Every year, NewBeauty editors compile the best of the best in beauty, and now our 16th Annual Beauty Award winners have finally been revealed. Nearly 400 beauty products and treatments were given top honors, but the 73 products below will elevate your beauty routine without breaking the bank. Ahead, we're sharing the winning products across several categories that won't cost you more than $20.
Skin
Best Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin
CeraVe Acne Clay To Foam Cleanser ($18)
Powered by salicylic acid, ceramides and glycerin, CeraVe’s Acne Clay-to-Foam Cleanser can be used three ways: as an everyday cleanser, a mask or a spot-treatment. No matter which method suits you best, fewer breakouts, less shine and smaller-looking pores are in store.
Best Pimple Patches
Personal Day All Covered Salicylic Acid Brushed Blemish Patches ($19)
Designed to actively treat breakouts rather than just hide them, Personal Day All Covered Brushed Blemish Patches are infused with brushed‑on salicylic acid, come with two sizes and look virtually invisible on skin.
Best Micellar Water
Garnier All-in-One Micellar Cleansing Water ($12)
It’s tough to beat a classic like Garnier’s All-in-One Micellar Cleansing Water. Its magical micelles gently remove dirt, oil, makeup and sunscreen on your face, lips and eyes to leave skin feeling clean and soft.
Best Exfoliating Cleanser
Prequel Gleanser + Glycolic Non-Drying Glycolic Acid Cleanser ($20)
Formulated with 50-percent glycerin and glycolic acid, Prequel’s Gleanser + Glycolic Cleanser gently exfoliates while removing daily grime so skin is brighter and smoother, but never stripped.
Best Cream Cleanser
REMEDY Rich Cream-to-Foam Cream Cleanser ($18)
Just a small dollop of Remedy’s dermatologist-developed Rich Cream-to-Foam Cleanser transforms into an impressive lather packed with hydration essentials—humectants, emollients and occlusives—to quench parched skin. And the fluted bottle? Chef’s kiss.
Best Under-Eye Masks With Retinol
Beauty of Joseon Revive Under Eye Patch ($20)
Want the wrinkle-reducing benefits of retinal for your under-eyes? Beauty of Joseon’s hydrogel Revive Under Eye Patch Ginseng + Retinal visibly firm, lift and brighten without irritation, or, slipping down your face.
Best Overnight Sheet Mask
BIODANCE Rejuvenating Caviar PDRN Real Deep Mask ($19 for four masks)
Wear BIODANCE’s Rejuvenating Caviar PDRN Real Deep Mask to bed—it soaks into skin and turns transparent overnight—for barrier support and a gorgeous glow. There’s a reason it’s a viral sensation and bestseller.
Best Milky Toner
Bubble Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner ($16)
We’d bathe in Bubble’s Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner if we could. Rich in ceramides, four types of hyaluronic acid and other barrier boosters, it locks in hydration for a plump, dewy finish, Hello glazed donut skin!
Best Fermented Toner
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner ($14)
Fermented toners are trending and The Ordinary’s Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner is the formula that won us over. It gently exfoliates as it hydrates, smooths and brightens to keep skin soft and balanced.
Best Hydrating Essence
Good Molecules Sakura Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Essence ($14)
A lightweight essence that floods skin with lasting hydration, Good Molecules’s Sakura Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Essence layers multiple weights of HA with fermented sakura extract to plump and prep skin for everything that follows.
Best Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
Avène Tolerance Foaming Facial Cleanser ($20)
Avène’s fragrance-free Tolerance Foaming Facial Cleanser is gentle enough for sensitive and post- procedure skin, but strong enough to remove all traces of makeup, dirt and pollutants for a truly clean complexion, sans discomfort or tightness.
Best Serum for Glowy Skin
BYOMA Phyto-Mucin Glow Serum ($16)
The plant-based snail mucin alternative in BYOMA’s Phyto-Mucin Glow Serum gives high-end hydrators a run for their money. The rich formula floods skin with bouncy hydration for a glass-skin effect.
Best Sunscreen for Glowy Skin
Numbuzin No 9 NAD+ BIO Super Defense Glow Sunscreen ($18)
If you like an SPF with a dewy finish, Numbuzin No.9 NAD+ BIO Super Defense Glow Sunscreen SPF 50 will be your new best friend. The Korean formula excels in both texture and glow—no oiliness or disco ball glitter in sight.
Makeup
Best Tinted Brow Gel
Pixi Beauty 2-in-1 Natural Brow Duo ($16)
Everything you need to create perfect arches, Pixi's waterproof Natural Brow Duo houses a tinted, soft-hold gel on one side and an angled, precision pencil on the other, and comes in four shades.
