Great news if you’re total beauty addicts like us at Honeycombers Singapore. The city is rife with beauty Meccas – think of all the countless nail parlours, hair salons and spa(ahhh)s. But treatments for lustrous locks, relaxing massages and skin-perfecting facials aside, our first love’s got to be: makeup. Drugstore, high-end, organic or cruelty-free, there’s plenty to pick from – and we don’t just mean from Sephora (AKA beauty heaven #1). Us Honeycombers reveal our biggest beauty haunts below – you might want to sit up and take notes!
Sephora
Great for: A massive selection of mid-tier to high end cosmetics, skincare and haircare.
“Can anyone dispute that Sephora is the queen of all things beauty? I do most of my shopping here, only because they have specific products that I swear by all in one spot – Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer (a lifesaver in Singapore’s humid weather), Stila’s liquid eyeliner (the colour’s really intense and it’s also easy to manage), eyeshadow palettes and makeup primer, Clarins’ tinted liquid sunblock (a great one to fake a glow) and Nars eyeshadows (love the strong pigments and creamy textures).” – Chelsia Tan, Creative Services Deputy Editor
Sephora, Various stores including in ION Orchard, Ngee Ann City, Plaza Singapura, and Marina Bay Sands.
Inglot
Great for: Pigmented eyeshadows and affordable palettes (under the Freedom system).
Prior to Inglot’s arrival in Singapore, we made monthly pilgrimages across The Causeway to purchase Inglot goods in bulk. Fortunately, the brand is now available in Robinsons JEM for lucky Westsiders (its Wisma Atria outlet recently closed). If you’re new to the Freedom system (palettes for single products), the friendly and clearly knowledge staff are on hand to guide you in customising the palette of your dreams.
Inglot, Robinsons JEM, 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #01-07/13, Singapore 609549.
Smoochiezz
Great for: Cult, affordable American makeup brands.
“Sephora is our version of Disneyland, but every trip to this makeup mecca does serious damage to our poor wallet. $200 in 20 mins? Been there, done that. That’s why we thank the makeup Gods for Smoochiezz: NYX, L.A. Girl, OPI, and e.l.f. at reasonable-won’t-bankrupt-me prices? Sold.
Tip: Follow Smoochiezz on Instagram for updates on their weekly atrium sales. Just don’t blame us if you blow your entire lunch money on OPI nail polishes and Coastal Scents brushes” – Shairah, Honeybrides Editor
Strawberrynet.com
Great for: Hugely discounted and massive range of makeup, skincare and fragrance.
“There’s a reason behind Strawberrynet’s quirky name – much like the fruit, its products are fresh off the shelves and are sweet(ly priced). The over decade-old biz offers an enormous collection of brands unavailable in Singapore, including celeb fragrances and luxe labels like Giorgio Armani and Estee Lauder.” – Elissa Wills, Account Manager
Net-A-Porter
Great for: Cult UK brand Charlotte Tillbury.
“Charlotte Tillbury, one of the world’s most sought-after makeup artists, released her makeup line in 
2013, which instantly catapulted her to worldwide fame. I swear by the Filmstar Bronze & Glow; it flatters all skintones, transforms drab-looking skin into luminous complexions and sculpts your features to perfection. Also, be sure to stock up on the Rock ‘N’ Kohl liners – they’re creamy crayon pencils which glide on like liquid eyeliners. Creamy, pigment-rich and utterly divine.” – Chris Edwards, Honeycombers Founder
Great for: Richly pigmented eyeshadow sticks and velvety lippies from luxe French brand By Terry.
“If you don’t mind splurging, don’t click away from Net-A-Porter – you need to add By Terry’s products to your collection. Created by legendary Parisian beauty guru, Terry de Gunzburg, products are luxurious and long-wearing, like the velvety Rouge Terrybly lippies and Terrybly Densiliss Foundation. My personal fave is the foolproof Ombre Blackstar eyeshadow stick. Simply colour your lids with the entire stick or blend from your lashline for a smoky effect. All you need for eye makeup on fleek!” – Sally Shoult, Creative Services Editor
Zalora
Great for: Cult brands unavailable in Singapore like BH Cosmetics, Sigma and Kailijumei.
Zalora, your favourite multi-label shopping destination is also home to an assortment of beauty brands – particularly ones highly favoured by makeup artists, Youtube vloggers and beauty bloggers. Highlights include the ultra-pigmented BH Cosmetics eyeshadow palettes, super-soft, quality Sigma brushes and the jelly lippies from Kailijumei.
Sasa
Great for: Drugstore brands, as well as brands from around the region (particularly Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan).
“Much like Watson’s, Sasa is my beauty go-to but in very different ways; the Hong Kong based chain is big on scents, makeup catered to Asian needs – think affordable eyelid glues, popular Japanese Heroine mascara for sparse lashes – as well as cult regional brands.” – Szes Zhang, Graphic Designer
Sasa, various outlets including Plaza Singapura, Bugis Junction and Vivocity.
H&M
Great for: Glossy lippies, intensely pigmented chubby eyeshadow sticks and creamy concealers – all under $20.
Okay, so the beauty collection isn’t out yet (it drops September 10 in the Somerset store) but we became quickly enamoured when we popped by the preview. Its collection of over 1000 features long-lasting lip stains, blemish-hiding concealer trios, and powder eyeshadows. Skincare and haircare aren’t to be missed either, with the conscious line appealing to eco warriors with its sustainable properties.
H&M Beauty, Available September 10 at the Somerset store.
Watson’s
Great for: American drugstore brands.
“The brightly lit, glittering halls of Watson’s should be familiar ground to any beauty junkie. American drugstore brands like Maybelline and Revlon lord the makeup aisles, but I’m not complaining. I’m a big fan of the latter – its colour range caters to a wide variety of skintones! Watson’s is only the place in Singapore I can stock up on Batiste dry shampoos. They’re crazy cheap, smell heavenly and are a Godsend for day-old hair for men!” – Zakaria Muhammad, Editorial Assistant
Watson’s, Various stores islandwide including Asia Square, Vivocity and Paragon Orchard.
Guardian
Great for: European drugstore brands and a variety of skincare and haircare products.
Admittedly, we don’t always think of Guardian as a makeup heaven; it’s usually our go-to source for all things medical and personal care. But the pharmacy is home to affordable European cosmetic brands like Catrice and essence – we’re talking lippies, eyeshadows and foundations under $15, tops.
Guardian, Stores islandwide include Raffles Place MRT, Tiong Bahru Plaza and Ngee Ann City.
MAC
Great for: Everything to do with makeup – MAC is cosmetic royalty.
“The makeup giant deserves its reputation in the makeup world with its huge range of cost-effective, pigmented products and hip limited edition collections. I’m mainly a MAC girl – my face doesn’t feel like it’s melting in this heat as I find their Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation is light and doesn’t feel greasy.” – Ania Carvouni, Account Manager
MAC, Various locations including Raffles City, Ngee Ann City and Bugis Junction.
Ere Perez
Great for: Natural, cruelty-free makeup.
“I’m devoted to Ere Perez – an amazing natural cosmetics brand from Australia. Luckily, the brand delivers worldwide because I’ve been using the same four products for six years for a ‘no make-up’ look: the cream blush in ‘healthy’; the navy eyeshadow in ‘better than smokey’ (it IS better); the almond oil mascara (which stays put) and the lipstick in ‘me’, which is a not-too-nude nude lipstick. It’s cruelty-free, toxin-free and works. I’ll be using this stuff forever!” – Selina Altomonte, Honeykids Editor in Chief
Beautyfresh
Great for: High-end brands at a discount.
“I could rattle off a list of high-end names this burgeoning beauty behemoth offers, including Chanel, YSL, Cle de Peau, Jo Malone, but you’d best surf the products firsthand. Over 70 brands are available on Beautyfresh, with the gamut ranging from scents to skincare and at discounted prices. Look out for the sales – that’s when you’ll nab the best goods for the lowest prices.” – Nafeesa Saini, Lifestyle Writer