We know that being able to see and swatch the product is important when it comes to shopping for makeup or skincare.

Making sure the formula doesn't react badly with your skin, finding out whether you like the smell or texture, and getting the shade match right are all part and parcel of beauty shopping.

That said, sometimes we just want to buy something that's highly recommended (nothing wrong with googling swatches or reviews and trying your luck with an inexpensive product), or repurchase a product that's running out without having to carve out time from our busy schedules to do so.

Online shopping is a godsend in such cases, and so we've found some great online shopping sites with a range of products (including incredibly popular brands unavailable in Singapore) to get you on the right track.

The best part? They all offer free shipping!

Cosmetics Now

Ease of use: 5/5
Value for money: 3.5/5
Brand range: 4.5/5
Total: 13/15

Aside from displaying their bestsellers at the home page, this online beauty platform is a great go-to if you need anything from luxury makeup to skincare and even perfumes and home scents.

Plus, they've got an array of fragrances for guys too, so you can pop in a surprise gift for your manas you're checking out.

You can also find popular items that might otherwise be out of stock at other stores and get your hands on them without having to join the waitlist. And of course, who doesn't love free shipping?

Brands to buy: Chanel, Dior, Dr. Brandt

Shipping: Free delivery and tracking is available

www.lookfantastic.com.sg

Ease of use: 4.5/5
Value for money: 3/5
Brand range: 4/5
Total: 11.5/15

There's a strong focus on makeup brands at Lookfantastic - you get to shop from brands like Lime Crime and Morphe here. Definitely check Lookfantastic out if you're into eyeshadow palettes with great colour payoff.

Brands to buy: Morphe, since it sadly left Beauty Bay

Shipping: Free

www.beautyexpert.com

Ease of use: 4.5/5
Value for money: 4/5
Brand range: 4/5
Total: 12.5/15

Based in the UK, Beauty Expert is home to high-end brands like Elemis, Eve Lom, and Omorovicza. Surprisingly, it also carries The Ordinary, a brand known for super affordable but effective potions.

All orders ship for free, but there's a catch: you have to pay for tracked delivery.

Brands to buy: The Ordinary, Elemis, NUXE

Shipping: Free for untracked orders

www.althea.com

Ease of use: 5/5
Value for money: 3/5
Brand range: 4/5
Total: 12/15

Althea carries a wide range of K-Beauty brands, from big names like Etude House and Innisfree to little-known ones like Pobling and Rire.

It's a great place to score cult-favourite products like the Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream. In addition, Althea also has their own in-house brand, so don't forget to check it out!

Brands to buy: Pyungkang Yul, Leegeehaam

Shipping: Free for orders over $29

www.beautybay.com

Ease of use: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Brand range: 4/5
Total: 12/15

With a huge array of popular brands and prices with pretty low markup, this site is ideal for purchasing brands unavailable in Singapore, especially if you're only buying a few things at a time due to a low minimum amount required for free shipping.

If you love collecting loose eyeshadow pans and need a Z-palette to store them in, Beauty Bay has one of the lowest prices online.

Brands to buy: Anastasia Beverly Hills, CoverFX, Makeup Geek

Shipping: Free for orders over $88

www.beautylish.com

Ease of use: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Brand range: 3/5
Total: 11/15

While Beautylish ships to Singapore, it only shows you prices in US dollars, which can be an issue for some. It does, however, carry more of the quality brands and cult favourites that makeup artists love (like RMCA, Viseart and Natasha Denona).

It is a fairly popular site, even in the US, which means the bestselling products are also more likely to sell out regularly.

Brands to buy: Natasha Denona, RMCA Makeup, Jeffree Star, Viseart, Charlotte Tilbury

Shipping: Free for orders over US$75 (S$100)

sg.strawberrynet.com

Ease of use: 3/5
Value for money: 4/5
Brand range: 3/5
Total: 10/15

While the site could use some visual upgrades, it does boast quality beauty products at competitive prices. One highlight of the site is the daily sale with certain products on offer (up to 70 per cent off and more) for a 24-hour period.

The good things do sell out, and you aren't getting a full range of products from all the brands, but it's worth keeping an eye out for the new sale items each day.

Brands to buy: Products on offer that day

Shipping: Free for all orders over $50

asos.com

Ease of use: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Brand range: 1/5
Total: 9/15

While ASOS is primarily fashion-focused, it does carry a fair few beauty products worth checking out. Since the prices for each brand tend to be slightly higher (just a few dollars, give or take), it's only really worth trying out brands that aren't available in Singapore or the ones on sale.

We love a good sale and ASOS has plenty all year round, making it a great time to try out new and inexpensive products (as well as cute makeup bags).

Brands to buy: Rimmel, Nude by Nature, Barry M, Paul & Joe

Shipping: Free for all orders over $20

This article was first published in Her World Online.