Best Brow Pencil
ColourPop Brow Boss Pencil ($9)
Boasting the performance of a prestige formula at a fraction of the cost, ColourPop Brow Boss Pencil is a no-brainer for better brows. And with the built-in spoolie, you can frame your face in seconds.
Best Waterproof Mascara
L'Oréal Paris Extensionist Waterproof Mascara ($16)
We tested L’Oréal Paris Extensionist Waterproof Mascara through weddings, beach trips and hot Pilates, and it held up. It also lengthens lashes so well, you’ll think you applied extensions, which is extra impressive for a waterproof formula.
Best Liquid Eyeshadow
SACHEU Eyeshadow STAY-N ($16)
The six long-lasting shades of SACHEU Eyeshadow STAY-N (shimmers and mattes) are crease-proof, buildable and packed with pretty pigment. Use them all over your lids or as a liquid liner—no primer needed.
Best Faux Lashes
KISS Looks So Natural Lashes ($10)
Perfect for everyday wear, KISS Looks So Natural Lashes are vegan, super lightweight and blend seamlessly with your own lashes thanks to the brand’s unique tapered end technology. Plus, you get five pairs, but you can also reuse them.
Best Foundation Stick
Milani Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Skin Tint Stick ($18.50)
A drugstore standout with a true soft-blur effect, Milani Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Skin Tint Stick comes in 25 shades and delivers buildable coverage that smooths pores while feeling light and comfy on your skin all day.
Best Matte Foundation
NYX Professional Makeup Make 'Em Wonder Soft Matte Foundation ($16)
After a brief lull, matte skin is back and better than ever, but it’s not the cakey look of the past. NYX Professional Makeup Make ’Em Wonder Soft Matte Foundation delivers a real-skin finish with a barely there feel, and comes in 45 shades.
Best Skin Tint
Versed Skin Solution Multi-Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 ($20)
For those who don’t like traditional foundation but need some coverage, Versed’s lightweight Skin Solution Multi‑Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is the perfect compromise. The 14 buildable shades let skin shine through.
Best Lip Balm
Cocokind Ceramide Lip Blur Balm ($12)
The competition was fierce in this category, but Cocokind Ceramide Lip Blur Balm won us over. The seven glossy shades are free of fragrance and flavor and the cushiony texture keeps lips oh-so soft.
Best Lip Gloss With SPF
Caliray Lipguard SPF 31 ($19)
Available in five beach-babe shades, Caliray Lipguard SPF 31 is one sunscreen-infused lip gloss you’ll actually want to wear every day. The gloss isn’t sticky, the shine is pretty and there’s no nasty taste!
Best Lip Crayon
fwee Long-lasting Dual Coloring Stick Lip+Liner ($17)
Line, fill and blend with fwee Long-Lasting Dual Coloring Stick Lip+Liner, which leans matte, but isn’t drying, comes in six shades and lasts for hours. You can also use it on your cheeks.
Best Lip Liner
Morphe Signature Lip Pencil ($7)
Line, define and fill your lips with Morphe’s creamy, blendable Signature Lip Pencil, which comes in 16 shades to suit all skin tones and won’t fade after a few sips or kisses.
Best Hydrating Primer
Maybelline New York Grippy Primer ($13)
A drugstore primer that hydrates, plumps and keeps makeup intact for up to 24 hours? Say less. The skin finish after one layer of Maybelline New York’s Grippy Serum Primer is so good, you might not even need to add makeup.
Best Powder Highlighter
e.l.f. Halo Glow Silky Powder Highlighter ($9)
We’re not surprised e.l.f. Halo Glow Silky Powder Highlighter went viral at launch. The finely milled micro-shimmer formula rivals prestige options and leaves skin with a luminous, long-lasting glow.
Hair
Best Mask for Curly Hair
TRESemmé Bouncy Curls Multi-Tasking Hair Mask ($8)
Based on a nationwide survey, 53 percent of women have naturally wavy or curly hair, so of course TRESemmé wanted to perfect its conditioning Bouncy Curls Multi-Tasking Hair Mask to please the masses, and that it does.
Best Leave-In Conditioner for Curly Hair
being Haircare MAJOR MOISTURE Moisturizing Leave-In Conditioner ($7)
A deeply hydrating treatment created for type 3 and 4 curls, being haircare’s Major Moisture Leave‑In Conditioner uses nourishing ingredients like cocoa butter and oat extract to soften texture, enhance natural shape and protect hair through air‑drying or heat styling.
