I’m spilling it: Here are my top five secret Shopee finds
Ever since the start of the community quarantine, online marketplaces like Shopee have helped give us convenient access to certain things from the outside world. Learning a new hobby? You're likely to find competitively-priced supplies. Forgot to pick something up from the last supply run? Perhaps one of your favorite sellers has it. Want to try something new? There’s tons of listings to discover.
And speaking of the sheer variety of choices and awesome Shopee finds, here are my top five picks that you might not have heard of before!
Okay, so this is less about the product and more about the store. Before I even knew of Sephora, I dreamed of shopping sprees in Sasa, in the heart of Hong Kong. Back in the 90's, they already had a lot of imported stuff that we didn't even get here. Not to mention their tantalizing bin of luxe-branded mini fragrances! These days, they carry a fair selection of French, Korean, and Japanese beauty brands, so it makes for a fine one-stop beauty shop.
Imagine my glee upon seeing that Sasa officially started selling on Shopee! They've regularly joined the Flash Sales too, so keep an eye out for those deals. Prices go from mid-range to luxe. For my first purchase, I got a Softymo Cleansing Oil set that I have yet to try out. (Hoarder problems!) But this is legit, and they wrapped my purchase carefully.
Chain Reactions Satin Mask (P175 per mask)
I previously wrote about fashyon face masks, and it had a little bit of a self-budol effect. I found this brand, made a purchase, and then immediately repeated. Why? Because their Medium-sized masks actually fit my wide face well. And while the satin fabric can only be found on the outer part of the mask, the inside is a soft, comfy cotton with a pocket for mask filters which they also sell separately.
Organic Baby Wipes (P195 for a 6-pack of 20 wipes each)
For adults, wipes are convenient to have on-hand especially for travel. But they are also useful at home when I need to disinfect some of my electronic devices. I just spray some 70% alcohol on the wipes, and they’re good to go. And after seeing this biodegradability test on certain brands of baby wipes out in the local market, I converted to this brand. (Though do note that these are still not flushable.) For beauty purposes, I think you’d also be able to use this to remove makeup once doused in micellar water or bi-phase remover.
Glysomed Hand Cream (P199 / 50ml)
I became an obsessive hand-washer like the rest of the world during the pandemic. More often than not, my hands end up feeling flaky or leathery by the end of the day. This hand cream has never failed me. It is the most heavy-duty hand cream I have tried that literally soothes dry, scaly skin overnight. I wake up with hands that feel supple again! This is the type of formula that will get you through winter, so expect it to be extra thick and rich. The same seller also offers a fragrance-free version (plainly put, it smells like glycerine) and a “soft” version (probably, a lighter formula).
Photo from The Old Mill House on Shopee
Organic Shampoo Bars (P95 / 50g or P155 / 80g)
Shampoo bars are gaining popularity these days as a more compact alternative to those big shampoo bottles. The obvious benefit is the reduction of plastic waste, but the formulas are pretty great too. Soap bars used to have this bad rap for being harsh and drying when compared to their liquid counterparts, but that isn’t always the case. My parents swear by these Organic Shampoo Bars from The Old Mill House. They both have fine hair, and they’ve noticed softer strands and a reduced amount of hair fall after months of use of the No. 4 Scalp Care and the No. 5 Hair Growth & Volume variants.
Have you been doing a lot of exploring on Shopee lately, or do you prefer to stick to your usual buys?
