Toiletries shopping 2019: 12 cheapest places to shop for toiletries in Singapore

When it comes to toiletries, I’m not particular about brands.

Whether a toothbrush has charcoal-infused bristles, for instance, is inconsequential to me. As long as it serves its purpose, I’m satisfied.

That’s why every trip to the convenience store has become a quest for the cheapest options.

This can mean the difference between a $100 bill and a $20 bill—a lifesaver for a broke millennial living in one of the world’s most expensive cities.

Considering how essential toiletries are in your day-to-day life, they’ll inevitably take up a considerable portion of your monthly expenses.

It may be convenient to pick up your usual items at the drugstore a stone’s throw away from home, but what if you could cut your spending by half? 

Once you’ve seen the deals that await you at these alternative boutiques, you’ll never want to set foot in another Guardian, Watsons or Fairprice store to get your toiletries.

Here’s 12 places to do your toiletries shopping for less. 

CHEAPEST TOILETRIES SHOPS IN SINGAPORE

1. SWANSTON

When it comes to bargain buys, Swanston is no doubt Singapore’s best-kept secret.

Nestled within the second floor of People’s Park Complex Food Centre, Swanston carries a wide range of toiletries and household cleaning products, all of which are a lot cheaper than their  Fairprice and Watsons counterparts.

[[nid:464536]]

A 200g Colgate Triple Action Original Mint toothpaste, for instance, costs $1.60 at Swanston, whereas at Fairprice, it costs about $2.95.

Likewise, a 1-litre bottle of Listerine Cool Mint Mouthwash costs $14.25 at Fairprice, but only $6.50 at Swanston.

Get ready to jostle a little though, as the store’s usually swarmed with patrons. 

Address: 32 New Market Road, #02-1004/7
Opening hours: 10am to 9pm (Monday to Saturday), 10am to 7pm (Sunday)
Contact: +65 6534 5776

2. OCEAN COSMETICS

Also known as Sunny Ocean, Ocean Cosmetics stocks toiletries at similar prices to its rival, Swanston.

Although it’s not as packed with people as Swanston, its range of products are rather limited.

If you’re not one to fuss over specific brands and prefer shopping in peace, opt for Ocean Cosmetics on the third level of People’s Park Complex Food Centre over its more well-known cousin one floor down.

Address: 32 New Market Road, #03-1058/1060
Opening hours: 11.30am to 9pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 6535 5175

3. VALUE DOLLAR & ABC BARGAIN CENTRE

These budget stores with seemingly permanent “Fire Sales” signs are heartland staples.

Owned by Radha Exports, they make use of overstocked items, discontinued products, food items that are near their expiry dates, and items with faulty packaging, and sell them at dirt-cheap prices.

While most shoppers frequent them for the cheap snacks, you can also get bar soaps and a pack of three toothbrushes for under $1.

Address: 111 North Bridge Road, Peninsula Plaza #01-32/42 (Full list of stores)
Opening hours: 9am to 10pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 8331 9010

4. RED TOMATOES

Ladies, the next time you stock up on sanitary pads, head to any of Red Tomatoes outlets in Tampines and Ang Mo Kio for the cheapest deals.

A pack of pads can go for under $2 here, and I’m not talking about panty liners or a petite pack of two sanitary pads.

Whisper’s Heavy Flow & Overnight Wings, with eight pads, only costs $1.60, while the Kotex Soft & Smooth Maxi Plus, with 16 pads, costs only a ten cents more. It also offers body care, hair care, skincare, and baby products.

Address: 720 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6, #01-4104
Opening hours: 10am to 9.30pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 6789 8739

5. BRITISH ESSENTIAL

[[nid:462841]]

British Essential is a slightly more upmarket beauty store with outlets in Hougang, Katong, Simei, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Jurong East.

For better discounts, swing by their Hougang outlet.

It carries more drugstore products, cosmetics and toiletries such as Dove and Silkygirl items, with a more affordable price tag that caters to the heartland shoppers.

