2013 Editor's Choice Awards
Each year, Temptalia recognizes and honors standout brands and their products based on all of the swatching, testing, and trialing we have done over the years. We specifically recognize performance over the past year with our “Best of Year” categories, along with selecting the very best products, whether new or old, across product types. This year’s Awards features 83 categories with 159 winners from 76 different brands.
From the best eyeshadow base to best mascara to best shampoo to best blush, these are our very favorites. These are our tried and true products; go-to, holy grail-status products. When you wonder, “Well, what would Temptalia recommend?” Look no further than this list! Last year, half a million readers looked towards our Editor’s Choice Awards as a reference.
Best of the Year
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Brand of the Year | Guerlain |
| Best Budget Brand of the Year | L'Oreal |
| Best High-End New Product | Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Metallic Lip Tar |
| Best Budget New Product | L'Oreal Infallible 24-Hour Eyeshadow |
| Best High-End Niche Brand | Le Metier de Beaute |
| Best Budget Niche Brand | Fyrinnae |
| Most Underrated High-End Brand | Burberry |
| Most Underrated Budget Brand | Milani |
| Most Innovative High-End Brand | Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics |
| Most Innovative Budget Brand | NYX |
| Most Surprisingly Amazing High-End Product | Burberry Lip Velvet |
| Most Surprisingly Amazing Budget Product | L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Lacquer |
| Best Spring Collection | |
| Best Summer Collection | |
| Best Fall Collection | |
| Best Holiday Collection | |
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Palette | Guerlain Turandot |
Best Eye Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Base | NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base |
| Best Budget Eyeshadow Base | NYX Eyeshadow Base |
| Best High-End Cream Eyeshadow | Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow |
| Best Budget Cream Eyeshadow | Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Eyeshadow |
| Best High-End Loose Eyeshadow | Illamasqua Pure Pigment |
| Best Budget Loose Eyeshadow | Sugarpill Loose Eyeshadow |
| Best High-End Powder Eyeshadow | bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow |
| Best Budget Powder Eyeshadow | Milani Eyeshadow |
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Pencil | Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil |
| Best Budget Eyeshadow Pencil | Milani Shadow Eyez 12 HR Wear |
| Best High-End Glitter Eyeshadow | Make Up For Ever Holodiam Powder |
| Best Budget Glitter Eyeshadow | Lit Cosmetics Glitter |
| Best High-End Glitter Eyeliner | Tarina Tarantino Eyelicity Glitter Liner |
| Best Budget Glitter Eyeliner | LASplash Liquid Eyeliner |
| Best High-End Liquid Eyeliner | Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner |
| Best Budget Liquid Eyeliner | L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner |
| Best High-End Pencil Eyeliner | Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliner |
| Best Budget Pencil Eyeliner | Milani Liquid Eye Pencil |
| Best High-End Gel Eyeliner | MAC Fluidline (Discontinued) |
| Best Budget Gel Eyeliner | Wet 'n' Wild MegaEyes Crème Eyeliner |
| Best High-End Dramatic Mascara | Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara |
| Best Budget Dramatic Mascara | L'Oreal Telescopic Original Mascara |
| Best High-End Natural Mascara | Bobbi Brown Everything Mascara |
| Best Budget Natural Mascara | Maybelline Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara |
| Best High-End Lengthening Mascara | Buxom Lash Mascara |
| Best Budget Lengthening Mascara | CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara |
| Best High-End Mascara | Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara |
| Best Budget Mascara | Maybelline Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara |
| Best High-End False Eyelashes | Make Up For Ever |
| Best Budget False Eyelashes | Revlon |
Best Face Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Face Primer | Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 |
| Best High-End Concealer | Cle de Peau Concealer |
| Best Budget Concealer | Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector |
| Best High-End Cream Foundation | Eve Pearl HD Dual |
| Best Budget Cream Foundation | Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse |
| Best High-End Liquid Foundation | Guerlain Parure Gold Fluid |
| Best Budget Liquid Foundation | Revlon ColorStay Normal/Dry |
| Best High-End Powder Foundation | Clinique Almost Powder SPF 15 |
| Best Budget Powder Foundation | Milani Minerals Compact Makeup |
| Best High-End Tinted Moisturizer | NARS Pure Radiant Broad Spectrum Tinted Moisturizer |
| Best Budget Tinted Moisturizer | Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer SPF 20 |
| Best High-End Setting Powder | Guerlain Les Voilettes Translucent Loose Powder Mattifying Veil |
| Best Budget Setting Powder | NYC Cosmetics Smooth Skin Loose Powder |
| Best High-End Bronzer | Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder |
| Best Budget Bronzer | Neutrogena Natural Radiance Bronzer |
| Best High-End Cream Blush | Make Up For Ever HD Blush |
| Best Budget Cream Blush | Revlon Photoready Cream Blush |
