8 makeup must-haves that have won in the Glamour Beauty and Wellness Awards 2025
In an industry where newness is constant and trends shift overnight, lasting power is rare. But every so often, a makeup product comes along that not only makes an impact – it keeps delivering. For this year’s Glamour Beauty and Wellness Awards 2025, we’re spotlighting those icons: the cult classics that have been crowned winners three or more times over the past five years.
These are the products that have earned their place. The ones you reach for without thinking, recommend without hesitation and rely on time and time again. Whether it’s the foundation that holds up through long days, the mascara that never flakes or the brush set that elevates your entire routine, each one has become a mainstay for good reason. Trusted by makeup artists, editors and beauty lovers alike, their reputation is built on real results.
And in a beauty landscape overflowing with choice, where every scroll promises a new ‘must-have’, that kind of reliability matters more than ever. These eight winners aren’t just passing trends. They’re the products that stay relevant, keep performing and continue to earn your vote, year after year. That’s what makes a GLAMOUR Beauty & Wellness Power List Icons Awards 2025 winner.
Best full-coverage foundation
When you want full coverage that doesn’t feel like full coverage, Estée Lauder’s Double Wear delivers. The velvety matte finish smooths, blurs and stays put through busy days, late nights and everything in between. With 60 shades to choose from, it deserves a place in the Power List Hall of Fame as it’s won every single year since 2020.
Best under-eye concealer
Dark circles? Consider them handled. Nars’ Radiant Creamy Concealer is a backstage staple turned global bestseller, and for good reason. One tube of this cult concealer sells every five seconds – and with good reason. The hydrating, featherlight formula melts into skin, brightens the under-eye area and stays crease-free all day.
Best bronzer
If any bronzer deserves icon status, it’s Benefit’s Hoola. The soft matte powder takes down shine while delivering sun-kissed warmth and subtle definition, all without a hint of shimmer. Easy to blend, hard to overdo and perfectly portable – it remains one of the most relied-on bronzers in the business.
Best contour
Few contour products are as instantly recognisable as Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Contour Wand. Loved for its foolproof cushion applicator and melt-into-skin formula, it delivers natural-looking definition in an instance. Just a few well-placed dots, and cheekbones are lifted, sculpted and subtly defined.
Best makeup brush
Real Techniques’ Everyday Essentials Makeup Brush Set proves that pro-level tools don’t have to come with a luxury price tag. Featuring four fluffy brushes (made from soft synthetic bristles) and a flexible foam sponge, it takes care of your entire makeup routine – from base and blush to highlighter and eyeshadow.
Best lip liner
It doesn’t matter how many lip liners hit the market, this one from Charlotte Tilbury still comes out on top. The creamy formula shapes and defines lips with ease, whether you’re using it solo or under lipstick for extra staying power. For the perfect everyday pout, reach for cult shades Pillow Talk or Iconic Nude.
Best mascara
The hype hasn’t worn off, and neither has the impact. Maybelline’s Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara lifts and lengthens lashes like no other, with its flexible brush that grabs every hair (even those hard-to-reach corner ones) and a formula that builds beautifully without clumping. A high street hero, through and through, which is why it’s won your vote every year since its 2021 UK launch.
Best inclusive brand
Since its 2017 debut, Fenty Beauty has set the standard for inclusivity in the industry. With its game-changing 50-shade foundation range and commitment to true representation, Rihanna’s brand made beauty more accessible, inclusive and empowering. Years later, it’s still leading the charge, and that’s exactly why it continues to earn your vote.
Photographer: Cameron Bensley
Prop Stylist: Megan Mandeville
Global Creative Director: Amelia Trevette
European Design Director: Eilidh Williamson
Associate Beauty Director: Fiona Embleton
Associate Visuals Editor: Louisa Bryant
