Reboot, Revive, Reset: The 6 Local Beauty Brands To Hit For Next-Level Skin
Set your skin up for glowing success with these additions to your beauty routine
January 7, 2021
To those who subscribe to the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, here’s a newsflash: While having a reliable skincare routine is well and good, you shouldn’t keep to the same one indefinitely. The reason is simple: Just like everything else in life, our skin changes with time—for instance, becoming drier and less elastic as we age and the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin slows, or becoming more prone to dryness, irritation and breakouts as the weather fluctuates. This necessitates new additions now and then to your skincare regime to meet your skin’s dynamic needs.
Look Within
The good news is, you don’t always have to look far and wide for products that work; everything you need can be found right here on home turf, with the extra benefit of formulations that are created especially for Asian women. Here, six of the home-grown beauty brands you should know:
1. RE:ERTH
Founded by a group of five young entrepreneurs from Singapore and Japan, RE:ERTH advocates mindfulness and minimalism while embracing the beautifying power of nature. Accordingly, it offers a streamlined skincare range comprising only eight products formulated with quality nature-derived ingredients—a cleanser, a toner, a moisturiser, an eye cream, three targeted treatments (skin-refining, spot-lightening, blemish control) and an oral beauty supplement. At the heart of all its products is its patented star ingredient, the Japanese white turmeric, which is cultivated and harvested exclusively in the brand’s farms across Kyushu in Japan. Extracts from its root and leaves have been proven by researchers at Japan’s Kindai University to slow the breakdown of hyaluronic acid in the skin while stimulating collagen production and cellular activity. Other skin-loving nature-derived ingredients include the Japanese spring turmeric (inhibits melanin production), cherry blossom flower extract (stimulates collagen production), and patented and exclusive glycoproteins (promote skin cell renewal and repair).
2. HYSSES
Harnessing the healing power of nature, HYSSES (乡术, meaning “arts from the village”), founded by Cheryl Gan in 2007, offers premium essential oils as well as aromatherapy products for the hair, face, body and home. Sourcing ingredients from the seasoned hands of indigenous people, the brand bypasses middlemen traders and works closely with farmers to acquire eco-friendly ingredients such as peppermint, lemongrass, yuzu, eucalyptus and rose. Each HYSSES product is made with only natural botanical and bioactive ingredients, so you know there are no harmful toxins or synthetic silicones.
3. ést.lab
Launched under its parent company Estetica, one of Asia’s leading beauty establishments since 1980, ést.lab harnesses the best of science and technology to present tactics for every skin concern—whether it’s oily or dehydrated skin, unsightly spots or eye bags you’re battling. Key to the brand is its proprietary SkAI (Skin Analytics and Ingredients) Matrix, which functions as both an evaluation tool as well as a materials database to guide the selection of ingredients and the formulation of products. Developed in collaboration with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), Singapore’s leading research and development agency, the SkAI Matrix holds a list of ingredients and materials developed by the world’s leading manufacturers, and benchmarks these across four categories—safety, efficacy, compatibility and marketability—to shortlist the most desirable ones, which will then be developed into sample formulations and sent for clinical trials before being approved for manufacture. Marrying traditional methods of wellness with cutting-edge research and technology, the products are made with active ingredients that are handpicked, and concocted by renowned experts and trusted research institutions the world over.
4. Kew Organics
Born of founder Lily Kew’s own troubles with acne and the subsequent healing through holistic skincare wellness, Kew Organics works to empower women to confidently step out with bare skin. The first home-grown organic skincare label in Singapore has come a long way since its humble beginnings six years ago, as a ladies-only organic facial bar at Everton Park. It has now expanded to include facial bars at The Central at Clarke Quay and Cluny Court, a franchise outlet at OUE Downtown Gallery (Sugar K Organic Peel Bar), and a hybrid retail-and-treatment boutique at TANGS at Tang Plaza. Testament to its popularity as well as the efficacy of its comprehensive menu of organic face and body treatments, a satisfied customer even brought the brand to Hong Kong, starting a distribution centre and a facial bar there.
