@cosme Best Cosmetics Award Winners: 8 Top-Rated Japanese Skincare & Makeup Products

By Kuma-san, 04 June 2022

What a time to be alive - we’re constantly spoiled for choice when it comes to beauty products, with new ranges and brands being launched on an almost-daily basis. That’s a good thing, of course, but it can also get overwhelming!

To narrow down your search amidst the never-ending options, try looking at the @cosme Best Cosmetics Awards winners list, the latest of which was recently announced in early 2022.

For the uninitiated, @cosme is one of the most influential and trusted beauty sites in Japan, full of informative blog posts and user-uploaded reviews. Each year, their beauty community votes on their favourite products to see which ones emerge tops. 

Out of the bevy of highly-raved makeup and skincare that made the list, here are 8 of our favourite picks across various categories - with everything from all-in-one creams to setting spray and hair oil.

Grand Prize Award

IPSA The Time Reset Aqua Lotion

It’s easy to mistake the IPSA The Time Reset Aqua Lotion for a perfume at first glance - that’s just how stylish its clear wavy bottle packaging is. The formula looks almost like water, and that’s an indicator of how you can expect it to feel on your skin - light, soothing, and full of moisture.

With no added oils or alcohol, this deeply-penetrating brightening lotion is suitable for all skin types, be it dehydrated, rough, acne-prone, or with enlarged pores. Key ingredient Peony Extract helps prevent breakouts and balances sebum production, while Pyrola Incarnata Extract improves skin metabolism, which in turn aids in cell renewal and keeps you looking young.

Hall of Fame Award

COSME DECORTE Loose Powder - Misty Beige

It looks like we’ve found the secret to “soft-focus” skin without digital beauty filters, and it’s none other than the paraben-free COSME DECORTE Loose Powder. While available in a handful of shades including Luminary Ivory and Glow Pink, the unanimous fan favorite is Misty Beige.

Just a few light pats of the powder puff will smooth out uneven pores and give your skin a shine-free, satin finish - all thanks to Organic Silk Powder as part of the ingredient list.

This is combined with amino acids and natural floral extracts with moisturising properties to prevent any cracking or skin discomfort even after long hours.

SHISEIDO-ELIXIR Enriched Wrinkle Cream

Retinol is the “it” ingredient when it comes to anti-ageing skincare these days, and one winning product to check out is the SHISEIDO-ELIXIR Enriched Wrinkle Cream. Certified to reduce wrinkles in 9 weeks, including tricky crow’s feet and smile lines, this contains pure retinol which not only effectively reduces those dreaded lines, but also softens skin and aids in hyaluronic acid production from within.

Best Cosmetics Award

KOSE Makeup Keep Mist EX

Keep your makeup on fleek even on the most humid of days with the KOSE Makeup Keep Mist EX makeup setting spray. The brand likens it to a “cosmetic raincoat”, whereby a few quick spritzes will form a protective water-resistant film on your face to prevent your makeup from fading and smudging. The micron mist is ultra fine and light, with a softness that won’t weigh your skin down.

Kanebo Fresh Day Cream, SPF15 PA+++

Awaken tired skin with the Kanebo Fresh Day Cream, a moisturiser that’s made with an invigorating blend of natural extracts from the Hollyhock Root, Fucus Algae, and Chamomile. Couple that with an infusion of Citrus, Rosemary, and Eucalyptus, and you’ve essentially got aromatherapy in a cream.

But this is more than just a fragrant hydrator. With SPF15 PA+++, this day cream prevents sun damage, and on top of that, also works as a makeup base. Now how’s that for versatile.

&honey Deep Moist Hair Oil

We all know the nourishing benefits of honey, and the &honey Deep Moist Hair Oil is chock full of it - a blend of Manuka Honey, Acacia Honey, and Raw Honey, to be exact. Free of sulphates, synthetic colouring, mineral oils, parabens, and silicone, this organic hair serum is packed with richly moisturising ingredients like 100% Moroccan Argan Oil, Golden Silk, and Hyaluronic Acid to maintain and improve the condition of your tresses. There’s also a dash of French Lavender for an extra calming scent!

While it works perfectly well on its own, this hair oil is best used as the final step in a 3-step hair care routine, following the Deep Moist Shampoo and Deep Moist Treatment from the same brand.

Best Cosmetics Award

Paul & Joe Protecting Foundation Primer S01 SPF50+ PA++++

Primer is a must for flawless foundation, and this Paul & Joe Protecting Foundation Primer ticks all the boxes and more. With SPF50+ PA++++, it offers a solid full spectrum shield against damaging UV rays while helping your makeup stay on longer. One pump applied as a base is all it takes for a clearer and more radiant-looking complexion.

FANCL Deep Clear Washing Powder

The FANCL Deep Clear Washing Powder is a fuss-free cleanser to incorporate into your daily routine. Simply pop open the capsule, add a bit of water, and lather up for clear, fresh skin - all without that uncomfortable tight feeling post-wash. Created with purifying bamboo charcoal, this powder facial wash comes in a pack of 30, and dislodges any build-up of sebum and grime from deeply clogged pores.


Best award-winning Japanese skincare & makeup in Singapore

These @cosme Best Cosmetics Award winning products can all be purchased in Singapore via Osakakuma’s website or their physical stores. They’re some of the most highly-rated, tried-and-tested J-beauty products around, so go on and give them a shot  - you won’t be disappointed! 

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