Deciphering what new beauty product to add to your arsenal is no small task. I’m always rummaging through my best friend’s makeup bag, reading makeup review sites or sneaking at peek at what the girl next to me has in her basket at Sephora.
Thankfully, FASHION Magazine has helped take the guess work out and have just released the 13th Annual Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards (in the February issue of FASHION). There are 130 products chosen by readers in six categories: skin care, hair, makeup, nails, body and fragrance, from drugstore to luxury. They’re tried and tested products that aren’t just marketing and beautiful packaging (it can be so luring no). We tracked down Sarah Daniel, FASHION Magazine Beauty Editor to find out more about the awards and what’s in her own beauty arsenal.
How many products do you think you and your team at FASHION tried in 2014?
We receive a lot of new products, and it’s impossible to try them all. Testing can vary from swiping a lipstick on the back of our hands, to bringing something home and putting it in rotation. If we had to guess, maybe 500?
Benefit’s Gimme Brow
Are there any new categories in the awards this year? If so, who won?
Brows have become such a big thing (thanks in part to models like Cara Delevingne) so we added a Brow Filler category this year. In the under $10 category, Maybelline won for its Define-a-Brow Eyebrow Pencil, and for over $10, it was Benefit’s Gimme Brow.
Who were some of the repeat winners this year?
L’Oréal wins year after year in the boxed hair colour category, and Lancôme has taken home the best mascara title since we started the Beauty Awards. The Jergens Gradual Self Tanners have also consistently been a winner.
What products in the Readers’ Choice Beauty Awards are currently in your daily beauty arsenal?
These are the products that live under my bathroom sink at the moment: Clinique DDML, Gillette’s Venus razor, the Tresemmé and Redken dry shampoos, Maybelline mascara, Ombrelle sunscreen, and a handful of M.A.C lipsticks.
If we were to give you $10 to spend at a Drugstore right now – what would you grab?
Probably a dry shampoo—I love them! If I had any money left over, I’d pick up a waterproof black eyeliner.
WIN ME!
Now it’s your chance to win a HUGE gift basket loaded with $500 worth of beauty product from the awards. Just enter below! The contest will run till Wednesday, February 26th, 12:00 am PT. Contest is only open to Canadians.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
A list of the products in the basket:
AVEENO Daily Moisturizing Lotion
AVEENO Intense Relief Hand Cream
AVEENO POSITIVELY RADIANT Daily Moisturizer SPF 15
Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow
Biore Self-Heating One Minute Mask
COVERGIRL Clean Glow Blush in Roses
COVERGIRL Clean Pressed Powder Normal Skin
COVERGIRL Jumbo Gloss Balm
COVERGIRL Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer
COVERGIRL TruBLEND Liquid Foundation
COVERGIRL truMAGIC Sunkisser
COVERGIRL Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Shadow in Sheerly Nudes
Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash
Gillette Venus Embrace
HUGO BOSS Boss Bottled
JERGENS Natural Glow + FIRMING Daily Moisturizer
LANCOME Hypnose Drama Mascara
MAYBELLINE New York Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil
MAYBELLINE New York Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm • MAYBELLINE New York Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
MAYBELLINE New York Volum’ Express The Rocket
Moroccanoil Treatment
NEUTROGENA All-in-One Cleansing Wipes
NEUTROGENA ULTRA SHEER Dry-Touch Sunscreen
Olay Daily Facial Cloths – Sensitive
Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum
Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum
OMBRELLE Ultra Fluid Face
OPI Big Apple Red Nail Lacquer
PANTENE Moisture Renewal Hydrating Conditioner
PANTENE Moisture Renewal Nourishing Shampoo
Revlon Just Bitten KissableTM Balm Stain
ST. TROPEZ Self Tan Bronzing Mousse
St. Ives Fresh Skin Exfoliating Scrub
St. Ives Smoothing Apricot Exfoliating Body Wash
The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel
The Body Shop Satsuma Body Sorbet
The Body Shop Shea Body Scrub
TRESemme Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo
TRESemme TRES Two Extra Hold Hair Spray