The Allure Best of Beauty Award winners have been announced!
For the beauty awards, Allure beauty editors test everything from mascaras to hair tools in order to determine the best in skin care, hair care and beyond — this year, they tested more than 7,500 products. Allure Editor-in-Chief Jessica Cruel stopped by TODAY and TODAY with Hoda & Jenna to share some of the top picks in hair care, skin care and makeup — and most of them are $20 or less.
Keep reading to shop 19 products that recently got the Allure seal-of-approval.
Live Tinted Huestick Color Corrector
This multi-stick can be used on your eyes, lips and cheeks in more ways than one. Whether you need to add a pop of color to your look, cover up dark circles or target hyperpigmentation on specific areas of your face, this winner can help you get the job done. The only thing Allure editors didn’t like about it? That you can’t purchase all the shades at once, like a box of crayons.
Maybelline New York SuperStay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipstick
One of seven winners in the breakthrough category, this lipstick took home the gold for its long-wear formula. According to Allure, it took Maybelline “seven years, 50 trials, and a global team of more than 100 scientists and engineers” to produce this product, and testers found the 16-hour wear time to be true. It comes in several different shades of pink and red and will leave your lips with a vinyl look.
Tancho Tique Vegetable Pomade
This hair stick went viral not too long ago and it took Allure Editorial Assistant Talia Gutierrez two months just to get her hands on it. It can be used to tame flyaways or create slicked back ponytails that won’t budge. It also won’t leave you with flakes or buildup, she said.
Fortify+ De-Puffing and Protecting Eye Cream
This eye cream is formulated with more than just anti-aging ingredients — it is also made with anti-bacterial ingredients that help reduce and slow the growth of germs, the brand says. It can be used in the morning and at night, as well as underneath makeup on all skin types.
Mount Lai Jade Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool
Meet the winner of the best low-tech device in skin care. The boomerang-like shape of the gua sha makes it easy to grab and use in order to sculpt your face, as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, according to the brand.
Bliss Clear Genius Body Acne Spray
Dealing with body acne is already tedious, especially when it comes to hard-to-reach areas like your back and shoulders. This body spray is formulated with ingredients like salicylic acid and comes in a bottle that features a rotating cap to make application easier.
Bath & Body Works Shower Steamers
You don’t need bath bombs in order to create a spa-like experience at home. You can pop one of these shower steamers on the floor while you let the water run and let the relaxing fragrance transport you away.
Nexxus Ultralight Smooth Hair Serum
This smoothing serum can be used on clean hair to help nourish dry strands and tame frizz. According to the brand, it can help block out 98 percent humidity and keep hair smooth for up to 72 hours. It can also be used on dry hair to add some shine.
Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus
Revlon’s popular hair tool gets a slimmer upgrade with the Volumizer Plus, which boasts a smaller head size and handle. According to the brand, the smaller head size allows you to get closer to the root, which gives you more styling options. With this model, the brand also added a medium-heat setting, which helps reduce heat exposure.
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
This anti-aging pick packs a punch — and it won’t run you more than $10. It’s suitable for normal, dry, combination and oily skin and can be used to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes and dryness, according to the brand. You can use it in the mornings and at night as the first step after cleansing in order to lock in moisture on your face and neck.
The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
The Ordinary’s $9 formula took home a prize in the moisturizer category this year. It can benefit all skin types and is formulated with glycerin, hyaluronic acid and more skin-loving ingredients that help to hydrate skin without leaving a greasy feel.
L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Noir Balm Volumizing Mascara
If your lashes could use some extra love, this award-winning mascara from L’Oreal delivers when it comes to length, fullness and volume. Since it is a “balm-in-mascara,” the formula is meant to condition your lashes, while also helping them to look more defined.
Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Fiber Eyebrow Pencil
This new release from Benefit Cosmetics checks all of the boxes: It is long-wearing, waterproof and leaves you with a natural finish. It comes in more than a dozen different shades to help flatter different hair types, but the brand suggests opting for a shade down from your brow hair color if you want that natural finish.
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Dewy Liquid Blush
Selena Gomez’s beauty line, Rare Beauty, launched in the fall of 2020. The line includes everything from lipsticks to tinted moisturizers, but this liquid blush won the approval of Allure editors this year. It comes in both matte and dewy finishes and can be applied using your fingertips.
More Allure 2022 Best of Beauty winners
I Dew Care Dry Shampoo Powder Buff
This dry shampoo powder doesn’t require any spray nozzles for application, but just like a traditional dry shampoo, it can be used to soak up excess oil and add some volume to your hair. Since it comes in a travel size container, you can bring it on-the-go for quick touch-ups, too.
Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick
If you want to make contouring an easier process, this 2-in-1 stick can help. It comes in six different shades that can be used along your cheekbones, jawline and forehead to add more definition to your face. Since it’s a dual-ended ended stick, you can use the brush end to buff out your contour for a natural finish.
KP Away Skin Polish
Another winner in the exfoliation category is this skin polish, which is formulated with jojoba oil and wax beads that gently exfoliate and then dissipate, according to the brand. It can be used 2-3 times a week while you shower to help smooth the skin.
Andrew Fitzsimons Body Volume Boosting Shampoo
If you have fine or thin hair that could use a bit of a boost, this shampoo is one-half of a duo that can help your hair appear thicker. Standout ingredients include a protein-based complex that helps improve hair health, as well as caffeine that helps stimulate growth, according to the brand.
Andrew Fitzsimons Body Volume Boosting Conditioner
After cleansing, use this conditioner to add even more volume to your tresses. It is formulated with the same protein complex and caffeine as the shampoo, but should sit in your hair for 2-3 minutes so you can reap the benefits.