New categories, an updated presentation format with DJs providing music, and supplier differentiation distinguished the 25^th Annual Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Beauty Awards, held May 17. On the supply side, Kobo took honors in the CEW and New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists (NYSCC) award collaboration; and an open stage, sans dais, featuring DJ twins, Angel and Dren, created a celebratory vibe to the ballroom at New York’s Hilton.

 
CEW Chair Jill Scalamandre described the day’s event as “the beauty industry’s signature platform,” noting the addition of expanded indie, wellness and influencer categories. “This year, we have no dais, but we have invited two DJs to shake it up a bit,” she said, introducing Angel and Dren, who held court center stage as the afternoon unfolded.

 
The CEW Beauty Awards luncheon recognizes the year’s most innovative new beauty products. This year, winners were named across 46 categories, and drawn from more than 1,000 entries, representing 500 brands. The event drew more than 1,100 people to the venue, and sponsors included Firmenich, Arcade Beauty, QVC, Beauty Inc, Financo, DSM, kdc/one, CVS Pharmacy, MM.Lafleur, YouCam Makeup, Albéa, RPG, Anisa, MaCher, RpR Marketing, Amazon Beauty, Unilever, P&G Beauty, Nielsen, Cosmoprof, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Consultancy Media, Suite K, Pims, WWD, Moblty, Preen.me, NPD, and Ernst & Young.

 
Influencers, Indies and Wellness

 
Award highlights of the event included a fresh look at the impact of ingredient technology, influencers, and indie standouts. On the formulation side, KOBO Products Inc. 4-in-1 Multi-Purpose Sunscreen Cream took home the honors in the new Ingredients and Formulation Supplier Award category, a result of the partnership between CEW and the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists. The product is designed to provide broad spectrum protection from UVA/UVB rays for the face and neck, neutralize uneven skin tone, and is especially tailored for subtle skin luminosity and natural appearance.
 
Another new category, the Rising Influencer Award, in partnership with Preen.Me, went to Inessa and Alina of The Vike Twins (@theviketwins) and Kate Fleming (@the.skincare.diary), for their influence in the makeup and skin care categories, respectively. In the Indie Hair category, Nancy Twine, Founder of Briogeo, took the honors, for Briogeo Hair Care, Be Gentle, Be Kind Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner.
 
In response to the growing wellness trend, CEW added new award categories for Beauty Wellness Supplements and Aromatherapy. HUM Nutrition Inc. took home the Beauty Wellness Supplement Award for Collagen POP, a dissolvable collagen and Vitamin C tablet that is designed to firm and hydrate the skin; and Naturopathica received the Aromatherapy Award, for its Chill Aromatic Alchemy, an essential oil blend designed to promote relaxation.
 
Beautycounter received the Indie Brand Award, which acknowledges the brand with a complimentary spotlight booth at 2019 Cosmoprof North America; and Loli Beauty Inc. received the Sustainability Excellence Award, which recognizes a brand within the beauty industry, taking steps to achieve sustainability. The award was established to encourage all beauty brands to take steps in that direction.

 
Ingredients, Naturals and Devices
 
Plant-based actives were recognized for their efficacy among award winners, including, Shiseido’s Ultimate Power Infusing Concentrate, the Anti-Aging Prestige winner, which powers its formula with botanical extracts of reishi mushroom and iris root; and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex, the Best Seller Prestige winner, which includes such fruit extracts as watermelon, apple and chamomile, in its ingredient profile. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream, which features cucumber, strawberry, apple and kiwi, took the award for Best Eye Treatment product; and Beauty by PopSugar Be Sweet Tinted Lip Balm SPF 15, with extracts from green tea, blueberry and hibiscus flower, took honors in the Indie Makeup category.
 
The naturals trend was highlighted by Musc Imperial by Atelier Cologne, the Niche Fragrance Award winner, for developing a formula from 89 percent renewable natural origin ingredients; while Kopari Beauty Coconut Shower Oil’s naturally-derived formula with 100 percent pure, organic, sustainably-sourced coconut oil, took the award for Bath and Body Prestige winner. Weleda’s Skin Food Body Butter, the Bath and Body winner in Mass, featured a seal from Natrue, created by the International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association, which certifies natural and organic cosmetics.


