Latest news with #beauty industry
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Hair-raising times as Singaporeans fume over poor service, pushy sales tactics at salons
A trade association has called for the regulation of the hair industry after hair salons entered the Consumers Association of Singapore's (CASE) top-10 list of most complained-about sectors for the first half of this year. Advertisement The Hair and Cosmetology Association of Singapore (HACOS), which represents more than 300 members in the beauty, hair, make-up and nails industries, said stronger oversight and minimum competency standards are needed to raise professionalism and protect consumers. Complaints against hair salons rose to ninth-highest among industries between January and June this year, surpassing even airlines, which placed 10th, according to CASE figures released on August 5. The motor car industry received the most complaints. This marks a return for hair salons, which were absent from the top 10 in the same period last year. However, the number of complaints in the first half of this year was 167, lower than the 170 in the first half of 2024, CASE president Melvin Yong said. Advertisement Prepayment losses were also lower – S$5,619 (US$4,386) this year compared with S$21,810 last year. Yong said the complaints were largely about high-pressure sales tactics, misleading or false claims, hidden charges for add-ons and poor service.
The Independent
06-08-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Best moisturisers for mature skin, tested by a beauty writer in her 50s
It's common to experience dryness, flakiness, redness and pigmentation as we age, especially before, during, and after menopause. While general-purpose moisturisers can do the trick, it can pay off to try a specialised moisturiser that will hydrate and nourish mature skin. As a beauty writer in my 50s, I've tried dozens of products claiming to do just that. After more than two decades in the beauty industry, I've seen and tested it all, from eye creams for mature skin to anti-ageing night creams. While lots of the products out there are ineffective, my tests have found a few moisturisers for mature skin that live up to their claims. I suffer from dehydrated skin, but I've seen dramatic improvements as I've tested these creams. My skin is hydrated, radiant and restored, with a plumper, juicier and more toned appearance. However, we all have different skin types, needs, and conditions. A moisturiser that works well for oily skin might not work well for sensitive skin, and one that smoothes wrinkles might not be right for tackling an uneven skin tone. These moisturisers are also fairly expensive, so I tried a range of creams from £12 all the way up to £90. Whether you're looking to address redness and pigmentation, the appearance of age spots, or to boost elasticity and achieve a fresh-faced glow, these moisturisers aced my tests. They are all effective antidotes for anyone tackling midlife skin changes. How I tested I tested each product for at least two weeks, applying it daily, each morning after my vitamin C serum, and in the evening. I assessed them using the following criteria. Application: First, I took note of the packaging and how easy the product was to apply. I factored in the consistency and how seamlessly this smoothed across the skin. Formula: I looked out for key ingredients like collagen, hyaluronic acid and retinol, assessing their claimed benefits against the real-world effect. I paid attention to how the product felt on the skin, and additional skincare benefits, most notably, such as whether it provided SPF. Scent: I noted the fragrance, if any, and whether this elevated the experience of application and wear. Results: I paid attention to any changes in the look and feel of my complexion, including shifts in texture and appearance. Improvements in elasticity and smoothness, and any reduction in redness, dehydration and fine lines and wrinkles were all factored into my final verdict. Value for money: With price points ranging from £12 to £90, I wanted products that lived up to their claims and offered weeks of use. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews IndyBest is The Independent's review section, in which expert testers test products over several weeks to see if they live up to their marketing. Jane Druker is a beauty journalist with more than 20 years of experience writing skincare reviews, such as her tests of night creams, eye creams and anti-ageing serums. Now in her fifties, she's particularly interested in products that work for mature skin. Jane tries every product she features herself, judging them not only against their immediate results and medium-term improvements over months, but also against her two decades in the industry. The best moisturisers for mature skin in 2025 are:
CNA
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
Prepaid losses for beauty consumers jump nearly six-fold in first half of 2025
