YSL Beaute returns to Singapore

Three years after it withdrew from Singapore, Yves Saint Laurent Beaute is back.

Instead of just opening counters in department stores, it launched its first South-east Asian stand-alone boutique earlier this month in ION Orchard.

By next month, the beauty brand, which was set up in Paris in 1978, will open a concessionaire at the newly revamped Tangs Beauty department in Tangs Orchard.

Besides its elegant clothing and accessories, the YSL brand is also known for its iconic perfumes, including Opium, Paris and Rive Gauche, as well as makeup - the Touche Eclat highlighter, Rouge Pur Couture lipstick and Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils.

YSL Beaute pulled out from Singapore in 2009 after French beauty giant L'Oreal bought the brand from the luxury conglomerate, PPR, in 2008 and relooked its operations.

Aided by L'Oreal's labs - which supports a stable of about 20 beauty brands and develops more than 3,000 new formulas each year - YSL Beaute is now ready to take on the big boys with a new line-up of products.

These include the bright, bold and glossy Rouge Pur Couture Vernis A Levres liquid lipstick; the Le Teint Touche Eclat liquid foundation that promises the same glow you get from the Touche Eclat; and the anti-ageing skincare range, Forever Youth Liberator.

YSL Beaute's international general manager, Mr Stephan Bezy, tells Urban the brand's game plan in an e-mail interview.

Why is YSL Beaute relaunching in Singapore and opening its first South-east Asian stand-alone store here?

Singapore is a natural choice for the flagship because it is one of the most competitive markets in Asia with savvy consumers.

We waited till our new anti-ageing skincare range - the Forever Youth Liberator - was ready before we opened the store earlier this month. More importantly, we were also waiting for the right space at Ion Orchard to be available.

What has changed at YSL Beaute after it was bought over by L'Oreal in 2008?

To play a leading role in the Asian markets, YSL Beaute is dedicated to expanding its skincare line as part of its strategy and the L'Oreal labs are a major asset.

The L'Oreal labs have spent 20 years of research on skin glycobiology and this has led to the launch of YSL's Forever Youth Liberator skincare range.

Glycobiology is the study of glycans, or sugar chains that have a crucial role in keeping cells functioning at an optimal level, hence leaving the skin looking young.

L'Oreal also worked on reviving the YSL brand through its fragrances and make-up.

In 2009, the brand was rejuvenated with the launch of two new fragrances, La Nuit De L'Homme, a men's cologne; and Parisienne. Last year, we updated the brand's iconic Opium fragrance with American actress Emily Blunt as its new face and a TV commercial, the first in a decade for the perfume.

YSL's make-up range has also benefited from the innovation and know-how of L'Oreal labs. We now have 12 shades of the Touche Eclat highlighter to suit a wide range of skin tones. We have captured the light-reflecting properties of the Touche Eclat in a foundation with Le Teint Touche Eclat, which was launched here this month.

We've improved the iconic Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils with new formulas and brush shapes.

Earlier this year, we also launched the glossy and liquid version of YSL Beaute's signature Rouge Pur Couture lipstick with the Rouge Pur Couture Vernis A Levres.

Is there a shift towards the Asian consumer in YSL Beaute's business strategy?

For skincare, we are working on specific textures that fulfil the expectations of Asian women. For example, there are two versions of the Forever Youth Liberator Serum. The one sold in Europe is thicker, while the one available in Asia is lighter, more easily absorbed and feels more comfortable on the skin in humid weather.

In terms of make-up, our creative director, Mr Lloyd Simmonds, also keeps in mind the shades that suit Asian women when it comes to creating new global make-up collections.

What are YSL Beaute's expansion plans for Singapore and Asia?

In Singapore, we are aiming to open a few more counters in the first two years. The goal is to establish the brand as one of the top ones in the market. We are also planning boutique and counter openings in Asia, including key markets where the brand is currently not present, such as Greater China, North Asia and other parts of South-east Asia in the next 18 months.

Urban writer Gladys Chung shares her four favourites as she reviews two iconic and two new YSL Beaute Products.

	THE CLASSICS Touche Eclat Radiant highlighter pen, $55 I've been using this for the past five years, stocking up on it overseas when it was not available here. It never fails to hide my dark circles in a jiffy. On days when I look like death, it will brighten and freshen up my face, even when used on its own. No wonder the brand claims a Touche Eclat pen is sold every 10 seconds globally.
	Rouge Pur Couture lipstick, $45 This is my favourite brand of lipstick because it glides on easily and the colours are rich and vibrant. I reach for this whenever I want to wear a bold lip colour for a dramatic make-up look. My favourite shades are: 01, a bright scarlet for instant glamour; and 39, a deep purple that adds interest to an all-black outfit.
	THE NEW FAVOURITES Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation, $55 This liquid foundation, which is lightweight and spreads easily, provides light to medium coverage. It blends well and does not leave my skin patchy even when I applied three layers to conceal some redness on my chin. The brand says it has captured the illuminating properties of the Touche Eclat highlighter in this foundation. Although the Beige Rose shade that I used gave my skin a healthy pink tone, I don't think it added as much of a glow as the highlighter pen.
	Rouge Pur Couture Vernis A Levres, $43 This liquid lipstick - which has the lacquer sheen of a lip gloss but the colour intensity of a lipstick - is the best that I've come across so far. It is not too thick or sticky; the consistency is slightly watery so it is easy to spread on my lips. The colour is long-lasting and does not bleed. The ergonomic applicator - flat, angled and shaped like a spade - makes it a breeze to colour my lips with this Ferrari red (No.9).

This story was first published on Oct 26,2012 on StraitsTimes.com. To read more: http://sph.straitstimes.com/archive/sunday/supplements/urban/story/beaute-revival-20121026.