11th Annual Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards: We reveal the winners you voted to the top
The results are in! You voted and we listened: From perfume and mascara to sunscreen and shampoo, we reveal the beauty products you voted top of the vanity in our 11th Annual Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards. This year more than 65 products make the cut across six categories, including nails, fragrance, makeup and hair. And as always, the Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards rewards products in a range of prices, allowing you to find favourite new products regardless of budget. Ready to see who made the cut? Pick a category below or read on to browse all the winners.
Eyeshadow
Under $15 Cover Girl Eye Enhancers 3-Kit Eye Shadows Over $15 M.A.C Eye Shadow
From our readers: “M.A.C eyeshadows are the best. Highly pigmented, all the colours you need including the top trends and they never flake!"
Eyeliner
Under $15 Maybelline Eyestudio Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner Over $15 M.A.C Fluidline
From our readers: “M.A.C Fluidline is the best eyeliner I’ve ever used. It gives you that liquid looking eyeliner but in a gel form and it’s so easy to apply.”
Mascara
Under $20 Maybelline New York Volum’ Express Colossal Mascara Over $20 Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara
From our readers: “I’ve experimented with lots of high-end brands but nothing compares to Maybelline’s Volum’ Express mascara. The brush ensures perfect application every time”
Lipstick
Under $15 Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Over $15 M.A.C Viva Glam Lipstick LipGLoss
From our readers: “M.A.C lipstick always leaves your lips looking luscious and full, doesn’t smudge easily and stays in place on a night out.”
Lipgloss
Under $15 Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss Over $15 M.A.C Tinted Lipglass
From our readers: “M.A.C lipglass is an absolute necessity for my day-to-day beauty routine.”
Foundation
Under $20 Cover Girl Clean Liquid Makeup Over $20 M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
From our readers: “The price is amazing, coverage is even and long-lasting, and the shades are always a good match. As a make-up guru, I will always choose Cover Girl foundation - foundation is essential to a flawless face!"
Concealer
Under $15 Cover Girl Smoothers Concealer Over $15 M.A.C Select Cover-Up
From our readers: “Cover girl Smoothers Concealer goes on smooth, not much product is needed and gives full coverage all day and night. Flawless coverage all over.”
Face Powder
Under $20 Cover Girl Clean Pressed Powder Sensitive Skin Over $20 M.A.C Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
From our readers: “The M.A.C Mineralize powder is nice and light, easy to apply, doesn’t make my skin break out, comes in colours that actually match my fair skin tone, and it doesn’t make my skin chalky looking.”
Bronzer
Under $20 Physicians Formula Magic Mosaic Multi-Colored Custom Bronzer Over $20 M.A.C Bronzing Powder
From our readers: “The perfect blend of shimmer and glow. I love that the M.A.C Bronzing Powder particles aren’t too huge so it is long wearing, and doesn’t make me look like I was playing in the glitter box after 8-10 hours of wearing.”
Blush
Under $20 Cover Girl Cheekers Blush Over $20 M.A.C Mineralize Blush
From our readers: “M.A.C Mineralize Blush is a great product. Good colour, long lasting and the product itself is good value - # of applications/price. The product lasts forever (a year or so) and I apply it 2 - 3 times per day.”
Shampoo
Under $10 Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Volume Shampoo Over $10 Aveda Color Conserve Shampoo
From our readers: “Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Volume Shampoo smells great, incredible shine and moisture.”
Conditioner
Under $10 Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Volume Conditioner Over $10 Redken Color Extend Conditioner
From our readers: “My hair really does feel healthier after I use Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Volume Conditioner. It doesn’t just wash out and leave my hair the same as it was before I conditioned it.”
Styling Product
Under $15 John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Finishing Crème Over $15 Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Dust It Mattifying Powder
From our readers: “Defrizzes my curls without making them look greasy or weighed down. John Frieda Frizz-Ease has a good price.”
Hair Tool
Conair You Curl
From our readers: “My friend has Conair’s You Curl and it’s really amazing! My mom only uses Conair and I guess it just went onto me now! I really love their curling wands, they are really easy to use! I find that I can get either big voluminous curls or just soft waves. That’s what I love about Conair, they have a lot of options, and its really affordable and lasts quite a while!"
Colouring Kit
L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference
From our readers: “L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference is GREAT. Clarity of colour is great, and I love that they give you the option of two nozzles for the colour bottle - it makes colouring less of a headache.”
Highlighting Kit
L’Oréal Paris Couleur Experte
From our readers: “I always trust L’Oreal Paris with any highlighting. It gives you a natural look rather than harsh, bright streaks. Also affordable.”
Face
Moisturizer
Under $40 Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Over $40 Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
From our readers: “Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream has SPF + age-defying + great scent + available at Costco = perfect.”