Best Styling Gel for Curly Hair
Chéribé Soft-Hold Styling Gelée ($13)
Chéribé Soft-Hold Styling Gelée is powered by the brand’s bond-repair Chébé Complex—made from African Chébé seeds—along with aloe vera and red algae to define curls, boost shine and lock in hydration without crunch or flakes.
Best Curl Refresher Spray
Aussie Ultra Wonder Daily Mist ($11)
True to its name, Aussie’s silicone-free Ultra Wonder Daily Mist works wonders to refresh lackluster curls. Transforming from a cream to a mist with each spritz, it provides everything from frizz control to heat protection.
Best Shampoo for Dandruff
Vichy Dercos Selenium Sulfide Anti-Dandruff Shampoo ($20)
A repeat winner for good reason, Vichy’s Dercos Selenium Sulfide Anti-Dandruff Shampoo treats the full range of dandruff issues, from mild to severe, thanks to a sophisticated formula with 0.6-percent micronized selenium sulfide.
Best Shampoo for Frizzy Hair
John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Shampoo ($8.50)
John Frieda’s Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Repair Shampoo hits the reset button on hard-to-manage hair. With each cleanse, strands look shinier, sleeker and more controlled.
Best Shampoo for Dry Hair
Shampoohotel Miami Hydrating Shampoo ($15)
Inspired by luxury hotel hair moments and designed for parched strands, SHAMPOOHOTEL’s Miami Hydrating Shampoo gently cleanses while restoring moisture, and smells like a beach vacation.
Best Shampoo for Damaged Hair
Mise En Scene Salon 10 Protein Shampoo ($20)
A shampoo and hair treatment in one, Mise En Scene Salon 10 Protein Shampoo combines collagen, eight types of protein and rich moisturizers to correct all levels of damage. The result: stronger, smoother strands that are protected from further damage.
Best Fragrance-Free Shampoo
California Naturals Sensitive Scalp Shampoo ($12)
Made with easily irritated scalps in mind, California Naturals’ Sensitive Scalp Shampoo skips fragrance entirely, using soothing botanicals like chamomile, aloe, oat and green tea to cleanse gently without triggering redness or dryness.
Best Shampoo for Oily Hair
Hairitage by Mindy McKnight So Over You Oil Control Shampoo ($9)
Inspired by feedback from Hairitage by Mindy McKnight’s loyal community, So Over You Oil Control Shampoo uses a combination of probiotics, papaya extract and aloe vera to balance excess oil without overdrying the hair.
Best Smoothing Stick
JVN Hair Perféct StyleFix Stick ($18)
A red-carpet staple, JVN Hair’s Perfèct StyleFix Stick is the secret weapon for slicked-back looks, flyaway fixes and perfectly piecey ends.
Best Thickening Spray
Kitsch Root Lifting & Thickening Spray ($20)
Kitsch Root Lifting & Thickening Spray volumizes hair so well, you’ll never settle for flat styles again. Made with botanicals, peptides, biotin and rosemary, it lifts and reinforces healthy hair from root to tip.
Best Detangling Hair Brush
Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle ($17)
Designed for thinning, shedding hair that needs a little extra TLC, Tangle Teezer’s The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle features a unique wide-spaced teeth pattern that avoids unnecessary breakage while brushing.
Best Detangler
Commence Haircare Shine Enhancing Detangler ($18)
Knots, flyaways and breakage are exactly what Commence Shine‑Enhancing Detangler aims to minimize, offering lightweight slip powered by coconut water, quinoa peptides and vegan keratin without leaving hair “coated.”
Best Gray Hair Concealer
Madison Reed The Gray Escape ($19.50)
If you don’t have a full hairline of gray to cover up, but you’re starting to see little sparklers come through, Madison Reed’s The Gray Escape is your quick fix. The mascara-like brush deposits temporary hair color anywhere you need it, including your brows.
Nails
Best 1-Step Nail Polish
NAILS.INC It's Topless Nail Polish ($10)
NAILS.INC It’s Topless Nail Polish is the first of its kind to combine a base coat, color, treatment and topcoat all in one bottle. We love the gel-like thickness and shine, and it dries in less than a minute.
Best At-Home Gel Nail Polish
Olive & June Builder Gel Polish ($12)
If your nails are brittle and weak, builder gel can revitalize them without sacrificing your manicure. Olive & June Builder Gel Polish protects, strengthens and lengthens natural nails—no salon appointment required.
