I am obsessed with playing with my makeup and having fun with it. The thing I am not obsessed with: the cost. So often, you’ll find brand name products at Sephora or Nordstrom that will end up costing you anywhere from $20-80. That ain’t cute.
Although many people have talked about purchasing makeup at the dollar store, one place I kept hearing about on makeup social media was MINISO. If you’re not familiar with the brand, the best way to describe it is the Japanese version of the dollar store, but with Uniqlo’s store aesthetic and MUJI’s product catalogue. Kind of the best, right?
In downtown Toronto, there are two big stores: one on Queen Street West and one at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, so I decided to schedule a trip to check out their skin and makeup section immediately. As soon as I got through the doors, I was captivated by the huge selection of brushes, tweezers, and other makeup/skin accessories.
The makeup selection itself was half-way decent and is front and centre upon entering the store.
You’ll find foundation, powders, lipsticks, highlighters, blushes, eyeshadows, nail polish – and well pretty much everything, really! While there wasn’t as much selection as places like Sephora, the prices were on point (nothing over $10) and everything had cute packaging. As I went through the aisles, I wanted to see if it was possible to in possible to create a whole face from start to finish for under $50, and sure enough — it was.
I grabbed a basket and decided to pick-up a few essential items that would help me to create my finished look for my Miniso makeup review.
- Tone Correcting Pressed Powder, $2.95
- Hydro Light Foundation, $2.95
- Flawless Baked Blusher in Sweet Peach, $2.95
- Flawless Ombre Highlighter in Topaz, $5.95
- The Pink Panther Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze Chic, $7.95
- Moist Lip & Eye Colour in Golden, $2.95
- Colour Stay Lipstick in Coral, $2.95
- Deep-cleansing make-up facial removal cream, $7.95
- Micellar facial wipes, $2.95
Once I got home, I decided to try everything out for my MINISO beauty review.
What I noticed with the hydro light foundation was that it was more of a light to medium coverage which felt very lightweight on the face. It did blend out very nicely on my face, but I did find I had to use a bit more than I liked to build up.
Once I applied the tone correcting pressed powder, it set my face perfectly. One thing I did notice, is there are not a lot of options for skin tones. I was lucky since I’m quite pale with a yellow undertone, so I was able to find a quick and easy match. But others might not be so lucky.
Next up, I decided to give their highlighters and blushes a try to see just how pigmented they were.
I found that the topaz colour I chose (similar to gold) was beautiful but needed to build upon before it could be seen. The blush, I was the most disappointed in. Since the packaging is sealed before you buy it and there is nothing to protect the package, when I opened it, the blush was completely broken. I tried to get as much as I could onto my brush, and the colour seemed like a beautiful shimmery orange. What I got on my face, I really loved. It ended up being super subtle.
So far, my face was turning out pretty well. I enjoyed the look of everything so I was excited to see how my new eyeshadow palette would work.
This Pink Panther eyeshadow set came in Bronze Chic, with three eyeshadows and blush. The pigmentation on the eyeshadows was good and the colours were nice to create a natural look with. Since I wanted to add a bit of pop to them, I added the golden sparkle brush on for a bit more shine. This was a bit wetter than I liked, and the eyeshadows had a bit more fall out. But nothing that couldn’t be course-corrected with tissues and Q-Tips.
For the final touches, I used the Colour-Stay lipstick in Coral which comes in pencil format. It was bright, and super pigmented, which I loved. But the best part? I have only had to re-apply it once since 10 a.m. and that’s after having two full meals. Not too shabby for a $2.95 lipstick. I have spent much more on lipsticks of this quality.
Final thoughts?
Going into my MINISO beauty review, I didn’t know what to expect. I’m actually pretty impressed with the quality but, to be honest, I wish they had more selection. However, if you’re on a budget and want to swap out some of your items, I’d recommend checking MINISO out. You might be surprised at what you’ll find.
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If you live in Toronto, you most likely have a strong love affair with dollar and variety stores, because, real talk, living in the city isn’t getting any cheaper. Being able to find low cost kitchen supplies, cooking ingredients, cleaning supplies, and anything related to adulting, is a definite win. Not to mention, you’ll almost always leave with some strange, but wonderful odds and ends! After scouring the city with $1.00 signs on the mind, we compiled a list of dollar and variety stores that have just about anything you are looking for.
