Local beauty brands have garnered quite the cult following in Singapore, and we’re on board for the ride. Case in point: Actor Lawrence Wong’s Grail Skin, which sold out its entire inventory in four days after its 2021 debut. More recently, Romi Beauty Club’s first skincare product, the Glow Getter Treatment Mask, sold out within 24 hours after its December 2023 launch.
So what makes these Singapore-owned beauty brands tick? “I think local beauty brands like ours are at our best when we offer fresh and new perspectives – blending our distinct vantage point with ongoing global innovation,” observes Ivan Cheng, co-founder of Jing Botanics, a new Singapore-based wellness brand that integrates Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with modern scalp science. “What sets us apart is a steadfast commitment to excellence, rooted in the Singaporean ethos, and our ability to curate global trends and industry advancements to meet the needs of increasingly discerning beauty buyers.”
Whether it’s their research-backed formulas, products catered to Asian hair and skin, or sustainability-focused ethos, these latest local beauty brands are worth checking out.
When it was founded: March 2024
Who’s behind it: Founded by Valerie Lee, who brings with her a wealth of experience in brand development and a customer-first approach. The brand’s scientific division, which focuses on product development, is helmed by Singapore-based plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Cheah.
What it specialises in: The brand has four star products: the Calming Cleanser, Advanced Moisturiser, SPF 50 Sunscreen, and Hyaluronic B5 serum. These help soothe the skin and combat the effects of harsh weather, laser treatments, or other skin stressors. Formulas were crafted by a veteran plastic surgeon in Malaysia and are gentle for even the most sensitive skin and patients who have undergone post-laser or other cosmetic treatments. Each product undergoes rigorous testing to ensure safety and compatibility with different skin profiles.
What’s new: The brand is formulating another sunscreen that is non-tinted and safe for eczema-prone skin. More details will be announced later this year.
Where to buy: www.capaskin.com or in-store at Nuffield Plastic Surgery (#05-15 Wheelock Place)
Founded: January 2024
Who’s behind it: Ivan Cheng, an entrepreneur and beauty industry veteran, and Hazel Yeo, a private equity and venture capitalist. Cheng, confronted signs of hair loss after turning 30, and Yeo, a young mother navigating postnatal hair loss after her first child, sought natural solutions and turned to TCM. For over two years, the duo collaborated with experts such as beauty scientists, trichologists, and TCM herbalists to develop their formulae.
What it specialises in: This luxury wellness brand integrates beauty with cutting-edge science. It aspires to create a holistic approach to beauty and wellness, emphasising the healing of mind, body, and spirit. The inaugural product is the Revitalising Hair and Scalp Serum, a lightweight treatment crafted with a botanical complex of 18 herbal and plant extracts, designed to nourish the scalp, reduce hair fall, and promote healthy hair growth. What’s new: The brand has expanded its product line to include the Essential Scalp Gua Sha Comb, which promotes scalp massage, enhances blood circulation, and aids in serum absorption. Looking ahead, they have a couple of collaborations in progress and are working towards experiential and retail partnerships. The team is also actively developing new products, including a shampoo slated for release later this year.
Where to buy: www.jingbotanics.com and select retail partners. Customers can also purchase The Renewal Duo, a set including both products, exclusively on the brand’s website.
Founded: July 2023
Who’s behind it: Ian Ho and Benjamin B, who are also co-founders of Hall of Goods, a local distributor of cult-favourite personal care and grooming brands. Boundary was created after years of rigorous research and testing.
What it specialises in: Boundary is a new-generation, made-in-Singapore grooming brand. It aims to make products in the grooming space that break the norm and keep people looking good in Singapore’s humid climate. The brand leverages ingredients and formulations that keep their product, the Clay Hybrid hair styling mask, light yet effective.
What’s new: The Clay Hybrid, a hair styling product custom-created for the tropics and designed to withstand humidity. Formulated with a proprietary blend of polymers, the Clay Hybrid provides high hold and a matte look without being difficult to wash off. It also contains organic and natural active ingredients to keep hair moisturised and nourished, while protecting it from oxidative damage and premature hair loss.
Where to buy: Boundary is stocked in Robinsons and Takashimaya S.C.
Founded: 2021, with a brand refresh as of July 2023.
