.)
«No, at the new Kryolan store that just opened up.»
WAT?
I had been to the showroom in San Francisco. It was a modest space filled with decades worth of cosmetic history… and some kind of nail or hair salon in the back (NOTE: the SF showroom has been largely upgraded and expanded since I was last there.)
I agreed to accompany her (as if she had to force me to go look at makeup) and we were off down Halsted. As we neared the storefront, I could see a striking image of a woman with bold blue eyelashes and slick red lips in the window. «That’s an Illamasqua image» I thought to myself — Illamasqua is manufactured by the good people at Kryolan. Seconds later, we were in… and we were gagging.
The space was massive. Wall to wall makeup, everything to fill all needs, from beauty to bloody (yes, they sell blood there too.) While I’ve always admired the Kryolan brand (they’ve been in business nearly a century and cut their teeth on European film and stage productions, how could I not?) what sent both my companion and I over the edge was a shiny black oasis that rested in the middle. It was an Illamasqua counter.
Now, for those not in the know: Illamasqua is a recent brand with a decidedly eccentric (I’d use the word edgy, but I hate that word) approach, inspired by fringe cultures (punks, goths, ganguro, and the like.) The makeup is meant to bring to the surface your «alter ego» but is also quite wearable. This brand was, until recently, UK and Austrailia exclusive and available to us Yanks online only (with a few Sephora stores carrying it.)
Having the opportunity for affordable COSMETIC EVERYTHING as well as being the only Midwest outlet for a unique high-​end brand is all I need to be won over. The staff was minimal upon our visit: two women who were soft spoken and pleasant. Both of whom took time out to talk to us about the brand new shop and what we could possibly expect.
I would hate to see this place end up lost among the mass chains permeating the neighborhood and the city. So much is closing in Chicago, this is a brave endeavor and one that gets my full endorsement thus far. Kryolan definitely warrants a visit from any and all who have makeup needs that need attention.