Look! SM opens 3rd branch of luxe beauty store

SM AURA and SM Mall of Asia’s luxury beauty store Look (actually, LOOK at Me, but a previous logo design — now fixed — is the cause of the confusion for the store’s name) opened a third branch in SM North EDSA on Jan. 13.

LOOK at Me operates under Watsons Philippines, sharing this parentage with SM Beauty and the Watsons stores under the joint venture (JV) created by the SM Group and Hong Kong-based A.S. Watson & Co. Ltd. when it opened in the Philippines in 2002.

“Part of the JV is for Watsons to operate the beauty section of the SM store,” said Danilo Chiong, managing director of Watsons Philippines. The beauty offerings of SM are thus divided into three categories. Watsons provides personal care and daily essentials; the beauty department of the SM Stores has mass cosmetics and fragrance; and Look at Me, which was described by Mr. Chiong as “It’s your sosyal (fancy) big sister.” Speaking in a group interview before a store tour, he said, “We pride ourselves with being the home for rare, cult, and premium beauty finds.”

The brands in the store make up an impressive roster. Prada, YSL, Armani, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Maison Margiela, Viktor & Rolf, and Mugler are in their scent arsenal. Complementing these are Korean and Japanese skincare brands including Dr. Jart+, Laneige, Innisfree, Beauty of Joseon, COSRX, Round Lab, and Torriden. Global favorites such as The Ordinary, Rhode, Charlotte Tilbury, Shiseido, and NARS are also represented.

Aside from the premium brands available in-store, they also level up the experience with makeup artists who double as personal shoppers.

The store’s first location was in SM Aura, opening in 2020. “Before the pandemic happened, we saw the gap where there was no curated go-to store for premium beauty,” said Mr. Chiong. “We’re so active in beauty because it’s a thriving business in the Philippines in general. Health is a big driver for us. Health is growing exponentially for Watsons, but you can’t turn your eye away from beauty.”

About their growth in beauty, he said, “I think Filipinos just personally love looking good,” noting that this also means an increase in sales in fragrance. “I think Filipinos would find a way. We will always smell good, look good; in some shape, way or form. Even if you’re tired, you’ll find some form of self-care.”

While they can’t say where they are opening a fourth location, it will definitely be outside Metro Manila, said Mr. Chiong. “We want to bring that Look experience to more customers.”

After five years of experience since the opening of its first location, Mr. Chiong gave some notes on beauty consumer behavior: “Consumers are getting younger and smarter. I think Gen Z is the biggest consumer market right now. They’re very smart, they have money. They’re more intentional with their purchases.”

To respond to this, the salespeople in their staff undergo upgraded training, so customers really get what they want. Mr. Chiong says that sometimes, customers come with screencaps from TikTok and Instagram and ask for the same exact product, so this new cohort really knows what they want, and they want it fast. “I think Filipinos are very on-trend when it comes to beauty.”

The 3^rd branch of LOOK at Me is on the second floor of SM North EDSA’s The Block in Quezon City. — Joseph L. Garcia