| Best High-End Powder Blush | Tom Ford Beauty Cheek Color |
| Best Budget Powder Blush | NYX Powder Blush |
| Best High-End Contouring Powder | MAC Sculpting Powder |
| Best Budget Contouring Powder | NYX Taupe |
| Best High-End Highlighter | Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder |
| Best Budget Highlighter | Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls |
| Best High-End Finishing Powder | Guerlain Meteorites Powder |
| Best Budget Finishing Powder | Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Powder |
| Best High-End Makeup Removing Wipes | MAC Wipes |
| Best Budget Makeup Removing Wipes | Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes |
| Best High-End Makeup Remover | Lancome Bi-Facil |
| Best Budget Makeup Remover | Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover |
Best Lip Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Lip Balm | Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 |
| Best Budget Lip Balm | eos Smooth Sphere Lip Balm |
| Best High-End Tinted Lip Balm | Korres Lip Butter Glaze |
| Best Budget Tinted Lip Balm | Palladio Tinted Lip Balm |
| Best High-End Lip Scrub/Treatment | Sara Happ The Lip Scrub |
| Best High-End Lipstick | Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Lip Color |
| Best Budget Lipstick | Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter |
| Best High-End Long-Wearing Lipstick | Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro |
| Best Budget Long-Wearing Lipstick | Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor |
| Best High-End Liquid Lipstick | Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar |
| Best Budget Liquid Lipstick | NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream |
| Best High-End Lipgloss | Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss |
| Best Budget Lipgloss | Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss |
| Best High-End Lip Liner | Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil |
| Best Budget Lip Liner | NYX Slim Lip Pencil |
Best Nail Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Nail Lacquer | Illamasqua Nail Varnish |
| Best Budget Nail Lacquer | L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Lacquer |
| Best High-End Quick Drying Coat | Cult Nails Wicked Fast |
| Best Budget Quick Drying Coat | Sally Hansen Insta-Dri |
| Best High-End Top Coat | Deborah Lippmann On a Clear Day |
| Best Budget Top Coat | Seche Seche Vite |
| Best High-End Base Coat | Deborah Lippmann Ridge Filler Base Coat |
| Best Budget Base Coat | Zoya Anchor Base Coat |
| Best High-End Cuticle Treatment | Dior Crème Abricot Fortifying Cream For Nails |
| Best Budget Cuticle Treatment | Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream |
Best Skincare Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Facial Cleanser | Bobbi Brown Hydrating Rich Cream Cleanser |
| Best Budget Facial Cleanser | Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser |
| Best High-End Gel Cleanser | Renee Rouleau AHA/BHA Cleansing Gel |
| Best Budget Gel Cleanser | Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel |
| Best High-End Foaming Facial Cleanser | bareMinerals Deep Cleansing Foam |
| Best Budget Foaming Facial Cleanser | Olay Foaming Face Wash |
| Best High-End Daily Facial Exfoliator | Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser |
| Best Budget Daily Facial Exfoliator | Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub |
| Best High-End Facial Exfoliator | Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment |
| Best Budget Facial Exfoliator | Olay Regenerist Thermal Mini-Peel |
| Best High-End Facial Mask | Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque |
| Best Budget Facial Mask | LUSH Fresh Face Mask |
| Best High-End Toner | Ole Henriksen Grease Relief Face Tonic |
| Best Budget Toner | LUSH Tea Tree Water |
| Best High-End Daytime Moisturizer | bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer |
| Best Budget Daytime Moisturizer | Olay Complete All Day UV Defense Moisture Lotion |
| Best High-End Evening Moisturizer | bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Cream for Dry Skin |
| Best Budget Evening Moisturizer | Olay Night of Olay Firming Cream |
| Best High-End Cleansing Balm/Oil | shu uemura Cleansing Oil |
| Best High-End Body Wash | philosophy 3-in-1 Shower Gel |
| Best Budget Body Wash | Shea Moisture Three Butters Wash & Scrub Body Wash |
| Best High-End Body Moisturizer | Kiehl's Crème de Corps |
| Best Budget Body Moisturizer | Lubiderm Advanced Therapy Triple Smoothing Body Lotion |
| Best High-End Body Scrub | Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream |
| Best Budget Body Scrub | Haus of Gloi Lavender Sugar Bubbling Scrub |
| Best High-End Sunscreen | Clarins UV Plus HP Broad Spectrum SPF 40 Sunscreen Multi-Protection |
| Best Budget Sunscreen | Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen |
| Best High-End Hand Cream | Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer |
| Best Budget Hand Cream | Eucerin Intensive Repair Extra-Enriched Hand Crème |
Best Tools
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Eyelash Curler | shu uemura Eyelash Curler |
| Best Budget Eyelash Curler | NYC Cosmetics Eyelash Curler |
| Best High-End Makeup Brushes | MAC |
| Best Budget Makeup Brushes | Sonia Kashuk |
| Best Tweezers | Slice Slanted Soft-Touch Tweezers |
