The Best Health & Beauty Products Featured In This Year's Guardian Awards — Including Skincare, Cosmetics, Hair Care, & More!

As Singapore’s top health and beauty retailer, Guardian is a household name that’s often the first place we think of when shopping for drugstore beauty brands. After all, they’ve got over 116 stores islandwide, and a whole host of health and beauty products under their belt — over 9,000 in fact — ranging across the categories of skincare, cosmetics, personal care, health and wellness. It’s safe to say that they’ve ventured beyond their pharmacy roots, and have evolved into a one-stop shop for health and beauty.

THE GUARDIAN AWARDS 2023

Every year, Guardian is also host to their own Guardian Awards — and here’s where it gets interesting. The sheer range of products and brands they carry might feel overwhelming to the regular customer, so we consider it tremendously helpful that the retailer has curated and put together some of their award-winning and much raved-about items for us to check out.

This one’s a comprehensive list of budget beauty favourites, such as volumising and lengthening mascaras that don’t go beyond $30; skincare and body care products for sensitive skin, brightening benefits, or otherwise; and even perennial-favourite shampoos, eye drops, and supplements that care for your health and beauty from the inside out.

Just for this season, Guardian will also be running an exclusive ‘3 for 2 Mix & Match‘ promotion where you can enjoy 3 items at the price of just 2. Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of the Guardian award winners, along with our personal picks of our favourite or the most deserving items from each category. Consider this an insider’s scoop!

COSMETICS
NYLON Editor’s Pick — deJavu Fiberwig Ultra Long Mascara

Best Mascara (Lengthening) — deJavu Fiberwig Ultra Long Mascara, $21.80

There are plenty of cult-favourite mascaras with rave reviews all over social media, but for the ones most suitable for Asian eyes, we’ll have to default to Japanese beauty brand deJavu. In particular, the Fiberwig Ultra Long Mascara. The curved, densely-bristled brush is ideal for catching our shorter lashes, and coats each lash with a lash-extending formula that’s packed with fibres to mimic natural lashes. It’s also fuss-free and repels sebum, perspiration, tears and rubbing in order to avoid ‘panda eyes’.

Worthy Mentions —

Best Mascara (Volume) — Maybelline Sky High Mascara, $25.50
Best Eyeshadow — Esprique Select Eye Color in BE309, $15.00
Most Innovative Nail Art — Ohora N Afterglow, $22.10
Best Newcomer — Cezanne

MASS SKINCARE
NYLON Editor’s Pick — Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Toner

Best Facial Toner (Brightening) — Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Toner, $23.90

Drugstore-friendly mass brands such as Senka, Hada Labo and OLAY are often only found at beauty retailers such as Guardian, so this one’s definitely an important category — plus, who can resist affordable skincare that works? Our top pick has to be Cetaphil, particularly the toner from their Bright Healthy Radiance range. Made to instantly illuminate the complexion, everyday use will fade dullness and spots to give us soft, smooth and radiant skin. As with most Cetaphil products, this one’s hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and clinically proven to respect sensitive skin!

Worthy Mentions —

Best Cleanser (Regular) — Senka Perfect Whip Facial Cleanser, $7.95
Best Cleanser (Acne-Prone Skin) — Oxy Ultimate Cool Acne Cleanser, $6.90
Best Toner (Hydrating) — Hada Labo Super HA Lotion, $24.90
Best Night Cream — OLAY Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturiser, $55.40

DERMA SKINCARE
NYLON Editor’s Pick — La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Fluid SPF50+ PA++++

Best Suncare — La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+ PA++++, $51.90

Sensitive or sensitised skin can often be complicated to deal with, though we’d trust these dermatologist-approved skincare brands to come through; these products are often tested on reactive and intolerant skin to make sure they don’t cause unwanted flare-ups. As for La Roche-Posay, their Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid is our perennial sunscreen of choice, for both its reliable broad UVA/UVB and IR-A protection, along with its ultra-light texture that disappears into the skin. Bonus: it doesn’t leave a white cast on those with darker skin tones too.

Worthy Mentions —

Best Dark Spot Serum (Newcomer) — Vichy Liftactiv B3 Anti-Dark Spots Serum, $83
Best Brightening Serum (Newcomer) — Evans Dermalogical 15% Vitamin C Serum with 2% Ferulic Acid & Resveratrol, $100.85
Best Brightening Serum (Bestseller) — Eucerin Spotless Brightening Booster Serum, $76.70
Best Thermal Water — Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray, $30.20 for a pack of 2

HAND & BODY
NYLON Editor’s Pick — Suu Balm Itch Relieving Moisturising Cream

Best Body Moisturiser (Itch-Relieving) — Suu Balm Itch Relieving Moisturising Cream, $52.50

Aveeno and Cetaphil are practically household names when it comes to body lotions, though we have just as much love for homegrown brand, Suu Balm. Founder Dr. Tey Hong Liang had been working at the National Skin Centre in Singapore when he realised that existing creams were not as fast in relieving itchy skin. Their hero moisturising cream is therefore designed to both provide rapid itch relief and help increase the frequency of moisturising, thanks to ceramides, menthol, and its lightweight formula.

