In the coming months, at least 13new-to-market but established international labels will be making their way here.
Robinsons Orchard, which will open its five-storey complex this month, has roped in at least eight such beauty and grooming brands to titillate shoppers.
They are the brand-new Michael Kors and Tory Burch perfume and cosmetics lines; cult British brand Illamasqua; the customisable French skincare line Ioma; the two-decade-old British perfumery Atkinsons; and men's grooming brands Brad Biophotonic and Evolution Man from the United States and Swiss label Task Essential.
"Bringing new brands into the market is part of the holistic approach and competitive strategy of Robinsons Orchard to meet and exceed the demands and expectations of our customers," says MsEuniceKwan, senior merchandising manager of Robinsons.
There has been a deluge of new beauty brands to the market here. In the last year alone, 23 new brands have been launched here.
Beauty supermart Sephora, which currently stocks more than 150 beauty brands, has been an industry game-changer since it set up shop here in 2008, introducing blockbuster brands such as the Shiseido-owned bareMinerals and American brands Too Faced and Smashbox.
In the earlier part of the year, it introduced American cosmetics brand Nyx and British nail polish brand Ciate into the fray; and in the coming months, it will be launching American make-up brand Tarte, South Korean brand PureHeal's and the Jennifer Aniston co-owned American haircare brand Living Proof.
Mr Afif Haddar, the general manager of Sephora South-east Asia, says beauty consumers are increasingly sophisticated, so the challenge is for the stores to continuously surprise them.
"They are well-travelled and exposed to many international brand names. To be the market leader, we have to continuously innovate and excite our consumers with new and exclusive brands and concepts."
Local labels join in the fray
For the past two years, Sephora has been introducing between one and three brands every six months.
Over at luxury multi-brand beauty store Escentials, the new offerings comprise the pricey American skincare brand 3Lab and cult Australian lipstick brand, Lipstick Queen.
Popular South Korean skincare brand Innisfree, too, is setting up its first stand-alone store here at Takashimaya Shopping Centre this month.
The personal care stores want a piece of the action as well.
Last month, Guardian announced that it will be stocking the bestsellers from British pharmacy chain Boots. Watsons has also launched an affordable line of cosmetics from Britain, called Collection Cosmetics.
Other brands that debuted here in the earlier part of the year include Japanese brand Orbis at Junction 8 and Too Cool For School from South Korea at Far East Plaza.
Three new local labels, Purer Skin, Skinlycious and Mandy T are also taking a shot at the market.
All this is good news for beauty consumers who are now spoilt for choice.
Ms Sinthu Ragupalan, a 23-year-old volunteer management executive, is looking forward to getting her hands on bestsellers from Lipstick Queen, Tarte and Illamasqua.
"I've heard excellent reviews of these brands. I just hope the price points are wallet-friendly," says Ms Ragupalan, who spends about $100 a month on beauty products.
"And I hope these brands will bring in a wider variety of shades that will match my tan skintone."
Getting a slice of the pie
So why are all the brands flocking here?
For one thing, the Singapore beauty industry is relatively healthy.
According to data from market research firm Euromonitor, the beauty and personal care market here is worth $1.39 billion last year and projected to grow by 5.8 per cent to reach $1.47 billion this year.
Mr Christopher Neo, managing director of L'Oreal Singapore, says Singapore is a good testing ground for brands that are new to Asia.
"The beauty consumers here have high standards, so it's an indication of a brand's potential success in the region if the brand does well here," he says.
"The Singapore market has a great appetite for new brands, as long as they are exciting and relevant."
The retail scene is also modern and dynamic, he adds.
DrLynda Wee, adjunct associate professor of the division of Marketing and International Business at the Nanyang Business School, says brands might be encouraged to explore new markets such as Singapore due to saturation or slower growth in their home countries.
Furthermore, with the Internet, many consumers are already familiar with the new-to-market brands, so half the battle is already won, she adds.
"When one shops online, one would usually buy only the signature products of the brand. With brick-and-mortar stores, the consumers can experiment with the other products and possibly buy them."
Faced with such keen competition, it will be a challenge for the more established brands here to keep their customers loyal.
However, brand managers remain optimistic.
Ms Iris Chai, Shiseido's assistant brand manager, says while competition has been stiff in the past couple of years, the presence of more beauty brands has elevated the entire industry.
Mr Winston Seow, brand manager for Lancome and Clarisonic, adds that while shoppers now have more to choose from, many of them are ultimately creatures of habit.
They will always want to choose brands that they are emotionally connected to, he says.
