L’Etoile: Perfume and Cosmetics Stores in Moscow, Hours and Payment

By Moscow Vibes · October 9, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

L’Etoile, known in Russian as Letual, is a Russian perfume and cosmetics chain founded in 1997, and this guide to L’Etoile Moscow explains what a visitor can find in its stores. The first store opened in Moscow in September 1997, and the company’s online store, letu.ru, has operated since 2007.

The chain is one of the largest beauty retailers in Russia, with more than 1,000 stores in about 250 cities as of 2024, and Moscow stores are mostly inside shopping centers such as Metropolis and Kapitoliy Leningradsky. The sections below cover the range, hours, payment and practical tips for travelers who do not speak Russian.

Quick Facts

Russian name	Лэтуаль
Address	Metropolis shopping center, Leningradskoye Highway 16A building 4, Moscow (one of many stores; check the official site for others)
Metro	Voykovskaya (Line 2, green, the Metropolis mall is described as near Voykovskaya; the walking time and exit were not verified)
Opening hours	Stores are mostly in shopping centers and follow mall hours; for example, the stores at Metropolis and Kapitoliy Leningradsky are listed as open from 10:00 to 23:00, while another mall lists 10:00 to 22:00, so hours vary by location; check the store page on the official site (as of October 2026 – check the official site).
Best time to visit	Weekday afternoons are usually calmer than evenings and weekends, and the stores keep mall hours, so check the closing time before you go.
Recommended duration	20–45 minutes
Website	letu.ru
Last updated	October 9, 2026

Why Visit L'Etoile?

L’Etoile is a convenient place to buy perfume, cosmetics and skincare in a single stop: the stores combine brand counters, a wide shelf range and accessories, and the chain says it offers tens of thousands of products. It is useful for gifts and for replacing toiletries, and Moscow stores are in shopping centers that stay open until late evening.

The brand range changes, and not every international brand is on the shelves, so look at what is available rather than relying on a list. Loyalty card prices are common, and signs and labels are in Russian, so a translation app is useful. Staff may speak little English.

Highlights of L'Etoile

Perfume counters

Perfume is sold at counters with testers, organized by brand and by selective or mass-market ranges. Look for the tester bottles and strips. Check whether you are buying a single bottle or a gift set.

Tip: Ask for a tester strip and wait a few minutes before choosing.

Make-up and skincare shelves

The stores sell decorative cosmetics, skincare and hair care from international, Russian and Asian brands, as well as the chain's own label. Look for the shelf signs by category. Check the ingredients with a translation app.

Tip: Use a translation app on the ingredient list.

Gifts and sets

Gift sets and accessories are placed near the tills in many stores, and the stores sell gift cards, according to mall pages. Check the set contents on the box.

Tip: Ask whether a gift card can be used in any store of the chain.

Loyalty card prices

The chain introduced cumulative discount cards in 2001, and many prices are shown with and without the card. Check the price tag for both figures.

Tip: A tourist cannot easily use the card, so compare the regular price.

The online store letu.ru

The company's online store has operated since 2007 and offers delivery in Russia, and a marketplace was added in 2022, but it is in Russian and normally needs a Russian phone number. Check whether you can use it.

Tip: Plan to shop in the store rather than ordering online.

Stores in shopping centers

Moscow stores are mostly in malls such as Metropolis, near Voykovskaya, and Kapitoliy Leningradsky, usually on the first floor. Check the store page on the official site for the nearest store and hours.

Tip: Use the mall's opening hours as your guide.

Atmosphere

A L’Etoile store is a bright, orderly hall with brand counters, glass shelves of perfume and walls of make-up in tidy rows. The sounds are shopping center music, the click of tester bottles and sales staff in uniform helping customers at the counters.

Weekday afternoons are calm, while weekends and gift-buying periods before holidays draw crowds, and the signs and labels are in Russian.

History of L'Etoile

L’Etoile was founded in 1997 by Maxim Klimov, and the first store opened in Moscow in September 1997. In December 1998 the chain opened its first regional store in Voronezh, and in 2001 it introduced cumulative discount cards with discounts of 5 to 25 percent.

The online store letu.ru started in 2007. By 2008 the chain had more than 115 stores in Moscow and more than 500 across Russia, and by 2015 about 900 stores in 200 cities. In 2022 it launched a marketplace based on its online store and took over the Podruzhka drugstore chain, and from late 2023 it opened outlets in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. As of 2024 it reported more than 1,000 stores in about 250 cities of Russia. The company is owned by Alcor and Co.

The current number of stores should be checked on the official site, and this history is shorter than requested because few facts could be verified.

Tickets and Booking for L'Etoile

Payment. Cash in rubles is the most reliable way to pay. Whether foreign Visa or Mastercard cards work could not be verified and should not be assumed; Russian Mir cards and mobile payments are used by locals, and your country’s sanctions rules may restrict some payment services, so check this yourself.

Checkout and bags. Stores have staffed tills; self-checkout was not verified. Bags are usually sold at the till.

Finding stores. The official site letu.ru lists stores and hours; stores are mostly in shopping centers, for example Metropolis and Kapitoliy Leningradsky.

How to Get to L'Etoile

L’Etoile has many stores across Moscow, so there is no single route. One example is the store in the Metropolis shopping center on Leningradskoye Highway, described as near Voykovskaya on the green Line 2.

By Metro: check the store page on the official site for the nearest station.
By taxi: use the mall’s address from the official site.

Accessibility

Accessibility varies by store; stores in shopping centers generally have lifts and step-free routes, but this was not verified for individual stores, so check the details or ask staff.

Food Nearby

Shopping centers that host L'Etoile stores have food courts and cafes; the exact venues were not verified.

What to Bring

Bring cash in rubles, a translation app for the labels and a note of the products or brands you want.

Photography Rules

Rules for photography in stores were not verified; it is polite to ask staff before photographing shelves or customers.

Family Suitability

Suitable for a short stop with older children; the stores are compact and busy at weekends, and stroller access was not verified for individual stores.

Moscow Vibes Tips

Check the brand you want on the shelf, since the range changes and some international brands may not be available.
Compare the regular price with the loyalty card price on the tag.
Ask for a tester before buying perfume.
Carry cash in rubles in case a card is declined.
Combine the visit with a meal in the shopping center.
Photograph the label to check ingredients with a translation app later.

Where to Find L'Etoile in Moscow

L'Etoile has branches across the city, so there is no single address to list. To find the closest one, search on Yandex Maps or Google Maps from your hotel or metro station.

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FAQ: L'Etoile

What is L'Etoile?

A Russian perfume and cosmetics chain founded in Moscow in 1997, also known as Letual.

Where are the stores in Moscow?

Mostly in shopping centers such as Metropolis and Kapitoliy Leningradsky.

What are the hours?

They follow mall hours; two Moscow malls list 10:00 to 23:00.

Can I pay with a foreign card?

This could not be verified and should not be assumed; carry cash in rubles, and check your country's sanctions rules.

Are international brands sold?

Many are listed, but the range changes, so check the shelves.

Can I order online as a tourist?

Usually this needs a Russian phone number, so it is difficult.

Do staff speak English?

Not reliably; a translation app helps.

Is it the same as Golden Apple?

No, it is a separate Russian beauty chain.

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Last updated: October 9, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.

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About this guide: AI assistance and accuracy

This guide is created with the help of AI and is based on official sources where available. Mistakes can still happen. Opening hours, prices, rules and other details are given to the best of our knowledge as of the date shown and can change without notice. It offers general recommendations only, not professional, legal or travel advice. Please confirm important details with the official source before you travel; you are responsible for your own plans and decisions.

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