Editor’s picks: the year’s best beauty launches that are worth revisiting

While most skincare promises instant results, this ambitious four-week programme from Sulwhasoo aligns with the skin’s natural turnover cycle to offer a truly disciplined approach to renewal. At a time when we are all seeking more professional-grade results at home, The Ultimate S Infusion Treatment stands out for its methodical four-step ritual: Purify, Activate, Concentrate, and Strengthen. The journey begins with a white ginseng enzyme to restore clarity, followed by a potent synergy of retinol and Ginsenomics™ to firm the skin's architecture. By the final week, a specialised Ginseng Oleosome™ formula locks in these cumulative lifting effects, with clinical results showing sustained improvements in cheek elasticity even after the treatment concludes.

This year, an eye-catching purple addition joins the fragrance palette of Chanel, representing a shade associated with magic and mystery. Created by in-house perfumer Olivier Polge, the composition is a study in paradoxes, balancing sprightly top notes with a more rigorous foundation. The fruity-floral trail opens with a sparkling raspberry accord that reveals facets of crisp fruit, rose, and violet. At its heart lies a magnetic floral blend of rose geranium, partly harvested from the storied house’s own fields in Grasse, while the base combines white musk with vibrant woody notes of cedar and a sophisticated touch of powdery iris. This arrival serves as a luminous, spontaneous option for those who prefer a scent that is both playful and tenacious.

The intersection of skincare and cosmetic enhancement remains a hallmark of this iconic tinted balm, which has been updated for 2025 under the direction of Peter Philips. Known for its pH-reactive technology that reveals a bespoke shade unique to the wearer, the formula is composed of 97 percent natural origin ingredients designed to provide a radiant, healthy shine. This year, the original cool-toned palette has been expanded to include warm undertones, allowing for a broader, more precise range of “custom colour” options. Housed in a reinterpreted pink case with a couture-inspired bijou appeal, the balm offers an ultra-moisturising texture that feels like a second skin. It remains a reliable staple for those who require hydration alongside a subtle, effortless wash of colour.

Achieving a truly luminous complexion often requires more than just superficial hydration, which is why the enhanced signature regimen from Clé de Peau Beauté has become a standout for 2025. Built upon four decades of research into “Skin Intelligence”—the skin’s natural capacity to filter beneficial stimuli from the harmful—this reformulated series introduces a potent Radiant Lily Extract to bolster barrier recovery. The inclusion of a fortified amino ferment, derived from traditional Japanese rice koji, delivers 15 types of amino acids that mimic the skin’s natural moisturising factors to combat dryness at a cellular level. From the serum’s focus on youth-sustaining proteins to the emulsions that synchronise with the skin’s circadian rhythm, the programme offers a disciplined, scientific approach to refining contours and tone.  

Rich lipstick-like colour and water-glazed shine are combined in Bobbi Brown’s latest addition to its established Extra Lip franchise. Designed to quench like a balm while performing with the pigment intensity of a lipstick, the Extra Color Shine features a nourishing botanical blend of jojoba and safflower oils to condition the lips. The buttery formula melts on contact to immediately plump and smoothen the lip surface, making it an ideal choice for an effortless look without the need for a mirror. Available in 11 wearable shades ranging from Nude Latte to Dragon Fruit, the collection enhances the natural lip tone with rich pigment.

Few things are as frustrating as a blush that ruins a perfectly blended base, which is why Jungsaemmool’s latest innovation became such a permanent fixture for us this year. The blush features a sheer, “watercolour” pigment that builds into a soft halo rather than a patchy streak. Infused with 77 percent moisture essence—including ceramides and hyaluronic acid—the Artist Cushion Blush feels more like a serum, providing a hydrated, dewy finish that thrives in Singapore’s humidity. The real win, however, is the two-way Rubycell puff and the skin-textured palette built into the compact, which together ensure you never over-apply.  

It is rare for a product to sustain its relevance for nearly three decades, but the 2025 reimagining of this 1996 icon proves exactly why it remains a makeup bag essential. This next-generation formula from Nars manages to bridge the gap between high-impact pigment and a weightless feel, offering 12 vibrant shades that work across cheeks, lips, and eyes for a seamless, monochrome aesthetic. What really distinguishes this version is the sheer ease of the cream-to-powder texture; it glides on effortlessly before setting into a soft-focus finish that actually blurs skin imperfections as you wear it. For the urban professional in Singapore, its one-swipe payoff and buildable coverage make it the ultimate “only one product” solution for transitioning from a morning boardroom to an evening event.  

NOW READ

December 2025 beauty edit: the hottest new skincare and make-up launches

Jung Kook of BTS is the new ambassador for Chanel beauty

Get the look: how to channel Becky Armstrong’s signature glow—without the full glam squad