All that recession-related news with the latest from the British treasury pumping in £200 billion to save banks from bad debts; ECB cut 50 bps last Thursday causing even higher volatility in the forex market; and KPMG offering 11,000 UK staff sabbaticals and hours cut; could pretty much put any company's expansion plans on hold.
Well, almost.
Not for multi-brand cosmetic chain, Sephora.
It was pure coincidence that I came to notice the Italian-borned business and realised they had opened its flagship store here in Singapore. Being the cosmetic unit of LVMH, it is no wonder, why they went ahead with their expansion plans into Asia despite the economic slump.
We had the busiest 4th quarter last year, to a point, we had to do almost all our Christmas shopping online to save us time and from much hassle. And one of the online stores we visited was Sephora.
Quite honestly, I had to resort to Sephora because I ran out of ideas, and it was the best one-stop place to shop for the girls and stylists without queuing and jostling with the rest of the nations (and some tourists too).
Limited Edition Dior Holiday Collection Makeup Palette & YSL Duo Lip Color Palette
To me,
Sephora is perfect for their micro-minis - an idea I truly adore, since I'm always stuck with more than 5 different bottles of 500ml scent for the rest of the year!
The online
Sephora is packed with lots of amazing skincare and frangrance brands like NARS, Murad, L'Occitane, and even Ed Hardy.
Bare Essential Starter Kit
Some are limited editions and can only be bought from their online store. The Limited Edition Dior Holiday Collection Makeup Palette which contains six shades inspired by Dior's latest must-have handbag and accessory collections is just one of the many few selections.
One of my favourites is their travel-size Laura Mercier Soufflé. Not only does it contain the finest extracts and earth minerals (that provides natural sheen and radiance to your skin), the compact size allows you to carry, mix, and match the fragrances at a fraction of the original cost.
And if you are more of a "gadget girl", try their 2008 best seller, Clarisonic® - A device that helps clear your pores, loosening dirt, makeup, and oil with a revolving brush tip. It is believed to remove more dirt than your traditional cleanser, leaving skin soft and pampered without harsh abrasion or chemicals
Stila, Clarisonic, Laura Mercier
It isn't too difficult to guess why I spent nearly 5 hours shopping "there" last Christmas.
Too spoilt for choice and can't decide what to get for your girlfriend?
You can always opt for some gift certificates from the online store or simply buy their version of Monopoly and GO TO JAIL for bad hair days.
I have not been to the Sephora store in Singapore, I heard not too good reviews about the offerings they have here.
Well, let's just wait and see.
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