Worthy Mentions —

Best Moisturising Lotion (Sensitive Skin) — Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion, $29.15
Best Moisturising Lotion (Eczema-Prone Skin) — Cetaphil PRO AD Derma Skin Restoring Moisturizer, $50.40
Best Moisturising Cream (Sensitive Skin) — Ego QV Cream, $70.15 (1kg)
Best Moisturising Cream (Eczema-Prone Skin) — Ceradan Skin Barrier Repair Cream, $50.40

HAIR CARE
NYLON Editor’s Pick — L’Oreal Paris Elseve Extraordinary Oil Gold

Best Hair Oil — L’Oreal Paris Elseve Extraordinary Oil Gold, $29.90

Dry hair and hair loss seem to be Singaporean’s top concerns when it comes to hair care and health, and thankfully, Guardian has a wealth of products, even highly-specialised ones, that cater to these; some of the best are listed below. Our pick is the all-rounder, award-winning Elseve Extraordinary Oil from L’Oreal Paris though! It’s loaded with six precious flower oils to nourish hair and transform it till its sleek, smooth and shiny. Importantly, the hair oil is lightweight and non-greasy, which makes it easy to wear any time of the day.

Worthy Mentions —

Best Caffeine Shampoo — Kundal Scalp Care+ Caffeine Shampoo Cherry Blossom, $17.20
Best Hair Loss Treatment Shampoo — Trichoderm Women Treatment Shampoo, $27.15
Best Hair Loss Scalp Lotion — Growell 5% Scalp Lotion, $168.45
Best in Shaving (Men) — GilletteLabs with Exfoliating Bar Razor, $40.25

ORAL CARE
NYLON Editor’s Pick — Colgate Optic White O2 Toothpaste

Best Whitening Toothpaste — Colgate Optic White O2 Toothpaste, $12.10

Good oral hygiene is often underrated — and it shouldn’t be! You could level up your twice-a-day routine with an electric toothbrush and mouthwash, or spring for a whitening toothpaste that does all the work for you. Colgate’s Optic White O2 contains a unique Active Oxygen Bubble technology, of active oxygen bubbles that multiply when in contact with water. This then creates an ultra fine foam that gets absorbed into the teeth enamel, which gently whitens teeth from the inside out. Like we said, this one’s truly doing all the work for us!

Worthy Mentions —

Best Powered Toothbrush — Oral-B Vitality D12 X/Act, $59.55
Best Deep Clean Toothbrush — Systema Sonic Toothbrush, $20.10
Best Sensitivity Toothpaste — Sensodyne Sensitive Complete Protection Fresh Breath Toothpaste, $9.60
Best Mouth Freshener — Listerine Mouthwash Cool Mint, $10.40

BATH
NYLON Editor’s Pick — Neutrogena Rainbath Refreshing Shower and Bath Gel

Best Indulgent Body Wash — Neutrogena Rainbath Refreshing Shower and Bath Gel, $27.15

From nourishing to sensitive-skin formulas, and even antibacterial ones, there are all kinds of body washes available at Guardian. It’s hard to beat the sheer indulgence of Neutrogena’s Rainbath though, which not only cleans and conditions the skin, but also contains a fragrant blend of spices, fruits and herbs that refreshes the sense, making you feel like you just walked out of a spa.

Worthy Mentions —

Best Nourishing Body Wash — Dove Beauty Nourishing Body Wash, $9.85
Best Refreshing Body Wash — Kundal Honey & Macademia Body Wash, $12.70
Best Antibacterial Body Wash — Dettol Body Wash Cool, $11.20
Best Sensitive Skin Body Wash — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, $79.60 (3 x 1L)

HEALTH
NYLON Editor’s Pick — Redoxon Triple Action Vitamin C, D & Zinc Immunity Orange Effervescent Tablets

Best Vitamin C Tablets — Redoxon Triple Action Vitamin C, D & Zinc Immunity Orange Effervescent Tablets, $64.90 (2 x 45s + 15s)

With its pharmaceutical roots, you bet Guardian will have loads of options when it comes to top-of-the-line health and beauty supplements, whether it’s probiotics for gut health, or 100% natural, Omega-3-rich fish oil tablets. We do rely on them for a steady supply of Vitamin C supplements though, and reach for Redoxon every time. The brand’s Triple Action effervescent tablets contain a trio of Vitamin C, D and Zinc to boost overall immunity, which should keep flu bugs at bay.

Worthy Mentions —

Best Women’s Health Supplements — Greenlife Probio Women 18B 30S, $44.40
Best Fish Oil Supplements — Ocean Health Omega-3 Fish Oil 1000mg, $64.10 (2 x 180)
Best Eye Drops — Alcon Tears Naturale Lubricant Eye Drops, $23.30
Best Contact Lens Care — Bausch & Lomb Renu Fresh Multi-Purpose Solutions, $25.75 (2 x 355ml + 2 x 120ml)

Bonus Mention —

- Best Liver Care Supplements — Swisse Ultiboost Liver Detox, $88.80

EXCLUSIVE PROMOTION

After all that extensive reading and valuable knowledge, you might be tempted to shop — so here’s an exclusive promotion to look out for. In honour of this year’s Guardian Awards, they will be running an exclusive ‘3 for 2 Mix & Match’ deal across over 3,000 products, both in stores and online.

From now till 31 May, you may enjoy a 3-for-2 promo on your favourite beauty, personal care, health and wellness brands — that means, you’ll be able to purchase 3 items for the price of 2 (the lowest-priced item will be free).

*T&Cs apply. Promo is only available for selected brands, while stocks last.

All items featured here are available at Guardian stores islandwide, and online at guardian.com.sg.