Carlotta Jacobson, president, Cosmetic Executive Women, welcomed beauty industry professionals to a sold-out, 22nd edition of the annual CEW Beauty Insider Awards luncheon, held May 13, 2016, at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria.

See the photos in the slideshow above - and the winner's list below. All photos are by JF Productions.

The event, created in partnership with Meredith, is a celebration of beauty innovation and ingenuity, and recognizes the top products across 37 categories, including hair care, fragrance, skin care, cosmetics, bath and body, beauty devices and more.

The awards are selected by beauty industry professionals, and for more than two decades, have helped consumers identify the products and brands that will meet their needs in the marketplace. Jacobson noted that the CEW Award seal continues to help consumers select products and establish trust in the products they seek. “Thousands of beauty products are launched each year. With so many options to choose from, it can be challenging for a shopper to distinguish between them. Because these winners are selected by industry insiders, the award seal helps the consumer identify and trust that these are the most innovative products in beauty.”

She noted that CEW continues to reach consumers through its retail partnerships, and this summer, Birchbox will launch two limited-edition Beauty Award collections featuring finalist and winning products.

QVC will also feature select finalist and winning products live on air during a CEW Beauty Awards show in July, and CEW’s Beauty Insider Awards Digital Magazine will include winning and finalist products, expert tips, trend forecasts, videos, and clickable icons to purchase products from retailer partners.

Jacobson also acknowledged CEW’s retail sponsors, including Birchbox, Costco Wholesale, DermStore, QVC, and Ulta, and cited CEW’s partnership with Kaplow, collectively enabling CEW to garner more than 210 million media impressions.

New and Original

This year, CEW launched the Best Beauty App Award to recognize one mobile beauty app that makes it easier for beauty lovers to discover and shop directly from their smart phones. The winner of the (H)Appy Beauty (Best Beauty App) category was L’Oréal Paris Makeup Genius.

 Also new this year, CEW partnered with the Meredith Corporation to launch the Super Hero (Iconic Consumers’ Choice) Beauty Award, in which, for the first time in CEW history, consumers were invited to select beauty award winners, voting on Meredith’s digital platform for their favorite mass and prestige iconic beauty products. The winner of the Iconic Consumers’ Choice Award Mass was Neutrogena Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes and the winner of the Iconic Consumers’ Choice Award Prestige was Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief.

Eco and Indie brands also play a role at the beauty awards, with the Earth Loving (Eco) Beauty Award category, which recognizes a brand that has moved further toward the goal of sustainability. This year’s winner, presented by Givaudan, was Jurlique.

The Indie Brand Beauty Award, created more than a decade ago, which celebrates creativity, originality and entrepreneurial spirit, was awarded to Color Wow, by Piper Jaffray. In addition to the honor, Color Wow will also receive a complimentary booth from Cosmoprof North America at their show in Las Vegas, to be held July 24-26. 2016. The booth includes marketing, furnished lounge space and meetings with buyers at the event.

Highlights, Hosting and Sponsorship

This year there were more than 800 entries, 212 finalists, and a roster of industry professional presenters. Tony Award-Winning Actress, Laura Benanti, star of Broadway’s She Loves Me, was the event’s host; and such industry experts as Gretta Monahan, Rachael Ray Fashion & Beauty Expert, Felix Mayr-Harting, Global Head of Fine Fragrances, Givaudan, and Diane Nicholson, President, Fashion, Beauty and Sports, The NPD Group, were among the presenters.

This year’s CEW Beauty Insider Awards were sponsored by Meredith Corporation, Givaudan, QVC, Ulta Beauty, Perfect, DermStore, Beauty Inc, Arcade Beauty, Costco Wholesale, Birchbox, Conair + Scunci, Piper Jaffray & Co., RPG, Mintel, Albea, MaCher, Nielsen, Anisa International, Cosmoprof North America, Rpr Marketing Communications, ChemAid Laboratories, Yes to Inc., Unilever, Avon, Elizabeth Arden, P&G Beauty, Cosmopack New York & Cosmoprof Bologna, Consultancy Media, Kraftworks, Suite K, PIMS, Good Engine Media, WWD, The NPD Group, and Ernst & Young.
    
