Hyderabad Central (Cosmetics)

Shifting your gaze from a Pupa mascara to a Sheiseido glittering gloss, from a Ninaricci liquid lipstick to a Bourjois powder foundation suitable for your skin tone, and then finally to a Clarins regular (black) kohl, can result in a humbling experience at Central. For, when you ask the price of the kohl, which you're guessing will cost the least, the salesman says without batting an eyelid, "Ma'am, this is liquid kohl safe for contact lens users, with no side effects, only for Rs. 1,000." Right! No side-effect, a direct central effect on your purse.

Comparing the cosmetics section of Hyderabad Central with that of a supermarket or any one in Ameerpet would be akin to comparing a 5-star hotel to a tiffin center. There is no kind of cosmetics product that you wouldn't find at Central - they're only too high-priced, making it possible only for the high society P3 types and a few BPO employees who do not mind splurging on expensive cosmetics for a ladies night at a hip pub of the city.

The milieu to a cosmetics section is often said to be provided by the perfumes segment. This is where Central scores lesser than other malls - it does not often provide the latest and the best international brands. And while most other leading malls in the city have their cosmetics products displayed in a small, many times congested area, Central scores for dedicating almost half a floor to them.

The salesgirls/salesmen in the section are pretty enthusiastic and persuasive. And even if they are unable to sell you anything, they will not let you go without at least painting your hands with different hues of their products. If, of course, they did manage to make you buy just anything, they've probably met their monthly target.