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Here are the top new-to-market beauty brands to look out for
1) Michael Kors
Selling point: The American designer launched his firstmake-up collection in the United States in August withthe Estee Lauder Group. The line comprises the Sexy, Sportyand Glam collections. Each consists of a perfume, bronzer, liplacquer, lipgloss and nail polish.
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: This month
Our pick: The Glam Lip Lacquer in the rich burgundy shadeDame (right, $40).
Price range: From $26 for a bottle of nail lacquer to $79 for abottle of 30ml eau de parfum
2) Living Proof
Selling point: Actress Jennifer Aniston, who has a haircut named after her, is the co-owner of this haircare brand. Need we say more? She was apparently so impressed with the products that she bought into the American brand in October last year. Aniston's favourite product? The Restore Mask Treatment ($57), which she says helps to protect and repair her hair. Living Proof is known for its innovative, one-of-a-kind products, such as its oil-and-dirt repelling Prime Style Extender ($26) that can keep unwashed hair looking fresh and clean.
Where: Sephora stores
When: January next year
Our pick: The Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment (price unavailable, in stores from March next year) that smoothes, volumises, conditions and strengthens.
Price range: From $13 for a travel-sized bottle of conditioner to $57 for a hair mask
3) Illamasqua
Selling point: Bold, crazy colours, such as a sea foam green lipstick, and fine foundations that can cover a tattoo seamlessly. Started in 2008 by British ad man Julian Kynaston (who is also the award-winning founder of the Propaganda ad agency in Leeds), the brand is inspired by the decadent 1920s Berlin club scene and encourages women to express themselves, instead of just aiming to look beautiful, with make-up. Its name is a combination of the words "illusion" and "masquerade".
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: This month
Our pick: The green Apocalipse Lipstick ($34), because it is such a unique shade and it complements all skin tones.
Price range: From $19 for a bottle of nail varnish to $62 for a bottle of foundation
4) Innisfree
Selling point: The formulas are made with natural ingredients from Jeju island in South Korea, such as green tea and volcanic clay. The brand also positions itself as an eco-friendly one. Its product packaging is recyclable and the brand often holds environmentally conscious initiatives, such as campaigns to encourage consumers to use handkerchiefs instead of tissues.
Where: B2-34 Takashimaya Shopping Centre
When: Nov 22
Our pick: The Green Tea Seed Serum ($36) that hydrates skin thoroughly.
Price range: From $20 for a pot of clay mask to $57 for a bottle of face oil
5) Atkinsons
Selling point: The British brand is more than two decades old and it was appointed the official perfumer to the British Royal Court in 1826. Founded in 1799 by James Atkinson whose first product was bear grease moustache wax (obtained by combing through the bear's fur). Its range includes colognes and women's perfumes.
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: This month
Our pick: The Fashion Decree EDT (right, $188 for 100ml) perfume from The Legendary Collection. It is inspired by the scent of patchouli on expensive silk, as the dried leaves of the plant were used to protect silk on long sea voyages in olden days.
Price range: From $43 for a 150g bar of soap to $188 for a bottle of eau de toilette
6) Lipstick Queen
Selling point: The brand was started in 1991 by Australian entrepreneur Poppy King when she was just 18. Most of its offerings are lipsticks and its bestsellers are the Saint and Sinner lines. The same shade is pigmented in the Sinner line, while it is more sheer in the Saint one. There is even a sheer scarlet shade, called Jean Queen ($32) , which Ms King says matches perfectly with denim.
Where: Escentials boutiques
When: Next month
Our pick: Sinner lipstick in Scarlet Red ($32) as it contains 90 per cent pigments. Its rich blue-red will brighten any skin tone.
Price: $32 for each lipstick
7) Tarte
Selling point: The American beauty brand was started by entrepreneur Maureen Kelly in 1999 and prides itself on products that are made without parabens, mineral oil, sodium lauryl sulfate and synthetic fragrances. The eco-friendly brand works with cooperatives in Brazil for nutrient-rich clay from the banks of the Amazon, maracuja fruit and acai berries that are used in its skincare formulas.
Where: Sephora stores
When: This month
Our pick: The Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush ($45) as it is long-wearing and infused with the nutrient-rich clay.
Price range: From $26 for a lipstick to $72 for a bottle of face oil
8) 3Lab
Selling point: Founded by American entrepreneurs and husband-and-wife team Erica and David Chung, the skincare brand's products are formulated with high-tech ingredients such as bio-engineered growth hormones and apple stem cells, such as in the Super "h" Serum (photo). Celebrity fans of the brand include actress Hilary Swank; she apparently loves the Ultimate Lift "M" Cream ($360). The brand is carried in department stores such as Nordstrom and Barneys New York in the United States, Harvey Nichols in London and Joyce in Hong Kong.
