From counters to experiences: How Singapore malls are reinventing beauty shopping

From skin analysis and personalised consultations to fragrance layering and hands-on masterclasses, Singapore malls are turning beauty shopping into something consumers can experience, not simply browse.

Singapore malls are turning beauty from a retail category into an experience. (Photos: CNA/Chern Ling, Raffles City's Beauty Vault)

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Finding out your skin’s biological age, getting a personalised makeup shade match or learning to layer fragrances – increasingly, shopping for beauty in Singapore’s malls involves doing something, not simply buying something. With shoppers already able to research ingredients, compare prices and watch tutorials online, malls are offering what screens cannot: expert advice, sensory experiences, treatments and personal attention.

That is reshaping beauty retail. Traditional cosmetics counters are giving way to larger standalone stores and dedicated beauty spaces where shopping overlaps with consultations, services and experiences. For malls, beauty is particularly suited to this shift: it is difficult to replicate entirely online, encourages repeat visits and lends itself to events and activations. For brands, more space means more opportunities to build relationships with shoppers beyond a single transaction.

Raffles City. (Photo: Raffles City)

The shift spans both the city centre and the heartlands. Raffles City now counts more than 26 established luxury beauty names, while Ion Orchard has over 30 dedicated beauty boutiques. In the east, Tampines Mall has recently welcomed YSL Beauty and Shiseido, with more big names on the way. Jem, in Jurong East, says it was among the first suburban malls to bring in standalone stores for international beauty and wellness brands such as Chanel, Dior and Rituals.

But the more significant change is not simply the number of beauty stores. Across these malls, beauty is becoming something shoppers are invited to take part in.

FROM COUNTER TO EXPERIENCE

The traditional beauty counter was built largely around a transaction: try a product, speak to an adviser and make a purchase. Increasingly, brands are asking shoppers to spend more time with them.

At Ion Orchard, where beauty has been a core part of the retail mix since the mall opened in 2009, more than 30 beauty boutiques are now concentrated across two basement levels, creating a dedicated beauty district within the mall.

Ion Orchard. (Photo: Ion Orchard)

Consumers want to participate in beauty, not simply browse it.

The experiences range from fragrance personalisation to skincare treatments. At Jo Malone London, shoppers can explore fragrance layering and personalise purchases with custom-illustrated packaging and bottle engraving. Cle de Peau Beaute’s first Radiance Concept flagship has a private VIP cabin for facial treatments, while brands including Guerlain, Helena Rubinstein, La Mer and La Prairie have private treatment spaces within their boutiques.

Cle de Peau store at Ion Orchard. (Photo: Ion)

Shoppers increasingly seek bespoke advice and high-touch curation.

“Shoppers increasingly seek bespoke advice and high-touch curation,” said Yeo Mui Hong, chief executive officer of Orchard Turn Developments, which manages Ion Orchard. “Across these concepts, brand expertise is brought to the forefront, making personalised care tangible and visible.”

Lancome’s La Maison de la Longevite. (Photo: Lancome)

Some stores are pushing the idea further. Lancome’s La Maison de la Longevite, the first of its kind in the region, combines biological-age skin analysis with specialised treatments. Armani Beauty has brought its Armani/Atelier concept to Southeast Asia, while Helena Rubinstein opened its first Southeast Asia flagship and YSL Beauty its first standalone boutique at the mall.

Singapore’s role as a regional beauty market has helped make such formats possible, with global beauty houses using the city to test new concepts and regional-first experiences, said Yeo.

But participation is not confined to what happens inside a store.

MAKING BEAUTY AN OCCASION

At Raffles City, beauty has become something around which the mall can programme an entire event.

Beauty Vault at Raffles City. (Photo: Raffles City)

Its Beauty Vault, launched in 2024, brings brands together under a single experiential showcase. The 2026 edition featured 25 beauty, skincare, fragrance and wellness brands, a 66 per cent increase in participation from its inaugural edition, while attendance rose 18 per cent. Its masterclasses and workshops were fully subscribed.

The appeal, said Tan Mui Neo, managing director of retail management at CapitaLand Investment, which manages Raffles City and Tampines Mall, reflects growing demand for “expertise, personalisation and hands-on discovery”.