Cosmetic winners included L’Oreal Paris’ Longwear Waterproof Brow Gel, the Eye Product Mass winner; and Shiseido’s Kajal InkArtist 4-in-1 Liner, was the winner in the Eye Product Prestige category. BareMinerals’ Barepro 16-hr Full Coverage Concealer, designed to be crease-proof and waterproof for up to 16 hours, took home the honor in the Face Product Prestige category.

There was a tie in the category of Skincare tools, with BeautyBioscience receiving the honors for its Rose Quartz Roller, and Clarisonic, receiving its award for Clarisonic Mia Smart. In the Hair Tools category, Dyson’s Airwrap Hair Styler took home the award.

All of the award winners will be able to display the CEW Beauty Award seal on their product packaging, collateral materials, and social and e-commerce platforms, to distinguish their products as best beauty award-winners. Carlotta Jacobson, President, CEW said, “After 25 years, the CEW seal of approval continues to help consumers navigate the beauty aisles to make informed purchase decisions. As the only awards program selected by industry insiders, we provide winners with credibility and have become the industry’s most important recognition.”
 
Winners of the 2019 CEW Beauty Awards
 
Acne Treatment: First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Acne Clearing Pads with White Clay
 
Anti-Aging Mass: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil
 
Anti-Aging Prestige: Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate

Aromatherapy: Naturopathic Chill Aromatic Alchemy

Bath and Body Mass: Weleda North America Skin Food Body Butter
 
Bath and Body Prestige (tie): Kopari Beauty Coconut Shower Oil and Rodan + Fields Enhancements Active Hydration Body Replenish
 
Beauty Tech Award: Perfect Corp. YouCam Makeup Platform
 
Beauty Wellness Supplements: Hum Nutrition Inc. Collagen POP
 
Best Seller Mass: Olay Whip
 
Best Seller Prestige: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex
 
Cleanser & Scrub: First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Acne Clearing Charcoal Cleanser with Probiotics
 
Eye Product Mass: L'Oréal Paris Unbelieva-Brow
 
Eye Product Prestige: Shiseido Americas Kajal InkArtist
 
Eye Treatment: Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
 
Face Product Mass: L'Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Multi-Use Concealer
 
Face Product Prestige: bareMinerals Barepro 16-Hour Full Coverage Concealer
 
Hair Coloring Product: Madison Reed Light Works Balayage Highlighting Kit
 
Hair Shampoo/Hair Conditioner: Living Proof Restore Dry Scalp Treatment
 
Hair Care/Styling: Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist
 
Hair Tools: Dyson Airwrap hair styler
 
Home Scent: Oribe Côte d'Azur Incense
 
Iconic Consumers’ Choice Beauty Award-Mass: Essie ballet slippers
 
Iconic Consumers’ Choice Beauty Award-Prestige: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II
 
Indie Brand Beauty Award: Beautycounter
 
Indie Hair: Briogeo Hair Care Be Gentle, Be Kind Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner
 
Indie Makeup Beauty Award: Beauty by Popsugar Be Sweet Tinted Lip Balm SPF 15
 
Indie Skincare Beauty Award: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask
 
Ingredients and Formulation: Supplier Award: Kobo Products Inc. 4 in 1 Multi-Purpose Sunscreen Cream
 
Lip Product Mass: Sun Bum Tinted Lip Balm
 
Lip Product Prestige: MAC Cosmetics Powder Kiss Lipstick
 
Lip Treatment: Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Collagen Lip Bath
 
Makeup Tools: It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Bye Bye Foundation Brush #22
 
Men’s Grooming: Method sea + surf body wash
 
Men’s Scent (tie) Christian Dior Parfums Sauvage Eau de Parfum – Christian Dior supplier and YSL Beauty Y Eau de Parfum – IFF supplier
 
Moisturizer Mass: Olay Regenerist Whip Fragrance Free
 
Moisturizer Prestige: Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
 
Nail Product: Butter London Peel-Off Glitter Lacquer
 
Niche Fragrance: Atelier Cologne Musc Imperial
 
QVC 2019 Beauty Quest: Mineral Air
 
Rising Influencer Award: Alina and Inessa, @ theviketwins
 
Rising Influencer Award: Kate, @ the.skincare.diary
 
Skincare Tools (tie) BeautyBioscience Rose Quartz Roller and Clarisonic Mia Smart
 
Sun Product: Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
 
Sustainability Excellence Award: Loli Beauty Inc.
 
Women’s Scent Mass: Flower Beauty Pretty Deadly Jasmin Venom
 
Women’s Scent Prestige: YSL Beauty Black Opium Eau de Parfum Intense