5. Sigi Skin
Bringing superfood benefits to the skin, Sigi Skin draws on cutting-edge technology to deliver nourishing nutrients and minerals deep into the skin for a beauty boost. Launched in 2018 by self-professed beauty junkie Xenia Wong, the vegan skincare brand offers clean and pared-down yet potent products infused with superfood extracts that work to support skin health. Expect a range of multi-purpose offerings that boast a mix of powerful antioxidants as well as a complex blend of vitamins, minerals and bioavailable emollients that work synergistically to help restore balance and bring the glow back to urban skin.
6. Skin Inc
Customisation is the name of the game at Skin Inc, which serves up personalised serums that give your skin what it needs, when it needs it. Established by Sabrina Tan, who recognised way back in 2008 that every individual’s skin is unique, as are its needs, the brand eschews the one-size-fits-all concept for a one-size-fits-me philosophy. Key to the customisation process is a proprietary self-diagnostic tool developed by the brand’s scientists based on decades of skin ageing research. The simple three-minute quiz evaluates your skin and identifies the three serums in the brand’s portfolio that are best suited for your needs; these will then be blended to present your very own “miracle in a bottle” known as My Daily Dose Custom Blended Serum. Also available are cleansers, exfoliators, and targeted serums and treatments, all of which are fortified with an encapsulation technology that protects the pure actives from exposure to light and oxidation, keeping them potent up to the time of use. All are compatible with skincare from other brands as well as makeup products.
Stave off Your Skincare Woes With These Must-Have Solutions
Now that you know which Singapore beauty brands to look for, we’ve sussed out a few must-have solutions to help you tackle those pesky skin concerns. Whether you are simply looking for more hydration or seeking a targeted treatment, there is something for everyone.
If you’re looking for some cleansing help
Thorough cleansing is the first step in effective skincare—after all, your skin needs to be washed clean of all the grime of the day, along with makeup and accumulated dead skin cells, for it to be able to better absorb all the goodness of the products applied post-wash.
Mandarin Acai Cleansing Lotion, $106 for 200ml, Kew Organics
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Take it all off with the Mandarin Acai Cleansing Lotion from Kew Organics ($106 for 200ml), which clarifies and brightens dull skin with alpha-hydroxy acid and vitamin C. It also has antioxidant-rich acai, raspberry and cranberry extracts to fight free-radical damage and stimulate skin cell renewal, as well as sweet orange, lemon and wild yam extracts to keep skin hydrated.
For a vegan cleanse, Sigi Skin‘s Kaleansar Face Wash($38 for 100 ml) easily removes makeup, dirt and oil while rebalancing the skin’s pH level without stripping away its natural moisture. Kale extracts help to detoxify and cleanse the pores while soy extracts soothe and moisturise, leaving your skin feeling soft and supple.
Facial Scrub Deep Cleansing Frankincense Patchouli, $32.90 for 50ml, HYSSES
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Don’t forget to give your face a good scrub to slough off dead skin cells for a brighter complexion. HYSSES‘s Facial Scrub Deep Cleansing Frankincense Patchouli ($32.90 for 50ml) contains exfoliating ingredients such as fine apricot seed powder and pink clay to help refine and smoothen your skin texture. Frankincense essential oil improves skin tone and regenerates healthy skin cells while the anti-ageing patchouli essential oil relieves inflammation even as it moisturises.
LumiWhite Exfoliating Scrub, $78 for 50ml, ést.lab
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Meanwhile, the enhanced formula of ést.lab‘s LumiWhite Exfoliating Scrub ($78 for 50ml) not only helps to cleanse your skin with vitamin C, jojoba oil and fucogel, it also has jojoba exfoliating beads, niacinamide (vitamin B3) and panthenol (vitamin B5) to ensure brighter and smoother skin with each wash. Formulated to tackle hyper-pigmentation, discolouration and blemishes, this gentle yet powerful exfoliator leaves your skin clean, soft and smooth.
