Ditch shopping stress and snuggle on your sofa to search for the best beauty products online. These fab stores will make you feel gorgeous just by logging on. BY ANNIE TAN AND JO UPCRAFT
Ditch shopping stress and snuggle on your sofa to search for the best beauty products online. These fab stores will make you feel gorgeous just by logging on. BY ANNIE TAN AND JO UPCRAFT
CRUELTY-FREE BRUSHES www.13rushes.com If you don’t wear animal fur, you won’t want it in your makeup pouch either. 13rushes offers animal lovers an excellent alternative to natural-hair brushes. Handpicked from more than 80 types of bristles, these synthetic brushes are every bit as soft and textured as natural brushes, and unlike machine-cut brushes, each is hand trimmed for softness. Not only great for cream and liquid products, they also pick up and blend powders, blushers and eyeshadows impeccably for an airbrushed finish.
HANDCRAFTED NATURAL SKINCARE www.mandytskincare.com With a farm-to-face concept, many of the herbs in Mandy T’s handcrafted skincare products, such as rosemary, mint, basil and oregano, are grown in the founder’s own garden. Launched by a publicist turned skincare artisan, these pure, holistic salves are handcrafted in small batches and free of harsh chemicals.
SINGAPORE-INSPIRED BEAUTY www.naiise.com Looking for quirky beauty finds with a local flavour? Styling itself as a platform for emerging home-grown brands, Naiise is one of the few places you can find a soap shaped like an ang ku kueh. Other unique gems include lip balms with local flavours (think bandung and honeydew sago) from Shophouse Sixtyfive. And for fresh, organic, vegan and cruelty-free skincare, they also stock local brands Katfood and Handmade Heroes. Gorgeously designed, they demand pride of place on your dresser.
FUN FINDS www.laycy.com For novel beauty products that won’t burn a hole in your pocket, Laycy is your best bet. It offers five exciting labels from the UK, Australia and the US, each tried and tested, and extremely addictive. Try Australis for cruelty-free and trendy hues, as well as excellent bronzers. Beauty UK is edgier, and BH Cosmetics is bold, colourful and exuberant. For a professional finish, Freedom Makeup is London’s answer to Make Up For Ever, and for alluring lips, you can’t go wrong with Lip Smacker’s coke, cupcake, bubble gum, cotton candy and Fanta Grape-flavoured balms.
ARTISAN AROMATHERAPY http://store.mmerciencore.com Mmerci Encore’s well-curated collection features therapeutic-grade essential oil blends for the ultimate in rejuvenation. Founded by former beauty editor Alli Sim, the name means “thanks again” in French.
Glow Elixir, $37 This 8ml roll-on dabbed onto your pulse points (behind ears and on your temples) helps to release stimulating blood orange, bergamot and rose geranium – excellent for relieving nervous tension. Keep it in your handbag during the day and apply during stressful moments.
Invigorating Facial Mist, $35 Blended with pure camomile and rose essential oils, the mist tones, hydrates and revives skin and is great for soothing flushed complexions. Store it in your fridge for the ultimate skin perk-me-up or to set makeup.
ONE-STOP SHOP www.zalora.sg Zalora may be widely known for fashion merchandise, but it’s fast becoming a go-to beauty emporium as well. The beauty adventuress will love discovering cool K-beauty labels such as Memebox and Daeng Gi Meo Ri, Japanese hits such as K-Palette and Sana, as well as cult Polish brand Inglot. Warning: you’ll be overwhelmed by options and likely to stumble upon a new addiction.
Inglot AMC Multicolour System Face & Body Powder Matte in #92, $38 Swirl the five shades together for a gorgeous, peachy colour – perfect for yellow skin tones.
Handmade Heroes Drop Dead Gorgeous Dry Shampoo, $16.90 Made with bamboo charcoal, peppermint and eucalyptus, apply this all-natural and vegan product all over your scalp, let it sit for two to five minutes before styling your hair.
NATURAL WOMAN www.zvioils.com ZVI Fine Oils looks to make you feel mentally and physically refreshed. Founded and based in Singapore, the bath and body products are 100 per cent pure, boasting botanical and aromatherapy benefits, from perfume roll-ons to foot salts and lip balms. There are even options for your pets!
Blend Lip Balm, $12 There are seven balms to choose from, using ingredients that sound so tasty you’ll be reapplying all day. Go sweet, regenerative or healing, feel your lips become more moisturised, and prepare for kissing!
Blend Epsom Foot Soaks, $20 each Whether you want relaxing or uplifting, there’s a salt to match your mood. Using natural blends of peppermint, lemon and lavender, each foot soak leaves you feeling refreshed.
CULT HITS www.sephora.sg The Sephora bricks and mortar store is already a beautyphile’s paradise but the site is even more dangerous, due to the time you’ll want to hang out there. Sephora.sg carries hundreds of labels, many of which are exclusive to the website. From makeup to skincare, hair, brushes, bath and homme maintenance products, you'll be spoiled for choice at this one-stop beauty haven.
Alpha-H Liquid Gold with Glycolic Acid, $56 (100ml) Said to work like an overnight facial, this multipurpose formula can be used right after your cleanser to replace toner, scrub, serum and moisturiser. Made with glycolic acid, licorice extract and silk proteins, it leaves skin super smooth and plumped up.
Mirenesse 10 Collagen Cushion Compact Airbrush Liquid Power Foundation SPF25 PA++, $80 The liquid foundation-infused cushion compact works to fill in fine lines and kick-start collagen production for a brighter, flawless and more polished complexion.
