Glamour Beauty and Wellness Awards: introducing our Editors' Choice winners
When it comes to celebrating the beauty and wellness innovations worthy of your attention – and your hard-earned cash – the cherry on top is the Editors' Choice category.
Over the past few months, our editorial team – representing different ages, skin tones and hair types – has rigorously tested hundreds of products. The brief? To find breakthrough innovations that elevate your everyday essentials: from a dry shampoo with a time-released fragrance to a serum that helps defend against environmental damage. It’s not solely about shiny new drops, though. Ultimately, the winners are products that wear a superhero cape because they make us look – and feel – the best versions of ourselves.
As always, you can rely on us to bring you the perfumes, body care, tools, wellness and hair must-haves that are so good, they’ve now earned a spot in our own beauty routines. But this year, we also wanted to acknowledge just how much there is to champion in the beauty industry by doubling the number of Editors' Choice awards in this category. That meant spotlighting our favourite skincare and makeup products under £20, the best multi-tasking products that do half the work for you, and the viral products that have blown up on our socials.
We've even created a 13th category – best beauty content creator – in recognition of those in our community who inspire with their artistry and redefine what beauty looks like.
Here are all the Editors' Choice award winners – there really is something for every beauty fan.
Best luxury makeup product
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
.jpg)
Hitting that sweet spot between locking your makeup in all day and feeling invisible on the skin eludes a lot of setting sprays. That's not the case with Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, which prevents sweaty streaks, blurs visible pores and soothes with aloe vera extract – all while feeling like your face has been bathed in a cool, feather-light mist. If more proof were needed, this product was also reader-voted as the Best Setting Spray in this year's Glamour Beauty and Wellness Awards.
Shortlist:
Clarins Double Serum Foundation
Mac Macximal Silky Matte Lipstick
Best makeup product under £20
No7 Pro Artist Instant Impact Volumising Mascara
.jpg)
This mascara is all the proof you need that high street beauty is top of its game. The brand claims that the No7 Pro Artist Instant Impact Volumising Mascara creates 200% more volume – and that's not hard to believe judging by how it doubled the fullness of one tester's lashes for a fanned-out, lifted curl with each pass of the fine-bristled brush. Speaking of the wand, you can also use the tip to coat the inner and outer corner lashes for maximum impact.
Shortlist:
Hildun Silk to Set Kajal Liner
L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Extensionist Mascara
Best luxury skin product
Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum
.jpg)
A cornerstone of J-Beauty is protective formulas laid down in fine, buildable layers. So you won't be surprised to learn that, sensorially, the first thing you notice is how supremely silky the milky white liquid feels – the second is how greedily your skin laps it up. There's a lot of science behind this product, but what you really need to know is that it contains a special fermented camellia ingredient that kickstarts some cells to act as “snipers”, removing old cells damaged by pollution or stress before they show up as fine lines.
Shortlist:
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Lipopeptide Serum
Dr. Levy Switzerland Booster Serum
Best skin product under £20
Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser
.jpg)
At Glamour, we’re firm believers that great beauty products shouldn’t break the bank, but navigating the wealth of options can be difficult. Cutting through the noise, Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser is a no-nonsense skincare saviour perfect for all skin types – from oily to the most sensitive. While a trio of gentle exfoliating acids – salicylic acid, mandelic acid and gluconolactone – work to smooth bumpy skin and promote cell turnover, niacinamide and glycerin hydrate and nourish, making it perfect for everyday use on your face and body. Did we mention it comes in at a thrifty £14?
Shortlist:
Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
Best multi-tasking product
Weleda Skin Food
.jpg)
A skincare staple and cult fave for makeup artists, Weleda Skin Food is one of the hardest working products you can have in your beauty arsenal. Thanks to its deeply nourishing formula – packed with soothing ingredients like wild pansy, chamomile, calendula and rosemary – this skincare hero is the perfect antidote for dry skin anywhere, from your face to your feet. Some of its lesser-known (but just as practical) uses include doubling up as a dewy makeup primer and highlighter; a healing balm for cuts, burns and scrapes; a cuticle softener and saviour for dry hands. By our maths, that makes it at least a five-in-one.
Shortlist:
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush
Rehab. Hair Milk Conditioning Heat Protection Spray
Best hair product
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo
.jpg)
When is a dry shampoo not a dry shampoo? When it's been created by Living Proof. A blast of the Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo doesn't just mop up oil and sweat, giving new life to second-day hair (although it does that brilliantly, too). It also features an innovative powder-removal system so it won't leave any residue once massaged into the roots, while the encapsulated, time-release fragrance keeps hair smelling shower-fresh.