Check out 6 of the best dollar and variety stores in Toronto below, and hit up one of these locations the next time you need to pick up supplies.
Dollarama
Instagram/@_jyotsna
The amount of things you can find at Dollarama is seriously amazing from makeup and kitchen utensils, to cleaning supplies and all seasonal decorations and party supplies. While there are many locations in Toronto, not all are created equal, as certain stores get limited products.
Miniso
Instagram/@miniso.canada
Miniso, the Japanese-inspired lifestyle store, has opened up multiple locations across Canada, and we’re not mad about it. Carrying a wide range of products including health & beauty, stationary, electronics, and more, the retailer takes a low-cost, high quality approach with its product lines. You can find a snapshot of our favourite products from Miniso that are under $10 here, some highlights being face masks, makeup brushes, notebooks, and water bottles.
Oomomo
Instagram/@oomomo_bc
Oomomo is one of the latest Japanese dollar stores to open its doors to Canadians. While the GTA store is a little bit outside the downtown core at Don Mills & Lawrence, it’s definitely worth checking out. The retailer doesn’t sell anything over $12, and while its shelves are stocked with just about everything, it also carries the popular 100-yen Daiso line.
Sanko Trading Co.
Instagram/@toronto_tonto
There might be only one small location, but this little Japanese variety store is a favourite of many in the Queen West neighbourhood. Selling ceramics, cooking ingredients such as soy sauce, Japanese noodles and teas, lunch boxes, tea pots, and gifts, the store has a wide range of groceries to choose from. If you’re out in about by Trinity Bellwoods you won’t miss Sanko due to the super colourful mural on the side of the building.
Your Dollar Store With More
Instagram/@yourdollarstorewithmorelv
Similar to Dollarama, you can expect to find the same range of products at Your Dollar Store With More. A quick search on Instagram will give you an idea of what the dollar store chain is offering: electronics, cleaning supplies, kitchenware, party supplies, as well as cheap gift cards. Your Dollar Store With More has multiple locations across the city so you’re bound to find one close to you.
Metro Paradise
Yelp
If you frequent the Yonge/Adelaide neighbourhood, Metro Paradise is a great store to check out! It essentially has every random item that Dollarama has, along with cheap clothing, such as hoodies, pants, and even skirts. The store even has a better selection of winter accessories like gloves and hats, when compared to other dollar stores. Check out the store’s Yelp page and you’ll see what I mean.
Featured Image: Instagram/@oomomo_bc
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Torontonians are getting another MINISO store to shop downtown, just steps away from Osgoode subway station.
The Japanese-inspired variety retailer is opening up a massive new location on the corner of Queen St. West and Simcoe St. situated underneath the Smart House condo building.
Images captured by Daily Hive show that the new location takes up the majority of the first floor in the building.
A massive #MINISO store is coming to Queen Street West https://t.co/ACsqxs80PL #Toronto pic.twitter.com/5Rfxeq5ofp
— Daily Hive Venture (@VentureDH) March 18, 2019
Founded in 2013, MINISO quickly attracted fans with a curated selection of products that includes electronics, beauty, kitchenware, home furnishings, and more, with the majority of items priced between $2.99 and $5.
MINISO currently has a little under 20 locations in Ontario and is on the path of rapid expansion despite a rocky start in 2019.
Instagram/@miniso.canada
At the end of 2018, MINISO Canada made headlines when Retail Insider reported that MINISO China had filed for an Application for Bankruptcy Order against MINISO Canada in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
At the time, the parent company claimed that MINISO Canada had been “fraudulent in its business dealings by transferring and hiding assets,” to which MINISO Canada responded saying that it was “inaccurate or not true.”
In the following weeks, the result of MINISO’s legal drama was revealed. MINISO Canada and MINISO China reached an interim agreement outside of court. And earlier this month, MINISO announced that MINISO China has taken over Canadian operations with plans of “strong growth in Canada in the future.”
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According to MINISO’s website, the company has a goal to open 6000 stores across the globe by 2020 and has “has averaged at 80 to 100 store openings per month.”
If all goes according to plan, this won’t be the last MINISO we see open in the GTA.
Featured image: MINISO
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After a fast expansion and promise to open 500 stores across the country, MINISO Canada was mixed up in intense allegations that had shoppers, landlords, and analysts concerned about the company’s future.
