I’ve been to Japan about 12 times now and I’m planning to visit again sometime soon. Let me tell you that it’s a massive understatement when I say I’m excited to be back post-pandemic. It’s my favorite place in the world! I love the food, the parks, the fashion and of course, the shopping. First place I’d go to is Shimokitazawa for the vintage stores and cool cafes.

Revenge travel is everyone’s favorite hobby at the moment now that the world has opened up post-pandemic. I’ve been on a couple of trips abroad myself this year and the energy at the airport is really different - people are more excited and at the same time more appreciative of the privilege to be able to travel to other countries once again.

I recently got the opportunity to go on vacation for the first time since the pandemic started back in 2020. I needed somewhere fun, yummy and preferably close by. Singapore was the obvious choice.

Aside from being one of the food capitals of the world, Singapore is also known for fashion and beauty - a fact that any fan of Crazy Rich Asians can attest to! Every glamorous outfit on that movie was topped with perfect skin and amazing makeup. In between sight-seeing at Marina Bay and chowing down on sumptuous chili crab, I was on a mission to find the best places in Singapore to indulge my love affair with skincare and cosmetics.

Packing for a trip out of the country is, I daresay, an art. It’s getting that perfect balance between bringing everything you need, having easy access to everything without losing your things, and having enough space for your shopping! When I first started traveling abroad, I was all about packing light so much that I under pack and forget a lot of important things. I used to survive on just a 5-kilo luggage for a week-long trip - that’s unimaginable now. I always end up having to buy a big tote for my shopping and it’s such a hassle lugging it to and from the airport.

But now I have a fairly reliable formula that works for me, and might work for you too. Here’s my tried-and-tested way of packing for a trip abroad! This is handy if, like me, you over think and like to look pretty.

So you find yourself in a shopping district in Tokyo or Osaka, and you duck into a MatsuKiyo or Tokyu Hands. Inside, you are confronted with hundreds, if not thousands of products to choose from. It’s easier to navigate if you have a list of products to look for - maybe you even got product photos so you can show them to non-English speaking shopkeepers! Having a list is definitely helpful but given the chance to explore this beauty wonderland, wouldn’t it be fun to have a completely new discovery?

Hong Kong holds very special memories for me because it’s the very first place I visited abroad. I was still very young when I first went though, so when I recently traveled there again earlier this year, I couldn’t miss out on doing a bit of beauty shopping!

Let’s start with where to find the best deals and sulit sets: the specialty beauty stores and pharmacies!

The age of social media has given birth to an interesting phenomena called "doing it for the 'gram". Whenever we post something - because surely we have to post something - we do it with one eye on how good it will look like on our various feeds. It doesn't matter how uncomfortable or miserable we may be at that time. If the post looks great, and 50 other likes agree with us, then we feel good. We feel important. 

People travel to soul-search, take a break from work, and to immerse themselves in a new culture. Why not travel for beauty? Seoul has been touted as the new beauty capital of the world, and it's not hard to see why. K-beauty is on the cutting edge of advancements in beauty, and shopping directly from brand stores (as opposed to online!) makes it possible to do a 10-step routine even on a budget. Beauty shopping is high on the list for any SoKor itinerary but there are a lot more kikay activities available that you shouldn't miss out on!

For the longest time, Bangkok has been the buzzword for temple-hopping, cheap shopping, and beach holidays. So, when my gay best friend and I visited for a much-needed break, I had to check out the local beauty scene and find out where Thai girls get their beauty fix. If you're planning a trip to the City of Angels (after all that’s what Bangkok’s Thai name means) over the holidays or in time for summer, here are the places you should check out!