Rather than presenting shoppers with rows of products, Beauty Vault gives them masterclasses, consultations and product-led activities to participate in. For its top spender, the experience extended beyond Singapore altogether, with a trip to Paris for a bespoke experience hosted by French perfumer Francis Kurkdjian.

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A post shared by ION Orchard (@ion_orchard)

Other malls have used launches to turn beauty into entertainment. Ion Orchard’s high-traffic spaces have hosted a Sulwhasoo anniversary showcase fronted by global ambassador Yoona, Dior’s Dior Addict takeover and YSL Beauty’s Libre Berry Crush launch, with past activations bringing in Thai stars Win Metawin for Shiseido and Mile Phakphum for Guerlain.

For brands, these temporary experiences can create something a conventional store opening cannot: a sense of occasion, exclusivity and urgency around a product or launch. For malls, they give shoppers another reason to visit beyond replenishing a bottle of serum or lipstick.

BEAUTY MOVES INTO THE HEARTLANDS

Perhaps the clearest indication that this is becoming a broader retail shift is that the same ideas are appearing outside the city centre.

Tampines Mall (Photo: CapitaLand)

At Tampines Mall, beauty has become key to the mall’s ongoing transformation. It recently welcomed YSL Beauty, Shiseido, Elemis and Judydoll, alongside refreshed stores for L’Occitane and The Body Shop, with Chanel, Dior, Rituals and Sephora set to join.

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A post shared by CHANEL (@chanelofficial)

Several premium brands, including Chanel, Dior and Shiseido, previously only had a concession presence in the mall. The move into standalone stores gives them more room to do what a traditional counter cannot.

“As the category evolved, we saw an opportunity to introduce dedicated store formats that allow brands to showcase a broader range of products, services and experiences,” said Tan.

These are experiences that require the shopper to be physically present – to have their skin analysed, receive a treatment, smell a fragrance or speak to someone who can tailor recommendations to them.

At Shiseido, shoppers can have their skin read by the brand’s Skin Visualiser before receiving recommendations based on the results. Elemis has an in-house treatment room – the only one of its kind in the east, according to Tan. At L’Occitane, shoppers can stop for a complimentary hand-care ritual and facial gua sha.

The distinction matters. These are experiences that require the shopper to be physically present – to have their skin analysed, receive a treatment, smell a fragrance or speak to someone who can tailor recommendations to them.

Chanel and Dior beauty stores at JEM. (Photo: CNA/Chern Ling)

YSL Beauty store at JEM. (Photo: CNA/Chern Ling)

Meanwhile at Jem, the beauty category has evolved alongside changing consumer interests. The K-beauty boom brought more trend-driven skincare into the mall, while the offering has since broadened to encompass aesthetics, treatments and wellness.

Jem was also among the first suburban malls to bring in standalone stores for international beauty and wellness brands including Chanel, Dior, Shiseido, YSL Beauty, Fresh and Rituals, said Jenny Khoo, head of retail and workspace management at Lendlease.

Here, the changing role of beauty can be seen in what shoppers are coming in to do. Jem has seen consistent interest in facials and skin analysis, with regular interactions between shoppers and beauty advisers helping to build relationships beyond a single purchase.

Blackpink's Lisa is Shiseido's ambassador. (Photo: Shiseido)

Its location beside the Jurong East MRT interchange has also created demand for what Khoo calls “micro-wellness”: quick, express treatments that can fit into a commute or an ordinary shopping trip.

Instead of requiring a dedicated trip downtown, a treatment or consultation can become part of an existing journey to work, meet friends, shop or commute.

For brands, this opens up a different customer base too. Khoo said many have seen growth in customer acquisition and new member sign-ups through their suburban stores, allowing them to reach a broader mix of ages and spending levels than city-centre locations alone.

WHAT COMES AFTER THE BEAUTY STORE?

As beauty becomes more experiential, the boundaries of the category itself are also beginning to expand.

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A post shared by Dyson Beauty (@dysonbeauty)

At Ion Orchard, skincare, nutrition, sleep, internal health and longevity are increasingly seen as part of the same lifestyle conversation. “Concepts like Lancome’s longevity-focused boutique and Dyson’s expansion into health and beauty are early signals,” said Yeo.