In December 2018, it was revealed that MINISO’s parent company, MINISO China, had filed an Application for Bankruptcy Order in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Within the application, there were allegations of misconduct, including many things that go against the terms of the Licensee Agreement, like the transfer of intellectual property rights, and the continued use of the MINISO trademark in Canada, which was allegedly terminated some time ago. The parent company also alleged that MINISO Canada had been “fraudulent in its business dealings by transferring and hiding assets.”
Miniso Founders Miyake Junya and Ye Guofu (Miniso)
The court hearing was scheduled for January 7, but things have been settled.
Had MINISO China moved forward with its application, MINISO Canada could have joined the long list of retailers to pull out of Canada and close its doors for good.
We previously reported that MINISO Canada had responded to allegations. The company stated that the two parties had reached a “preliminary agreement” and were “in the process of finalizing the details.” After much anticipation, those details have finally been revealed.
Instagram/@miniso.canada
Instead of taking the issue to the Supreme Court, MINISO China and MINISO Canada reached an interim agreement outside of the court.
In an email to The Canadian Press, lawyer John Grieve said that the Canadian stores will remain open and continue to operate. Shipments, which were previously on pause, have been reinstated to the Canadian branch and both sides are working on a long-term solution.
As of right now, there are around 50 MINISO stores in operation in Canada. And like we said, the brand plans to 500 stores across the country.
Now that the dust has settled (for now), the future looks bright for MINISO Canada again.
Featured image: Instagram/@dr.ben.kim
Throughout the years, the Canadian retail landscape has seen its fair share of ups and downs.
From major launches and comebacks, to the closures of longstanding, heritage brands, 2018 saw many impactful events that reshaped how Canadians shop. Take a peek at some of the most important stories from this year below.
1. Toys “R” Us Is Closing U.S Stores — Can Canadian Stores Survive?
All of your favourite childhood stores have been slowly closing. Toys “R” Us announced on Wednesday that is will close 180 stores in the United States. According to the Toronto Star, while the president for Canadian Operations reassured customers that its business as usual in Canada, many insiders believe that Toys “R” Us won’t last. Continue reading.
2. Management At Pacific Mall “Deeply Disturbed” To Learn Counterfeit Goods Are Being Sold
Instagram/@paul_sherwood_
News broke that Pacific Mall in Markham, Ontario is one of the biggest offending retail locations when it comes to the distribution of counterfeit goods in North America. In a press release from the mall, management said they were “deeply disturbed and disappointed” by the news. Continue reading.
3. Once-Popular Brand Mexx Is Set To Make A Canadian Comeback
Instagram/@mexxofficial
The Dutch fashion brand will be re-launching in Canada and is looking to recapture what they once had in the Canadian retail landscape. At one point, Mexx stores were located in almost every major Canadian mall and operated more than 100 stores nationally. Continue reading.
4. It’s Official: Toys “R” Us Has Been Saved By A Canadian Company
Instagram/@gothgirlgonemom
Toys “R” Us Canada is currently reassuring consumers that although the American Toys “R” Us brand is pretty much all closed up, the Canadian arm, now owned by a Canadian company, is looking to recapture consumers and the brand is back in full-force. Continue reading.
5. Nine West Officially Declares Bankruptcy
Instagram/@offersunderthesun
Reuters is reporting that U.S. footwear and apparel company Nine West Holdings Inc filed for bankruptcy on Friday last week. The brand announced that it would sell off its Nine West and Bandolino footwear and handbag business to Authentic Brands Group. Continue reading.
6. The Largest Asian Shopping Centre Will Be In Markham
Move on over Pacific Mall, there’s a new king in town and it’s already being coined “Canada’s largest Asian shopping centre.” The mall called King Square Shopping Centre is located at 9390 Woodbine Ave in Markham. Continue reading.
7. Nordstrom Rack Is Open On Bloor
The flagship is located at One Bloor, and has the biggest selection of on-trend clothing, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and kids. Its floor to ceilings windows make it a bright and extremely pleasant shopping experience. Continue reading.
8. DSW to Shutter Canadian Footwear Chain Town Shoes
Iconic Canadian footwear chain Town Shoes is set to be closed down after a stellar 66 years in business. Town Shoes currently operates 38 stores across Canada, and according to industry insiders, this may cause problems for mall landlords as another departing chain will cause significant vacancies in malls across the country. Continue reading.
