The Balm @ Sasa

theBalm is a niche US makeup brand that arrived in Sasa stores in Singapore awhile ago but I only chanced across it today at the Wisma Atria store. My buddy, The Muse adores this brand deeply and I trust her taste, so I knew it'd be good. Do check out her truckload of reviews on theBalm products.

The display is right at the entrance.

The price range is quite affordable with products ranging from S$13+ for a small brush to S$42+ for the timeBalm foundation. The difference in prices between Singapore and the US is also just a few dollars. Once you add in the US sales tax, it makes more sense just to purchase it at Sasa where you can test out the products before buying. Here's a brief comparison:
Overshadow S$26.90 vs US$15 (S$20.72)
Stainiac (cheek and lip stain) S$25.90 vs US$15 (S$20.72)
Hot Mama shadow/blush S$29.90 vs US19 (S$26.24)
Shady Lady S$24.90 vs US$16 (S$22.10)

I was quite impressed by the texture of the ShadyLady eyeshadows although some shades felt silkier and more pigmented than others. My favourite was the shimmery blackened emerald Jealous Jordana, which felt very similar to the best of Stila's shimmery eyeshadows.

The round pots are the OverShadow loose mineral shimmer powder. The Pick Up Liners come in sets of three mini eyeliner pencils but I felt that the pencils were a bit too hard, definitely not as soft as, say, MAC Pearlglide liners. The extremely short length also means that it's a bit tricky to hold and apply, especially after it's been worn down after some use.

The Muse was on the hunt for the Cabana Boy and it turned out to be every bit as gorgeous as she said it was. It's a gorgeous rosy pink shimmery blush, with a texture that is very similar to NARS blushes. But Sexy Mama and Bahama Mama did not impress me. Sexy Mama is a bit chalky when swatched while Bahama Mama looked quite dull.

I didn't buy anything today as I wanted to compare the prices with the US retail prices to make sure they were not a rip-off. Overall, the brand reminded me of Benefit and Too Faced because of the whimsical cardboard packaging. I'll probably go back for the Cabana Boy blush soon!

There was also a big shelf display devoted to Shills but to be honest, I don't know much about the brand. Plus I'm not into the whole BB creams thing. There was also a Palgantong powder display. This is supposed to be very popular but I didn't find it that special when I tried it.