It is that time of year again. With all the new releases and time-tested formulations, Men’s Folio is pitting the industry’s best in the grooming category against each other to see which holds up in the scopes of ease of use, claim to fame and sustainability. Judged by a panel of local experts, this year’s iteration honours grooming routines — in all its steps and processes. From insider interviews with TCM scalp care label Jing Botanics to a professional’s opinion on laying the foundation for a dependable makeup routine, here, Men’s Folio presents the 2025 edition of our annual Grooming Awards.
Best Foundation: Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
The cream-based tinted moisturiser from Rare Beauty is quite the heavy- hitter. Developed with sun-protective properties (SPF 20, so top up if you need or want higher protection), the lightweight formula is available in a spectrum of shades and builds to create a natural, skin-like finish that’s perfect for those who like a no-makeup look. We like that the medium- coverage formula allows it to sit prettily on the skin without settling into fine lines or causing a cakey look on the face.
Best Brow Fillers: Anastasia Beverly Hills Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel
Do we even need to explain? Anastasia Beverly Hills gained its claim to fame a decade ago when swathes of the Internet collectively crowned it the best in the industry for the brow filler category. Fast forward to today, and it still lives up to that stellar reputation. Its brow gel applies like a breeze, with a buildable amount of pigment that refuses to clump, even in the most finicky of situations.
Best Setting Spray/Powder: Kosas Cloud Set Loose Powder
Colour correction may well cease to exist as a step in one’s grooming routine because Kosas is hitting two major base concerns with one standout product. The Cloud Set Loose Powder — available in four colour- perfecting shades of Buttery, Candy, Peachy, and Velvety — offers a soft- focusing, blurring effect after application. Its clean and translucent formula ensures no flashback or chalkiness and is great as a last step, as well as a double-up tool for shaping the face.
Best Concealer: YSL Beauty All Hours Precise Angles Concealer
In terms of non-creasing formulations, the YSL Beauty All Hours Precise Angles Concealer is the one that goes the distance. Designed for exactness in application, an ultra-precise tip and broad-sided applicator enables a smooth glide of its complexion-enhancing matte-finish formula. Living up to its name of “All Hours” staying power — it never cakes, fades or settles into one’s fine lines.
Editor’s Pick: Chanel Le Teint
Your skin, only better. Chanel Beauty’s Ultra Le Teint is the ultimate go-to for a natural-looking flawless finish — and we are not exaggerating. Forget chalky or crease-prone formulas — this delivers on all fronts. True to Chanel Beauty’s reputation for high- performance formulas, the Ultra Le Teint Compact offers long-wearing coverage with a luxuriously comfortable feel. Designed for fuss-free touch-ups on the go, it is a luminous matte formula that offers oil-absorbing powders to control shine, and amino acid- coated hydrophobic pigments to enhance natural radiance. Finished with a soft-focus blurring powder, it keeps imperfections under the covers of its buildable, medium-coverage formula — all while keeping one’s skin feeling like skin.
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our June/July 2025 issue.
