Places to Shop: New Beauty Centre (Khar)

The inspiration to do this came when I read a query on Wiseshe today morning. I thought I would share with you some places I haunt when looking for makeup & skin care products.

I have to start this series with New Beauty Centre in Khar.

Telephone: 022 - 26052947, 26052948, 26052949 

/Address: # 138, S V Road, Next To BMC Hospital, Opposite Khar Masjid, Khar West, Mumbai - 400050

Landmark: Opposite Rajasthan Restaurant (while we talking about this, this is a not a very nice place to eat. If you get hungry after shopping, cross over to Linking Road on the other side, it'll take you 10 mins by foot. It has much better places like McDonalds)

This was the place where I bought my first cream blush. It was NYX Red Cheeks. Fittingly that was also the first product I reviewed on this blog as well. This place has some very, very fond memories for me. I love the way this place smells - like a fresh lipstick - it's chemically but for an addict like me, it's the invite I need. It just somehow smells comfortable, familiar.

 

It's hard to miss the two storied building in shocking fuchsia pink.

But actually this is just the temporary store. The actual store is across the street. When located there, it was much bigger and part of the store was in the basement. That building is in re-development now and from what I hear from the owners - it will be a 8 storied building dedicated exclusively for women's shopping needs. I can only imagine the brands it will stock then, and I feel this is India's answer to Sephora.

The best part about this store is that *each & every brand* (makeup or skincare) here has discounts running *all* the time.  

• Colorbar - 20%
• Maybelline - 10%
• Lakme - 10%
• Jordana - 20%
• NYX - 20%
• Bourjois - 15% (I think, could be 10 also)
• Revlon - 15%
• L'Oreal - 10%

In addition to the above brands they also stock Streetwear, Ponds, Olay, Kaya, Neutrogena, Chambor, Make Up Factory, VOV, Be Yu, Diana of London,

In skincare they have

• Biotique
• Himalaya
• Dabur
• Nature's Essence
• Aroma Magic
• VLCC
• Revayur
• Jovees
• Juice Nail Enamels
• The Body Shop - some products
• Clinique
• Neutrogena (the imported range)
• St Ives
• Jergens
• Bio Glow
• H2O
• Boots & a lot more!!

They also stock salon equipment, nail art equipment but their makeup brush collection is very sad. They only stock Vega.

 In hair care they have L'oreal Professional, Wella, Matrix, Schzwarkopf, TiGi, John Frieda, amongst others & these too have discounts running on them all the time

 They also have a perfume section where you get Burberry amongst other brands, but I don't know if these are original or China-made.

The best thing about this place is the huge range for sure, you can compare eyeliners, lipsticks, blush shades across brands and choose the one you like best as per your budget. The discounts also help those of us who are always pinching pennies, plus a lot of times they have GWP schemes running. The SAs are all very sweet.

 The worst thing about it is that since the shop is pretty popular amongst girls, the popular or in-colors/shades/products tend to go out of stock pretty often. Also it is closed on Sundays and personally for me it is a little bit far from Andheri. The SAs also do tend to stay quite about the GWP schemes for some reason. For a long time I was ignorant and I would never ask them, but now I know better. Always ask the SA if there is any offer running, they tend to hide the posters, pamphlets under the table. But if asked they will inform you.

I believe there are two more beauty centres at Crawford market (been there once, it was more crowded than a local train, I got scared & didn't enter the store itself) and also at Kandivali West( This is bigger than that Khar one and has a lot of things like purses and all, but I didn't like it, the place felt very thanda - not happening)

I once saw Shilpa Shetty here. She claimed she was passing by and was intrigued by the store, so she wanted to check it out. The owner of the store was fawning all over her & gave her makeup worth Rs. 10,000/- free just for walking in!! She didn't even buy anything.

 

I felt it was very unfair, and that I, who has spent so many hours & also money in the store should also be given a free gift hamper. But that is life. :-P

In all I love this store. I think I could live here all my life if needed. It is my favourite place to shop and I can't wait for it to move into the new building.

Have you shopped here? What do you like / hate about this store?