Beauty reviews are a dime a dozen all over the Internet.


Beauty reviews are a dime a dozen all over the Internet. But once a year, since 2001, our team has conducted stringent product testing for our beauty awards. We don’t just try the products for fun. We test each one vigorously against others in the same category to find the cream of the crop.
The new foundations are better at giving your complexion that flawless look. Highlighters are providing a more natural version of that sought-after glow. And lip colours don’t fade anymore but stain lips instead, so you never look undone.
Foundation

DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE
Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
BEST CUSHION FOUNDATION FOR K-DEWY SKIN

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Gives a good balance of coverage, dewiness and staying power – it doesn’t make skin look too oily, covers most blemishes, and lasts all day. Our testers love the scent.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
One side is a foundation, the other side is a concealer. The former covers imperfections in a semi-matte finish, softly blurring them out. The concealer covers light to medium blemishes nicely. Skin looks amazingly smooth.

Editors’ Choice Laura Mercier

Readers’ Choice Estee Lauder
This will give you at least eight hours of beautiful coverage. In fact, it looks flawless even without touch ups at the end of a 20-hour day – and on combination skin too.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
The glow is more dewy than soft, imparting a pinkish radiance. It is hydrating and covers imperfections well, but some testers found the texture a little too slick.

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Has a matte finish that covers blemishes like freckles well. Instead of a dewy glow, skin looks radiant and healthy – although it does look like you’re wearing foundation.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Foundation
DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE
BEST LIQUID FOUNDATION – SOFT MATTE

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
BEST PARTY-ALL-NIGHT LIQUID FOUNDATION

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Foundation, $68 Our tester had it on for close to 15 hours and her face still looked decently matte. It takes more effort to blend the thicker cream texture into skin, but the payoff is that a concealer isn’t necessary.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
It’s high-coverage and hydrating. To ensure streak-free blending, apply with a sponge, not your fingers, and take time to work it into your skin.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
A truly natural finish that controls shine all day – skin looks matte and fresh even after 14 hours of wear. You get high coverage with one layer. Those with dry skin may want to apply a moisturising primer under the foundation.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
DRUGSTORE
BEST CUSHION FOUNDATION

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
BEST LIQUID FOUNDATION

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
The texture is not too heavy or thick, and covers blemishes and redness reasonably well without caking. For a more even finish, prep the skin with a primer first. Skin stays fresh and matte for about 10 hours.

PHOTOGRAPHY TAN WEI TE STYLING SHERLI CHONG

PHOTO GALLERY STOCK
Lips
DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE
BEST MATTE LIPSTICK

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
It’s very matte and very pigmented yet glides on easily and doesn’t feel dry on the lips – or dry them out. It’s also long-lasting.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Massage one drop into lips every night to treat and condition them. It has moisturising ingredients such as glycerine and vitamin E to nourish the lips and keep them supple and smooth.

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Creamy and pigmented, it glides on without pulling on skin. The natural sheen of the cream finish makes for a fuller-looking pout. It fades minimally after a greasy meal.

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
The buttery texture glides over lips. We love the intense colours and high shine sans stickiness.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice YSL Beaute Volupte
The creamy texture is packed with pigments and is very hydrating. It gives a nice sheen that doesn’t look too slick.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
It’s more of a gloss than balm, but it manages to moisturise dry lips for a few hours. Bonus: the refreshing grapefruit scent and shimmery finish.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
It glides onto lips like a balm, has intense pigments and vibrant colours with a soft-matte finish, and is super long-lasting without being drying.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Highly pigmented with a luxuriously velvety feel that makes lines on lips less obvious. Start with a light layer and build up the intensity with a second.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Lips
BEST LIP GLOSS
DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
An ultra-shiny, glimmery lip gloss that has good staying power and a comfortable, moisturising texture.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
A comfortable soft matte that hides fine lines and dry patches. The creamy crayon glides on very smoothly, even over the Cupid’s bow and lip corners, so go slowly.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
This gives sheer colour and a pretty sheen, so don’t expect it to be long-lasting. It melts into lips and leaves a pink stain after meals.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Highlighter
DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE
BEST POWDER HIGHLIGHTER

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Melts right into the skin for a creamy, sun-kissed glow that doesn’t emphasise pores.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Blusher
BEST “FAKE-A WORKOUT” BLUSHER

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
The warm peach blusher with gold shimmer gives a natural looking post-workout-like flush that works with all skin tones.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
A little goes a very long way – just a tiny dot will give your cheeks a dewy, rosy flush.
DRUGSTORE

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Base Makeup
DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE
BEST PRESSED POWDER FOR RADIANT SKIN

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Created to set cushion foundation, the super-fine powder absorbs excess sebum and gives skin a pretty, dewy finish. It gives a radiant glow to more tanned skin.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Our tester has a very oily T-zone and loved how this primer kept her makeup in place all day, controlling the oil on her forehead yet not drying out her cheeks.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Gives a soft glow with a pore- and pigmentation blurring effect that makes skin look flawless for up to 10 hours.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
This feels cool and refreshing, and has a soft glow finish. Skin feels hydrated, looks brighter, pores are filled in, and makeup glides on well.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
It melts into skin for a smooth, airbrushed finish that doesn’t crease, crack or flake. Skin looks natural and flawless, not powdery or cakey.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
This softly blurs out imperfections like wrinkles and enlarged pores to make skin look airbrushed. It’s really easy to blend too.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
It has a lovely whipped texture that blends easily to cover blemishes. Even when layered on, it doesn’t crease or cake.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
It glides on, blends easily and gives good coverage (one tester even used it in place of foundation).

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Leaves skin looking velvety-matte and shinefree for a few hours. It spreads and blends easily.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Eyes
DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE
BEST BROW PRODUCT FOR DAGGER-LIKE BROWS

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
The multipurpose “pen” houses four shades: two to fill in brows, a skin-tone one to define, and a highlighter to perfect the arch. The pen tip glides smoothly and deposits pigments evenly.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
A sponge tip at one end lightly blurs lines to give you a smoky eye. The creamy, intensely pigmented eyeliner gives you a good 30 seconds of blending time before it sets and becomes budge-proof for the rest of the day.

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
The big bristles on the large brush catch all your lashes in one swipe, helping to separate them and add volume. On poker straight lashes, a couple more swipes will do the trick. It’s smudge-proof.

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
The thin, pointed tip makes it easy to draw fine, precise lines. It doesn’t drag on the lids because of how creamy it is. It’s waterproof, but will smudge after a few hours.

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
BEST EVERYDAY BROW PENCIL

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
Nars Brow Perfector, $38

PHOTOGRAPHY PHYLLICIA WANG STYLING SHERLI CHONG

PHOTO GALLERY STOCK
DEPARTMENT/SPECIALITY STORE
BEST EVERYDAY EYESHADOW PALETTE

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
A good mix of nudes and browns in matte and shimmer textures. The eyeshadows are buildable and effortless to apply, even without a brush. Extra points for the eye primer in the palette.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
Just dab and go – the colour deposits easily so filling in brows is a cinch, while the dual-ended applicator lets you shape or fill in gaps in your brows.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
DRUGSTORE
BEST EVERYDAY EYESHADOW PALETTE

Editors’ Choice

Readers’ Choice
The easy-to-blend colours are versatile enough to take you from desk to dinner.

Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
All you need for perfectly defined brows that last all day. The powder can be used wet or dry to create a different intensity.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice
It’s easy to apply and lasts the whole day without smudging. The intense pigments really help to define eyes.

Editors’ Choice & Readers’ Choice