Next time you’re in Pick n Pay for bread and milk, you might walk out with a new lipstick too. The retailer has rolled out its own makeup line, called Real Cosmetics, and nothing in it costs more than R90. It’s a simple idea, and for plenty of South Africans it could make buying makeup a lot more easy.
What is the new Real Cosmetics range?
Real Cosmetics is Pick n Pay’s very own makeup brand. You’ll find more than 100 products in the line, covering the basics for your face, eyes, lips and nails.
The priciest item sits at R89.99. So the whole range stays under R90. If you’ve ever stood in a beauty aisle doing sums in your head, you’ll see why that matters. Trying a new shade doesn’t have to feel like a big decision.
Don’t expect a luxury collection. This is everyday makeup for everyday use, kept simple on purpose.
Where can you buy it?
The range is on shelves in over 100 Pick n Pay stores across the country. If one is close to you, it’s worth a look on your next shop.
Prefer to stay home? You can order through the Pick n Pay ASAP! app too. The retailer says that means delivery within 60 minutes. It also says it’s the only on demand grocery retailer with a dedicated makeup range delivered that quickly. That claim comes from the company, so take it as their word for now. Even so, the idea is easy to picture. You run out of concealer, you order it with your groceries, and it arrives before the hour is up.
For more on its stores and delivery, you can visit www.pnp.co.za.
The key facts at a glance
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Range name | Real Cosmetics |
| Type | Own brand makeup |
| Number of products | More than 100 |
| Store availability | Over 100 Pick n Pay stores |
| Highest price | R89.99 |
| Product types | Face, eyes, lips and nails |
| Delivery option | Pick n Pay ASAP! within 60 minutes |
| Supplier | A local supplier |
Why Pick n Pay says it is doing this
Landre Venter, the head of product marketing at Pick n Pay, says it comes down to convenience. Her point is that nobody should need a separate trip just to pick up a concealer, a mascara or a lipstick. You can grab it while you’re already shopping.
Price plays a part as well. With everything under R100, she says, shoppers can experiment without spending much. That’s an easy way to get people curious. If a colour turns out wrong for you, you haven’t lost a fortune.
Venter also said the products were developed with a local supplier. The thinking is that a local partner can react faster to what South African shoppers want and keep up with current beauty trends.
She sees the launch as a natural next step. Pick n Pay wants to be the place where customers find more of what they need in one shop, and makeup fits right in.
What this means for shoppers
Money is tight for a lot of households right now. Beauty products often feel like a treat, and premium brands can cost far more than a weekly grocery item. A range priced below R90 changes that a little.
The biggest gain is convenience, since you can add makeup to your normal grocery run. The low price also makes it easy to test something new, and the ASAP! service can bring it to your door fast. The fact that it was made with a local supplier and aimed at South African tastes is a bonus.
A low price doesn’t automatically mean good quality, though. Check the labels and read the ingredients. If your skin is sensitive, try a small patch first. And if a product causes trouble, the National Consumer Commission explains your rights as a buyer at www.thencc.org.za.
A growing beauty market
Pick n Pay isn’t the only business eyeing beauty customers. It’s just going about it differently from the others.
Take Clicks. At the end of September 2026, it lifted its stake in ARC, a premium beauty retailer, to 61%. That gave Clicks control of the company. The deal was worth R507 million and added 35.3 percentage points to its holding.
Clicks CEO Bertina Engelbrecht said the purchase gives the group more exposure to a growing industry. She put the premium beauty market in South Africa at more than R6 billion a year. She also said ARC has carved out a strong position and that Clicks sees room to grow it.
So here’s the contrast. Clicks bought into a specialist premium retailer. Pick n Pay is putting an affordable range inside stores people already visit every week. One chases shoppers who want a dedicated beauty experience. The other goes after people who just want something simple and close by.
Part of a bigger turnaround
This launch also fits into a longer story. Pick n Pay has spent years trying to fix its business. In 2024 it became technically insolvent, which put a lot of pressure on the company to change course.
Part of its recovery plan is to rebuild its own brand and private label products. The aim is to cut costs and improve margins. It has also said it wants to back local ranges where it sees a chance to serve customers better.
Real Cosmetics ticks those boxes. It’s an own brand line, it comes from a local supplier, and it targets shoppers watching every rand. Retailers usually earn better margins on their own brands than on big name labels, so the move makes sense for the business as well as the customer.
Will it work?
Nobody can say yet. The range has only just launched, and there are no sales figures to look at. A lot will depend on how the products perform and what shoppers think of them.
There’s plenty going for it. The prices are low, the products sit in stores millions of people already use, and fast delivery adds a modern touch. A simple shopping experience can build loyalty, especially when budgets are stretched.
The challenges are real too. Many beauty fans stick to brands they trust. Some may doubt that a grocery store can deliver makeup that lasts all day. Pick n Pay will have to prove it can. And the market is crowded, with other retailers already selling cosmetics at every price level and Clicks pushing deeper into beauty.
Final thoughts
Real Cosmetics gives South African shoppers one more affordable option. You get more than 100 products, a top price of R89.99, and availability in over 100 stores, with the Pick n Pay ASAP! service for anyone who’d rather shop from the couch.
The takeaway is simple. You can now put makeup on your grocery list without paying premium prices. Whether the range lasts will come down to quality. But the launch shows where retail is going. Stores want to be one stop shops, and beauty is the newest aisle to open up.
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