Charcoal Volcanic Mask Tea Tree Hinoki, $32.90 for 80g, HYSSES
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If stubborn blackheads are your beef, reach for HYSSES’s Tea Tree HinokiCharcoal Volcanic Mask ($32.90 for 80g). Powered by volcanic ashes, it not only draws out impurities from the skin and clears out clogged pores, but also absorbs excess sebum and soothes inflammation. Working in tandem to keep your complexion calm and clear are tea tree oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties to keep flare-ups at bay; skin-soothing hinoki oil; and the humectants panthanol and erythritol.
If you’re looking for a moisture boost along with other benefits
You’ve probably heard it multiple times, but keeping skin hydrated and moisturised really is key to a happy, healthy-looking complexion. So don’t wait for signs of dehydration—such as dryness, dullness, and more noticeable lines and wrinkles—to show up before reaching for a hydrator or moisturiser. The simpler way would be to incorporate one of the following into your skincare routine to prevent the problem from happening in the first place.
STB Local Beauty Brands – EVERYDAY MULTITASKING MOISTURISING
Multi-Targeted Elixir, $116 for 30ml, RE:ERTH
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A multi-benefit moisturiser like RE:ERTH‘s Multi-Targeted Elixir ($108 for 30ml) is just what parched skin craves. A fast-absorbing lightweight formula, this skin-refining serum harnesses the power of the Japanese white turmeric leaf and root extracts as well as the Japanese spring turmeric leaf extracts to help restore firmness and increase collagen production while diminishing spots and evening out your skin tone.
If you are not sure what type of moisturiser to get, Skin Inc lets you be your own chemist! Using its diagnostic tool and proprietary algorithm to decode your Skin Identity, create your customised My Daily Dose Custom Blended Serum by Skin Inc. This ultimate multitasker takes into consideration your unique skin concerns and creates a custom serum cocktail just for you.
Deluxe Hydra Nutrient Mist, $61 for 50ml, Kew Organics
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If your skin is prone to dryness or itch, why not keep a bottle of Kew Organics’s Deluxe Hydra Nutrient Mist ($61 for 50ml) in your handbag for a speedy refresh any time, anywhere? It is formulated with over 85 percent certified-organic ingredients, including extracts of the powerful skin hydrator snow fungus, the antioxidant-rich goji berry and pomegranate, and soothing rose and white tea.
Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask, from $116 for 30ml, Skin Inc
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At night, give skin a treat with Skin Inc’sPure Deep Sea Hydrating Mask (from $72 for 30ml). Infused with hyaluronic acid, nutrient-rich deep-sea water from Japan, and skin-smoothing and –softening soya bean extract, it pulls triple duty as a moisturiser, a clarifying treatment and a brightener. Suited for daily use, it works as both a rinse-off mask and an overnight treatment (the lightweight gel absorbs into skin quickly, sans sticky residue).
If you’re looking for an energising anti-age booster
Fine lines, crow’s feet, sagging skin and a host of other signs of ageing making an appearance? Fret not; help is on hand with these masks that work on ensuring you stay ageless.
STB Local Beauty Brands – ANTI-AGEING AND BRIGHTENING EFFECTS
VitaLift A+ Brillage Face Mask, $98 for a box of six sheets, ést.lab
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If you’ve been staying away from masks and other extra help for fear of them sparking a reaction from your sensitive skin, you can rest easy with ést.lab’s VitaLift A+ Brillage Face Mask ($98 for a box of six sheets). Boasting a new and improved formula that promises to be gentle enough for even ultra-sensitive skin, the nano bio-cellulose mask comes soaked with a cocktail of ingredients rich in anti-ageing properties—think vitamin E, peptides and ceramides. Meanwhile, plant-derived actives such as centella asiatica, camomile, liquorice root and panex ginseng extracts help keep reactive skin calm and soothed. Use twice a week for best results.