Fragrance is another area ripe for more participation. As niche and luxury scents become an increasingly important entry point into beauty and luxury, Yeo expects physical stores to offer more personalised experiences around fragrance, from scent profiling and custom blending to refills and bottle engraving.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LE LABO Fragrances (@lelabofragrances)

A post shared by LE LABO Fragrances (@lelabofragrances)

At Jem, Khoo sees opportunities for brands to experiment with their own formats and collaborations with lifestyle brands. Future possibilities include personalised skincare formulation classes, AI skin mapping and wellness pop-ups combining modern cosmetics with traditional Chinese medicine.

Tan expects beauty to keep growing in both breadth and depth at Tampines Mall, becoming more experiential and service-led – not just through more brands, but through a mix of formats and experiences that complement one another.

Raffles City, she added, is on a similar trajectory, with continued interest in niche brands, specialised services and personalised experiences, alongside a greater appreciation for brand heritage and storytelling.

Taken together, the changes point to a different role for beauty within the mall. The competition with online shopping is not simply about who can sell the same lipstick, serum or fragrance more conveniently. Increasingly, the physical store is offering something else entirely: a place to learn how to use it, find out whether it suits you, have a treatment, meet an expert or turn its launch into an occasion.

That makes beauty particularly suited to what malls are trying to become – places that give shoppers reasons to spend time there, rather than simply places to transact.

As Tan puts it: “Consumers want to participate in beauty, not simply browse it.”

A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day.

从皮肤分析和个性化咨询到香水搭配和实践大师班，新加坡的购物中心正在将美容购物变成消费者可以体验的事情，而不仅仅是浏览。

新加坡的购物中心正在将美容从一种零售品类转变为一种体验。（图片：CNA/Chern Ling，莱佛士城美容宝库）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

了解肌肤的生物年龄、获得个性化的彩妆色号匹配，或是学习如何叠搭香水——在新加坡的商场里，购买美妆产品不再仅仅是购物，而更像是一种体验。消费者已经可以在网上查询成分、比较价格和观看教程，而商场则提供了屏幕无法提供的服务：专家建议、感官体验、护理疗程和个性化服务。

这正在重塑美妆零售业。传统的化妆品柜台正逐渐被更大的独立门店和专属美妆空间所取代，在这些空间里，购物与咨询、服务和体验融为一体。对于购物中心而言，美妆行业尤其适合这种转变：它难以完全在线复制，鼓励顾客重复光顾，并且非常适合举办各种活动和推广活动。对于品牌而言，更大的空间意味着更多与顾客建立超越单次交易关系的机会。

莱佛士城。（图片：莱佛士城）

这种转变遍及市中心和居民区。莱佛士城如今拥有超过26个知名的奢侈美妆品牌，而ION Orchard则拥有超过30家专业美妆精品店。在东部，淡滨尼购物中心最近迎来了YSL Beauty和资生堂，更多知名品牌也即将入驻。裕廊东的Jem购物中心表示，它是最早引进香奈儿、迪奥和Rituals等国际美妆及健康品牌独立门店的郊区购物中心之一。

但更重要的变化不仅仅在于美妆店的数量。在这些购物中心里，美容正逐渐成为顾客可以参与其中的一种体验。

从柜台到体验

传统的美容专柜主要围绕交易展开：试用产品、咨询顾问、购买商品。而如今，品牌越来越希望顾客能花更多时间与他们互动。

自 2009 年 Ion Orchard 购物中心开业以来，美容一直是其零售组合的核心部分。如今，超过 30 家美容精品店集中在地下两层，在购物中心内打造了一个专门的美容区。

ION Orchard购物中心。（图片：ION Orchard购物中心）

消费者希望参与到美容过程中，而不仅仅是浏览美容产品。

从香水定制到护肤护理，体验丰富多样。在祖·玛珑伦敦 (Jo Malone London)，顾客可以探索香水叠香，并通过定制插画包装和瓶身镌刻来个性化您的购买。肌肤之钥 (Cle de Peau Beaute) 的首家光采概念旗舰店设有专属VIP面部护理室，而娇兰 (Guerlain)、海伦娜·鲁宾斯坦 (Helena Rubinstein)、海蓝之谜 (La Mer) 和莱珀妮 (La Prairie) 等品牌也在各自的精品店内设有私人护理空间。