9. Canadians Will Now Be Able To Buy More From The U.S. — Duty Free Limit Raised from $20 to $150
Instagram/@polina_kennedy
The new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will actually benefit Canadian shoppers that enjoy cross-border shopping or ordering from American online sites. One of the interesting aspects of the new agreement will increase the de minimis threshold for duty-free shopping. Continue reading.
10. American Apparel Is Back In Business With A Focus On Inclusivity
Instagram/@americanapparel
It was a sad day back in early 2017, when iconic fashion brand American Apparel went bankrupt and announced it would shut down its stores. But hot on the heels of a successful relaunch south of the border, the brand announced its plans for international e-commerce expansion earlier this year, setting its sights on Canada. Continue reading.
11. Bombay Company And Bowring Brothers Collapse In Debt
We’re sad to be saying farewell to Bowring Brothers and the Bombay Company, along with all their fantastic sales. Apparently, the home decor chains in Canada will be moving into liquidation mode after their Brampton-based parent company filed for creditor protection. Continue reading.
12. Gap Plans To Close Down Hundreds Of Flagship Stores
Twitter/@CoresightNews
Gap Inc. is struggling with its flagship company, as it continues the fight to stay on top. The brand told analysts that it will soon be shuttering hundreds of its global Gap stores. Right now, the company is seeing 20% of sales and growing online, and 30% in its most profitable outlet stores, while the remaining flagship stores are bringing down profits. Continue reading.
13. Aritzia Opens Its First North American Outlet Store
Facebook/Toronto Premium Outlets
As part of the Toronto Premium Outlets expansion, Aritzia launched a new outlet store — it’s the first of its kind in North America, and the store is joining 130 other outlets in 500,00-square-feet of outdoor shopping space. Continue reading.
14. Miniso Has Filed An Application For Bankruptcy
Twitter/@joannachiu
In the height of Canada’s love for Japanese retailers, it seems like not all retailers are performing as well as they seem to be. Miniso Canada’s parent company Miniso International Hong Kong Ltd. and Miniso International (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd. have allegedly filed an Application for Bankruptcy Order in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
15. Inside Toronto’s New Japanese Lifestyle Store Where Everything Is Under $12
Oomomo opened their doors at Don Mills and Lawrence earlier this month. The store is the second in Canada, while the first opened in Edmonton, Alberta just last year. Despite only being on the market for a short period, Oomomo has seen massive success. Continue reading.
UPDATE: MINISO Canada has responded to bankruptcy claims. See the response.
In the height of Canada’s love for Japanese and Japanese-style retailers, it seems like not all retailers are performing as well as they seem to be.
Retail-Insider recently broke news that MINISO Canada’s parent company MINISO International Hong Kong Ltd. and MINISO International (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd. have filed an Application for Bankruptcy Order in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
A hearing is proposed to be held in the early new year in Vancouver.
According to the application obtained by Retail-Insider, if MINISO Canada doesn’t reply or show up to the hearing, its Chinese parent company can apply for an order of bankruptcy and collect on debts.
Twitter/@AzmilAnuar
MINISO Canada allegedly owes $2.4 million USD to its parent company, as well as a little under $18 million CAD in inventory.
The same application states that demands for repayment were made repeatedly, however, MINISO Canada allegedly ignored them.
The Application For Bankruptcy Order goes through some interesting details, including many things that go against the terms of the Licensee Agreement, like the transfer of intellectual property rights, and the continued use of the MINISO trademark in Canada, which was terminated some time ago. The parent company claims that MINISO Canada has been “fraudulent in its business dealings by transferring and hiding assets.”
Instagram/@miniso.canada
A source close to Retail-Insider told them that the move could also be tied to the recent detainment of Huawei’s CFO Meng Whanzhou.
Some are saying that the two controversies could be connected. There is some speculation that China is trying to retaliate against the recent detainment, and hitting the Canadian retail landscape is one way to do it.
With all that being said, as Retail-Insider notes, there has been a “pattern of unethical behaviour” with MINISO Canada since their launch, so while it’s possible that the Application for Bankruptcy Order is related, there’s a good chance it’s not.
All of the news is fairly surprising considering MINISO’s vow to open 500 stores across Canada. It’s been majorly popular, with many dubbing it one of Dollarama’s top competitors. The retailer’s success can be attributed to its low price range — which is between $1 and $6 — and it’s interesting selection of goods.
Instagram/@miniso.canada
However, considering how much money is owed to their parent company, MINISO may have expanded too fast.