Ultra-Revive H20+ Masque, $90 for 50g, Kew Organics
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Lock in moisture with Ultra-Revive H20+ Masque ($90 for 50g) by Kew Organics, a lightweight leave-on treatment that restores your skin’s optimal moisture supply in the dermal layer with hyaluronic acid and collagen. Its blend of vitamins C and E, green tea and asafetida enhance your skin’s resilience, leaving it smooth and supple.
To repair and nourish your skin overnight,Sigi Skin‘s Dream Capsule ($82 for 50ml) uses bakuchiol—a plant-derived retinol alternative—to hydrate and boost collagen production while erasing radical damage caused during the day. This ultimate antioxidant smoothie also contains purslane, which helps to protect skin’s DNA from ageing by strengthening cells’ repair function.
The reason for your lacklustre complexion may well be the build-up of dead skin cells, which causes dullness and a rough, uneven texture. Try one of these and watch your skin perk right up.
STB Local Beauty Brands – GLOWING AND RADIANT SKIN
Pure Revival Peel, $48 for 40ml, Skin Inc
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Slough away the unwanted residue with Skin Inc‘s Pure Revival Peel ($76 for 60ml), a non-abrasive peel that visibly removes dead cells, revealing renewed skin beneath even as high-performance ingredients like AC-11, arbutin, and fullerene work to revive your skin’s youthful vitality. By exfoliating regularly, you are also prepping your skin to better absorb nutrients from other skincare products.
To address stubborn discolouration, RE:ERTH‘s Illuminating Concentrate ($128 for 10ml) is the antidote to unsightly spots and hyperpigmentation. This spot-lightening serum uses a blend of botanical actives to restore radiance and luminosity. Powered by monkey jack heartwood extract and Japanese spring turmeric extract, melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity are inhibited to help fade dark spots, while cherry blossom extract boosts collagen production by increasing skin’s resilience against glycation.
Phyto Bright, $113 for a bottle of 90 capsules, RE:ERTH
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Complement topical skincare with an oral supplement such as RE:ERTH’s PhytoBright ($105 for a bottle of 90 capsules), which is made with nature-derived ingredients to promote beautiful skin from the inside out. Formulated with golden yellow tomato to brighten and even out skin tone, this bioavailable supplement also has Japanese spring turmeric and L-Cystine to inhibit melanin production.
And for those who love being photographed, Skin Inc’s Serum Glow Filter ($72 for 30ml) is a definite must-grab. Acting like a real-life filter, this skincare-makeup hybrid utilises the brand’s Light Reflective Technology to bounce light off the skin, creating a flattering pearlised finish that minimises the look of flaws such as enlarged pores, redness, and fine lines and wrinkles. The skincare bit is fulfilled by ingredients such as the brightening agent niacinamide, the hydrating hyaluronic acid and extracts of the rare gold hibiscus, which help lift and tighten skin while fighting free-radical damage.
Nothing can get a girl down more than blotchy and inflamed skin with pimples popping up everywhere—especially if there’s a big date looming or an upcoming function to attend. Makeup can only go so far to hide these issues; the smarter way would be to invest in blemish-control skincare that promises to take care of the problem so you can hold your head high.
Makeup can only go so far to hide those spots, but take charge of your skin’s health with a blemish treatment like RE:ERTH‘s Blemish Control ($80 for 30ml). This topical anti-microbial formula calms red skin and reduces inflammation without causing dryness or sensitivity. Using a combination of antibodies found in colostrum and lysozymes, bacteria that causes acne is destroyed while water-soluble vitamin A helps the skin become firmer and more elastic.
Clear Skin Treatment Essence, $132 for 30ml, Kew Organics
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Kew Organics, meanwhile, tackles the issue with a potent cocktail of antioxidants and actives. Its Clear Skin Treatment Essence ($132 for 30ml) is formulated with over 90 percent certified-organic ingredients, such as extracts of gotu kola, which works on reducing blemishes and acne scars; liquorice root, known to regulate sebum production and lighten pigmentation; and rose, which is rich in antioxidants as well as essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C, D and E. Snow fungus and aloe extracts further work to aid wound healing, keep skin hydrated and stimulate collagen production for smoother, suppler, healthier-looking skin.
