It's already halfway January, but...new year, new you! Now, where to buy what beauty products? People often ask me where I buy my products. This seems like an easy question, but there's more to it, mainly depending on what you look for - both product and retail experience wise.
There's hardly anything that I love more than beauty shopping and although I can spend hours in a cosmetics store just browsing, testing and trying, this is definitely not for everyone. There are shoppers that know what they want and want to get it quick and hassle free; shoppers that don't know what they want and want to be informed and provided with honest advice; shoppers that like the adventure of 'sifting through the clutter' and finding real treasures in shops they otherwise wouldn't go etc. And many many more.
To give you a kickstart in your beauty shopping this year, I hereby share with you my Ultimate Beauty Shopping List for Singapore. Read this thoroughly not only to learn where to shop but also when and for what...
Tangs - Orchard Road
Address: 310 Orchard Road, Singapore
Why: Huge selection of brands, way less crowded (less tourists!) and in my opinion much nicer staff than at Takashimaya. I go to Tang's to buy cosmetics of Western luxury brands such as Chanel, Bobbi Brown and MAC, but also to be wowed by niche brands that I haven't found elsewhere in Singapore, like Diptyque and Maison Francis Kurkdjian Parfums. There's an entire corner dedicated to niche brands alone - be sure to also check out 'Memo', one of my favourite niche brands for perfumes and scented candles.
Even on a Friday afternoon - when you really want to avoid Takashimaya - the staff takes time for you which is great if you're looking for a new product or require more elaborate advice on a product or your beauty routine.
What to buy: All the famous Western Luxury Brands (a.o. Chanel, Dior, Estee Lauder, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Lancome) as well as niche brands (Creed, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Diptyque, Commes des Garcons, Memo, Amouage, Aqcua di Parma).
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BHG Bugis - aLT / Beauty Department
Why: Adventure shopping and treasure hunting time! Targeted at a young and trendy crowd (at almost 31 I don't consider myself THAT young anymore) but sooooo much fun! However, only pay a visit when you have sufficient time and energy to browse through the messy aisles (there seems to be no real logic in the lay-out of the cosmetics corner) and be wowed by all fun, fascinating and crazy products for sale. You'll be amazed by all the things you've never seen and never heard of.
Prices are very reasonable so it's my go-to place to discover new crazy/strange/never-heard-of/gadget-like products. Last time I found what is called a 'lip tattoo'; it's a small tube with a lipgloss-like substance that you cover your lips with and leave on for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you peel-off the (hardened) layer and your lips are coloured but without any product physically 'laying' on your lips like with lipgloss. Love it; no more loose hairs that get caught on your lips when you're wearing sticky lipgloss or creamy lipstick. Review of this product will follow asap. :)
What to buy: Crazy, affordable makeup products for the fun of trying them out. Also look for Korean brand Holika Holika. BHG/aLT also has have a very large range of haircare, and I especially love the 'Inecto Coconut Hair Mask' that smells great, makes my hair soft and smooths and only costs around 7 SGD.
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Tony Moly
Address: Bugis Junction, Unit #02-25, 200 Victoria Street, Singapore
Why: The only store I found in Singapore that sells Tony Moly, a popular fun and quirky beauty and skincare brand from South Korea. When you google Tony Moly more stores in Singapore are listed but appeared to be non-existing when I looked for them. The quality of Tony Moly products is great and the products are affordable, all natural and organic products with no animal testing AND they come in the cutest, quirkiest and coolest packaging ever. Lipgloss and hand milk in the shape of a banana, sunscreen in the shape of a mango - hilarious. Combine a visit to this store with a visit to aforementioned BHG Bugis.
What to buy: I'm in love with all packaging and have to keep myself from actually buying ALL products just to display them in my bathroom. One product I like in particular is the 'Pure Eco Bamboo Cool Water Soothing gel', that is great for sensitive skin and is absorbed by your skin really quick so you can continue layering with sunblock and/or makeup without any heavy or greasy feeling.