Best DIY Nail Strips
Dashing Diva LED Semi-Cured Gel Nail Strips ($15)
For a salon-level mani without the fuss, opt for Dashing Diva Glaze LED Semi-Cured Gel Nail Strips. They come in a variety of styles from stunning solids to darling designs, and they’re so simple to use.
Best Nail Brightener
LONDONTOWN Glow Getter Nail Luminizer ($20)
Give your bare nails the glow-up they deserve with LONDONTOWN Glow Getter Nail Luminizer, which boasts a sophisticated shimmer and strengthening formula you’ll wonder how you ever lived without.
Best Nail Perfector
Manucurist Active Smooth ($19)
Available in four skin-like shades, Manucurist Active Smooth utilizes 75-percent plant-based ingredients to camouflage nail imperfections while also helping to correct them over time. Think of it like makeup for your nails.
Best Press-On Nail Glue
OPI Make It Stick Press-On Nail Glue ($10)
Why bother with the messy nail glue in the box when you can quickly paint on OPI Make It Stick Brush-On Press-On Nail Glue? It’s precise, it makes press-ons last longer and it works with every brand of faux nails you own.
Best Press-On Nails
Glamnetic Press-On Nails ($16)
The only thing we question when buying Glamnetic Press-On Nails is how many sets are too many? The designs are on-trend (every shape and style we could ever want), and the nails are waterproof and last up to two weeks.
Best Quick-Dry Nail Polish
essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish ($10)
Available in more than 40 shades, essie’s Expressie eliminates the worst part of any manicure: waiting for it to dry. In just one minute, nails are set, chip-resistant and flawless.
Body and Personal Care
Best Bath Soak
FLEWD fatigue defeating bath salts ($11)
Infused with a restoring blend of magnesium, tryptophan, potassium and vitamin B6, FLEWD’s fatigue defeating bath salts will change the way you look at your nightly bath—or make you a believer if a soak is not part of your regular routine.
Best Moisturizing Body Bar
Beekman 1802 Goat Milk Soap ($16)
Beekman 1802’s first-ever product, Goat Milk Soap, is still its best-seller. The microbiome-friendly formula provides a silky, nonstripping cleanse for head-to-toe moisture and smoothness.
Best Oil Body Wash
Dove Serum+ Radiance Oil Body Wash ($13)
The shower oil category is about to explode, and Dove Serum+ Radiance Oil Body Wash is paving the way. Powered by 50-percent glycerin, it gives you the glow of an oil and the cleanse of a traditional body wash in one step, and smells amazing.
Best Body Oil
Vaseline Glazed & Glisten Gel Oil ($9)
Every editor who tested Vaseline’s Glazed & Glisten Gel Oil fell in love with it. Available in two shades, the shimmery, cocoa butter–infused formula smells delicious and leaves skin with a gorgeous, nongreasy glaze.
Best Body Butter
Being Frenshe Whipped Body Butter ($19)
This ultra‑hydrating Whipped Body Butter from Ashley Tisdale’s Being Frenshe comes in three comforting scents and is infused with magnesium, squalane and rich plant butters to soften skin.
Best Foot Cream
Natura Ekos Castanha Foot Cream ($20)
A deeply nourishing treat for dry, tired feet, Natura’s Ekos Castanha Foot Cream is packed with Brazil nut oil from the Amazon to soften and smooth cracked heels in just a few applications.
Best Dry Brush
European Wax Center EWC TREAT Dual-Sided Dry Brush ($18)
Made of natural beechwood, European Wax Center’s EWC TREAT Dual-Sided Dry Brush has a denser side for deeper exfoliation (great for elbows and feet) and a softer side for other areas. We also love the long handle.
Best Exfoliating Body Lotion
Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Body Lotion ($11)
Rough, bumpy skin meets its match with Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Body Lotion. The dermatologist-recommended formula uses salicylic acid to smooth texture while protecting the moisture barrier, and is gentle enough for daily use on sensitive skin.
Best Hand Cream
VOESH Hand Balm ($12)
We keep VOESH Hand Balm in our handbags for a slew of reasons: it’s travel-friendly (a little goes a long way), nourishing and softening, with scent options that feel more like a luxury candle than a basic lotion.
Best Hand Sanitizer
gemi Hand Sanitizer + Serum ($12)
Born out of frustration with harsh sanitizers, gemi Hand Sanitizer + Serum puts skin care first. It banishes germs without stripping skin and comes in five scents that smell so good, we also want them in perfumes.
