Last-minute Christmas shopping on Boutique Fairs' online platform
If you are wringing your hands trying to find unique Christmas gifts, popular shopping fair Boutique Fairs Singapore has launched curated gift guides catering to every need.
Unable to hold its annual Gifting edition in November, the formerly bi-annual event that took place at the FI Pit Building launched its e-commerce platform eBoutiques in September, making its curation of well-loved Singapore-based brands available to customers all year round.
Categories span fashion to home and lifestyle, to art to food and drink. Some familiar brands include The Rocket Eyewear Company, Forbidden Hill, Max Tan and Scene Shang. All were personally chosen by Boutique Fairs founder Charlotte Cain.
For Christmas, aside from the usual His and Hers gift guides, you can also shop according to budget, brands that support charities, gifts that can be personalised and ones that come with wrapping options.
eBoutiques has also put together "inspiration" guides that curate items according to personalities such as The Mindful Shopper, The Naturalist (who favours all things organic) and the food-loving Gastronome. The platform also allows shoppers to chat with designers and brand owners.
Products are shipped directly from brands, so delivery times vary by seller and product.
Info: boutiquefairs.com.sg
New skincare releases from Chantecaille
Luxury beauty label Chantecaille has launched two new products.
The first is a skincare-makeup hybrid - the brand's first cushion foundation and first foundation product to benefit a conservation cause.
The Future Skin Cushion Skincare Foundation ($183, with a refill) is a lightweight, water-based foundation infused with bionymph peptide stem cell extract and botanical sugars that claims to boost collagen production, as well as smoothen and protect the skin.
The product supports conservation organisation Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's orphaned elephant rehabilitation programme and their efforts in safeguarding wildlife in Kenya. Four shades are available here and three deeper shades will be added in February.
The botanical brand has also added a cleansing balm to its popular Rose de Mai line. The silky Rose de Mai Cleansing Balm ($153) contains antioxidant-rich rosehip and tamanu oils, raspberry stem cell extracts to soothe, and plant-based phytic acid to gently exfoliate the skin.
Founder Sylvie Chantecaille was inspired by "actresses in old black-and-white movies" who sat at their vanities and removed make-up easily with just a balm. To use the product, massage it onto the skin to melt off make-up, and remove with a damp face cloth or cotton pad.
Info: Available at Tangs at Tang Plaza and Takashimaya Department Store
MAC fights Aids with Viva Glam fund
In conjunction with World Aids Day, which fell on Dec 1, MAC Cosmetics Singapore is raising $30,000 in December to fight the disease - through the sale of its Viva Glam lipsticks.
With every donation of $33 (the price of an MAC lipstick), you can choose your preferred Viva Glam lipstick from three available shades: Viva Glam I, Viva Glam III and this year's limited-edition Viva Glam 26.
All proceeds will go to local non-profit organisation Action for Aids (AfA) via the MAC Viva Glam Fund, to provide testing services that areaffordable, safe and anonymous.
The MAC Viva Glam Fund was established in 1994 to fight HIV/Aids and has since expanded its reach to include the health and rights of women, girls and the LGBTQIA+ community. To date, the fund has given out over 9,713 grants to 1,818 organisations in 92 countries, and raised over US$500 million (S$665.8 million) globally.
Info: Available exclusively at MAC Boutiques (Ion Orchard, Takashimaya, Bugis Junction and Nex), and online at bit.ly/MACVG26. Delivery is complimentary for online donations of $99 and above.