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Selektiv by SASA
Bugis Junction, Unit #02-26/27, 200 Victoria Street, Singapore
Nex, Unit #B1-21, 23 Serangoon Central, Singapore
Why: A "one-stop cosmetics specialty store" concept like Watsons; stores are smaller but the focus on beauty is bigger compared to Watsons. Originally from Hong Kong, with a large emphasis on Korean and other Asian beauty brands. Lots of products contain typical Asian ingredients such as Bird's Nest, Snail Slime, Ginseng, Seaweed, Pearl Powder etc. In addition, the stores carry over 100 exclusive international beauty brands that only they are licensed to sell.
What to buy: Face Masks (from a.o. Berrisom, Cliv, Simply, especially the 'Animal Masks'; a (drenched in product) tissue/sheet mask that has an animal printed on it (like a shark or panda). It makes you look totally ridiculous but it's so much fun. The masks only cost a few dollars and make great gifts too. Make sure to check out the ingredients before buying, as some of the masks contain brightening agents (often even advertised as 'whitening' - check my 'guide to whitening & brightening skincare')
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Watson's - Ngee Ann City
Address: Ngee Ann City #B2-06-10, 391 Orchard Road, Singapore
Why: Of all Watsons I've been to I feel that the store in Ngee Ann City has the largest selection of Asian 'mainstream' makeup brands, like Majolica Majorca (part of Shiseido Group), Heroine Make, Za, Dolly Wink and a large selection of cheap but great false lashes.
What to buy: Majolica Majorca 'Lash King' Mascara (25 SGD), Heroine Make 'Super Waterproof Volume & Curl' Mascara (21 SGD), fake lashes (less than 10 SGD).
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Sephora - ION Orchard, Ngee Ann City & Plaza Singapura
Address: My favourite Sephora stores in Singapore are:
ION Orchard, Unit #01-05/06, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore (Largest selection of brands)
Ngee Ann City, Unit #B1-05/07, 391A Orchard Road, Singapore (good stock; less crowded)
Plaza Singapura, Unit #01-03/04 60B Orchard Road, Singapore (convenient location, less crowded)
Why: The store that I refer to as 'The Mothership'. Although the one at ION Orchard (1st Floor) is huge and has a great selection, it's packed with school girls (friday afternoon) and tourists (weekend) that block the aisles. Moreover, the music tends to be way too loud and I experienced that many products are sold out regularly and testers are often missing or empty. SO if I go there, I go around dinner time (between 18:30 and 20:00) or just after the store opened in the morning. If I want to browse in a more relaxed way I head to the store at level B1 at Ngee Ann City which is always way less crowded; the product selection is however smaller. Another option to avoid the masses and overkill of music is to visit the stores in less crowded malls such as NEX Mall (Serangoon) or Westgate Mall (Jurong East); no tourist to be found there, and the times I've been there the volume of the music was normal too.
What to buy: Apart from the more etablished brands (Lancome, Clinique etc.) Sephora has amazing and innovative brands that are well-known by beauty addicts but not so much by a larger public, such as Too Faced, (fun, sweet & girly), Urban Decay (known for a.o. their makeup palletes), Tarte (love their Amazonian clay based products), NYX (cheap cheap cheap but great quality; amazing range of lip products), Soap & Glory (ahhh the scent of the shower cream!), Benefit (can't live without their products, that are ultimate beauty hacks), 3CE (Korean, minimalist design, good price/quality ratio), Amazingconcealer (the name says it all), Moonshot (the South Korean IT brand of the moment; multifunctional luminous colour pots) etc.
I also love the 'Perfume Roller Ball Bar' where they offer a selection of perfumes in a purse sized rollerball. Great way to try a new perfume without paying the full price, and a great product to apply some more perfume straight out of your purse when you're going out. In addition I love love love all travel size products they offer, anything from mini mascara's to shampoos and face washes. I get these small size products not only for travelling but also to try out new products without having to buy the fullsize, full price product.
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