Illamasqua Opens in Singapore at Robinsons Orchard + A Short Pricelist

Located at the newly-opened Robinsons Orchard, Illamasqua has finally arrived on our sunny shores.

Last month, I had a lovely interview with the people who manage the brand here. Below are some beauty nuggets concerning Illamasqua’s entry into the Singapore market:

• Singapore is the second country in Asia – Thailand being the first – to welcome the brand.

• Central Marketing Group (the company that manages the famous chain of Central department stores in Thailand and also Illamasqua there) now has a presence in Singapore and they wanted to expand the brand to a neighbouring country.

• They picked our sunny island partly because they’ve seen a consistent stream of Singaporean tourists shopping at the Illamasqua counters in Bangkok.

• The prices here are lower than those in Thailand. (Hurrah!)

• There are no plans for a standalone store…but one step at a time, eh? ;)

• The counter here is almost a replica of the one at Central Chidlom in Bangkok.

• The Holiday 2013 gift sets will be available here, as will the unisex Illamasqua Freak Scarab Extrait de Parfum (the heart notes of this intense fragrance include Queen of the Night, a flower which blooms only once a year, for a single night).

• Though they offer startling and uncommon colours, the brand doesn’t think they fall into any category. Instead, they believe that every person could be their target. In fact, their top-seller makeup item in Bangkok is actually a wearable coral pink named Over.

• The brand doesn’t celebrate celebrity; hence it chooses to use ordinary women in its beauty campaigns.

• The ubiquitous smashed mirror that adorns the Illamasqua counters alludes to bringing out your alter ego and it also echoes the tag line of the brand (Make-up For Your Alter Ego).

I love Bangkok and enjoy browsing the Central Chidlom counter each time I visit, so I couldn’t help but ask about Illamasqua in Thailand.

Here’s what I learnt:

• There are currently 5 counters in Bangkok but the brand will be available in Chiang Mai soon.

• Although the Central Chidlom counter in Bangkok is prominent because it is in town, the top-selling counter in the country is actually the one at Central Ladprao. This is attributed to the fact that this area hosts many concerts and shows – the artistes love shopping at Illamasqua for their performance makeup needs.

• In Bangkok, the brand’s makeup artists come from other aesthetic backgrounds such as dance and acting.

• It so happens that some of the top makeup artists from the Central Ladprao counter will be visiting our country to celebrate the launch of the brand here. I’m told that they’ll be dancing and putting up a worthy performance. ;)

We Are Colour, You Are Beauty.

As for me, I love this quote from the brand – it aptly sums up their support for self-expression through the use of makeup, while recognising the customer’s unique beauty vs making change/enhancement promises that undermine that very thing.

Here’s a short list of the Singapore prices of 10 top-selling Illamasqua products:

1. Hydra Veil (S$58)
2. Skin Base Foundation (S$59.50)
3. Lipstick (S$34)
4. Sheer Lipgloss (S$32) and Intense Lipgloss (S$38)
5. Precision Gel Liner (S$35)
6. Sophie I Pencil (S$31)
7. Highlighter Brush (S$57)
8. Nail Varnish (S$19)
9. Rich Liquid Foundation (S$62)
10. Cream Blusher (S$42)

Compared to the UK prices, they are generally a few dollars higher here. Factor in free shipping when you order above a certain amount online and periodic discounts, and it might make more sense to e-shop. That said, there is that thing called instant gratification, not to mention real-person customer service. ;)

Oddly but happily, the price of their nail polish here is particularly heartening, considering that a regular Illamasqua nail lacquer retails at £14.50! In addition, there’s no need to pay the additional postage that the

brand has imposed on this category of products.

I’ve been under the weather and couldn’t visit the counter in person, so special thanks to Sara who sent me the photos you see in this post. :) I can’t wait to browse the space soon!