2020 Editor's Choice Awards
I’m pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 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 (assuming I have a strong favorite for each). 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 | Pat McGrath |
| Best Budget Brand of the Year | ColourPop |
| Best High-End New Product | Natasha Denona 15-Pan Small Eyeshadow Palette |
| Best Budget New Product | Sephora Rouge Lacquer |
| Best High-End Niche Brand | Sonia G |
| Best Budget Niche Brand | Sydney Grace |
| Most Underrated High-End Brand | Giorgio Armani |
| Most Underrated Budget Brand | Sydney Grace |
| Most Innovative High-End Brand | Natasha Denona |
| Most Innovative Budget Brand | ColourPop |
| Most Surprisingly Amazing High-End Product | Cover FX Monochromatic Blush Duo |
| Most Surprisingly Amazing Budget Product | ColourPop Blush Stix |
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Palette | Natasha Denona Biba |
| Best Budget Eyeshadow Palette | ColourPop Blowin' Smoke |
Best Eye Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Base | Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Eyeshadow Primer |
| Best Budget Eyeshadow Base | Wet 'n' Wild Photo Focus Eyeshadow Primer |
| Best High-End Cream Eyeshadow | Tom Ford Beauty Cream Color for Eyes |
| Best Budget Cream Eyeshadow | Sydney Grace Cream Shadow |
| Best High-End Loose Eyeshadow | MAC Pigment |
| Best Budget Loose Eyeshadow | Fyrinnae Eyeshadow |
| Best High-End Powder Eyeshadow | Pat McGrath EYEdols Eyeshadow |
| Best Budget Powder Eyeshadow | Sydney Grace Pressed Pigment Shadow |
| Best High-End Eyeshadow Pencil | Laura Mercier Caviar Stick |
| Best Budget Eyeshadow Pencil | NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil |
| Best High-End Liquid Eyeliner | Tom Ford Beauty Eye Defining Pencil Pen |
| 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 | MAC Pro Longwear Fluidline |
| Best Budget Gel Eyeliner | ColourPop Crème Gel Colour |
| Best High-End Natural Mascara | Buxom Lash Mascara |
| Best Budget Natural Mascara | Maybelline Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara |
| Best High-End Lengthening Mascara | Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara |
| Best Budget Lengthening Mascara | Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara |
| Best High-End Mascara | Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara |
| Best Budget Mascara | Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara |
Best Face Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Face Primer | Too Faced Hangover Rx Replenishing Face Primer |
| Best Budget Face Primer | Maybelline BabySkin Primer |
| Best High-End Concealer | Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer |
| Best Budget Concealer | Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector |
| Best High-End Cream Foundation | Tom Ford Beauty Traceless Foundation Stick |
| Best High-End Liquid Foundation | La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 |
| Best Budget Liquid Foundation | L'Oreal Infallible Fresh Wear 24HR Foundation |
| Best High-End Powder Foundation | Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation Face Powder |
| Best Budget Powder Foundation | NYX Stay Matte |
| Best High-End Tinted Moisturizer | IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+ |
| Best Budget Tinted Moisturizer | ColourPop Pretty Fresh Tinted Moisturizer |
| Best High-End Setting Powder | Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder Glow |
| Best Budget Setting Powder | RCMA No Color Powder |
| Best High-End Bronzer | Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer |
| Best Budget Bronzer | Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer |
| Best High-End Cream Blush | Glossier Cloud Paint |
| Best Budget Cream Blush | ColourPop Blush Stix |
| Best High-End Powder Blush | Marc Jacobs Beauty Air Blush |
| Best Budget Powder Blush | Sydney Grace Pressed Blush |
| Best High-End Contouring Powder | Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder |
| Best Budget Contouring Powder | NYX Contour Powder |
| Best Budget Highlighter | Sydney Grace Highlighter |
| Best High-End Cream Highlighter | Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter |
| Best Budget Cream Highlighter | ColourPop Lite Stix |
| Best High-End Finishing Powder | Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder |
| Best Budget Finishing Powder | Fyrinnae Finishing Powder |
| Best High-End Makeup Removing Wipes | MAC Wipes |
| Best Budget Makeup Removing Wipes | Sephora Cleansing & Exfoliating Wipes |
| Best High-End Makeup Remover | Shiseido Instant Eye & Lip Makeup Remover |
| Best Budget Makeup Remover | Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover |
Best Lip Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Lip Balm | Sara Happ The Dream Slip |
| Best Budget Lip Balm | Aquaphor Lip Repair |
| Best High-End Tinted Lip Balm | Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 |
| Best Budget Tinted Lip Balm | ColourPop Just a Tint Lippie Tint |
| Best High-End Lip Scrub/Treatment | Sara Happ The Lip Scrub |
| Best Budget Lip Scrub/Treatment | Aubrey Elizabeth Apothecary Sugar Lip Scrub |
| Best High-End Lipstick | Urban Decay Vice Lipstick |
| Best Budget Lipstick | ColourPop Lux Lipstick |
| Best High-End Long-Wearing Lipstick | Pat McGrath LuxeTrance Lipstick |
| Best Budget Long-Wearing Lipstick | ColourPop Ultra Satin Liquid Lipstick |
| Best High-End Liquid Lipstick | Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet |
| Best Budget Liquid Lipstick | ColourPop Ultra Satin Liquid Lipstick |
| Best High-End Lipgloss | Pat McGrath LUST Lip Gloss |
| Best Budget Lipgloss | ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip (Discontinued) |
| Best High-End Lip Liner | Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil |
| Best Budget Lip Liner | Sephora Rouge Gel Lip Liner |
Best Skincare Products
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Gel Cleanser | Fresh Soy Face Cleanser |
| Best Budget Gel Cleanser | Fourth Ray AM to PM Gel Cleanser |
| Best High-End Foaming Facial Cleanser | Shiseido Benefiance Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam |
| 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 Skin Brightening Daily Scrub |
| Best High-End Facial Exfoliator | Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment |
| Best Budget Facial Exfoliator | Shea Moisture African Black Soap Facial Wash & Scrub |
| Best High-End Facial Mask | Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask |
| Best Budget Facial Mask | Sephora Face Mask |
| Best High-End Daytime Moisturizer | Origins A Perfect World SPF 40 Moisturizer |
| Best Budget Daytime Moisturizer | Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizer SPF 15 |
| Best High-End Evening Moisturizer | Mahalo Skin Care The Rare Indigo Beauty Balm |
| Best Budget Evening Moisturizer | Aveeno Ultra-Calming Nourishing Night Cream |
| Best High-End Body Wash | philosophy 3-in-1 Shower Gel |
| 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 High-End Sunscreen | La Roche-Posay Anthelios Daily Moisturizing Cream with Sunscreen |
| Best Budget Sunscreen | Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen |
| Best High-End Hand Cream | Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer |
| Best Budget Hand Cream | Aveeno Eczema Therapy Hand Cream |
Best Tools
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best High-End Eyelash Curler | Shiseido Eyelash Curler |
| Best Budget Eyelash Curler | Tweezerman Classic Lash Curler |
| Best High-End Makeup Brushes | Sonia G |
| Best Budget Makeup Brushes | ColourPop |
| Best Tweezers | Tweezerman Stainless Steel Slant Tweezer |
