In Singapore, the colour red has a significant meaning. It's used in the Singaporean flag to represent the "universal brotherhood and equality of man", according to Singapore’s National Heritage Board.
Meanwhile, for beauty lovers, red beauty products have long been used as a symbol of women’s confidence. They have symbolised life, passion, and attractiveness that are commemorated in artwork and literature. For example, the red lipstick’s rich history as a staple in makeup dates all the way back to 3500 B.C.E and has been linked to the suffragette movement. Yes, red is certainly a colour that holds a lot of significance.
Want to wear red for both of these reasons this National Day and beyond? Here are some red-themed beauty products to check out. P.S. Some are from homegrown brands too!
PSA Skin HEROINE Mandelic & Licorice Superfood Glow Toner
USD29
ICYDK, PSA Skin is the Gen Z sister brand of Singapore-grown Allies of Skin. The HEROINE Mandelic & Licorice Superfood Glow Toner is made with AHAs like mandelic and lactic acid as well as botanical extracts, including antioxidant-rich pomegranate extract, which inspired the bottle's burnt red hue, to gently exfoliate your skin, calm redness, and minimise blemishes. This is a great skin refresher post-National Day Parade on 21 August, since you’ll be outdoors exposed to all kinds of pollution. A gentle exfoliating toner can dissolve the outer layer of your skin and prep the new layer for the following skincare steps.
Pair it with: The RESET Acai & Manuka Honey Nourishing Cleanser (USD28), a creamy cleanser that removes impurities while helping to brighten and moisturise your skin. It has pomegranate extract, like the HEROINE toner, and adds antibacterial manuka honey, soothing yoghurt, and anti-inflammatory grapeseed oil for the ultimate all-around cleanser.
Clarins Total Eye Lift
~USD79.96
Can't forget about your eye area, so dab on the Clarins Total Eye Lift eye serum. It helps to improve your eye contour by reducing puffiness, minimising wrinkles and fine lines, and restoring firmness. It contains organic harungana extract and cassie wax to help lift and smooth your eye area for a wide-awake, youthful appearance. If you’re planning to stay up late to celebrate virtually with your loved ones, your eyes will definitely appreciate some pampering.
Pair it with: The Clarins Super Restorative Day Cream (~USD148.08), which contains the same harungana extract and boasts the same smoothing and lifting perks as the eye serum.
Rough Beauty Geranium Reefs Bar Soap
~USD7.03
If you like to spend your me-time in your bathroom oasis, then check out Singapore-grown indie brand Rough Beauty's assortment of handcrafted artisanal soaps. The Geranium Reefs bar soap is made with Australian reef red clay, which gives it its muted red hue. Red clay is a great exfoliator that's suitable for sensitive and mature skin. It also has a distinct floral aroma comprised of geranium, lemon, and lavender. This is a nice touch for your evening bath so you can head off to slumberland after all of the day’s festivities.
Pair it with: Their Essential Oil Roll-Ons (~USD10.37) that come in five scent blends to help you calm down, focus, relax, refresh, or feel uplifted depending on your mood post-bath.
Dior Rouge Blush Birds Of A Feather in Coral Flight
~USD58.49
Add a flush to your cheeks with Dior's new Rouge Blush Birds Of A Feather in Coral Flight, a luminous coral red powder blush that translates beautifully on warm skin tones. It features a soft, melt-into-your-skin texture that promises to last a long time. As an added touch, this red beauty product has a sculpted feather imprinted pattern that’s unique to the collection. It can add a nice hint of colour to your face, even while wearing your mask, especially if you end up dining out with your partner for the evening.
Pair it with: The Dior Vernis Birds Of A Feather in 812 Early Bird (~USD31.10), a nail lacquer that has a platinum base and rosy accents that go with the coral tones of the blush.
Colourpop Cosmetics Main Squeeze Eyeshadow Palette
USD14 (Photo from: colourpop.com)
If you want to emphasise your eyes with a bold red eye look, then Colourpop's OG monochromatic red palette called "Main Squeeze" will give you all the red tones you're looking for. It contains beautiful matte, metallic, and duo-chrome finishes in red, raspberry, and watermelon-inspired colours. While it's certainly a bold palette, you can use it in both everyday and glam makeup looks. Why not wear it to add a pop of colour for your National Day 2021 OOTD?
Pair it with: The Falsies Faux Lashes in ms. (USD8), Colourpop's faux mink false lashes made of 100% synthetic fibres. They add natural-looking length to your lashes, so your eyes will have all of the attention.
Solos Cosmetics Lipmattic Liquid Lipstick in Electromagnetic
~USD8.88
Singaporean beauty brand Solos has a range of velvety matte liquid lippies that delivers on its promise of high impact pigment for your lips. It’s the Electromagnetic shade that caught our eye though! It has a rich red hue that you can build up to your desired lip coverage. Plus, the brand claims that its products are vegan-, cruelty-, and gluten-free and they also don't use palm oil for sustainability reasons. This pigmented lip colour is perfect for your Zoom parties tonight.
Pair it with: A chic winged eyeliner like the Solos MyLiner Liquid Eyeliner in Micro Black (~USD5.92) for a casual everyday makeup look. If you’re making the switch to vegan makeup, this is a Halal-certified vegan liquid eyeliner.
Tom Ford Beauty Lost Cherry Eau De Parfum
~USD222.12 for 30ml
Spritz on the Tom Ford Beauty Lost Cherry Eau De Parfum as a final touch to your ensemble. It boasts of a rich cherry fruit scent mixed with tonka bean and almond notes, as well as hints of florals from Turkish rose and jasmine sambac. The woody notes of sandalwood, vetiver, and cedar cut through the candy-like blend to create a full and warm scent for both day and night. Its sweet cherry scent will last for hours, ideal for whole-day celebrations.
Pair it with: A subtly scented body oil like the Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige Shimmering Body Oil (~USD126.61) which has more of a floral fragrance to complement Lost Cherry's fruity notes. It adds an illuminating shimmer to your skin for that beautiful, lit-from-within glow.
Which of these red beauty products caught your attention?
(Cover photo from: @psaskin)
Next, the Clozette Community shares why they’re proud to be Singaporean.
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