I think it’s safe to say the beauty world had a LOUD reset this year. After years of overconsumption dressed up as “curation,” the conversation shifted from what’s new to what’s enough. Underconsumption stopped being an aesthetic and became a habit. Project Pan felt less like a trend and more like a collective exhale.

You could see it everywhere. More pride in finished products than new hauls. More cracked packaging, fewer impulse buys. Makeup content slowed down, and in that pause, something honest emerged. Most of us rely on the same few products, day after day.

By mid-2025, reality sharpened the mood. Price increases were no longer abstract. Tariffs, packaging costs, and supply chain pressures made restraint unavoidable, and the constant launch cycle started to feel expensive in ways brands could not ignore. At the same time, consumer fatigue set in. Fewer promises, more proof. Less novelty, more trust.

This post reflects that shift. One winner per category. No honourable mentions (as far as I can help it). Just the products that earned their place through repeat use, not hype.

Let’s begin!

SKIN PREP Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh Sunscreen: This is so light and refreshing on the skin! It melts in with NO white cast, making it perfect for dark skin. You really forget it’s there and as someone who hates thick sunscreens that feel like a film on the face, this really does it for me. This is an instant rebuy for me.

FOUNDATION Tirtir Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation: GAME CHANGER. Life was changed. Every time I wear this, people comment on how my skin looks. It stays in place the whole day, covers hyperpigmentation like a dream, feels lightweight, & doesn’t look too matte! What more can you ask for? And it’s sooo affordable. I got mine for about $12 on Shopee during a sale and they have sales pretty frequently. Super travel friendly too! Nothing bad to say; we love Tirtir in this house.

COLOUR CORRECTOR …I haven’t found anything worth writing about! I’m still on the hunt for a good one. I’ve tried Huda Beauty’s one and the Issy peach corrector but these were too runny and didn’t cover any of my dark spots well enough. The Huda Beauty one leaks SOOO much too & I have orange stains everywhere in my makeup drawer all because it… fell over. I use it because I haven’t found anything else and I want to finish it before hunting for a new one so we’ll see in 2026!

CONCEALER Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Concealer: It’s expensive but so worth it. It truly locks in place and as someone who always has their smile lines crease their concealer, this is a game changer. It does not crease easy & I mean it. I’ve tried so many concealers & this is the only one that’s stayed the whole day. It has a true neutral shade for dark skin too. Plus, it’s makeout friendly ~

CONTOUR Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour: I KNOW they’re warm. I know they’re not a true contour. But I’m warmer toned so these work perfectly for me. You don’t need a lot of product. Like their blushes, these are really pigmented. This will probably last me a long time but I’m still looking for a true contour.

BLUSH Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush: Blush is so delightful. It was hard for me to pick a true winner. But if I were to think by what I would re-buy, it would be the Rare Beauty blushes! I enjoyed the shades Love and Joy with Joy being the true winner between the two. That being said, I’m still open to trying other blushes as this is such a versatile product that I enjoy testing 🙂 I also like the Kaja Beauty Dewy Bar blush; it’s a gorgeous terracotta that doesn’t show up as red!

POWDER Huda Beauty Easy Bake Powder in Blondie: Hands down the best powder I’ve tried. I hate their new packaging but I’ll still buy it. It locks your makeup IN and does not budge easily. It’s also not too yellow on me and I find it works for my warmer skin tone. I do have one gripe: the new packaging is so hard to remove, especially with longer nails. While traveling, I would dread having to open it because I knew it would make a mess (a pattern I’m starting to notice…). I would be open to new powders but it’s hard to find one that works with my skin.

EYESHADOW Sahur’s Art Mona Lisa & Starry Night Eyeshadow Palette: I LOVED Sahur’s Art’s eyeshadows before her rebrand but I’m sure her new ones are just as good! I still use these palettes as the duochrome in her Starry Night palette was so beautiful; I get compliments every time I wear her eyeshadows. I would honestly love to experiment more with eyeshadow but I’m on a Project Pan to help me finally use up my products!

EYELINER Sephora Collection Nano Eyeliner in Black! I’ve had this for 5 years (may have gotten the name wrong) and the thing has not dried up. It’s still somehow just as pigmented and glides on like a dream! I’ve replaced other liners multiple times but this one? Still works to this day. And they have a range of graphic liners in this range. Colour me impressed.

MASCARA Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara: I swear I’m not a Selena fan but Rare Beauty WORKS! I have long lashes but they’re too straight and poke into my eyes a lot. I get lash lifts as a result just so to get them out of my eyes. This mascara holds a curl even without me having to get a lash lift! It also makes my lashes look so voluminous; like a doll! I would get the mini or even the sample size as those last a while and you can actually use up the product without having to waste any of it.

LIP LINER – I loooove lip products! I’ve tested so many of them and I’ll definitely do another post to cover my findings (hehe). For lip liners, I’ve long been a fan of the Colourpop lippie pencils (I use the shade Pitch) as they last all day and blend really well. They’re not too hard or soft either. However, Colourpop is hard to find in Singapore so a recent fav has been the Kosas Hotliner Hyaluronic Acid Lip Liner in the shade Supreme! It comes with a brush on the end which I find so useful as I can throw it in my bag and reapply my lip on the go. I often retouch my makeup through the day so this has filled a hole in my routine for sure! Do get it on sale; I’d say it’s very worth it.

LIPS oof so hard. genuinely had to sit and think about the ONE product I would pick for lips. I’ve found so many good ones this last year so I took a lot of factors into consideration. Ultimately, I decided to divide it by sub category of lip products as I don’t think I can give it to one over the other given that I enjoy different formulas for different situations. As such:

• LIP GLOSS Fwee 3D Volumizing Gloss: So juicy on the lips! I’ve enjoyed a lot of glosses but this would be a rebuy as it’s travel friendly, doesn’t spill (unlike the Fenty Gloss…), and gives you a range of pigmentations and colours to choose from so you truly can find something for YOU. They recently came out with more glosses which I’m excited to try once I finish my existing ones!
• LIP STAIN Romand Juicy Lasting Tint The shade Dark Coconut changed my life. I wore it so much in the last year. It’s just the right colour that I struggle to find elsewhere. It’s that nice brown-red shade that’s still light enough that it’s wearable for a nice day look. I love my deep pigmented glosses and glittery lip oils but this would be a rebuy the minute I finish it.

SETTING SPRAY Tirtir Mask Fit Makeup Fixer Setting Spray: You will not need another setting spray. EVER. I used to swear by the Milani one but the Tirtir one is more accessible and frequently goes on sale on Shopee! As I’m posting this, I saw it at $9!! A STEAL. I have two extras sitting on my shelf because I know damn well that I’ll go through them. Your makeup will not budge!

This was so fun to write up because I had the time to actually reflect on how my makeup routine and skills have changed over the last year and what I used to enjoy has shifted while a lot of things have stayed the same. I still love my sharp liners but I’ve come to like doing softer looks. I’m on a Project Pan in 2026 as I truly have a lot of product to get through. That being said, as I finish products, I still look forward to trying more and seeing what sticks 🙂