Beauty insiders share the discontinued products they loved – and the replacements they’ve turned to

Old Fave: Redken Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine Intense

Why: I came across this during the product launch, and was using it until the brand exited Singapore. The best thing about this leave-in oil treatment was its flexibility – besides using it on its own, you could also mix it in hair masks. While some hair oils could feel heavy in our humid weather, this was very lightweight, and its effects were long-lasting.

New Love: Nook Magic Arganoil Secret Absolute Oil.

Why: While it’s not as versatile, it ticks the same boxes in terms of shine and lightweight texture. Also, it’s organic and hence gentler on skin and hair.

Old Fave: Stila Eyelash Primer

Why: I chanced upon it at a Sephora event as it was one of the products given in the media pack. My lashes are quite short and straight, which makes them quite hard to curl. Also, mascara always smudges under my eyes. With this lash primer, I could use any brand of mascara on top, and my lashes would stay curled all day with no smudging.

New Love: Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof Mascara and Heroine Make Mascara

Why: Both are able to hold up my lashes and do not smudge. With them, I don’t need to apply a primer, and that saves a step from my makeup routine.

Old Fave: Illamasqua Gel Sculpt in Silhouette

Why: The brand has pulled out of Singapore, though this product is still available online. It is a neutral sheer brown shade that appears as a shadow when used for contouring. I discovered it when I saw Alex Box, who was the brand’s creative director, use it to wonderful effect. I love how it created sheer shadows that didn’t look like the harsh, obvious contouring lines you see in social media photos.

New Love: Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer in Amber (for fair skin), Macchiato (for medium skin) and Teddy (for olive skin)

Why: These three shades are vital items in my makeup kit. They are user-friendly and I can control their intensity, from translucent to medium, for a more obvious sculpting effect.

Old Fave: Lancome Vernis In Love nail polish in Plunge Pool

Why: I loved Lancome Vernis In Love nail polish in Plunge Pool, which is a stunning cerulean blue that is different from the usual pastels and muted shades. Cerulean also represents the sky or the heavens, so it was a uniquely meaningful shade for me. I received many compliments while wearing it.

New Love: I haven’t been able to find the exact shade of blue since, but LVX in Cerulean does come pretty close.

Old Fave: Urban Decay

Why: A beauty brand that I loved, but which has since exited the local market, is Urban Decay. I’m particularly fond of the Eyeshadow Primer Potion and Naked eyeshadow palettes. I’m not a big makeup user, but I found that applying a bit of the Eyeshadow Primer Potion on my lids before eyeshadow made blending much easier, and the colours more vivid. The Naked palettes were really easy to use for creating basic, everyday looks because the colours they contained were neutral shades that were very complimenting.

New Love: For now, I’ve switched to using the Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer from Too Faced.

Old Fave: Marc Jacobs Beauty High-liner Gel Eye Crayon in Brown(Out)

Why: When Marc Jacobs Beauty launched in Singapore, I had the chance to try some of the products as part of my job as a beauty editor back then, and I loved the High-liner Gel Eye Crayon in Brown(Out). The gel formulation went on so smoothly and was pretty waterproof in our humid weather. The best part? You can just twist and turn [the end of the crayon] to release more product. It even comes with its own mini sharpener so you’ll never have a dull end.

New Love: I don’t think I’ve found the perfect duplicate, but I do enjoy Charlotte Tilbury Rock ’N’ Kohl Eyeliner in Barbarella Brown. Black eyeliner can sometimes look too harsh on me, but this deep brown colour is always flattering.

Old Fave: HD Mascara by Browhaus.

Why: I chanced upon it during a clear-out of the beauty cupboard in the office. I have rather long but skinny lashes that don’t seem to hold their curl very well, and I suspected Western brands tend to have heavier formulas that would weigh them down. But for some reason, this Browhaus mascara was just perfect – it was waterproof and barely ever ran, even after an entire day out or at the gym. It kind of lets my lashes fulfil their full potential, instead of being sad and Venus flytrap-looking.

New Love: I don’t think I’ve come across a perfect substitute yet, but Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara Super Water Proof is a close second.

Old Fave: It Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout – Full Coverage Acne Concealer

Why: I discovered it years back through a Youtube makeup tutorial video on concealing acne marks. This concealer didn’t suffocate the skin or accentuate flakiness. Even though it offered great coverage for all kinds of blemishes, your skin still looked like skin. My favourite part was its skincare benefits – it had skin-clearing alpha and beta hydroxy acids, antibacterial tea tree and clay, which helped to control sebum and decongest pores.

New Love: Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer. Just like my beloved It Cosmetics concealer, it covers everything that needs to be covered. It also lasts all day without creasing or streaking. A little goes a long way with this concealer, and you can easily blend it out with your fingertips for a smooth-looking finish.

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