Every year, beauty pros (including artists, marketers, editors, and chemists) gather for the most exciting night in the industry: the Cosmetic Executive Women Beauty Insider Product Demonstration. This invite-only event showcases all the hottest launches from the previous year [1], allowing experts to test the formulas, admire the packaging, and ask any questions they have about the item. Then, after lugging home (and playing with!) a huge bag of the products seen that night, everyone casts their votes on which items are worthy of being declared "best" in their category [2].
This is a highly prestigious award for a key reason — the people selecting the winners know beauty inside and out. Scientists take a break from their labs to examine other brands' potions; CEOs compare and contrast their companies' products with others. As a result, the champions are truly spectacular.
WWD announced the 2016 CEW Insider Award winners [3], and there was a refreshing amount of surprising victories. Who would have expected that the two award-winning antiaging products [4] would be masks? We're particularly impressed that a dry shampoo beat out traditional formulas in its category! Read on and shop the very best beauty swag from 2016.
Kate Somerville EradiKate Mask Foam-Activated Acne Treatment
Product: Kate Somerville EradiKate Mask Foam-Activated Acne Treatment [5] ($54)
Category Won: Best Acne Treatment
Sonia Kashuk Detox Purifying Black Mask
Product: Sonia Kashuk Detox Purifying Black Mask [6] ($16)
Category Won: Best Antiaging Product (Mass)
Glamglow Flashmud Brightening Treatment
Product: Glamglow Flashmud Brightening Treatment [7] ($69)
Category Won: Best Antiaging Product (Prestige)
Simple Micellar Cleansing Water
Product: Simple Micellar Cleansing Water [8] ($8)
Category Won: Best Cleanser and/or Scrub
It Cosmetics Your Skin but Better CC+ Eye Cream SPF 50+
Product: It Cosmetics Your Skin but Better CC+ Eye Cream SPF 50+ [9] ($38)
Category Won: Best Eye Treatment
Fresh Sugar Nourishing Lip Balm Advanced Therapy
Product: Fresh Sugar Nourishing Lip Balm Advanced Therapy [10] ($30)
Category Won: Best Lip Treatment
Clarisonic Alpha Fit
Product: Clarisonic Alpha Fit [11] ($189)
Category Won: Best Skin Care Tool
St. Tropez Gradual Tan in Shower Lotion
Product: St. Tropez Gradual Tan in Shower Lotion [12] ($25)
Category Won: Best Sun Product
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
Product: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel [13] ($20)
Category Won: Best Moisturizer (Mass)
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream
Product: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream [14] ($15)
Category Won: Best Moisturizer (Prestige)
Oribe Hair Care Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray
Product: Oribe Hair Care Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray [15] ($29)
Category Won: Best Hair Coloring Product
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo
Product: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo [16] ($12)
Category Won: Best Hair Shampoo or Conditioner
Bumble and Bumble Don't Blow It (H)air Styler
Product: Bumble and Bumble Don't Blow It (H)air Styler [17] ($31)
Category Won: Best Hair Style/Hair Care Product (Three-Way Tie)
Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1
Product: Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 [18] ($26)
Category Won: Best Hair Style/Hair Care Product (Three-Way Tie)
Living Proof Blowout
Product: Living Proof Blowout [19] ($24)
Category Won: Best Hair Style/Hair Care Product (Three-Way Tie)
T3 PROi Professional Hair Dryer
Product: T3 PROi Professional Hair Dryer [20] ($350)
Category Won: Best Hair Tool
L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Superstar Mascara
Product: L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Superstar Mascara [21] ($11)
Category Won: Best Eye Product (Mass)
Dior Diorshow Mascara
Product: Dior Diorshow Mascara [22] ($28)
Category Won: Best Eye Product (Prestige)
Sonia Kashuk Undercover Liquid Concealer
Product: Sonia Kashuk Undercover Liquid Concealer [23] ($10)
Category Won: Best Face Product (Mass)
Laura Mercier Silk Crème Moisturizing Photo Edition Foundation
Product: Laura Mercier Silk Crème Moisturizing Photo Edition Foundation [24] ($48)
Category Won: Best Face Product (Prestige)
Flower Lip Radiance High Shine Lip Lacquer
Product: Flower Lip Radiance High Shine Lip Lacquer [25] ($8)
Category Won: Best Lip Product (Mass)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick
Product: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick [26] ($32)
Category Won: Best Lip Product (Prestige)
Dior Sauvage
Product: Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette [27] ($89)
Category Won: Best Men's Scent
Sonia Kashuk Eau de Toilette in White Etheriana
Product: Sonia Kashuk Eau de Toilette in White Etheriana [28] ($20)
Category Won: Best Women's Scent (Mass)
Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Black Opium
Product: Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Black Opium [29] ($90)
Category Won: Best Women's Scent (Prestige)
Butter London Patent Shine 10x Nail Lacquer
Product: Butter London Patent Shine 10x Nail Lacquer [30] ($18)
Category Won: Best Nail Product (Tie)
Essie Gel Setter Top Coat
Product: Essie Gel Setter Top Coat [31] ($10)
Category Won: Best Nail Product (Tie)
Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion
Product: Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion [32] ($8)
Category Won: Best Bath and Body Product (Mass)
Fresh Cocoa Body Exfoliant
Product: Fresh Cocoa Body Exfoliant [33] ($45)
Category Won: Best Bath and Body Product (Prestige)
Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips
Product: Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips [34] ($7)
Category Won: Most Buzzed-About Product (Mass)
Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette
Product: Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette [35] ($54)
Categories Won: Most Buzzed-About Product (Prestige), Bestseller Award (Prestige)
CoverGirl The Super Sizer by Lash Blast Mascara
Product: CoverGirl The Super Sizer by Lash Blast Mascara [36] ($7)
Category Won: Bestseller Award (Mass)