Who’s behind it: Malaysia-born Singaporean actor Lawrence Wong, who drew inspiration from his personal skincare journey, fast-paced lifestyle, and commitment to self-care and sustainability.
What it specialises in: Grail’s vision is to provide luxurious yet accessible products and become the ‘holy grail of self-care and wellness. The product range is formulated with natural ingredients, ensuring fewer chemicals and higher quality. The brand’s first products were its deeply hydrating mask and pure mineral sunscreen, which boasted record sales of more than 3,000 units within just a month.
What’s new: In July 2023, the brand embarked on a rebranding journey which included a streamlined logo and updated packaging with eco-friendly materials. Two new facial products were also launched in August. Namely, the Retinol Vitamin A Serum which encompasses a blend of 1.5 per cent retinol and 1.5 per cent bakuchiol with vitamin A, and the Hydrating Rice Yeast Dewy Moisturiser. The moisturiser features Grail’s new patented ingredient Hygroplex HHG, developed by CLR Berlin, a globally renowned laboratory and skincare ingredient manufacturer.
Where to buy: www.grailskin.com
Founded: May 2023
Who’s behind it: Modules is part of the larger telehealth platform Ora – a Singaporean start-up that owns telehealth brands andSons and Ova, for male health solutions and female reproductive healthcare respectively. Founder Tom Reynolds is also Ora’s brand manager and previously worked for the Loreal Group.
What it specialises in: Modules is the region’s first online dermatology experience, providing access to prescription ingredients and personalized products. Every customer begins with an online consultation with a Singapore-based general practitioner Modules partners with. The doctor provides a prescription based on the customer’s needs, and products are then customized to their preferences before being made to order and delivered to their doorstep within five days. All the 676 different formulations available are professionally mixed by chemists in a compound pharmacy in Singapore, which also formulates for local dermatology clinics.
What’s new: Since late 2023, Modules has launched three non-prescription products to complement its treatments: the 3% Niacinamide Cleanser, 23% Ascorbic Acid Serum, and 16 Amino Acid Moisturiser. The Clinical Essentials Kit, which contains all three products, is formulated to suit all skincare types, so you can use them safely without any consultation with doctors.
Where to buy: Sign up for a consultation or buy non-prescription products at @modules.skin on Instagram
Founded: April 2022
Who’s behind it: Nazeer (he goes by only one name), a skincare content creator who started a skincare blog on Instagram in 2020, after enduring an arduous skin journey involving cystic acne. He began researching the various forms of skincare available to aid his healing, leading to the creation of Newdtral.
What it specialises in: The brand specialises in creating efficacious bio-compatible products that are intention-driven, addressing real skin concerns. Essentially, hassle-free and accessible for everybody. Products are manufactured in South Korea and are vegan and cruelty-free, while not eschewing synthetic ingredients to achieve stable formulations. Its debut product, Siriusly Bright, is a brightening serum made with ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin C, Stellight, and bacillus ferment.
What’s new: The BHA-By Buffed (pronounced “baby buffed”) toner launched back in January 2024, a gentle exfoliant suitable for all skin types and specially formulated for acne-prone skin. This is the brand’s current hero product, and Naz is working on other hero products this year addressing concerns like hyperpigmentation.
Where to buy: On www.newdtral.com, Shopee, and TikTok
Founded: 2022
Who’s behind it: Entrepreneurs Arissa Cheo, Yoyo Cao, and Lin Ting, co-founders of Romi Beauty. Romi Beauty marks the trio’s first foray into the beauty industry, which started from their own skincare concerns. With a desire to offer versatile beauty products, the founders embarked on a formulation process which took two years of trial-and-error and meticulous evaluations.
What it specialises in: Versatile products that use high-quality active ingredients. All products are without parabens, phthalates, sulphates, synthetic fragrances, and gluten, and are also sustainably produced and packaged. The brand’s popular debut product, the Dream Skin Tint, is a tinted moisturiser, serum, and sunscreen rolled into one and packaged in a pocket-sized bottle.
What’s new: In December 2023, the brand introduced its first skincare product: the Glow Getter Treatment Mask. The sheet mask is created with a powerful yet gentle cocktail of skin-loving ingredients designed to hydrate, brighten, restore, and protect the skin. Key ingredients include Niacinamide, Rice Extract, Triple Berry Complex, and vitamins B5 and C.
Where to buy: www.romibeautyclub.com