SINGAPORE: Beauty industry consumers lost over S$108,000 (US$83,842) in the first half of this year after paying in advance for services that were never delivered. This represents a 464 per cent increase - or a near six-fold rise - from S$19,000 in prepayment losses during the same period last year, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said on Tuesday (Aug 5). CASE noted that the beauty sector topped prepayment-related losses, with aggressive or misleading sales tactics being a key consumer complaint. Such tactics accounted for about 28 per cent of all complaints during this period. Many of these cases involved consumers being pressured into signing high-value packages under unclear or exaggerated promises, CASE said. But there was a 19 per cent decrease in overall consumer complaints, with 6,253 cases lodged in the first half of 2025 compared with 7,721 in the corresponding period. CASE noted that there were a few high-profile incidents in 2024, including the botched Sky Lantern Festival, which led to more than 400 complaints in the first half of last year. Cars, electrical and electronic products, beauty services, renovation contractors, and telecommunications made up the top five categories of consumer complaints in the first half of 2025. BREAKDOWN OF COMPLAINTS The motorcar industry remained the top complaint category with 573 cases in the first half of this year - a 16 per cent decrease from 681 complaints in in the corresponding period. About 28 per cent of the complaints in 1H2025 involved vehicles that were either defective or did not conform to contract terms. The electrical and electronics industry rose to become the second-highest complaint category, registering 571 cases. This represented a decrease of about 4 per cent from 1H2024. Around 47 per cent of these complaints were related to defective products or those that failed to meet contract terms. They comprised both small electronic devices purchased online and larger household appliances bought from physical retail outlets like televisions and washing machines, Telecommunications-related complaints also increased from 319 in 1H2024 to 353 in 1H2025. Of these, about 24 per cent were due to customer dissatisfaction with services they had paid for. BEAUTY, CARS, E-COMMERCE CASE noted that the beauty sector recorded the highest prepayment-related losses in the first half of 2025, despite a decline in complaint numbers from 600 in the corresponding period last year to 558. It cited a high-profile case involving a contract worth over S$370,000, in which the consumer alleged that the business used aggressive, high-pressure sales tactics, made false promises, offered misleading discounts, and ultimately overcharged. "Despite a slight drop in complaint numbers, the beauty industry remains a concern due to the sharp increase in prepayment-related losses," said CASE president Melvin Yong. "CASE encourages consumers to patronise CaseTrust-accredited spas and beauty salons, which offer a five-day cooling-off period, refunds for unutilised packages, and stress-free treatments without sales pressure." In 1H2025, complaints related to the motorcar industry fell by about 16 per cent, from 681 cases in 1H2024 to 573. Complaints involving car-sharing services also dipped slightly from 109 to 97, though consumers continued to raise concerns about poor vehicle maintenance, billing issues, high insurance excess, and unreliable service. There was a 42 per cent increase in complaints related to electric vehicles (EVs), rising from 33 in 1H2024 to 47 in 1H2025. Defective components, such as batteries, and problems related to EV charging were among the common complaints raised. Said Mr Yong: "As more EVs take to Singapore's roads, CASE expects to see EV-related complaints increase in tandem. Consumers seeking to purchase an EV should be mindful of issues related to charging and battery lifespan. Car-sharing services also remain a popular choice among consumers and there needs to be stronger standards for the shared mobility space. "CASE is working with car-sharing operators to develop a CaseTrust accreditation scheme for the sector. This will allow consumers to patronise operators who have committed to consumer-friendly policies and provide an efficient dispute resolution mechanism." Complaints related to e-commerce fell by 32 per cent in 1H2025, dropping from 2,611 cases in 1H2024 to 1,769. This was largely due to an 85 per cent decline in entertainment-related complaints, which had spiked the previous year due to the failed Sky Lantern Festival. However, CASE observed an increase in complaints against online travel agencies, with 139 cases reported. Such complaints rose by around 40 per cent, it said. They involved a range of issues, including misleading descriptions of hotel accommodations, website glitches that led to duplicate or inflated charges, and confirmed bookings that were not honoured. Consumers had approached these agencies to book flights, hotels, and land tours, but encountered problems that disrupted their travel plans and caused financial stress. 'To better protect consumers and raise industry standards, CASE is looking to drive wider adoption of our CaseTrust scheme for e-businesses," said Mr Yong. "As part of its review to enhance consumer protection in Singapore, the Consumer Protection Review Panel is looking at unfair practices commonly used by online merchants, with the aim of recommending enhancements to our consumer protection regime to better protect consumers in the age of e-commerce.' With the continued rise in online transactions, Mr Yong also stressed the need to strengthen consumer protection in the e-commerce space. They include mandating merchant verification, setting up escrow accounts for online transactions, and implementing a clear dispute resolution framework to help consumers seek recourse. CASE also highlighted concerns over the increasing transaction values involved in disputes, noting that the cost of home renovation contracts often exceeds S$20,000. It urged the government to review the current S$20,000 jurisdictional limit of the Small Claims Tribunals, in order to ensure consumers continue to have access to affordable dispute resolution options.
