In a year that produced a vast and varied array of beauty innovation, we reveal the very best products to make it on to our bathroom shelves...
Most Flattering Lightweight Base: Giorgio Armani Maestro Glow, £40
‘Desperately seeking flawless skin that seems makeup free? Us too. This considered, 2016 compliantly produced Maestro Glow, a fluid but deceptively buildable base that glides onto faces and is easily buffed into invisible, but flawless form. If this isn’t enough to sway you a) you're bonkers and b) the incorporation of SPF 30 will.’
Rose Beer, Grazia Beauty & Health Director
Best Full Coverage Foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Make-Up, £28
‘Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation is one of the world’s best-selling bases, and we totally get why - who doesn't want seamless coverage, hours of wear and an almost airbrushed finish? Now meet its slightly sheerer sister, which comes in a chic upgraded packaging. With easy-to-build coverage and a swipe-and-go stick, expect your best results yet.’
Sam Freedman, Associate Beauty Editor
Budget Beauty Fix: Simple Hydrating Cleansing Oil, £6.99
‘After endless trials and rigorous testing by the beauty team, Simple’s Cleansing Oil has come out top of our charts. Its natural, silky soft and vitamin-enriched formula suits even the most sensitive skins, while removing every last scrap of eyeliner and smudge-proof mascara really, really fast. And then there's the £3 change from a tenner...’
Beauty Assistant, Chanelle Ho
Most Exciting Skin Tech: Clarins Booster, £30 each
'Clarins' clever skincare Boosters made a convincing case for upgrading rather than overhauling a regular regime. We turbocharged our normal products by adding any one of the three potent concentrates - Energy, Repair and Detox - cocktailing the exact recipe according to that day, or week's particular needs. The results were great.'
Phoebe McDowell, Junior Beauty Writer
Scent of the Year: Byredo Unamed Perfume, £90
'In the year that the fashion industry made it their mission to celebrate diversity, individuality and independence of spirit, cult fragrance brand Byredo founder Ben Gorham created an unnamed fragrance allowing we the wearers to choose a name meaning something us. We think this beauty bottles pink pepper, perhaps iris and almost definitely violet. But either way - oof it’s good.'
Rose Beer, Grazia Beauty & Health Director
Must-Have Skincare Staple: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream All-Over Miracle Oil, £29
‘Arden’s multi-tasking cult wonder-balm is found in every beauty expert's kit and we’ve discovered just as many uses for this all-over oil. Use it head-to-toe for a hydration hit. Add it to body lotions for a double moisture dose. Swipe it over dry cuticles or split ends to repair. Or spritz onto cracked heels to transform scary feet.’
Sam Freedman, Associate Beauty Editor
Most Lust-Worthy Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Allure Ink, £26 each
'Seeking the ease in application of a gloss, the pigment of a lipstick, and the staying power of a stain, 2016 was the year of the matte liquid lip. And such was one cemented by the trailblazers of trend – Chanel. Coming in eight highly desirable shades, these frosted-case beauties deploy jojoba oil to stave off dryness making for the most fabulous we think, kissable mouths.’
Rose Beer, Grazia Beauty & Health Director
Ultimate Hair Styling Tool: GHD Flight Hairdryer, £49
'With our population pursuing an increasingly international lifestyle GHD has solved the quandary of whether to use valuable suitcase space with a heavy hairdryer or travel light and grapple with a sparky hotel styler. Yep their mighty flight hairdryer is a whopping 60% lighter than the brand’s bestselling Aura Professional dryer, but with 85% of the power and a nifty folding handle. Blown away. See what we've done there?'
Rose Beer, Grazia Beauty & Health Director
Ultimate Eye Enhancer: MAC Spellbinder Shadow, £16 each
'These almost impossibly pretty eyeshadows caused a collective cry of ‘they’re like velvet… real velvet’ when they landed on our desks at Grazia HQ - Before some clever clogs quickly pointed out that they actually look more like corduroy (which we like muchly too.) Either way these highly pigmented, silky soft and utterly sumptuous shadows have stolen our hearts and rarely been away from our eyelids since.'
Phoebe McDowell, Junior Beauty Writer
Best Brow Groomer: Givenchy Mister Brow Filler, £18
‘Glossy, groomed brows are still hot news but whether yours need a little extra definition, volume or simply sprucing, you can rest assured your arches will be tamed with this comb through formula. The slanted brush head (designed to catch every last hair) and a super fast drying formula, makes this a worthy winner.’
Sam Freedman, Associate Beauty Editor
Hair Hero: Nioxin Night Density Rescue, £39.99
'With a whopping 50% of women confessing a concern about the thickness of their hair, the beauty industry is constantly challenged to come up with solutions that really work. Applied directly to the scalp before bedtime this clever formula works to repair the hair shaft and scalp, so boosting the health, quality and density of hair.'
Rose Beer, Grazia Beauty and Health Director
Breakthrough Brand: The Ordinary, From £5
'In this instance the name The Ordinary is ironic to say the least. Indeed, maximum efficacy and minimum cost is this brand’s edict. Offering 21 different seriously hardworking skincare solutions including everything from Hyaluronic Acid 2% to Retinol 1%, our faith in beauty with integrity has been firmly restored. (And a whole number of skin sins rectified.)'
Phoebe Mc Dowell, Junior Beauty Writer
Best New Product for Dark Skin: L’Oréal Paris True Match Foundation, £9.99
‘Currently 61% of British women can't find their foundation match. This year L’Oréal Paris helped us out with their #YoursTruly campaign celebrating diversity in all ethnicities and featuring some of 2016’s most inspirational faces, including AJ Odudu and Katie Piper. They extended their True Match range to 23 shades to reflect the skin of 98% of women. Here's to making it 100% in 2017’.
Beauty Assistant, Chanelle Ho
Best Pro Finish Polish: Bourjois La Laque Gel, £6.99
‘For Shellac-effect nails without a salon trip try Bourjois’ La Laque Gel, a highly pigmented polish and glossy polish for the prettiest tips. Their 10-strong shade range has an option for every taste too. Just don’t forget a finishing layer of their top coat which promises a rock solid finish that can last a massive 15 days.’
Beauty Assistant, Chanelle Ho
Most Innovative Mascara: Clinique Lash Power Flutter-To-Full Mascara, £20
‘If you’ve become accustomed to layering mascaras to achieve the perfect flutter, note that you no longer need two wands. Clinique’s genius newbie gives not one, or two, but three different mascara finishes, using a dial to upgrade your volume. Perfect for day-to-night lashes without falsies.’
Sam Freedman, Associate Beauty Editor
To win all of the products in our Beauty Awards 2016, head to our Instagram page from 22nd November until 28th November at 23:59 and comment on our post with your favourite product.
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