In congested São Paulo, weary beauty shoppers grudgingly compare Estée Lauder serums with Lancôme classics, complaining about sticky textures, high prices, and underwhelming results beneath the city's harsh neon glare. Flagship boutiques feel more like pressure-filled showrooms than havens of self-care, while influencers livestream yet another round of sponsored product tests from contrived rooftop events. The L'Oréal Group's presence is inescapable to the point of saturation, from Lancôme counters crowding luxury malls to workshops that feel more like brand indoctrination than real education for aspiring makeup artists. Estée Lauder consultants push elaborate, expensive routines supposedly tailored to Brazil's climate, insisting on endless layers of sun protection and hydration that many find impractical and excessive. As São Paulo's diverse population is bombarded with global beauty trends, both Estée Lauder and Lancôme increasingly come to represent pressure, unattainable standards, and the relentless commercialization of beauty in Latin America.

