Stellenbosch Visio recently partnered with local beauty destination ARC and Japanese beauty brand SENSAI in celebrating women of all ages, shapes and complexions. Arnold Ras was there.
“As it is my good fortune to edit Stellenbosch Visio – a magazine dedicated to those things in life that are good, beautiful and valuable – it’s part of my job description to keep thinking about beauty as an art and a science in itself. Looking back on the previous ideals of beauty, we have indeed come a long way. Remember those pale lips and impossibly long lashes in the 1960s? Or the Farrah Fawcett-inspired looks in the ’70s? And in the ’80s it was all about big hair, multi-coloured eyebrows, high-fever blush and lip gloss for days… Ultra cool, or perhaps a memorable mess,” says Stellenbosch Visio editor Francé Beyers.
Today, however, there is an ever-present and undeniable drive to celebrate women’s uniqueness and variety of complexions and facial features.
“How wonderful that we are focusing on the whole human being and not just the outer mask. Let us celebrate our health, inimitable energy and personalities, and let this be the beauty that radiates throughout our lives and into old age.”
According to Kelly Fung, ARC’s head of marketing, ARC was born out of the belief that the world of beauty should be about inclusivity, feeling good and empowering oneself. “This means welcoming people into our stores will always be our priority, be it in the form of best-in-class service, with a personal touch, or as exciting events and experiences in which our customers and community can participate. The Stellenbosch Visio reader event is a great example of how we can bring together a group of people, who may or may not be beauty devotees, and welcome them into a comfortable, yet luxurious, environment. We hope people leave the store feeling good.”
As a world-class, beauty-focused wonderland that boasts more than 100 of the best global and local beauty brands, ARC is the first store of its kind in South Africa. “We live, breathe, eat and sleep all things skincare, makeup and fragrance. We are an example of modern luxury, inclusive of all ages, races, sexualities, tastes and concerns,” says Kelly.
Guests were pampered with luxurious hand treatments courtesy of SENSAI while learning more about the brand’s deeply rooted philosophy and its precious signature ingredient, Koishimaru Silk. “SENSAI is known for its quality of ingredients, efficacy and subtle approach to luxury. It sits perfectly on the ARC shelves as one of the most coveted brands in our store,” she adds.
Visit your nearest ARC store at Tyger Valley and the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, Sandton City in Johannesburg or Menlyn in Pretoria. For more information, visit ARC online.