爱雍·乌节 (Ion Orchard) 的 Cle de Peau 专卖店。 （照片：离子）

消费者越来越追求个性化建议和贴心服务。

“消费者越来越追求量身定制的建议和贴心周到的服务，”管理ION Orchard的Orchard Turn Developments首席执行官杨梅红表示，“在这些理念中，品牌专业知识被置于首位，使个性化服务变得切实可见。”

兰蔻的 La Maison de la Longevite。 （照片：兰蔻）

一些品牌正在进一步推广这一理念。兰蔻 (Lancôme) 的“长寿之家”(La Maison de la Longevite) 是该地区首家此类门店，它将生物年龄皮肤分析与专业护理相结合。阿玛尼美妆 (Armani Beauty) 将其 Armani/Atelier 概念引入东南亚，海伦娜·鲁宾斯坦 (Helena Rubinstein) 开设了其在东南亚的首家旗舰店，而 YSL 圣罗兰美妆 (YSL Beauty) 则在该购物中心开设了其首家独立精品店。

杨女士表示，新加坡作为区域美容市场的地位，使得这种模式成为可能，全球美容公司利用这座城市来测试新概念和区域首创体验。

但参与并不局限于商店内部发生的事情。

让美丽成为一种仪式

在莱佛士城，美已经成为商场可以围绕其策划整个活动的主题。

莱佛士城的 Beauty Vault 美容中心。（图片：莱佛士城）

其于2024年推出的“美妆宝库”（Beauty Vault）将众多品牌汇聚于同一体验式展示平台。2026年的活动吸引了25个美妆、护肤、香水和健康品牌参与，参与品牌数量较首届增长66%，现场观众人数也增长了18%。其大师班和工作坊的报名名额全部报满。

凯德集团零售管理董事总经理陈梅娘表示，这一吸引力反映了人们对“专业知识、个性化和亲身体验”日益增长的需求。凯德集团负责管理莱佛士城和淡滨尼购物中心。

Beauty Vault 并不像其他商店那样向顾客展示琳琅满目的商品，而是提供大师班、咨询和产品体验活动。对于消费最高的顾客，体验更是超越了新加坡的地域限制，他们受邀前往巴黎，参加由法国调香师 Francis Kurkdjian 亲自主持的专属定制之旅。

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ION Orchard (@ion_orchard) 分享的帖子

其他购物中心也曾利用新品发布会将美妆活动融入娱乐元素。例如，ION Orchard人流量大的区域就曾举办过雪花秀周年庆活动（由品牌全球代言人允儿代言）、迪奥的Dior Addict系列新品发布会以及YSL Beauty的Libre Berry Crush系列新品发布会。此外，过去的活动还曾邀请泰国明星Win Metawin代言资生堂，以及Mile Phakphum代言娇兰。

对品牌而言，这些限时体验能够创造出传统门店开业无法企及的效果：营造一种产品或新品上市的仪式感、独特性和紧迫感。对购物中心而言，它们则为顾客提供了除了补货之外的又一个到访理由。

美丽走进美国腹地

或许最能表明这种零售业变革正在蔓延的迹象是，同样的理念也出现在了市中心以外的地区。

淡滨尼购物中心（图片：凯德集团）

在淡滨尼购物中心，美妆已成为其持续转型升级的关键所在。近期，YSL Beauty、资生堂、Elemis 和 Judydoll 等品牌纷纷入驻，欧舒丹和美体小铺的门店也进行了翻新，香奈儿、迪奥、Rituals 和丝芙兰等品牌也即将入驻。

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香奈儿 (@chanelofficial) 分享的帖子

包括香奈儿、迪奥和资生堂在内的多个高端品牌此前仅在购物中心设有专柜。如今开设独立门店，使它们拥有了更大的空间，可以开展传统专柜无法实现的业务。

“随着品类的发展，我们看到了一个机会，可以引入专门的门店形式，让品牌展示更广泛的产品、服务和体验，”谭说道。

这些体验需要顾客亲身到场——进行皮肤分析、接受护理、闻香水或与能够为他们量身定制建议的人交谈。

在资生堂，顾客可以使用品牌的“肌肤可视化仪”进行肌肤检测，并根据检测结果获得相应的护肤建议。据谭女士介绍，Elemis 拥有店内专属护理室，这是东方地区独一无二的。在欧舒丹，顾客可以享受免费的手部护理和面部刮痧服务。