The 2016 CEW Beauty Insider Award winners are:

BATH AND BODY

Does A Body Good (Bath and Body Mass)
NIVEA – In-shower Body Lotion
 
Does A Body Good (Bath and Body Prestige)
Fresh – Cocoa Body Exfoliant
 
SKIN CARE

Blemish Busters (Acne Treatment)
Kate Somerville – EradiKate Mask Foam-activated Acne Treatment
 
Turn Back Time (Anti-Aging Mass)
Sonia Kashuk – Detox Purifying Black Mask
 
Turn Back Time (Anti-Aging Prestige)
GLAMGLOW – Flashmud Brightening Treatment
 
Keep It Clean (Cleanser & Scrub)
Simple Skincare – Micellar Cleansing Water
 
Eye On The Prize (Eye Treatment)
IT Cosmetics – Your Skin but Better CC+ Eye Cream SPF 50+
 
Lip Service (Lip Treatment)
Fresh – Sugar Nourishing Lip Balm Advanced Therapy
 
Device Advice (Skincare Tools)
Clarisonic – Alpha Fit
 
Bring On The Sun (Sun Product)
St. Tropez – Gradual Tan in Shower Lotion
 
S.O.S. – Save Our Skin (Moisturizer Mass)
NEUTROGENA – Hydro Boost Water Gel
 
S.O.S. – Save Our Skin (Moisturizer Prestige)
Clinique – Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream
 
HAIR

Dying For Color (Hair Coloring Product)
Oribe Hair Care – Airbrush Root Touch-up Spray
 
The Mane Attraction (Hair Shampoo/Hair Conditioner)
Living Proof – Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo

Hair-spiration (Hair Style/Hair Care) - THREE WAY TIE!
Bumble and bumble – Don’t Blow It (H)air Styler
Drybar – Triple Sec 3-in-1
Living Proof – Blowout
 
DIY Style (Hair Tools)
T3 Micro, Inc. – PROi Professional Hair Dryer
 
MAKEUP

All Eyes On Me (Eye Product Mass)
L’Oréal Paris – Voluminous Superstar Mascara
 
All Eyes On Me (Eye Product Prestige)
Dior – Diorshow Mascara
 
#NoFilter (Face Product Mass)
Sonia Kashuk – Undercover Liquid Concealer
 
#NoFilter (Face Product Prestige)
Laura Mercier – Silk Crème Moisturizing Photo Edition Foundation
 
Seal It With A Kiss (Lip Product Mass)
FLOWER – Lip Radiance High Shine Lip Lacquer
 
Seal It With A Kiss (Lip Product Prestige)
Charlotte Tilbury – Matte Revolution
 
MAN-MADE (MEN’S GROOMING)
Clinique – Clinique for Men Charcoal Face Wash
 
SCENT

Male Attraction (Men’s Scent)
Dior – Sauvage
Perfumer - Christian Dior
 
It Makes Scents (Women’s Scent Mass)
Sonia Kashuk – Eau de Toilette in White Etheriana
Perfumer - Robertet
 
It Makes Scents (Women’s Sent Prestige)
Yves Saint Laurent Beauté – Black Opium
Perfumer - Firmenich
 
NAILED IT (NAIL PRODUCT) – TWO WAY TIE!
butter LONDON – Patent Shine 10x Nail Lacquer
essie – Gel Setter
 
NEW! (H)APPY BEAUTY (BEST BEAUTY APP)
L’Oréal Paris – Makeup Genius
 
NEW GAME IN TOWN (INDIE BRAND BEAUTY AWARD)
Color Wow
 
EARTH-LOVING (ECO BEAUTY AWARD)
Jurlique
 
QVC BEAUTY QUEST AWARD
Trèstique
 
SUPER HERO (ICONIC BEAUTY AWARD)

Mass
NEUTROGENA - Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes

Prestige
Clinique – Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
 
#ICYMI – IN CASE YOU MISSED IT (MOST BUZZED ABOUT AWARD)

Mass
Bioré – Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips

Prestige
Urban Decay – Naked Smoky
 
NUMBERS DON’T LIE (BEST SELLER AWARD)

Mass
Covergirl – The Super Sizer by Lashblast Mascara

Prestige
Urban Decay – Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette