Hear the stories behind these powerhouse Singaporean makeup and skincare brands – get to know the people bossing the local beauty scene.
It wasn’t that long ago where our only idea of shopping for makeup and skincare was scouring the aisles of Sephora and major drugstores. Thankfully, our (beauty) world has expanded, with the scene thriving with new brands seemingly popping up every week. These are some local beauty bosses smashing it right now.
Yuan and Eileen of Faux Fayc
Singapore now has more local skincare brands than you can shake a stick at, but the makeup scene is still very much an untapped market. Faux Fayc is one of the few who came and stayed. Badass beauty bosses Eileen and Yuan are at the helm of the brand which is geared towards empowering women.
One of their products that continues to be a regular bestseller is the Fauxlash Mascara Duo, which stands out in a sea of others, as it’s marketed towards Asian ladies with its black fibres and dramatic effect. The ladies launched the product alone kickstart the brand, and broke even in a matter of months. We’re raising our glasses to them for creating products which cater to Singapore’s hot and humid climate.
Product to try: Fauxlash Mascara duo ($39) and Fauxstix Liquid Xctasy ($16)
Wendee Lee of Biconi
Wendee Lee’s foray into natural beauty began when her father was diagnosed with colon cancer. In a bid to help him fight skin infections and hair loss, she, along with her mother, began making their own soap bars infused with homemade noni enzyme. Together, they launched Biconi.
Today, Wendi is the embodiment of the farm-to-face dream. She, along with her family, own a farm which grows the key ingredient of the Biconi brand: Noni, a medicinal, antioxidant tree which contains an enzyme which can restore damaged skin and hair. Wendee also champions using native Southeast Asian ingredients in her products, like virgin coconut oil.
Products to try: The Hair Revitalising Shampoo Bar ($59) and Glow Facial Serum (from $25)
Nicolas Travis of Allies of Skin
It’s safe to say that Nicolas is the Golden Boy of Singapore’s skincare world. Though a year has passed from our first meeting, we’re still talking about his gleaming, flawless complexion – it’s living proof of the efficacy of his products. The Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences graduate started Allies of Skin (AOS) after personally experiencing the link between skincare and confidence after a bout of bad acne.
His success – AOS is now sold on Net-a-porter and is regularly used by some of the world’s famed beauty editors and makeup artists – can be attributed to his go-getter attitude. He launched the brand with only one multi-functional product (the 1A All Day Mask), eschewing the Korean fad of the 10-step skincare routine. AOS line has now expanded to include seven products – all of them power packed and adaptogenic (they adapt to whatever your skin needs).
Products to try: The 1A All day Mask ($79) and Bright Future Overnight Facial ($120)
Lynsey Lim from Handmade Heroes
I won’t forget the day I met Lynsey Lim. The natural beauty goddess is charmingly down-to-earth with eyes as kind as her soul. Lynsey’s goals include working with the disabled; in 2016, she had two from the disabled community working hand-in-hand with the brand as a family. Although she started making her own skincare products at 16, it took her years to finally pursue her talent. A year into the cushy life in the banking industry, she gave up her job. Impressing her sister’s bridesmaids with her handmade gifts, and having them subsequently buy from her was the push she needed.
Handmade Heroes is hard to miss; it’s been a mainstay at Naiise for as long as we can remember, and is one of Singapore’s pioneering organic beauty brands. Besides its simple eye-catching packaging and punny names, the products are 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free.
Products to try: Coco-friggin fantastic English Rose lip tint ($6.90) and French Green Clay Mask ($14.90)
Alli Sim of Mmerci Encore
Former beauty editor Alli Sim was eight years old when she began experimenting with fresh ingredients and DIY beauty recipes. Although she loved writing about cosmetics and keeping up with beauty trends, she yearned for a return to her roots. She became a certified aromatherapist, and began championing feelgood beauty with Mmerci Encore.
The soulful skincare and aromatherapy brand features products made with fresh, raw ingredients and hand-blended in small batches. If you haven’t followed them on Instagram, get on it now – it’s filled with gorgeous product images, travel inspo and encouraging quotes.
Teresa Foo of Balm Kitchen
Created out of a mother’s love for her son, Balm Kitchen was literally made in the kitchen, where founder Teresa Foo spent days on end experimenting with formulations. Her then three-year-old son had atopic eczema, and she needed a more natural replacement for his steroid creams. At the same time, she was on the hunt for a plant-based lip balm that fit her budget and preferences.
Today, Teresa juggles everything from creation of formulations, to product design and photography alone. Talk about a one-woman show.
Products to try: Tinted lip balm ($9) and Perk-up multi purpose dry oil ($56)