Inside Sandton's new luxury beauty destination Arc

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A newcomer to the beauty retail landscape, Arc launched online in April this year and is now branching out into physical retail.

Notably, Arc is introducing coveted beauty brands such as Huda Beauty, Wishful Skincare and Kayali fragrances into the country as the official stockist of these brands, alongside cult favourites like Beauty Blender and Atelier Versace.

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“We are thrilled to be able to bring Arc to life, despite the difficult and unpredictable circumstances of the global pandemic. Arc is truly a first of its kind in South Africa so, prepare to immerse yourself in our modern, energy-fuelled and beautifully-designed store. From launching new and exclusive brands into the country, to offering unique interactive experiences, it truly is a beauty wonderland!” says Arc marketing executive Kelly Fung.

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Store design

For its first store, Arc aimed to take the old-school beauty counter approach and turn it on its head. While shoppers won’t find the typical beauty consultant from the department store era, service and expertise are on hand from Arc's team of "architects" that include makeup artists, skin specialists and fragrance consultants.

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Customers will find dedicated areas within the space for their self-care needs. They're able to browse an extensive collection of products in The Sanctuary – which offers a welcoming space for guests to find and develop their unique skincare routine – book a Dermalogica face mapping session for a skincare analysis or enjoy a treatment in the privacy of The Pod.

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As the Arc brand aims to champion individuality and self-expression, customers can get creative at The Lab, an interactive space for testing newly-launched products, hosting expert-led masterclasses or perfecting a new look.

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In terms of packaging, rather than requesting customers purchase shopper bags, Arc donates R5 to local environmental organisation Greenpop if the customer opts to not take one of the store's locally-made, 100% recycled and reusable bags.

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Arc says it will be implementing health and safety measures to make sure the store is a trusted place for customers to shop as the world continues to overcome the pandemic.