There's no use in arguing that beauty is eternal. Aging issues aside, tans fade, roots eventually show their dark side and concealer applied before work reveals 6 o'clock shadows by cocktail hour.
There are also trends to consider: a smoky eye one day may cede its centerfold status to dewy lips the next.
This is well understood by brand behemoths such as Procter & Gamble, and helps to explain why products are as ever evolving as the animal kingdom.
Modern shoppers, however, are notorious for being tempted by chi-chi cosmetics counters, with their hands-on displays.
So it was only a matter of time before in-store makeovers got the makeover treatment.
P&G has created the Look Fab Studio, a “pop-up store” at the heart of Toronto's shopping district, on Bloor Street just east of Yonge. It opened yesterday for one month (until May 13).
Selling everything from tech toys (Motorola) to cat food (Meow Mix), pop-up stores take temporary possession of empty retail spaces to provide interactive hype.
Look Fab Studio is Canada's first beauty pop-up, bringing together P&G's beauty roster: Pantene Pro-V, CoverGirl, Olay, Nice 'n Easy, Crest and Venus. Women can walk in and receive complimentary hair styling, makeup application, hair and skin analyses with interactive gizmos and a boatload of samples. No purchase required. No strings attached.
“The underlying idea is about beauty transformation and providing skin-care advice and all the beauty things you experience today,” says spokewoman Joyce Lau.
The buzz factor is amped up by celebrity makeup artist Paul Venoit, who will appear on two Saturdays for one-on-one — again, free — consultations.
Thirteen professional stylists will also be available to demonstrate a new Olay face wash or a high-tech mascara wand.
As Venoit points out, “The tips that you get at Look Fab are tailored to your specific needs, as opposed to taking a trend like the thick eyeliner with the little tail on the end [which] looks one way on paper but it looks another way on your face.”
Passersby would be foolish not to take a peek; Lau says they're prepared to accommodate lineups since 150 is maximum capacity (hair appointments can also be scheduled as of Monday through the website, www.lookfab.ca). Awash in magenta, the 3,000-square-foot space is sleek and chic and the fancy “pod” stations have real curb appeal.
In fact, the Look Fab Studio shares much in common with a luxury car showroom. P&G's pop-up store paints a rosy picture and gets people in for a test drive. And it will pack up right before the shine wears off.
