The final element of The Loop’s upgrade at Dublin Airport T2 is a new beauty hall, Ireland’s largest, featuring an unrivalled range of perfume and cosmetics products. The store offers 90 brands, including 30 brands that are new to Dublin Airport such as Maison Christian Dior boutique, Byredo, Nars and hourglass.
“Our goal was to produce a world-class retail experience for our customers, and we have done that,” said Paul Neeson, Director of Retail Ireland for ARI, The Loop’s parent company. “We are immensely proud to unveil Ireland’s largest beauty destination, where we can empower our shoppers with choice and reward them with value. Our objective was to create an innovative, immersive brand experience for shoppers as they travel towards their destination.”
Above are Ray Hernan, Chief Executive, ARI, and Deirdre Devaney, Global Head of Beauty, ARI.
The T2 beauty hall has doubled in size as part of the revamp, which began in 2018. The project was completed in phases to allow trading to continue during the works.
The 944 sq metre retail space offers shoppers new brands across the key categories of fragrance, skincare, makeup and haircare, and showcases global favourites and niche brands. The sleek design of the new beauty hall was developed with the modern consumer in mind.
“ARI remains a leader in the travel industry worldwide, and we have continued to raise the standards of travel retail globally with our new offering at The Loop at T2,” added Paul Neeson. “We look forward to adding many more exciting new brands and exclusive experiences for our customers in the very near future.”
In developing the new T2 beauty hall, embracing retail innovation, digital technology and the latest beauty trends were all essential to ensure a compelling and competitive offering for shoppers.
“We recognise that each consumer is unique and, therefore, so too should be their retail experience. As well as new digital try-on tools and shade-matching technology at makeup counters, to provide a bespoke experience, skincare consultations are now available at Clarins, La Mer and Clinique; an engraving service is available at Estée Lauder and M.A.C; while personalisation on fragrances is offered exclusively at Le Labo.”
Exclusive shopping experiences at the T2 Beauty Hall include Ireland’s first Maison Christian Dior boutique as well as luxury fragrance houses Le Labo and Byredo. The T2 beauty hall is also the first travel retailer globally to house haircare innovators Living Proof and luxury beauty brand hourglass Cosmetics.
The completion of the new beauty hall follows an overhaul of The Loop’s entire facilities within T2, as a new confectionary department opened recently, and a new flagship liquor store began trading last summer.
Passengers with a sweet tooth will delight at the new-look confectionery department in The Loop at T2, where a special emphasis has been put on luxury chocolates from home and abroad. The new Chocolatier Collection celebrates the finest Irish chocolatiers, including Butlers, Lír, Lily O’Briens, The Chocolate Garden and Skellig’s Chocolate, as well as Belgian maestros Guylian and Leonidas. In addition, passengers should expect to find travel favourites such as Kinder and Toblerone, as well as Irish brands such as Mileeven Honey and The Lismore Food Company.
Buyers across the new The Loop at T2 have actively sourced brands and products that are taking steps towards sustainable production. The growing consumer demand for vegan-friendly beauty has seen the introduction of brands such as bareMinerals, Toofaced and REN, as well as vegan-friendly products by hourglass Cosmetics and Pestle & Mortar.
Sustainable practices are not just confined to the beauty hall. Belgian chocolatier Leonidas sources cocoa from its own cocoa plantation, where free education and healthcare is provided to its workers and their families. Meanwhile, Guylian has spearheaded ‘Project Seahorse’ – an initiative dedicated to preserving seahorses, their habitats and other marine life globally.