Where: Escentials boutiques
When: Last month
Our pick: The lightweight Perfect BB SPF 40 ($130). It offers sheer coverage while promising to brighten, rejuvenate and protect skin.
Price range: From $70 for a cleanser to $1,168 for a jar of anti-ageing cream
9) Collection Cosmetics
Selling point: Affordable and colourful cosmetics from Britain. The 26-year-old brand offers products that are usually available only at premium brands - such as liquid lipsticks, a cream concealer and a make-up fixing spray - at attractive prices.
Where: Selected Watsons and BHG stores
When: Last month
Our pick: The Cream Puff Lip Creams ($12.50 each), which are essentially moisturising liquid lipsticks with a matte finish.
Price range: From $9.90 for a lipstick to $21.90 for a foundation
10) Tory Burch
Selling point: The American fashion designer worked with the Estee Lauder Companies to launch her first self-titled eau de parfum in the United States in September, along with a four-piece capsule cosmetics collection. It comprises a pinkish-nude lipstick, lip and cheek tint, bronzer and blush palette, and a face brush. There is also a body range.
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: The fragrance will be available next month, while the cosmetics will hit the store in February next year.
Our pick: The sensual and floral Tory Burch EDP ($95 for 30ml) that has hints of peony, tuberose, grapefruit, neroli and vetiver.
Price range: From $45 for a lipstick to $175 for a bottle of 100ml eau de parfum
11) Task Essential
Selling point: Launched in 2004, the Swiss men's skincare brand has formulas made with oxygen, perfluorodecalin (which apparently mimics the functions of haemoglobin in carrying oxygen to the cells), stem cells, marine elements and plant extracts.
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: This month
Our pick: Age Redeem For Men ($86), a vitamin and collagen-enriched treatment. It also contains oxygen molecules to perk up tired skin and a UVA filter for protection.
Price range: From $36 for a deodorant stick to $199 for a treatment serum
12) Evolution Man
Selling point: Created in 2010 by American celebrity hairstylist and make-up artist Marco Berardini, who has toured with Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. The formulas are designed to be straightforward and easy to use. The range features everything from shaving formulas to eye, lip and nailcare products made for men.
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: This month
Our pick: Moisture Protect SPF20 Bronze ($40) because it is oil-free, moisturises, gives skin a bronzed finish and contains green tea extract, chamomile and vitamins C and E to nourish the skin.
Price range: From $14 for a lip balm to $58 for a face and bodywash
13) Ioma
Selling point: Its name is from the French phrase "a moi", which means "for me", spelt backwards. Founded in 2010 by French entrepreneur and scientist Jean Michel Karam and backed by consumer goods conglomerate Unilever, the skincare brand offers personalised solutions. Consultation starts with a patented skin-analysis machine and customers are offered a customised solution from seven lines that treat dehydrated skin, fine lines, wrinkles and lack of firmness, redness, bacterial activity (impurities), oily skin and hyperpigmentation. The brand also offers a premium bespoke day cream and night cream.
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: This month
Our pick: The bespoke Active Day Base and Active Night Base ($430 per set), because it can be custom-blended to your needs.
Price range: From $56 for a cleansing milk to $430 for the bespoke skincare set
14) PureHeal's
Selling point: The formulas of this affordable South Korean brand are based on natural active ingredients, such as centella, propolis (a bee by-product rich in antioxidants), galactomyces (a yeast extract) and calendula. The concentration of the active ingredients is found on the product label; the higher the number, the more potent it is.
Where: Sephora stores
When: Last month
Our pick: The Centella 90 Ampoule ($33). It is rich in the herb extract which can help to brighten and firm skin.
Price range: From $20 for a bottle of cleansing milk to $78 for a bottle of serum.
15) Brad Biophotonic
Selling point: The high-tech American brand was created in 2010 by American entrepreneur Brad Hunter, one of the first men to serve at the cosmetics department at American department store Nordstrom. The formulas are "bio-fermented" with oxygen and violet rays of light, which apparently preserve and energise them. This process is believed to boost the efficacy of the products. The treatments promise to activate collagen and elastin production.
Where: Robinsons Orchard
When: This month
Our pick: Essential Elixir Multi-Peptide ($120), which addresses lines and sagging. It is packed with amino acids and collagen to stimulate cell renewal.
Price range: $58 for a gel cleanser to $198 for a bottle of algae concentrate.
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