Address: 810 Hougang Central
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 6385 0412

6. PS ESSENTIALS

A rip-off of British Essential, PS Essentials features a similar catalogue of cosmetics and body care products.

What’s more, the shop is situated not too far away from the original British Essential branch in Hougang Central.

It pretty much exists entirely offline, without a website or a Facebook page, so you’ll have to make the journey North-East to get a clearer sense of their products and prices.

Address: 806 Hougang Central
Opening hours: 10am to 9pm (Daily) 
Contact: +65 6343 9702]

7. VENUS BEAUTY

Another common name in the suburbs is Venus Beauty, which has 25 branches islandwide.

Its catalogue runs the whole gamut, with a diversity of drugstore brands, household products, and baby care items.

Be careful though. Despite the fact that the majority of its merchandise is more affordable than that of regular stores, certain items are more expensive than they should be.

A quick online comparison should help you ascertain whether you’re making a smart purchase or not. 

Address: 302 Tiong Bahru Road, Tiong Bahru Plaza #B1-128 (Full list of stores)
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 9734 1361

8. BEAUTY LANGUAGE

Don’t shop for shampoo and soap at Beauty Language.

You’re not going to get a good deal. Instead, look for its range of designer fragrances, hair care and skincare items from brands such as SK-II, Lancome, L’Oreal and Estee Lauder.

Normally, they’d cost an arm and a leg, but at Beauty Language, you could walk away with a substantial discount.

Here’s a case in point. The highly lauded SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (330ml), which retails at $365, costs just $255.30 — over $100 cheaper — at this store. 

Address: 201 Victoria Street, Bugis+ #02-67/68 (Full list of stores)
Opening hours: 11am to 9.30pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 6634 0025

9. PINK BEAUTY

If you can’t get enough of Korean cosmetics and skincare products, head to Pink Beauty for a Laneige and Innisfree beauty haul that’s easier on the wallet.

Besides international makeup brands, this budget retailer offers generic, drugstore items as well.

Almost everything at Pink Beauty is cheaper when compared to Watsons. Laneige’s Water Sleeping Mask, originally priced which retails for at $42, only costs $29 here.

Bioderma’s Sensibio H2O cleansing water, which retails for $41.90, only sets you back $19.90 at Pink Beauty.

Address: 183 Toa Payoh Central, #01-270 (Full list of stores) 
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 6252 3488

10. CK DEPARTMENT STORE

Besides toiletries, CK Department Store features a section for clothes and household essentials as well.

[[nid:460600]]

Every now and then, it’ll run special monthly discounts and purchase-with-purchase deals that offer more bang for your buck.

Currently, it’s offering two bottles of Sunsilk shampoo for $5.50.

You could also tap on their purchase-with-purchase deals to enjoy a major discount on select products when you spend at least $15 in a single receipt.

Address: 14 Scotts Road, Far East Plaza #01-08/14 (Full list of stores)
Opening hours: 9.45am to 9.45pm
Contact: +65 6743 7411

11. GIANT

Of all the supermarkets in Singapore, Giant is among the most affordable.

Shop its selection of personal care goods to save a few dollars, or wait for a sale before you stock up on your toiletries.

There’s typically a new promotion each month, where featured items go on sale for a limited period of time.

To score a better deal, the general rule-of-thumb here is to buy in bulk. 

Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall #B1-152/159 (Full list of stores)
Opening hours: 9am to 10pm (Daily)
Contact: +65 6891 8000

12. MUSTAFA CENTRE

No time to shop for toiletries during the day? This massive retailer is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Stretching over six floors, it sells all sorts of items imaginable, from foreign snacks to furniture, at throwaway prices.

When it comes to personal care products, its price tags are no less competitive.

You can get an Oral-B Essential Floss for $4.80, when it typically costs $5.60.

A 473ml bottle of Cetaphil cleanser at Mustafa costs $14.90, while a 500ml bottle at Fairprice goes for a steeper $21.50. 

Address: 145 Syed Alwi Road
Opening hours: 24 hours 
Contact: +65 6295 5855

This article was first published in SingSaver.com.sg.