Five favorite Singapore drugstore finds

I used to struggle with figuring out what to buy for friends back home in the Philippines now that I’m based in Singapore, but I realized I was overthinking it when a visiting friend bought a bunch of mentholated / medicated oils as pasalubong or return gifts.

Now why didn’t I think of that? My friends and I are of an age now where appreciate receiving something as practical as socks for gifts, and Singapore has a ton of fun stuff to pick up from the drugstore or even Donki and Tokyu Hands, as un-Singaporean as their origins might be. I would say the most popular things to buy right now are Bacha Coffee and Garrett popcorn, but here I’m sharing other things that might not be on your radar — hopefully there’s something on the list to suit all tastes. Sharing this Singapore drugstore-specific list for ideas!

Medicated Oils, Salves, and Balms — thanks to my friend I’ve been introduced to the world of medicated oils. They can be addictive. My friend is partial to Axe brand (mild eucalyptus and menthol fragrance) while the lady at the drugstore recommended Tendar Recovering Oil (super spicy but runny!). People do seem to be passionate about their preferred brands — when I went to pay for my items, the cashier tut-tutted the Eagle brand oil — she says it’s nothing special, and I have to say she has a point — it didn’t really do anything for me.