We all know the importance of shielding the skin from harmful UV rays, which not only cause surface damage such as a darkening of freckles and sunburn (which, by the way, increases your risk for skin cancer), but also penetrate deeper into the skin to age cells and damage their DNA. And lest you think sunscreen is reserved for the outdoors, UV rays can penetrate glass, so if you’re anywhere near a window, they’ll reach you. The takeaway? Be sure to apply sunscreen whether you’re headed out or just settling in to start your WFH day.
Oil Control Sunscreen Tea Tree Hinoki SPF 40/PA++, $55.90 for 50ml, HYSSES
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Oily, acne-prone skin will take well to the Oil Control Sunscreen Tea Tree Hinoki SPF 40/PA++ fromHYSSES ($55.90 for 50ml), which helps keep shine and breakouts under control even as it defends against UVA and UVB damage, thanks to tea tree and hinoki oils, the anti-inflammatory witch hazel, hydrating allantoin and the emollient cetylalcohol.
Morning Glow Physical Sunscreen, $58 for 50 ml, Sigi Skin
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For a multi-purpose concoction, Sigi Skin‘s Morning Glow Physical Sunscreen ($58 for 50ml) not only protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays, it also doubles as a lightweight moisturiser. Avocado extracts offer vitamin E and fatty acids while acai extracts counteract the effects of the sun’s infrared rays and niacinamide moisturises and brightens the skin.
Those who use digital devices frequently will love ést.lab‘s Sunshield SPF 50 ($96 for 50ml) as it is enhanced with anti-blue light technology to shield your skin from the harmful effects of blue light, which can worsen photo-ageing, hyperpigmentation and skin inflammation. This water-resistant sunscreen with its high SPF coverage also contains vitamins C and E to brighten your skin while blending perfectly to match your skin tone and hide blemishes.
Your eyes say a lot—and when they look drawn and tired, your demeanour may come across as fatigued and haggard. Thankfully, caring for the delicate skin around your eye area is easy with these products.
STB Local Beauty Brands – BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL EYES
Smoothing Eye Cream, $106 for 50ml, RE:ERTH
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With regular use, RE:ERTH‘s Smoothing Eye Cream ($99 for 50ml) keeps your eye contours smooth and firm. Packed with water-soluble vitamin A, colostrum and Eyeseryl, this lightweight crème helps to realign collagen fibres and increase blood circulation while reducing fluid retention. Turmeric root extracts protect the fragile eye area from everyday aggressors, so you can maintain a fresh and healthy look.
Optimal Lift A+ Multi-Repair Eye Essence, $119 for 15ml, ést.lab
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If puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines and wrinkles are troubling you, go for ést.lab’s OptimaLift A+ Multi-Repair Eye Essence($119 for 15ml). Formulated with Haloxyl and extracts of botanicals such as butcher’s broom root and marigold flower, it boosts microcirculation to rid dark circles so you look fresh and well rested. Peppermint leaf water, which has antibacterial properties to help detox and reduce puffiness, soothes and relieves stressed skin while elderberry flower extract, panthenol and niacinamide moisturise and brighten.
Body Contour Massage Oil Ginger Clove, $39.90 for 165ml, HYSSES
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Working on shedding those Covid pounds? Complement the lifestyle and dietary changes with the Body Contour Massage Oil Ginger Clove from HYSSES ($39.90 for 165ml), designed to give a slimmer silhouette. This all-natural contouring massage oil is formulated with ginger, which has detoxifying properties and improves blood circulation; caffeine, which tones and tightens skin, and stimulates lymphatic drainage to reduce the look of cellulite; and antioxidants and an emollient to keep skin soft, smooth and moisturised.
