Best of beauty! 39 award winners picked by industry insiders

When it comes to finding the best of beauty innovation, the Cosmetic Executive Women (made up of more than 6,000 industry professionals) know how to identify game-changers better than anyone! That's exactly why the CEW Beauty Insider Awards are so coveted — these are the only awards voted on by the industry leaders who truly know beauty best.

This year, after narrowing down more than 800 products, we found 43 award winners across 37 categories. With selections from both mass market retailers (such as drugstore and big box stores) and prestige destinations (including department stores and boutiques), there's an option for every buyer and budget!

As a beauty expert and blogger myself, I'm happy to share the scoop on the winners and must-haves to put on your list this season. Some of my personal favorites include the NIVEA In-Shower Body Lotion to save time, the Living Proof PhD Dry Shampoo to refresh my hair after a workout and the L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Superstar Mascara to create majorly dramatic lashes.

For more details on all the winning products, be sure to check out CEW’s digital magazine about the awards.

Does a body good (mass)

• NIVEA In-shower Body Lotion enables you to moisturize right in the shower without any sticky residue leftover.

Does a body good (prestige)

• Fresh Cocoa Body Exfoliant is made from crushed cocoa butter to gently buff and nourish dry skin.

Blemish busters

• Kate Somerville EradiKate Mask Foam-activated Acne Treatment is a gel-cream mask targeting blemishes, impurities and pores without over-drying skin.

Turn back time (mass)

• Sonia Kashuk Detox Purifying Black Mask contains kaolin to absorb oil and impurities, and has anti-aging qualities to smooth, tone and brighten skin.

Turn back time (prestige)

• GLAMGLOW Flashmud™ Brightening Treatment uses multi-brightening complexes to create bright, luminous skin for instant results.

Keep it clean

• Simple Skincare Micellar Cleansing Water is an advanced, yet gentle cleanser that instantly boosts skin hydration by 90 percent.

Eye on the prize

• IT Cosmetics Your Skin but Better CC+ Eye Cream SPF 50+ provides the full coverage of a concealer while protecting the delicate eye area with a lightweight but powerful SPF.

Lip service

• Fresh Sugar Nourishing Lip Balm Advanced Therapy is infused with a sugary mint flavor that smooths and softens for younger-looking lips.

Device advice

• Clarisonic Alpha Fit is the brand’s first device engineered specifically to cleanse men’s unique skin — both bearded and clean-shaven.

Bring on the sun

• St. Tropez Gradual Tan in Shower Lotion uses water to promote a gradual tan for the easiest, most convenient application in just three minutes.

Save our skin (mass)

• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel was built with an exclusive and intuitive "Progressive Release System Formula" to restore moisture instantly.

Save our skin (prestige)

• Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream moisturizes while strengthening and repairing skin’s barrier so it can defend itself better from the elements.

"Dyeing" for color

• Oribe Hair Care Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray is a quick drying powder that blends with natural hair color, while absorbing dirt and oil to refresh hair.

The "mane" attraction

• Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo cleans beyond a dry shampoo with a proprietary technology so you can go an extra day (or two, or more!) before washing your blowout.

Hair-spiration — It's a three-way tie!

• Bumble and Bumble Don’t Blow It (H)air Styler is a first of its kind cream that enhances hair’s texture and body for the perfect air-dried style.

• Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 texturizes, amplifies and refreshes hair for a perfectly tousled look.

• Living Proof Blowout uses "Thermal Speed-Shaping Technology" to cut down styling time and lock in brush work.

DIY style

• T3 Micro, Inc. PROi Professional Hair Dryer features a brushless motor, wave heater and tourmaline ProAire technology for a DIY professional-looking blowout.

All eyes on me (mass)

• L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Superstar Mascara is a two-step product that offers a primer as well as a volumizing mascara.

All eyes on me (prestige)

• Dior Diorshow Mascara keeps mascara fresher longer by reducing the air that goes back in the tube.

#Nofilter (mass)

• Sonia Kashuk Undercover Liquid Concealer is a creamy anti-aging liquid concentrate formulated to create the look of luminous and smooth skin.

#Nofilter (prestige)

• Laura Mercier Silk Crème Moisturizing Photo Edition Foundation uses silk protein fibers, tea extracts and pearlescent pigments for a photo-ready finish.

Seal it with a kiss (mass)

• FLOWER Lip Radiance High Shine Lip Lacquer provides full-coverage color in a formula that also soothes chapped lips.

Seal it with a kiss (prestige)

• Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution aims to create the appearance of wider, fuller lips with 3D-glowing properties.

• Clinique for Men Charcoal Face Wash is a detoxifying gel wash that delivers a deep-pore clean fueled by the purifying powers of bamboo charcoal.

Male attraction

• Dior Sauvage hooks with the radiant freshness of Reggio di Calabria bergamot (a citrus-y scent) harvested by local producers for a tailor-made, signature fragrance.

It makes scents (mass)

• Sonia Kashuk Eau de Toilette in White Etheriana is fresh and light with top notes of Sicilian lemon, Brazilian acai and tulip accord.

It makes scents (prestige)

• Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Black Opium combines the adrenaline of coffee, the sweet sensuality of vanilla and the softness of a white floral bouquet.

• butter LONDON Patent Shine 10x™ Nail Lacquer is formulated to deliver a gel-like cushion and vivid color for up to 10 days.

• essie Gel Setter features acrylates copolymer to provide a thick coating with shine and anti-chip properties.

• L’Oréal Paris Makeup Genius is the first mobile makeup tester in 3D, allowing women to try products on before they buy.

• Color Wow is the first professional range to address all issues related to color-treated hair (including roots) for the perfect color in-between appointments.

• Jurlique’s vision was to create a pure and natural skincare range combining the ancient arts of alchemy, herbal medicine and homeopathy.

• trèStiQue offers two-in-one beauty products with built-in tools and magnetic sealing caps making for simple, travel-friendly makeup.

Mass

• Neutrogena Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes are ultra-soft cloths designed to gently and quickly dissolve all traces of makeup.

Prestige

• Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief is a lightweight cream gel that aims to dramatically improve skin’s natural moisture-retention abilities.

Mass

• Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips are an update on the original. For the first time, the Biore skincare experts added natural charcoal powder to the iconic Pore Strips, reducing oil to the nose for a full 24 hours.

Prestige

• Urban Decay Naked Smoky is a palette with 12 smoky-to-neutral eye shades, a double-ended brush and a detailed lookbook with four chic looks.

Mass

• Covergirl The Super Sizer by Lashblast Mascara provides 400 percent more corner-to-corner volume for full, fanned out lashes.

Prestige

• Urban Decay Naked Smoky (pictured above) is not only an expert favorite, it's also a very popular purchase.