After an eight-month facelift, Tangs Orchard's beauty hall has been transformed. Instead of generic counters for all brands, it now boasts concept stores with unique themes and exclusive brands such as Nars and Tom Ford Beauty. Next month, a wellness and beauty floor housing salons, spas and a grooming area for men will also be launched on Level 7.

The revamp, which was completed late last month, is part of a three-year, $45 million transformation of the department store that is slated to be completed by 2014.

Ms Juliet Ting-Willcox, senior vice-president of Tangs Stores Singapore, says the revamp is part of its strategy to remain competitive.

"The transformation is in response to several factors: increased competition for the consumer dollar from new shopping malls, new brands and shopping precincts in Singapore and the increased popularity of online shopping.

"Also, today's shoppers are more sophisticated and very discerning," she says.

"We want to reclaim the department store's relevance in the new retail landscape."

Tangs Beauty is not the only beauty retailer to have spruced up. In the past year, at least eight operators, from personal care stores such as Watsons to multi-brand emporiums such as Sephora and SaSa to other department store beauty halls such as Isetan Scott's, have gone for makeovers too.

The aim is the same: to attract, entice and get consumers to spend.

Based on the latest Beauty And Personal Care In Singapore report by research market firm Euromonitor International, the total sales of premium cosmetics last year stood at $669million.

This is a 6.8 per cent rise from $626million in 2010.

Premium brands usually refer to those sold in department stores and multi-brand beauty retailers.

Premium skincare sales also grew, rising by 7.3 per cent from $239million in 2010 to $256 million last year.

Whipping up excitement

In April, DFS Galleria Singapore at Scotts Road completed a renovation of its beauty hall. It cost more than $10 million and now offers free by-appointment services, such as makeovers and facial treatments.

There, customers get to try out a range of products from different brands, such as Giorgio Armani, which is exclusive to the store.

Over at Sephora, more than $2 million was spent in August to revamp two stores. The store in Takashimaya Shopping Centre is now twice its previous size, expanding from 2,850 sq ft to 5,700sq ft; and the one in Ion Orchard is modelled after the chain's flagship on Champs-Elysees in Paris, complete with flashing LED lights and an event space for product launches.

For Mr Afif Haddar, general manager of Sephora Singapore and Malaysia, engaging consumers and updating them about new products is one of his priorities.

"One of the biggest changes in the beauty industry in recent years is the sheer volume of new product launches in the market," he says.

"So what the customer constantly wants is 'newness', a more exciting shopping experience and better quality products."

The beauty halls at Takashimaya Department Store, Metro Paragon and Isetan Scotts also underwent nip and tucks on a smaller scale.

Japanese brand Albion is now stocked exclusively in Takashimaya; and brands such as Clarins, Cle de Peau Beaute and La Prairie have also refurbished their counters.

At Metro Paragon, Chanel and SK-II have amped up their counters with areas cordoned off for facials.

Isetan Scotts has added a new fragrance hall within its cosmetics department and expanded its range of offerings with 12 new fragrance labels, such as Chloe, Lanvin and Hugo Boss.

Watsons, too, has joined the fray with its spruced-up flagship in Takashimaya Shopping Centre.

More room has been carved out to stock its more than 13,000 products, as well as to showcase new concepts.

These include a Cosmetics Play Area to host makeovers, a space for premium and salon haircare brands and a dedicated men's section.

In the past two years, beauty brands have also been taking matters into their own hands by launching stand-alone stores. At least 10 labels, including Astalift, Laneige and Yves Saint Laurent Beaute, have set up their own retail spaces in malls.

All this is good news for beauty junkies such as account manager Natassja Zamani, 26, who is now spoilt for choice.

"In the past, if I wanted to buy something, I would just go online to check out the reviews, then head to the stores to get it and leave," she says.

"But because the newly revamped Tangs Beauty store is so beautiful and interesting, I will go there to test and compare the products."

The new Sephora in Ion Orchard is another favourite of hers, and she now spends up to $200 a month on beauty products, up from $50 previously.

Service matters

For the beauty brand managers, the new retail spaces are a welcome opportunity to showcase their brand stories in new and innovative ways.

"We get to elevate the consumer's shopping experience," says Ms Jo Yong, brand general manager of Estee Lauder Singapore.

"At our flagship boutique in Tangs Orchard, the new counter design suits the different shopping habits of consumers."

For consumers with specific concerns, there is a private corner for one-on-one skincare consultations, while tech-savvy customers can search for information on iPads next to the products.

But while beautiful retail spaces are important, service standards are crucial too. And this is where front-line staff in Singapore are usually found wanting.

"Customer service in the beauty industry here is not bad but attention to details can be improved on," says Ms Vanessa Robbins, brand manager of Benefit Cosmetics Singapore, who is from South Africa.

Beauty advisers should do things such as spend a little more time with a customer to get to know her, find out her likes and dislikes and follow up on them, she notes.

"The service here is a little too formal and regimented; it is often just 'hello', 'can I help you' and 'goodbye'.

"So at Benefit, we're educating the advisers to interact more with the customers and make them feel like they can have fun at our store."

Urban reviews three of the biggest beauty retailers here that have undergone revamps recently - Tangs Beauty, Sephora Ion Orchard and DFS Galleria Singapore - to see how they measure up in terms of service standards and total shopping experience.

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