ACTS OF SERVICE

Beauty brands are enticing customers with a range of in-store treatments and services that offer expert tips, demonstrations and pampering.

- Balvinder Sandhu

One of the perks of shopping at beauty counters is that you get to try different products before deciding what to buy. Want to change your shade of lipstick for your new job? Why not experiment with different hues? Not sure if the latest colour trending on social media is for you? Sample it at the store first.

Today, more beauty brands are offering services such as makeovers, skin analyses, massages and facials, in addition to their suite of products. These immersive in-store services enhance the consumer experience – by offering more than just products – and also push brands to come up with a host of new ones for customers.

Jenny Cheah, managing director at Sephora South-east Asia, India, Oceania and South Korea, shares that this is a result of brands evolving to keep up with consumer trends. “Greater personalisation, inclusivity and convenience in beauty are what consumers demand today,” she says.

To help shoppers make informed purchasing decisions, Sephora has introduced integrated tools like Skincredible, a handheld device that assesses skin conditions to recommend personalised skincare routines.

“We have also enhanced our skincare services at Sephora Ion Orchard, such as our exclusive Estee Lauder Dream Skin Reawakened 30-minute session skin treatment, and a 15-minute targeted service with Kiehl’s Skin Professional to address various skin concerns,” shares Jenny.

She adds that there is a lot more to come from beauty counters, with hyper-personalisation driven by AI, and other innovative technologies in the way consumers interact with beauty products and brands continuing to gain momentum.