3 nights in Bangkok
BANGKOK is one of my favorite cities in the world. Between 1991 and the present, I have probably been there 30-plus times for work and pleasure. If there is one thing I love about Bangkok, and Thailand in general, is how beautiful the people are.
The beauty isn’t just skin deep. Thai people are beautiful in so many ways other than the physical. They are warm and friendly. I have been to Thailand so many times in the past, and I came back recently (after 20-plus years) to discover that nothing has changed.
I returned to Bangkok upon the invitation of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, which hosted its first experiential tour of Thailand’s wellness and cosmetics companies. The tour focused on Entrepreneurial Tourism.
On the first day, we visited a mall and looked at the makeup counters in the department store. Like in the Philippines, the department store we visited carried brands from the midrange to luxury, such as Clarins, Guerlain, MAC, Urban Decay, Illamasqua, Dior and many others. The spaces between counters were spacious compared to those in the Philippines and even other countries.
But our group, which included officials and members of the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines, were there for Thai beauty brands and those were what we looked at.
BSC is a brand that has skin care and cosmetics with prices starting from 550 baht.
Another brand that we checked out was Merrezca, which, according to the sales person, is fairly new. They only have makeup right now but she said they will carry skin care soon.
We also headed to Boots to look at their offerings, which, to be honest, were quite vast. Thais, like Filipinos, love whitening products and they had lots of Snail White products, which are very popular here, too.
If you are ever in Thailand, do check out Mistine. SM used to carry this brand. I loved their powder foundation, if I could find their darkest shade. Mistine is available practically everywhere, including Boots.
Madame Heng is another Thai brand that you can find in Boots and other retail outlets. This is another old brand worth checking out.
I remember a friend who works for a multinational saying that their company has personal-care products that are only available in Thailand and not anywhere else because they are such a big market. For example, I saw body washes and lotions from Procter and Gamble and Unilever in special scents and packaging.
Thailand’s beauty and personal-care products market was valued at around $4.7 billion in 2017. This was a 7.8-percent increase over 2016. Skin-care products were valued at $2.2 billion (47 percent of the market). Hair products were valued at $846 million (18 percent of the market). Makeup products were valued at $658 million (14 percent of the market). Personal hygiene products were valued at $752 million (16 percent of the market). Source: Thailand Country Commercial Guide (bit.ly/2XQcHkj).
I tried to find Nuttarin because their extra virgin coconut oil is famous in the beauty world for being chemical-free. It is said to be a great makeup remover. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it anywhere.
Another product I wanted was Srichand Translucent Powder, which is an “auntie” product from an old brand that has since been refreshed so that it will appeal to millennials and younger people.
Beauty shopping in Bangkok is very satisfying because there are so many things and price points to choose from.
To be continued .... ■