The founders of four skincare brands reveal how they bring their products even closer to their customers by offering them a novel experience that appeals to their intellect and interests.
HOW WE CONSUME our skincare has evolved considerably over the years. What started as homemade salves and remedies sold in apothecaries and later, in drugstores, shifted to glossy, department store counters selling jars full of promises. My mum was a devoted user of Estée Lauder when I was growing up. Accompanying her on these jaunts would leave me ooh-ing and aah-ing at the beautiful perfume flacons and wondrous jars of serums and creams, like the iconic Advanced Night Repair, that seemed to hold the secret elixir of youth. The experience then was of high glamour and low accountability. The consumer didn’t know what chemicals and ingredients were in those bottles and jars, and would not think to ask what they were and how they worked on the skin.
Today, many brands still bank on the beauty counter experience. In an unhurried and relaxed environment, beauty advisers are able to chat with you, assess your skin needs and then recommend the right products. In theory, this should work. But in reality, anyone who has been persuaded to buy more than they could afford — or would reasonably need — or has encountered less than knowledgeable sales staff, would have found the experience frustrating at best, intimidating at worst.
The opening of Sephora’s flagship store in Singapore in 2009 revolutionised the way we bought beauty in this island nation. In a frenetic, high-octane environment of bright lights and loud music, this was far from the sedate experience in traditional beauty boutiques and department stores. Like kids in candy shops, customers were free to swatch, sniff and sample to their heart’s content and even rummage through drawers to find the stock they needed. But while some relished the independence of such a set-up, others lamented the crowds, stacked shelves and the lack of direction, feeling lost among all that choice, and clueless as to what their skin truly needed.
This story is from the November 2018 edition of T Singapore: The New York Times Style Magazine.
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This story is from the November 2018 edition of T Singapore: The New York Times Style Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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