This Week’s Top Story

Romer Skincare (romerskincare.com) is a new, Chicago-based beauty company that aims to keep skincare clean and simple. The brand focuses on three basic products: a gel-oil cleanser ($45), a lightweight moisturizer ($40), and a hydrating mask ($75) that you can wear for as little as five minutes or sleep in overnight. You can buy it all separately, or as a set ($150).

Brand founder Lauren Rome says she prioritized a clean product. To do so, she sought out sustainable packaging and nontoxic ingredients like Manuka honey, shea butter, and CBD oil. As she put it in a press release: “It’s not just clean for the skin, but for the environment and for the community where each ingredient is sourced and mined.”

I tried the skincare line myself for about a week and noticed softer, brighter skin after a few days. Another perk: The mask has a floral scent that’s particularly welcome during the dead of winter.

Top Sales of the Week

Hay (755 W. North Ave., us.hay.com) holds its annual Spring Sale March 5 through 19. The promotion offers 15 percent off furniture, lighting, and rugs, plus free shipping off orders of $50 or more.

Through March 2, Madewell (madewell.com) is offering an extra 30 percent off sale items. The sale section currently holds Chelsea boots, turtleneck sweaters, ruffled dresses, and high-rise denim.

Pop-Up

Jill Pam, the Highland Park artist behind Jill Pam Art (jillpamart.com), hosts a pop-up shop for her work at Reach Yoga (688 Vernon Ave., Glencoe) on March 8. Pam creates so-called “hole punch art,” which features intricate portraits of celebrities, artists, and laughing Buddha figures rendered in holes punched out from magazine pages. The pop-up will showcase six original prints and eight reprints, with prices starting at $25.

Retail News of the Week

  • The RealReal, which a sells luxury consignment, plans to open a Chicago store. Read more.
  • Learn more about the new MCA exhibition curated by Duro Olowu. Read more.
  • Find the best North Face jacket to ride out the rest of winter. Read more.