这种区别至关重要。这些体验需要顾客亲身到场——进行皮肤分析、接受护理、闻香或与能够提供个性化建议的人员交谈。

JEM购物中心内的香奈儿和迪奥美妆专柜。（图片：CNA/Chern Ling）

YSL Beauty在JEM购物中心的专卖店。（图片：CNA/Chern Ling）

与此同时，Jem购物中心的美容品类也随着消费者兴趣的变化而发展。韩妆热潮为商场带来了更多潮流护肤品，而此后，产品范围进一步扩大，涵盖了美容、护理和健康养生等领域。

Lendlease 零售和办公空间管理主管 Jenny Khoo 表示，Jem 也是最早引进香奈儿、迪奥、资生堂、YSL Beauty、Fresh 和 Rituals 等国际美容和健康品牌独立门店的郊区购物中心之一。

在这里，我们可以从顾客的购物行为中看出美容行业角色的转变。Jem发现顾客对面部护理和皮肤分析的兴趣持续高涨，顾客与美容顾问之间的定期互动有助于建立超越单次购买的长期关系。

Blackpink成员Lisa是资生堂的品牌大使。（图片：资生堂）

由于其位于裕廊东地铁转换站旁边，也催生了邱所说的“微健康”的需求：快速便捷的护理，可以融入通勤或普通的购物之旅中。

治疗或咨询无需专门前往市中心，可以融入到上班、会友、购物或通勤等现有行程中。

对品牌而言，这也意味着开拓了不同的客户群体。Khoo表示，许多品牌通过郊区门店实现了客户获取和新会员注册量的增长，这使他们能够触及比市中心门店更广泛的年龄段和消费水平的客户群体。

美容店之后是什么？

随着美变得越来越注重体验，美的范畴本身的边界也开始扩大。

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Dyson Beauty (@dysonbeauty) 分享的帖子

在ION Orchard购物中心，护肤、营养、睡眠、内在健康和长寿正日益被视为同一生活方式理念的一部分。“兰蔻专注于长寿的精品店和戴森进军健康美容领域的举措都是早期信号，”Yeo说道。

香水是另一个亟待更多人参与的领域。随着小众和高端香水日益成为进入美妆和奢侈品领域的重要切入点，Yeo预计实体店将提供更多个性化的香水体验，包括香氛分析、定制调配、补充装和瓶身刻字等。

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LE LABO Fragrances (@lelabofragrances) 分享的帖子

在Jem，Khoo看到了品牌尝试各种模式以及与生活方式品牌合作的机会。未来的发展方向包括个性化护肤配方课程、人工智能皮肤测评以及将现代化妆品与传统中医相结合的健康快闪店。

Tan 预计淡滨尼购物中心的美容行业将在广度和深度上持续发展，变得更加注重体验和服务——不仅通过增加品牌数量，而且通过各种形式和体验的融合，使之相互补充。

她补充说，莱佛士城的发展轨迹也类似，人们对小众品牌、专业服务和个性化体验的兴趣持续高涨，同时对品牌传承和故事讲述也越来越重视。

总而言之，这些变化表明，美妆在购物中心扮演着不同的角色。与线上购物的竞争不再仅仅局限于谁能更便捷地销售同样的口红、精华液或香水。实体店提供的服务日益丰富，不再局限于此：它不仅是一个学习如何使用产品、判断产品是否适合自己、提供护理服务、与专家交流的场所，还能将新品上市变成一次难忘的体验。

这使得美容行业特别适合购物中心正在努力转型的方向——让购物者有理由在那里消磨时间，而不仅仅是交易场所。

正如谭所说：“消费者想要参与到美容过程中来，而不仅仅是浏览美容产品。”

每天一篇，我们精心挑选一篇您不容错过的精彩故事。