For the past few months, the Grazia beauty team have had the arduous job of testing hundreds of 2021's best beauty launches. Yes, in boardrooms and on Zoom, we've sniffed, swatched and swiped, our final lists ever changing, (healthy) debate always raging. Our aim? To present to you the very best in beauty. The products that keep their promises and exceed them. The shampoo that quashes frizz and supplies shine. The serum that perks up, meh pandemic-induced skin and lessens the look of dark spots. The palette that makes applying eyeshadow more fun than decorating your tree.
Ah, the list is endless, and as the curtains close on another year marked by the pandemic, never more important. With the power to make us feel marginally if not magnificently better, beauty has taken on a whole new meaning in the past two years. And so without further ado, allows us to introduce the winners of Grazia's Big Beauty Awards 2021.
Your Chance to Win The Winners
Before we unveil the winners, did we mention that you have a chance to win them? A selection of our beauty award winners could be all yours. Simply click this link, follow the instructions and cross your fingers. To the one lucky winner: get ready to welcome L'Oreal Professionnel's Steampod 3.0, Estee Lauder's Infinite Sky, and many, many more products to your arsenal.
Grazia Big Beauty Awards 2021: The Winners
SHOP: Grazia's Big Beauty Awards 2021 Winners
Estée Lauder Infinite Sky Eau de Parfum, £68
Scent of the YearSmooth, spicy and delicately smoky, this is the scented winter warmer we all need right now. Sichuan pepper offsets sweet vanilla for the making of a future cult classic.
Hourglass Velvet Story Lip Cream, £35
Must Have LipstickMousse-like in texture, while matte, these creams refuse to cake, and leave lips feeling comfortable not caked. There are six rosy neutral shades, all of which look just as good on cheeks and lids, too.You'll have the chance to win one of these swoon-worthy shades in our competition.
REFY Brow Collection, £40
The Fuss-Free Brow KitThis fool proof trio lives up to the social media hype. For full but natural looking definition and thickness, comb the conditioning gel over your brow hairs to fully coat them, before brushing them up for added volume and oomph.
Origins GinZing Eye Cream, £26
The Does-It-All Eye CreamAvailable in two shades for both light and darker tones, this refreshingly cool cream is packed with Vitamin C, niacinamide, and a hint of colour to visibly brighten dark circles. The glowy finish mimics well rested, hydrated skin, and lightweight, it sits well under make-up. A little pot that packs a big punch.
L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renew Midnight Serum, £29.99
The Five Star Night SerumThis does-it-all serum ticks every box. Made with an antioxidant derived from bitter orange and fortified with hyaluronic acid, this silky, residue-free formula works to boost radiance and plump up your complexion in one.
L'Oréal Professionnel Steampod 3.0, £235
The Smart StraightenerWith a continuous, powerful flow of steam and ceramic plates, this delivers mirror-like shine and unparalleled smoothness. Some straighteners can sap hair of moisture, making it rigid and laden with frizz. This however, adds moisture, making for soft, smooth and swishy hair.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir, £28
The Lip SOSWith plant extracts that sound like they've been plucked from a festive fairy tale (think alpine rose, snow lotus and swertian leaf), this deeply nourishing oil revives and restores the driest of lips. Dispensed via a cooling roller ball, use during the day as a glossy balm, and by night, as a mask.
St. Tropez x Ashley Graham Ultimate Glow Kit, £38
The Top TanOf course, Ashley Graham absolutely nailed her false tan collaboration with St Tropez (the woman can do no wrong). This luxe mousse texture lends skin a two-weeks in Tahiti bronze that lasts seven days without fade or patching.
Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Radiance Primer SPF25, £40
The Grade-A Glow GiverMarrying make-up and skincare, this primer energises skin with ginseng, while adding radiance and ensuring make-up stays the day – and night for that matter. Now that's bang for your buck.
MAC Glow Play Blusher in Blush, Please, £24
The Brilliant BlusherA creamy, blendable blush that serves colour and radiance in one. Bouncy and buildable, it goes on sheer and glossy but can pack a pigmented punch when required. With 11 shades to choose from, there's something to flatter every skin tone
Laura Mercier Rose Glow Caviar Collection, £25
The Eye EnhancerHelping beauty buffs achieve fuss-free smokey eyes since 2011, these crayons are cult for a reason. And this opalescent shade range only adds to their allure. Buttery-soft and blendable, whether you swipe, smudge or scribble, you're guaranteed a good result. There are four shades up for grabs in our competition.
