Up until now, I hadn’t really thought of Admiralty as a must-visit shopping destination… more a place to get trampled on as you attempt to change train! However, LAB Concept recently changed that idea, and now the arrival of Pacific Place’s Beauty Gallery has further cemented my change of heart – and beauty junkies, you will feel the same!
Taking up half of the space where Lane Crawford used to be (the rest will be a massive Burberry, which is still being built), the Beauty Gallery comprises of gorgeous spacious stand-alone boutiques for nine of the best beauty brands out there; forget jostling for space at cramped counters in department stores, this is now THE place to get your beauty fix!
Here are a couple of reasons why the Beauty Gallery is awesome:
– NARS’ flagship boutique, their largest store in HK. It’s huge, its monochrome city-chic look is based on its New York store, it stocks products exclusive to this branch, has a shelf of Francois Nars’ most inspiring photo books and boasts ample dedicated space for you to get a makeover (great if you have a big night planned)… and did I mention, it’s huge?!
– Chanel has devoted around half its store to their gorgeous fragrances. Their scent specialist will sit down with you (on one of their Chanel trademark boucle chairs!) for over an hour if you so desire and guide you through over 50 of their fragrances to find the one perfect for you. I’m strictly a Chanel No. 5 girl but fell in love with their lavender Jersey perfume!
– La Mer and Natura Bisse, two leading skincare specialists, have their own (surprisingly spacious) private treatment rooms for dispensing luxurious facials. It’s La Mer’s first stand-alone boutique in HK and Natura Bisse’s first in the world. La Mer’s aquatic-themed décor includes fish tanks and a lounge area complete with sofa where you can leave your significant other whilst you go beauty foraging. Meanwhile, look out for a review of Natura Bisse’s signature red carpet facial (as loved by Hollywood celebs) on Sassy soon!
– Shu Uemura have also created their biggest stand-alone boutique in HK, with a super high-tech Tokyo Brow Station to shape, trim and style those brows, alongside their much-loved false eyelash application services at the Tokyo Lash Bar too. Again, look out for a review of the Tokyo Brow Station on here soon.
– There’s also lovely big stores for YSL Beaute (its first stand-alone boutique worldwide), Giorgio Armani (check out their stunning Prive fragrance bar – those bottles are works of art in themselves), Joyce Beauty and La Prairie.
Meanwhile, the design of the whole area is great – it feels like you’re walking down a curving street of cool beauty boutiques and, now Lane Crawford is gone, the area joins back up to the rest of the mall, making it feel like a free-flowing circuit.
Beauty junkies – I’ve found your new mecca. Happy shopping!
Pacific Place Beauty Gallery, G/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong, 2844 8988