Shortlist:
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience HeatBounce
Olaplex Weightless Nourishing Mask
Best body product
Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion
.jpg)
Striking the right balance between deep nourishment and hydration without leaving a sticky residue is something of a tall order in the body care category. Right on the money, Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion is powered by its unique GlutaGlow technology – made with hyaluron, niacinamide and antioxidants 10 times more powerful than vitamin C – which promises to give you radiant skin in just five days. It's immediately absorbed, leaving your skin with a smooth, velvety finish – say goodbye to dullness and hello to soft, supple skin.
Shortlist:
Rituals The Ritual of Ayurveda Whipped Body Cream
Fussy Refillable Natural Deodorant
Best fragrance
Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
.jpg)
Skin-close scents are the perfume equivalent of ‘no makeup’ makeup – those around you can tell there’s been a fragrant glow-up but it’s not as tangible as a larger-than-life floral scent. Perhaps the most famous of these is Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 – a scent that almost broke the internet when it launched in 2006, such was the hype around this ‘non-perfume’. Put simply, it’s the closest you’ll ever get to an actual signature scent because it’s based around a single note. Known as Iso E Super, it’s a soft, sensual blend of woods, fresh laundry and something you can’t put your finger on. It also melds with the wearer’s natural pheromones – so it never smells the same twice. Who knew science could be so sexy?
Shortlist:
Parfums de Marly Valaya Exclusif EDP
Best tool
Tweezerman Classic Lash Curler
.jpg)
Beauty tools don't have to be fancy – they just need to be hard-working and so effective they become an everyday essential. This ethos is the beating heart of all of Tweezerman's innovations. Case in point: the Classic Lash Curler. Its silicone pad grips every single lash for a defined curl that makes your eyes look instantly bigger and brighter. Even better? The purse-friendly £19 price tag.
Shortlist:
Dyson Airwrap Co-anda2x Multi-styler
Sarah Chapman Skinesis The Facialift
Best wellness product
Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Shower Mist
.jpg)
Incorporating wellness into your day-to-day routine shouldn’t require bells and whistles. Keeping things straightforward, Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Shower Mist elevates your everyday shower to the heights of a spa experience. With refreshing peppermint, calming lavender and uplifting eucalyptus, feel your worries melt away as the trio of essential oils fills up your bathroom with a heavenly scent that encourages deep breathing and a moment of peace, whatever time of day you’re using it.
Shark DePuffi Contrast Therapy Sculpting Tool
Vida Glow Liquid Collagen Skin + Energy
Mahsa Whitening Dental Polish with Amethyst
Best new beauty product
Tatcha The Dewy Milk Moisturiser
.jpg)
Fans of Tatcha's Dewy Skin Cream will be more than familiar with the gorgeous sheen it gives, thanks to its rich and nourishing formula. While you might not think it possible to improve on the cult skincare fave, The Dewy Milk Moisturiser will certainly change your mind. A lightweight, more fluid moisturiser that delivers the same luminous glow – courtesy of Japanese purple rice and green tea extract – it’s a great alternative for those looking to balance excess oil and achieve a flawless finish without looking greasy.
Shortlist:
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Concealer
Simihazebeauty Soft Strobe Creamy Highlight Powder
Dr. Loretta Barrier Enhancing Milky Essence
Best viral product
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer
A mainstay on your FYP since it launched, there’s no Fenty Beauty product that is quite as highly hyped as the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer. A must-have for lip product lovers, the gloss immediately plumps and gives you a high shine finish, while nourishing shea butter keeps your lips soft and hydrated. Designed by Rihanna specifically to get everyone kissing more, the addictive peach vanilla scent and growing range of holographic shades make it hard to resist – pucker up!
Shortlist:
Nature Spell Natural Rosemary Oil
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+
Best beauty content creator
Sophia Sinot
Instagram content
What a year 2025 was for makeup artist Sophia Sinot. From Doja Cat and Precious Lee to Troye Sivan and Leomie Anderson, there are few celeb faces that haven’t been graced by her brushes. However, it’s her technicolour beauty looks created for Zara Larsson that stop you in your tracks when you’re doomscrolling. A Y2K fantasy brought to life in 2026, her artistry for the singer’s Midnight Sun tour manifested as shimmering golden skin, kaleidoscopic pastel blends and lots and lots of sparkling rhinestones. After the ‘Clean Girl’ look has reigned supreme for the past few years, artists like Sophia are turning the tide, leading the way for those who want to see maximal makeup come back with a bang.
Shortlist:
Model photo shoot crew credits:
Photographer: Ruo Bing Li @robinlirb
Stylist: Herin Choi @herinchoi1
Hair: Kyle Malone @kyledavidmalone
Makeup: Maki Ryoke @makiryoke
Manicure: Yukie Miyakawa @yukie_miyakawa_nails
Models: Alexis Ruby, Anyiang Yak, Baylee Winkel, Kenza Safsaf, Xun Seon @lexpfromthevill @anyiangyak @bayleewinkel @kenzasafsaf @kissthexun
Producer: Petty Cash Production @petty_cash_production