Things are looking pretty good for their new competitor Oomomo right now…
Currently, the story is still fresh, so there’s no word on the future of MINISO in Canada and whether or not they will be staying open. All we can do is wait until the hearing in January. We’ll keep you updated as this story progresses.
Featured image: Instagram/@joannachiu
The Japanese retailer Miniso finally hit the Canadian market this year and has been a big hit from the start. There are endless items to buy at extremely reasonable prices. The brand is similar in concept to Muji and Dollarama, with an aesthetically pleasing interior and on-trend items that are affordable prices. The store sells quality goods, from electronics and cosmetics to home furnishings, kitchenware, notebooks and more, providing Canadians on-trend items for less. Most of these sell for around $2.99 to $5.
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We’ve rounded up all the items you most definitely should be buying from Miniso:
1. Face Cleansers
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2. Face Masks
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3. Makeup Brushes
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4. Notebooks
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5. Water Bottles
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6. Cutlery
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7. Ceramic Mugs
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8. Storage Boxes
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9. Pens
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10. Charging Cables
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Finally, China-based “Japanese lifestyle brand,” Miniso will be coming to downtown Toronto and everyone is pretty excited. Anyone who loves discounts and deals will be a BIG fan of this store. The store, seen as a Dollarama competitor, sells kitchenware, cosmetics, notebooks, home decor, electronics and a lot more. Most of these sell for around $2.99 to $5.
Less than a year ago, the retailer planned an aggressive expansion around Canada with 500 planned nationwide. They started in Vancouver and finally opened up shop in Ontario last year. Since then, four other locations have opened up near Toronto. We are pumped to embrace the downtown store at the CF Eaton Centre but the company has not released many details yet.
We still can’t wait and are ready for the opening..any time now!
Some of our most popular articles published over the last few months have discussed Dollarama’s new major competitor Miniso and their ambitious expansion plans. Essentially Miniso put Dollarama on notice, and if this was a rap beef, Miniso would play the young cool rapper looking to overthrow the established rapper who’s had massive recent success.
But alas, this is retail and not a rap beef and the competition between Miniso and Dollarama isn’t so black and white. Industry insiders do point out that Dollarama shouldn’t be concerned with Miniso for several reasons. Firstly, Miniso and Dollarama have a completely different customer base. While they do sell overlapping products like electronics and accessories, Miniso and Dollarama appeal to very different types of consumers.
Miniso is going for the lifestyle shopper and tries to refresh products every seven days to keep the “novelty” shopping experience. While Dollarama appeals to the everyday shopper looking to save money.
While industry insiders think Miniso might shake up the Canadian retail landscape, they also believe that Dollarama will be fine as their offering is broader and attracts customers from every retail demographic.
A perfect analogy of how they compare is Miniso = Uniqlo and Dollarama = Walmart. While both stores may attract the same shopper, the shopper goes to a Uniqlo or Walmart for very different reasons.
All in all – Dollarama isn’t worried about Miniso and even though Minsio is aggressively going after Dollarama. Shots have been fired. Dollarama shouldn’t care.
Do you think Dollarama is in trouble?
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MINISO — the Chinese variety retailer that positions itself as a “Japanese lifestyle brand” has had initial success on the west coast region, and our friends at Retail-Insider are reporting that MINISO has plans to open as many as 500 stores in Canada in the next couple of years. It should come as no surprise that MINISO is targeting Canada’s biggest markets — Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
MINISO is gunning for Dollarama as they have a majority of their prices at $2.99 compared to Dollarama who’s prices range from a $1.00 to $6.00. With their first Ontario location opened last month, and another opening this weekend in Newmarket, MINISO has plans to 30 to 50 Miniso stores in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec by the end of 2018 with the goal of 500 stores by 2020.
According to Retail-Insider, MINISO will continue to open stores in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, with a focus on stores in Richmond and close to Simon Fraser University. With that in mind, MINISO has also stated that it is currently working on lease deals in Toronto and Montreal, and has already started working on two Ontario locations, which are set to open in October 2017.
Retail-Insider has discovered that one location will be settled in the heart of downtown Toronto, while the other will be housed in Guelph, Ontario at Stone Road Mall.
If you love Dollarama you should be excited about MINISO, the store will carry similarly priced items with a Japanese flair. MINISO’s product offering is staggering and you can find everything from home goods, kitchenware, cosmetics, toys and electronics.