Looking good at home became a form of self-care for many during the pandemic, proving that looking good for oneself (and perhaps, for all those in-cam Zoom calls) became quite the coping mechanism we’ve all subscribed to.
Amid the lockdowns and the rise of online activity, Lazada emerged as one of the leaders in the beauty e-commerce industry, offering reliable service, buzzy collaborations with beauty creators, and irresistible deals that had their ardent followers staying up until midnight to get first dibs on LazBeauty exclusive deals.
However, turning to e-commerce platforms like Lazada was not always the norm, especially for the beauty industry. Before the pandemic, e-commerce platforms were purely for replenishing products that have been tried, tested, and currently used in person. Buying new products on a whim was rarely the case. After all, many beauty products depend on everyone’s needs—and skin composition, for example. From how a product works with someone’s skin tone and texture to the scent of a beauty product, even the weight of the packaging, all factored into the buying process. Walking around wearing the scent, swatching a product for any allergic reactions or skin matching, and many other steps helped buyers zero in on what to purchase—one wrong move would end up wasting good money on a product that you’ll end up not using!
All of this came to a screeching halt during the pandemic. People were stuck at home and surprisingly, flocked to beauty e-commerce platforms for their skincare and makeup needs. Perhaps what made it a surprise was the collective move to look good while at home, showing that people were getting dolled up for themselves, and not for others. Buyers turned to beauty and skin regimens as self-care during trying times, attempting to maintain a part of their pre-pandemic life, an act of defiance in refusing to sacrifice even that to the merciless changes the pandemic brought down on everyone.
Lazada’s beauty category flourished during the pandemic, so much so that LazBeauty is as easily recognized as a stand-alone name as its mother brand. Popular beauty brands, from high-end favorites like Estee Lauder and MAC to affordable options such as Maybelline and L’Oréal, have strong followings in their official LazMall stores.
Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality made it possible for buyers to have as close to a sensory experience as possible without needing to leave their homes. Pauline Castro, Head of User Product Operations at Lazada Philippines, says, “With women using an average of six products for their daily routine, our challenge was to enable a simplified online shopping experience. Our constant push for innovation on LazBeauty with new tools and features is to address our customers’ pain points and align more closely with their shopping behavior.”
If anything, Lazada was not slow to catch up and take advantage of the ready technology that could enrich the shopping experience. Pauline shares, for example, “Our realistic AI and AR-powered ‘Virtual Try-On’ tool mimics the offline shopping experience and enables beauty lovers around the region to instantly sample products with pictures or live videos of themselves before making a purchase. The AI-powered and augmented reality ‘Skin Test’ application can scan the user’s face in real time and recognize the user’s current skin condition to tailor product recommendations accordingly. Another service is the ‘Try & Buy’ service which lets members buy samples of skincare, makeup, and personal care products to test them out before buying the full-size version. It is especially useful for members with sensitive skin types, or those prone to skin purging, so they can experience the product first before committing to it.” Now that there has been a return to in-store shopping, LazBeauty proves that when treated well, customers will remain loyal. Lazbeauty’s hold on its community remains strong as ever.
In September 2022, LazBeauty was officially born. Anika Leongson, Strategic Accounts Lead for Beauty at Lazada Philippines, shares, “We launched LazBeauty across our SEA markets—Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam—in September 2022 to establish Lazada as a leading e-commerce platform for beauty. The LazBeauty channel features a wide assortment of beauty, skincare, and hair care products at the best prices while providing the best online beauty shopping experience and quality service from Lazada.”
A club that represents “confidence and community”, Anika reveals that LazBeauty’s membership has grown 20 times in 2023, showing not just the clamor that there still is for the e-commerce platform, but how beauty brands have confidence in Lazada. She continues, “We are grateful for so many brand partners like Issy, Happy Skin and BLK, L’Oréal, and Estée Lauder Companies, who continue to invest in the platform and choose Lazada for exclusive product launches and promos.”
Members are treated to several benefits, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty at every turn. Anika shares, “Anyone can sign up for free via the Lazada app to access member-exclusive benefits such as vouchers up to 20 percent off, special prices on makeup to personal care products, a birthday voucher, and our newly launched points program wherein they can get up to P350 off. They also get a personalized shopping experience where products and features are according to the member’s skin type and skin goals, plus exclusive access to events, such as the 12 Days of LazBeauty raffle last December which awarded 12 lucky members a P5,000 voucher each.”
Now that there has been a return to in-store shopping, LazBeauty proves that when treated well, customers will remain loyal. Lazbeauty’s hold on its community is, as Anika says, strong as ever. “It’s because of our member-exclusive benefits and our points program. For example, a LazBeauty Club member can get their favorite sunscreen stick at its lowest price, redeem a member voucher up to 20 percent off, earn 10 points for every P100 spent, redeem previously earned points, and get free shipping nationwide. Not to mention that with the overall Lazada experience, customers also have the ease and convenience of shopping online. We remain committed to offering the best prices and promotions, our enhanced returns and refund policies which cover change of mind, plus our quality service with fast and free shipping.”
Heading into LazBeauty Club’s second year, the key to their growth is knowing how to keep their members interested. Anika shares that members have these to look forward to for 2024. “Watch out for more exclusive discounts, raffles, games, and exclusive product drops this 2024.”
The pandemic has brought about changes that continue to affect our daily lives, whether we notice them or not. One of these changes is that online shopping has become more widespread, and it is likely to remain this way. However, as more people feel comfortable shopping in person again, there will be healthy competition between physical stores and online shopping platforms like Lazada. In the end, this competition will benefit the customer, as each store will strive to provide the best experience and earn customer loyalty. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
Below, discover and shop these LazBeauty award-winning picks!
Best Color Cosmetics
SACE LADY Tinted Brow Gel
P199, Lazada
Best Face Foundation
Maybelline Fit Me Fresh Tint
P399, Lazada
Best in Skin Protection
Cetaphil Brightness Refresh Toner
P840, Lazada
Best in Skin Hydration
Kiehl’s Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum
P5,850, Lazada
Best Grooming Essential
Kérastase Genesis Anti Hair-Fall Fortifying Serum
P1,590, Lazada
Best Bathing Essential
