24 Best Beauty Buys Now! 2009 Winners!
24 Best Beauty Buys Now! 2009 Winners!
Five years and 365,400 reader votes later, our annual Glammy awards are still revealing beauty deals that get you gorgeous every time.
Meet the 2009 winners. Which ones are in your bathroom, and which should be?
The best mascaras
From drugstores: Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara ($6.50)
Five-time winner!
The famous pink tube's content "lasts," and the wand "coats every lash"—all for "a recessionista price!"
From department/specialty stores: Lancôme Définicils Mascara Five-time winner!
Définicils "lengthens lashes beyond belief," with no clumps. "Makes me look like I'm rocking fake lashes," says one reader.
The best shampoos
From drugstores:
First-time winner!
"Crazy as it sounds, it helps my hair grow faster," says a former skeptic. Hair feels "superclean but not dry." Extra-credit points for the fresh, "fabulous" scent: "I can't stop smelling my hair!" says one fan.
From department/specialty stores: Biolage Hydrating Shampoo First-time winner!
This "creamy lathering" shampoo won't "strip away natural oils" or "weigh hair down." Other hydrating shampoos "don't hold a candle," gushes a product junkie.
The best eye creams
From drugstores: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum ($19)
Four-time winner!
There's no beating a product that's "magical, like unicorns and pots o' gold." This "instantly brightens, and reduces puffiness and wrinkles." Notes one devotee, "I'm 40, and I just got carded—thanks, Olay!"
From department/specialty stores: Clinique All About Eyes ($47)
Four-time winner!
A "dream cream" that's "soothing and refreshing" like a "massage for the eyes." It also erases pesky dark circles so "your eyes don't show that you've had a long night."
The best blushes
From drugstores: CoverGirl Cheekers Blush ($4.50, Five-time winner!
Readers always come back to this "amazing bargain" because it "blends smoothly," "lasts all day" and "doubles as eyeshadow." It's believable, too: "It looks more like a natural flush than something you applied with a brush!"
From department/specialty stores: NARS Blush First-time winner!
"Universally flattering" with a "hint of sparkle," this blush works for "the office and a night out." The most popular shade? Orgasm (naturally). "The best bang for my buck," says one cheeky reader.
The best foundations
From drugstores: CoverGirl Clean Liquid Makeup ($6.50, Two-time winner!
Gives great coverage, but it's "sheer enough to let my freckles shine through," says an admirer. It also "helps control oil" without the "nasty cracks."
From department/specialty stores: BareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation ($25 Five-time winner!
Cult fave "BareMins," as it's affectionately known, delivers "flawless model skin." Even on a hot day, "it doesn't melt."
The best conditioners
From drugstores: Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Conditioner ($4, First-time winner!
Leaves hair "silky" with "great sheen" and "a lot fewer tangles." Users report seeing less hair in the comb and the drain. It's nourishing, too: "I get regular highlights, but my hair never looks fried."
From department/specialty stores: Matrix Sleek.look Smoothing Conditioner Five-time winner!
This undefeated champ deals humidity and frizz "a knockout punch." The "godsend" smooths so well that blowouts are "easier" and "last longer."
The best facial moisturizers
From drugstores: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer With SPF 30 ($14 First-time winner!
Voters say this "friendly to sensitive skin" cream "seriously hydrates," but it's superlight—"you barely know it's there." It works without "clogging pores" and leaves skin "downright luminous."
From department/specialty stores: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion With Pump Five-time winner!
The "yellow stuff" is "amazing for combination skin—makes flaky spots soft, and oily areas don't break out." Also great: "Makeup doesn't slide off."
The best self-tanners
From drugstores: Dove Energy Glow Beauty Body Lotion ($7)
First-time winner!
Great for getting rid of that "pasty winter look," this lotion gives subtle color "that doesn't rub off on my white underwear." Best of all, "it never looks orange—I wish it came in gallon sizes."
From department/specialty stores: Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel Three-time winner!
It dries quickly—"No more walking around half naked waiting for tanner to dry!"—and looks like the real deal: "I told people I went to Hawaii, and they believed me!"
The best hairstyling products
From drugstores: Aussie Catch the Wave Sprunch Hair Spray ($3.50
First-time winner!
A wavy or curly-haired girl's go-to spray, it leaves hair "springy but not too bouncy." Bonus: "It smells delicious—my husband loves to bury his face in my hair when I use it," says one satisfied user.
From department/specialty stores: BioSilk Silk Therapy ($40 for 12 oz. Five-time winner!
Just a dime-size amount gets hair "smooth and shiny." Says one enthusiast, "I've retired my flatiron to the closet." Adds another, "I'd pay a ransom for this stuff." It's "magic."
The best lip glosses
From drugstores: CoverGirl Wetslicks Lipgloss ($6.50 First-time winner!
Works as well as it sounds, voters agree—it's "slick" but not "sticky," so it's "more kissable" than other brands, and "ultra-moisturizing," too.
From department/specialty stores: MAC Tinted Lipglass Three-time winner!
Users praise the "yummy scent" and the 29 shades. The color "lasts forever," and "the jojoba oil makes my lips supersoft!"
The best fragrances
From drugstores: Curious Britney Spears eau de parfum ($53 )
Four-time winner!
"Floral and fruity" with a "sexy musk note," this longtime favorite lives up to its name: "Every time I wear it, people ask me about it," says a faithful spritzer. Another dubs it "the perfect date fragrance."
From department/specialty stores: Clinique Happy ($53 Two-time winner!
"Clean and citrusy," this scent is considered "mood-altering" and, as one woman says, a real "pick-me-up." Another perk: "It's light enough for day and sexy enough to wear at night."
The best body products
From drugstores: Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion ($8
First-time winner!
Voters applaud the "uncomplicated" and "earthy" ingredients that "don't irritate skin." The cream is rich enough to soothe "dreaded cracked heels" but "absorbs quickly" and is "not a bit greasy."
From department/specialty stores: Bath & Body Works Body Lotion in Japanese Cherry Blossom ($11)
Two-time winner!
This "leg candy" has a "feminine, woodsy" scent that gets noticed: "A guy actually approached me in a bookstore to tell me that I smelled great!"
