Kota Bharu, the city that has forsaken aerobics, is also the place that Sephora forgot.
Don’t worry, local beauty entrepreneur, color contact lens lover and purveyor (PM tepi sis Aura Lens FB) Farra Fareez has got you covered for all of your contouring needs: She’s just opened a new cosmetics boutique in Kota Bharu.
With branding that looks suspiciously like that of leading global beauty warehouse (and vacuum of a certain editor’s salary), Sephora, we were wondering if it was mere coincidence and then we saw the name: SEFARRA. OK. And the bags. OK.
Zero points for originality Farra, but a round of applause for the sheer gumption needed to rip off the world’s most recognizable beauty store branding like you’ve never heard of copyright.
Wait, gurl — have you heard of copyright?
The stock at Sefarra promises not to disappoint Kelantan’s makeup lovers, who otherwise would have to travel to Penang for the nearest actual Sephora.
You’ll find Ms Fareez’s own line of color contacts, for unnaturally icy blue-grey eyes that would pierce the retina of even a young Paul Newman.
You can also pick up her namesake line of make-up, Farra Beauty.
Don’t fret, scent lovers! Enterprising Farra has also launched a series of signature scents, designed to look just like baby Chanel bottles, but inspired by other scents from Gucci and Chloe.
Gurl, be consistent with your knock-offs. If you’re gonna jack Gucci’s aroma, don’t put them in a Lagerfeld bottle. Respek.
Also, judging by the shelves in the photo below, there are fake eyelashes, carrying artwork on the box that looks suspiciously similar to the ones sold by international bestsellers Huda Beauty.
Malaysian netizens (definitely users of the brand’s excellent online store and/or urban dwellers who can visit actual Sephora outlets) could NOT tahan the blatant knock-off, and the primer, contour, and strobe came out to mock the beauty world’s equivalent to Storkeobocks Coffee.
Farra, unflinching under the spotlight of widespread online mockery, is sticking to her guns and currently doing a hard-sell via social media for her “inspired” perfume line.
We’ve reached out for comment to both her and Sephora Malaysia. We’ll keep you posted.
Sips tea. Checks lipstick.
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