04 Feb A Beauty Connoisseur’s Guide to Shanghai, China
On a recent holiday to Shanghai, China, I was thrust into the hub of China’s booming C-Beauty scene. Beyond traditional cosmetic counters, Shanghai had an dazzling array of local brands and experience that would impress even the most blasé of industry experts. If you’re a fellow beauty fan planning a trip to Shanghai, here’s my beauty city guide to the must-visit stores in Shanghai, China. Also, Don’t miss my blogpost Chinese Beauty Brands to Know about the rising stars in C-beauty!
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HARMAY- Warehouse Emporium
If your’re looking for niche or high end cosmetics, HARMAY (話梅) is your place to go. Harmay is Shanghai’s most well known multi-label beauty store and has been referred to as the “Sephora of Shanghai” due to its wide selection of skincare, haircare, fragrance and makeup brands. You can also purchase sample sizes of these products- a big win for beauty fans who like to try new products.
The brands in Harmay are mostly middle to high end niche brand local C-beauty and international brands, like Winona, KANS, Augustinus Bader, Chanel, La Mer and SK-II. I enjoyed shopping in both of Harmay’s outlets in Xintiandi and Anfu; but I preferred the Xintiandi flagship for its larger space and wider selection of products. Service was also thoughtful at Harmay’s Xintiandi outlet- although it was crowded on a weekday evening; Harmay’s staff gave out candy and cooling patches to everyone in the queue; and volunteered information on how to enjoy further discounts (register for Harmay’s membership online for more deals).
COLORIST (调色师), KKV, WOW COLOUR AND TWINKLE COLOR- Trending C-beauty makeup and skincare
To get the pulse of the latest trends in C-beauty, I highly recommend visiting The Colorist, KKV and Twinkle Color. These multi-brand retailers offer an overwhelming but well organised selection of makeup and skincare that Chinese beauty brands have to offer- from eyeshadow palettes, lip glosses, nail kits to eyelash extensions. Name if and they’ll have it at The Colorist, KKV and Twinkle Color. KKV is the megamart extension of The Colorist- if you need brushes, organisers and headbands for your GRWM- you’ll find them at KKV.
To cover these The Colorist, KKV and Wow Color in one fell swoop, I recommend visiting Jing’an Joy City mall, where all 3 shops are conveniently located.
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TO SUMMER FLAGSHIP- Chinese heritage meets contemporary scents
To Summer (观夏) is one of the fastest growing fragrance brands in China. The brand’s aesthetics are steeped in Chinese heritage with a modern, minimalist twist. I loved the tea inspired scents and poetically named fragrances at To Summer.
I recommend visiting To Summer’s flagship in the Former French Concession- it is a calming presence in the hustle of the French Concession and makes for a nice break. The two story store is a testament to the brand’s modern Chinese aesthetic, and houses an exhibition space on the top floor.
MINISO- great value and exclusive beauty collaborations!
An unexpected find for C-beauty for me was Miniso’s flagship -the “MINISO LAND” flagship on Nanjing Road. Miniso is the Chinese answer to Daiso, and retails a wide range of lifestyle and household items at affordable prices.
For beauty fans, don’t miss the Miniso exclusive brands and collaborations.Miniso had exclusive collaborations with Vaseline, Sanrio and Disney for lipbalms, skincare and utility products like mirrors, headbands and organisers- great as souvenirs! My daughter loved the Cinnamoroll beauty paraphernalia, and I found Miniso’s inhouse beauty brand to offer makeup at very good value. I picked up two eyeliners for under SGD$4 each and a chic Miniso’s UPF hat for SGD$6 and was impressed by the quality of my Miniso buys.
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BENEUNDER (蕉下) AND LI-NING (李宁)
Level up your sun protection game beyond sunscreens and umbrellas with Ultraviolet Protection (UPF) outfits. UPF outfits are made from fabrics that are specially designed to deflect more UV rays than most cotton fabrics. Two standout Chinese brands in my opinion with well designed, wearable UPF clothing for everyday use are Beneunder and Li-Ning.
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Beneunder carries high coverage clothing for daily use including UPF 200+ jackets fashionably designed with cinched waists and full coverage of the hands and lower face. Li-Ning is a local sportswear brand founded by an ex-Olympic gymnast. Li-Ning’s selection of UPF clothing is smaller than Beneunder, but geared for exercising- think moisture wicking, feather light UPF fabrics to keep you comfortable while protected from UV rays.
BASAO TEA, HUXINTING AT YU GARDEN, TEASTONE: Chinese tea houses
For an inside-out approach to skin health and a quintessential Chinese ritual- visit a Chinese tea house when you’re in Shanghai. Green tea is a rich source of catechins which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These micronutrients are helpful adjunct to your photoprotection and skincare regime; and are useful for a holistic approach to your overall healthspan and skin health.
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My personal favourite teahouses are Basao Tea at RockBund, HuXinTing at Yu Garden and Teastone at Xintiandi. If you only have time for one teahouse- HuXinTing at Yu Garden and Teastone are my recommendations.
HuXinTing is one of Shanghai’s oldest teahouses. Housed in a pagoda in a lotus pond; drinking tea at HuXinTing is a refined, elegant experience with a panoramic view of the Nine-Turn Bridge and architecture.
For a casual and affordable tea experience, I like Teastone; their outlet at Xintiandi is adjacent to Harmay. Teastone serves brewed tea for purists, and accompanying desserts. Don’t let the sleek, modern design of Teastone throw you off- Teastone has a wide selection of white, green and Oolong teas (including rare 玉露 from Hubei) that you can have chilled or hot. Sales assistants were very knowledgeable and warm- they recommended 松萝茶 and 銀針 tea leaves which were perfect choices for me.
My favourite tea experience is however, the newly renovated BASAO Tea on The Bund. I love the zen, light filled space and the mix of woody elements in the interior. Tea selection is very limited but exquisite at BASAO Tea. My experience at BASAO was unhurried, while my sales assistant patiently prepared white tea, Gongfu style for me.
Final words on Shanghai China
Shanghai has much to offer for beauty experiences and I personally enjoyed diving into the heart of Chinese beauty brands in the stores and flagships. If you enjoyed my guide to Shanghai’s best beauty stores and experiences, be sure to check out my other beauty city guides:
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Bangkok, Thailand: 5 Must Visit Skincare & Makeup Shops
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