Buying Makeup

[gnaff9093]

Is there a Sephora in Singapore?
Does anyone know if there is a Jane Iredale Representative in Singapore?

Thanks!

[BedokAmerican]

Yes, there are several Sephora locations in a Singapore. I'm not sure if there's a Jane Iredale rep here, but some spas might sell the products. If you're planning to move here, bring a decent supply of cosmetics because they're much more expensive here.

Another thing, your "Beauty Insider" frequent shopper/rewards card from Sephora might not work here. I haven't tried to shop at sephora here yet, but I have found that the the Toys R Us and IKEA shopper cards from the USA don't work in Singapore. Probably same with Sephora, but I could be wrong.

[the lynx]

Oh wait, your makeup may or may not do well with the humidity here. So before you stock up on your makeup before moving here, check first if your favourite brand has manufacturers in Asian or tropical countries, and if they are formulated differently to adapt to the humidity and heat. Very often you have the same thing but different formulations. If they do, buy them here instead.

Otherwise you will find that your foundation is way too creamier in the tropical country. Or your hair products make your hair more frazzled that you fancy here.

[pisceangirl]

Oh wait, your makeup may or may not do well with the humidity here. So before you stock up on your makeup before moving here, check first if your favourite brand has manufacturers in Asian or tropical countries, and if they are formulated differently to adapt to the humidity and heat. Very often you have the same thing but different formulations. If they do, buy them here instead.

Otherwise you will find that your foundation is way too creamier in the tropical country. Or your hair products make your hair more frazzled that you fancy here.

+1. Holds true for skincare products as well.

[BedokAmerican]

You all made some good points about makeup in the tropics and humidity. NC and the eastern US is pretty humid so it might not be a big deal. I moved from the southwest USA where it is dry much of the year and I haven't had problems with makeup I brought over here.

However, admittedly, I don't wear makeup every day and don't really take the time to analyze it (most of my time is spent at home with my 2-yr-old). Therefore, if the composition of my makeup is changing, it's been so gradual that I haven't noticed.

Another thing to note is the temperature which makeup is stored. I keep mine in a closed closet in a container on a shelf out of sunlight and it seems ok. But there's the heat issue. Most condos in Singapore have air conditioning units in individual rooms that can be turned on or off, as opposed to homes/apartments in the US, where you can set one thermostat for the A/C to automatically kick on everywhere if the heat rises above a designated temperature. Therefore, in Singapore, the bedroom (where makeup is often stored) A/C is typically kept off during the day because nobody is in there and can probably get into the upper 80s Farenheight. The condo I'm in has 7 A/C units and usually during the day only the 2 living room ones are on because that's where most time is spent. It was suggested to me at GNC that when buying vitamins they should be refrigerated. I don't know if refrigerating makeup is the answer.

[the lynx]

You all made some good points about makeup in the tropics and humidity. NC and the eastern US is pretty humid so it might not be a big deal. I moved from the southwest USA where it is dry much of the year and I haven't had problems with makeup I brought over here.

However, admittedly, I don't wear makeup every day and don't really take the time to analyze it (most of my time is spent at home with my 2-yr-old). Therefore, if the composition of my makeup is changing, it's been so gradual that I haven't noticed.

Another thing to note is the temperature which makeup is stored. I keep mine in a closed closet in a container on a shelf out of sunlight and it seems ok. But there's the heat issue. Most condos in Singapore have air conditioning units in individual rooms that can be turned on or off, as opposed to homes/apartments in the US, where you can set one thermostat for the A/C to automatically kick on everywhere if the heat rises above a designated temperature. Therefore, in Singapore, the bedroom (where makeup is often stored) A/C is typically kept off during the day because nobody is in there and can probably get into the upper 80s Farenheight. The condo I'm in has 7 A/C units and usually during the day only the 2 living room ones are on because that's where most time is spent. It was suggested to me at GNC that when buying vitamins they should be refrigerated. I don't know if refrigerating makeup is the answer.

I think lipsticks would be good examples to illustrate how different climates affect the shelf-life of those two. My friend brought her Maybeline lipsticks (manufactured in Indonesia or Malaysia IIRC) to her training stint in LA and they brittled to crumbs by day 3. And someone gave me an Inglot concealer cream purchased in USA, which reputably among the best ones without overly-creamy effect, and oh boy, it melted off my face when I tried using it here with the humidity.

Yeah eye creams and masks are recommended to be stored in refrigerators. As long as the place you store them is not in direct sunlight and in cool, dry area of the house, you should be fine. Keeping them in bathrooms without ventilating system is not a good idea, especially if the shower/bath and dressing basin are in the same room.