Cleanser
Under $15 Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser Over $15 Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser
Eye Cream
Under $40 Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift Pro Dual Eye System Over $40 Clinique All About Eyes serum
Under $60 Avon Anew Platinum Serum Over $60 Elizabeth Grant Biocollasis Complex Cell Vitality Revitalizing Day Serum
From our readers: “It feels lovely going on and it makes my crows feet seem to disappear, more and more over the years with continual use, and the puffiness is better. Elizabeth Grant Biocollasis Complex Cell Vitality Revitalizing Day Serum is a great product.”
Lip Balm
Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm Tube
From our readers: “Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm is not greasy, has a subtle fragrance, and leaves lips feeling smooth.”
Mask
Under $25 Yves Rocher Anti-Asphyxiation Flash Mask Over $25 Clinique Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Mask
From our readers: “The Flash Mask is a great pick me up and leaves my face glowing.”
Exfoliator
Under $20 St. Ives Exfoliating Apricot Scrub Over $20 Clinique 7 Day Scrub Rinse-Off Formula
From our readers: “St. Ives Exfoliating Apricot Scrub has been a constant go to for me, it’s always a staple in my morning routine. It’s not too harsh, and it smells wonderful.”
Sunscreen
Under $17 Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen SPF 60 Over $17 Ombrelle Complete SPF 60 Milk Lotion
From our readers: “Ultra Sheer goes on smooth and matte--perfect under makeup. It also has a photostabilizer which means it wears longer than some of the other sunscreens.”
Makeup Remover
Under $15 Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Removing Cleansing Wipes Over $15 Lancôme Bi-Facial Double- Action Eye Makeup Remover
From our readers: “I love Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Removing Cleansing Wipes. They are absolutely the best in my opinion. It removes the most stubborn makeup, even waterproof mascara, in one easy step. The gentle, ultra-soft cloths leaves my skin thoroughly clean with no traces of makeup, dirt, and oil - so there’s no need to rinse! I use them daily. I will never be without them. The smell is delightful. I keep them on my bedside table and I use them each night to remove my makeup. My skin looks great!"
Body Wash
Under $7 Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash Over $7 The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel
From our readers: “Dove Body Washes are the best. They leave no residue and they leave my skin silky smooth and moisturized! I never have that rough feeling on my skin like I still have soap on me. It’s great! I also like that a percentage of sales goes to help girls.”
Body Lotion
Under $15 Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion Over $15 The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter
From our readers: “With Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion I am never dry. Perfect results. Great price. Smells good.”
Scrub
Under $10 St. Ives Exfoliating Apricot Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash Over $10 The Body Shop Satsuma Body Polish
From our readers: “Rubs gently, has no perfume and leaves me smelling fresh afterwards. St. Ives Exfoliating Apricot Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash leaves the skin smooth, not dry, not peeled, just fresh and soft.”
Shave Cream or Gel
Skintimate Skin Therapy Dry Skin
From our readers: “Skintimate Skin Therapy Dry Skin has a surprising amount in one container, smells good, lathers well and sticks.”
Razor
Gillette Venus Embrace Razor
From our readers: “VENUS! I love this brand so much, it gives me a perfect shave and keeps my legs smooth and knick-free!"
Self-tanner
Under $18 Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer Over $18 Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream
From our readers: “Jergens Natural Glow has a moisturizer in it too. It keeps my skin soft and it gradually tans, so i look tanned and not fake.”
Sunscreen
Under $15 Coppertone Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 Over $15 Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 30
From our readers: “Neutrogena’s Dry-Touch has been my favourite for years. This sunscreen is light and not greasy at all and is the only product I’ve tried that doesn’t cause me to breakout.”
Cellulite Cream
Under $50 Yves Rocher Body Shaping Program Effect Cellulite Serum Over $50 Biotherm Celluli Laser D. Code
From our readers: “Biotherm Celluli Laser D. Code is great because it has more than one option for different types of cellulite allowing you to customize your product for better results.”
Hand Cream
Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream
From our readers: “I work in a restaurant and am constantly washing my hands which can leave them really dry... I have found Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream is best at keeping them smooth!"
Soap
Dove White Beauty Bar
From our readers: “Dove White is a great pure and non-irritating bar soap. I’ve always used it on my kids without any problems. Clean scent... the way a soap should smell. No soapy residue on my shower walls!"
For Hands
Under $9 Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in “Kook-A-Mango” Over $9 OPI Nail Lacquer in “Tickle My France-y”
From our readers: “OPI has always worked wonders by keeping my nails looking healthy and like I got a real manicure. Chip free, inexpensive and an all over great product that I would recommend.”
For Feet
Under $9 Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in “Watercolor” Over $9 OPI Nail Lacquer in “Big Apple Red”
From our readers: “OPI Nail Lacquer in “Big Apple Red” gives me nice color and coverage. It dries fast and lasts a long time.”
For Women Chanel N0 5
From our readers: “When I wear that fragrance it tends to draw a lot of men who always stop me and compliment how I smell.”
For Men Hugo Boss Bottled
From our readers: “Makes my senses tingle in a very good way.”