Jones Road The Mascara, £24
The Top Marks MascaraJones Road was founded by make-up royalty Bobbi Brown and so predictably, its mascara is a triumph. The chunky, curved brush fans lashes, delivers volume, lift and definition, and, laced with vitamin B, the formula strengthens each and every hair.
TRESemme Pro Pure Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner, £4.50
The Ultimate Shampoo and Conditioner DuoPart of the brand's first natural range of haircare, there are few who can't benefit from washing with these. Sulphate-free, using a complex designed to bolster the health of individual strands, they in tandem work to revitalise meh looking hair. Plus, there's change from a tenner for both.
SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF Serum, £145
The Super Day SerumA stellar defence against free radical damage (the primary cause of uneven skin tone, wrinkles and dark spots), this triple-vitamin C antioxidant serum is worth every penny and is as good as you'll get without a prescription. Formulated for blemish prone skin, after as little as two weeks, you'll notice improved clarity, tone and texture
Redken Extreme Bleach Recovery Lamellar Water, £24
The Techy TreatmentThe magic of this glossing smart water is in the featherweight lamellar technology - the formula warms on contact with hair, opens the cuticle, and delivers strand-strengthening amino acids and proteins. Use in place of your regular conditioner when hair looks and feels lacklustre.
Verso Body Peel, £55
The Body EnhancerRub this all over your body before you get in the shower, wait a couple of minutes, then rinse. With glycolic acid, it eats away at dull, dead cells, to reveal brighter, more uniform skin. Its brilliance lies in its ability to make a near instant difference, and all without peeling or drying.
No7 Pure Retinol Night Repair Cream, £34.95
The Powerhouse RetinolFor a restorative beauty sleep, this gentle but effective night cream delivers the perfect dose of slow release retinol. Kind to even the most sensitive of skin, you'll wake up to noticeably hydrated, softer, and firmer looking skin after only a couple of uses. A hassle-free way to introduce retinol to your routine.
Living Proof Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo, £23
The Hero Hair StylerTake all the benefits of a really great dry shampoo (ultra-fine, undetectable, grease-busting), and add the benefits of actual shampoo (scrupulous, transformative, hydrating) and you've got this. Supplying
La Roche-Posay Dermallergo Soothing Fluid, £18.50
The Sensitive Skin SelectEnriched with probiotic ingredients that help to balance pH levels, this sensitive-skin-friendly moisturiser tempers irritation and redness, and bolsters the skin barrier.
Ultra Violette Queen Screen Luminising Sun Serum SPF50, £36
The SPF SaviourEvidence of how advanced – and chic – sun protection has gotten, this feels more like a plush, milky serum than an SPF50. Lightweight, it melts onto skin and is totally imperceptible.
Caudalie Vinosource-Hydra Grape Water Gel Moisturiser, £26
The Expert HydratorFor deft and deep hydration, you can't get better than this. Formulated with prebiotic grape water and aloe vera, it's gentle, revitalising and suitable for all skin types. A gel-cream texture, it sinks quickly, without leaving a trace of oil or grease, and better yet, its pot is 100% recyclable.
Chanel Le Lion de Chanel, £300
Worth the SplurgeChanel's latest fragrance pays homage to Gabrielle Chanel by way of her star sign, Leo, a symbol that still adorns Chanel buttons and clasps today. Its resinous amber and leather base is lifted with hints of vanilla and bergamot, to make for a warm, expensive smelling scent that transcends the seasons.
Dior Forever Natural Nude Foundation, £39
The Superlative BaseThe word natural is operative here. Not only is this formula made up of 95% natural original ingredients, but it supplies skin with a fresh finish too. It feels closer to skincare than it does to make-up, sitting both lightly and comfortably on skin, but that's not to say it doesn't conceal. Light to medium coverage, it banishes blemishes and dark spots, but crucially, doesn't cake.
Loewe Room Sprays, £78
The Delicious Home ScentLoewe: we bow down. Just at these highly 'grammable home fragrances; then spritz them as soon as you get the chance. With unexpected and botanical blends such as Tomato Leaf and Lucious Pea, they stand out from the crowd.
READ MORE: The New Cult Beauty Classics As Chosen By Team Grazia