Allure Best of Beauty Winners 2015
By Alina Avery
In case you haven’t seen, they recently announced the Allure Best of Beauty Winners for 2015. Brace yourselves before you go look up all of the products though, as the list is quite long. There are about a million categories, and then winners are chosen across mass and prestige products, so there are quite a few winners. Obviously I haven’t tried all of them, but a fair few have made their way into my bathroom or vanity, so I did a bit of the work for you. Here’s my list of picks and skips.
Pick
St Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower
(Allure Best Beauty Breakthrough)
As someone who only recently discovered the joys (and perils) of self-tanning, this stuff is gold. It’s super easy to apply in the shower (I turn the head off and just let the faucet in the tub run while I apply and let it sit), leaves a super subtle color that develops over time, and is only lightly scented. I picked up backups of this since I loved it so much. It’s a great way to boost or touch up a more intense tan as it fades.
Skip
Hourglass All Over Shadow Brush
(Allure Best Makeup Brush – Eye Shadow)
This brush is $30 and it’s far from an essential. The shape and synthetic fibers aren’t unique, and it’s not especially luxurious which is what you’d expect for the price. You’re better off picking up a Real Techniques Shader Brush which is very similar in size and shape and literally a fraction of the price, or some of the Sonia Kashuk brushes are equally wonderful and budget friendly.
Pick
Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub
(Allure Best Treatment – Scalp)
I’ve already sung its praises here on the blog, but this scrub is transforming for hair and scalp. I can’t say enough how much I love it. Such a fantastic product. It smells so fresh and the foam it creates is seriously luxurious. There’s nothing else I’ve found on the market like it. I feel like I should stock up on this one too!
Skip
Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue
(Allure Best Foundation – Mineral)
Don’t get me wrong, I actually love this product, but in no way would I consider it a mineral foundation. Mineral, ok sure, but it’s definitely not a foundation. This is the sheerest, barely tinted formula ever created. It’s great layered with other sheer products or powders, but “foundation” implies that you’re going to have at least some sort of coverage, and this doesn’t.
Pick
(Allure Best Brow Groomer)
This is my far my favorite Benefit product. It holds brows in place and adds tiny fibers to make them appear fuller. It doesn’t smudge and the colors are perfect and versatile. Definitely pick this up if you haven’t tried it. It’s both great on its own and layered over brow pencil or pomade.
Skip
(Allure Best Lip Stain)
I was really excited about these when they launched but after trying them, not so much. The formula is really thin and actually a big drying, and the tint isn’t true to color. It’s hard to work with and hard to predict how it will actually look on your lips from how it looks in the tube. It’s pretty expensive to boot. Skip this one.
Pick
Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream
(Allure Best Hand Cream)
Your hands show signs of aging just as much as your face (if not more so!) so this is a must have. Sunscreen for your hands will preserve their youthful look and keeping them hydrated will help with cuticles, cracked knuckles, or other hand woes. The pump bottle is also super convenient to keep on your bathroom counter or at your desk. Love this!
Skip
(Allure Best Bronzer)
This is a good bronzer, but it’s very hard to work with. It comes with a dropper applicator and is super liquidy and pigmented, meaning that it’s hard to both dispense and blend in. I think it’s worth checking out if you’re a pro at bronzing and adventurous with makeup, but otherwise there are MUCH better bronzers you can get for the money. It’s not a bad product, but it’s not for the new to bronzing.
Have you scouted out the Allure Best in Beauty Winners? Do you agree with them? It definitely highlighted some great products and brought a few more to my attention. My wishlist is growing!
