Until now , Acqua & Sapone was an Italian-style PrimaPrix that hadn’t made it to Madrid. But its new opening at 290 Calle Alcalá confirms what was already suspected with its arrival in Spain: the “low-cost beauty with a massive selection” channel is experiencing its own boom, and the capital has become one of its main battlegrounds.
Unlike traditional selective perfumeries, Acqua & Sapone’s model draws more from the supermarket format with wide aisles, very long shelves, and a highly aggressive mix of mass-market brands, mid-range brands, professional products, and its own private label. In this new Madrid store, the more than 350 square meters allow the brand to showcase its full range: face and body care, makeup, perfumes, personal hygiene, hair care, home cleaning, and an ever-growing selection of eco-friendly products or those with more sustainable formulas.
Where does it fit on Madrid’s beauty map?
With this opening, the chain is consolidating its presence in a city where competition for beauty spending is fierce. Joining the Sephora stores on Sol and Serrano and the long-standing perfume shops are now hybrid formats: K-Beauty stores, low-cost makeup chains, and multi-brand spaces that blend cosmetics with drugstore products. Acqua & Sapone’s advantage is that it isn’t limited to the beauty niche, as it also includes drugstore and household cleaning products.
One of the brand’s hallmarks is its aggressive promotional policy: buy-one-get-one-free deals, volume discounts, cross-category promotions… That, combined with the store’s size, turns a visit into a sort of permanent bargain hunt for those who enjoy spending time comparing prices and trying out new products.