2016 Editor's Choice Awards
I’m pleased to announce the winners of the 2016 Editor’s Choice Awards! These are my absolute, all-time favorites across various categories, with each category having two winners: a high-end and a budget-friendly. If you’ve ever wondered what the best products in beauty are, based on my experience, this is that list. They’re tried-and-true, and many winners are multi-year winners, which means their quality and performance have withstood the test of time.
Best of the Year
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Brand of the Year | Urban Decay |
| Best Budget Brand of the Year | ColourPop |
| Best High-End New Product | KVD Beauty Metal Crush Eyeshadow |
| Best Budget New Product | ColourPop Super Shock Cheek |
| Best High-End Niche Brand | Bite Beauty |
| Best Budget Niche Brand | ColourPop |
| Most Underrated High-End Brand | Laura Geller |
| Most Underrated Budget Brand | Sephora |
| Most Innovative High-End Brand | Urban Decay |
| Most Innovative Budget Brand | ColourPop |
| Most Surprisingly Amazing High-End Product | Giorgio Armani Eye Tint |
| Most Surprisingly Amazing Budget Product | Sephora Ultra Shine Holographic Lip Gel |
| Best Spring Collection | |
| Best Summer Collection | Urban Decay used their summer collection to flesh out their permanent product offering with pigmented glosses, blushes, and some of their best eyeshadows to-date. There were a lot of things to love from Urban Decay over the summer! |
| Best Fall Collection | Colourpop Fall 2015 Collection |
| Best Holiday Collection | Colourpop Boogie Nights Collection |
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Palette | Marc Jacobs Beauty The Free Spirit (224) |
| Best Budget Eyeshadow Palette | Zoeva En Taupe |
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 | Tom Ford Beauty Cream Color for Eyes |
| Best Budget Cream Eyeshadow | ColourPop Super Shock Shadow |
| Best High-End Loose Eyeshadow | Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Loose Colour Concentrate |
| Best Budget Loose Eyeshadow | Fyrinnae Eyeshadow |
| Best High-End Powder Eyeshadow | Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow (Discontinued) |
| Best Budget Powder Eyeshadow | Makeup Geek Eyeshadow |
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Pencil | Laura Mercier Caviar Stick |
| Best Budget Eyeshadow Pencil | Milani Shadow Eyez 12 HR Wear |
| Best High-End Glitter Eyeshadow | Make Up For Ever Diamond Powder |
| Best Budget Glitter Eyeshadow | Lit Cosmetics Glitter |
| 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 | Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Crayon |
| Best Budget Pencil Eyeliner | Sephora Contour Eye Pencil |
| Best High-End Gel Eyeliner | NARS Eye Paint |
| Best Budget Gel Eyeliner | ColourPop Crème Gel Colour |
| Best High-End Dramatic Mascara | Guerlain Cils d'Enfer Maxi Lash 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 | MAC Mineralize Multi-Effect Lash |
| 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 Budget Face Primer | Maybelline BabySkin Primer |
| Best High-End Concealer | IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Concealer (Discontinued) |
| 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 Lingerie De Peau Invisible Skin Fusion SPF 20 |
| Best Budget Liquid Foundation | Revlon ColorStay Normal/Dry |
| Best High-End Powder Foundation | Guerlain Lingerie De Peau Powder |
| Best Budget Powder Foundation | Milani Minerals Compact Makeup |
| Best High-End Tinted Moisturizer | IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+ |
| Best Budget Tinted Moisturizer | Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer SPF 20 |
| Best High-End Setting Powder | Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder |
| Best Budget Setting Powder | NYC Cosmetics Smooth Skin Loose Powder |
| Best High-End Bronzer | Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder |
| Best Budget Bronzer | ColourPop Super Shock Cheek Bronzer |
| Best High-End Cream Blush | Make Up For Ever HD Blush |
| Best Budget Cream Blush | ColourPop Super Shock Cheek |
| Best High-End Powder Blush | Tom Ford Beauty Cheek Color |
| Best Budget Powder Blush | Makeup Geek Blush (Discontinued) |
| Best High-End Contouring Powder | Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder |
| Best Budget Contouring Powder | NYX Contour Powder |
| Best High-End Highlighter | Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder |
| Best Budget Highlighter | Wet 'n' Wild Reserve Your Cabana |
| 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 | Aquaphor Lip Repair |
| 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 Budget Lip Scrub/Treatment | Aubrey Elizabeth Apothecary Lemon |
| Best High-End Lipstick | Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Lip Color |
| Best Budget Lipstick | Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids Lip Color |
| Best High-End Long-Wearing Lipstick | Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick |
| Best Budget Long-Wearing Lipstick | Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color |
| Best High-End Liquid Lipstick | KVD Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipstick |
| Best Budget Liquid Lipstick | Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar/RTW |
| Best High-End Lipgloss | Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss |
| Best Budget Lipgloss | Sephora Ultra Shine Lip Gel |
| 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 | Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Lacquer |
| Best Budget Nail Lacquer | Zoya Nail Lacquer |
| Best High-End Quick Drying Coat | Deborah Lippmann Addicted to Speed |
| Best Budget Quick Drying Coat | Sally Hansen Insta-Dri |
| Best High-End Top Coat | Dior Gel Coat |
| Best Budget Top Coat | Seche Seche Vite |
| Best High-End Base Coat | Deborah Lippmann All About That Base CC 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 | Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash |
| Best Budget Gel Cleanser | Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel |
| Best High-End Foaming Facial Cleanser | La Prairie Foam Cleanser |
| Best Budget Foaming Facial Cleanser | Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser |
| Best High-End Daily Facial Exfoliator | Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser |
| Best Budget Daily Facial Exfoliator | Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser |
| Best High-End Facial Exfoliator | Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment |
| Best Budget Facial Exfoliator | Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Facial Wash & Scrub |
| Best High-End Facial Mask | Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask |
| 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 | Origins A Perfect World SPF 40 Moisturizer |
| Best Budget Daytime Moisturizer | L'Oreal Ideal Moisture Even Skin Tone Day Lotion SPF 25 |
| Best High-End Evening Moisturizer | Origins Make a Difference Plus+ Ultra-Rich Rejuvenating Cream |
| Best Budget Evening Moisturizer | L'Oreal Ideal Moisture Even Skin Tone Day/Night 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 | Aveeno Skin Relief 24HR Moisturizing Lotion |
| Best High-End Body Scrub | Laura Mercier Crème de Pistache Scrub |
| Best Budget Body Scrub | ME! Bath Papaya Nectar Shower Sherbet |
| 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 | Hakuhodo |
| Best Budget Makeup Brushes | Sonia Kashuk |
| Best Tweezers | Tin Coated Ultra Precision Slant Tip Tweezers |