Best Healing Ointment
Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Ointment ($13)
Made with 40-percent glycerin though surprisingly not tacky or oily, Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Ointment is the skin protectant you’ll want close by to deeply moisturize dry, cracked skin from head to toe.
Best Antiperspirant
Degree Clinical 5X Ultra Dry Spray ($10)
Formulated with the brand’s highest level of sweat and odor protection yet (it lasts 96 hours!), Degree Clinical 5X Ultra Dry Spray keeps you dry (and confident) when it matters most.
Best Shave Oil
Billie Shave Glaze ($10)
Billie disrupts the shaving industry again with Shave Glaze, an oil-to-milky formula that grips the skin rather than vanishing on contact, so you can actually see where you’ve already shaved.
Best Shave Cream
Native Ultra Moisture Shave Cream ($11)
Delivering a smooth glide while keeping post‑shave comfort in mind, Native Ultra Moisture Shave Cream is made with shea and cocoa butters that leave skin touchably soft.
Best Allover Deodorant Spray
Dove Whole Body Deo Alcohol Free Spray ($13)
Dove’s derm-recommended Whole Body Deo is now alcohol-free, so there’s zero burning, even post-shave. Infused with 35-percent nourishing serum, it helps keep skin hydrated, smooth and comfy (no stinging or irritation), while keeping B.O. at bay.
Best Body Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin
Blue LizardSensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion ($16)
Aloe vera upgrades this sunscreen to both a skin protectant and a skin soother, but what’s not in Blue Lizard’s derm-recommended Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion—fragrance, parabens and phthalates—is what makes it our top pick for sensitive skin.
Smile
Best Fluoride-Free Toothpaste
Davids Hydroxi Whitening + Enamel Health Nano Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste ($11)
A smart swap for the fluoride-free crowd, Davids Hydroxi Whitening + Enamel Health Toothpaste cleans and whitens with enamel-supporting nano-hydroxyapatite, and we love the recyclable aluminum tube.
Best Mouthwash
Colgate Total Active Prevention Mouthwash ($5)
A rinse we actually look forward to using, Colgate’s Total Active Prevention Peppermint Mouthwash keeps breath fresh and bacteria at bay, serving up refreshing minty flavor without alcohol or the dreaded sting.
Best Strengthening Toothpaste
Lumineux Performance White Toothpaste with 10% Nano-Hydroxyapatite ($10)
Lumineux Performance Whitening Toothpaste is made with the highest concentration (10 percent) of nano-hydroxyapatite, a natural ingredient found in enamel and dentin to naturally repair and whiten teeth, while lessening sensitivity.
Best Teeth Whitening Pen
Burst Oral Care Precision Whitening Pen ($15)
Developed with the help of more than 40,000 dental professionals, Burst Oral Care’s Precision Whitening Pen is the real deal for gentle touch-ups, thanks to 9-percent hydrogen peroxide, coconut oil and aloe.
Best Whitening Toothpaste
Crest 3DWhite Deep Stain Remover Toothpaste ($13)
Crest 3DWhite Deep Stain Remover Toothpaste utilizes the brand’s most advanced, patented whitening technology to remove tough stains while strengthening enamel, and promises whiter teeth in just one day.
Innovations
Best At-Home Silk Press Treatment
SheaMoisture Silk Press in a Bottle ($14)
”SheaMoisture’s Silk Press in a Bottle is exactly what its name suggests,” says Tiffany Yizar, head of R&D for Beauty and Wellbeing North America at Unilever. During extensive research for this prep cream, Unilever learned that about 70 percent of Black women have looked to occasional straightening, but feel hesitant because of the damage that occurs going from curly to straight. “This proprietary formula is infused with plant-derived actives, uniquely formulated in this cream, that won’t mess with your curl pattern, but will instantly straighten your hair,” says Yizar. Keeping the smoking level to a minimum during the styling process was also a key consideration, which took 50-plus iterations to achieve. “The cream was pressure-tested in both controlled and uncontrolled ways, and it really delivers,” adds Yizar.
Best Nail Repair Treatment
epres ePhD Nail Bond Repair Treatment ($20)
Like bond-repair products for our hair, epres’s ePhD Nail Bond Repair Treatment penetrates the keratin bonds in our nails to repair them from within. (It’s actually inspired by the brand’s innovative hair treatment.) A must-have for anyone with dry, brittle or discolored nails (too many gel manis, anyone?), the oil-based formula strengthens and smooths for a healthier look and feel—no more weak, bendy nails. Wear it under any nail polish, even gel, as a protective layer of sorts, and don’t forget your toes, too.
