The 2025 Shop TODAY Beauty Awards are here! For the third year of Shop TODAY's Beauty Awards, 110 testers across the TODAY family put hundreds of products to the test, selecting 165 winners in categories from skin care to body care, makeup and more.
To break the news, Shop TODAY editorial director Adrianna Brach stopped by Studio 1A with a sampling of the winners. From buzz-worthy new launches to tried-and-true favorites, these beauty picks seriously impressed our reviewers and earned their titles as best of the best.
Keep scrolling to learn more about the Shop TODAY Beauty Award winners seen on the show, and be sure to check out the full list of winners here.
Beauty Awards winners seen on TODAY
Anti-aging and acne-clearing LED masks are such an investment, so one that can offer red, blue and infrared light treatments plus under-eye cooling in one makes a smart buy for the beauty lover who wants to get the most bang for their buck.
Our winner for most innovative skin tool, this mask from Shark seriously impressed deputy editorial director Alexandra Deabler. She says it's a favorite 6 to 8 minute part of her day, and she has actually noticed visible results!
Brach calls this body moisturizer from Tula one of those “instant gratification“ products, so it’s no surprise it won an award for its immediate results and scored a perfect five. It gives you all-day hydration and works to balance the skin barrier, which is key since we tend to lose moisture in the skin as we age.
Social media editor Kara Quill loved everything about the product, including how quickly it absorbed and made a visible difference. “I noticed that the second I applied the product to my legs, the little red dots from shaving literally went away — I was stunned!”
The brand is offering 40% off the Barrier Balance Ceramide Body Moisturizer through June 24 with code TODAY.
Did you know you can use retinol in eye patches for targeting wrinkles and crow’s feet? These non-irritating patches with retinol, bakuchiol, rose water and hibiscus help to soothe, plump and hydrate the under-eye area, giving visible results in just 10 minutes.
Our testers say they’re hooked, and they love the teardrop shape that helps to cover both the under-eye area and outer corners.
Whether you’re a regular salon-goer or you just want to boost your nail health, Brach says this Essie treatment is a must-have. It gives a low-maintenance, ‘your nails but better’ look and scored a perfect five out of five.
“To use, apply in thin layers, allowing to dry for up to 10 minutes,” Brach instructs. “Wear it alone or as a base coat for your regular polish — it’ll act like a shield from damage for your nails!”
In case you missed it, Versed launched a makeup line a few months back, and this skin tint didn’t disappoint. It’s a serum, makeup and SPF 40 all in one, with buildable coverage that lasts all day.
For an anti-aging makeup routine, celebrity makeup artist Lauren D’Amelio Ventre recommends including products like this that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid. “These are great for smoothing texture while preventing creasing, settling and dullness of makeup,” D’Amelio Ventre explains.
Scoring a perfect five out of five, this new launch contains a blend of vitamin C and E, and ferulic acid (aka. superstar ingredients for evening out skin tone, fading dark spots and fine lines and giving you a gorgeous glow).
Commerce editor and producer Julie Ricevuto reports that it's fast absorbing and non-greasy, with results that are comparable to much more expensive options, but at a fraction of the price.
Beauty Awards winners seen on 3rd Hour of TODAY
Another total steal at under $10, this is basically everything you could want out of a daily staple mascara: it creates instantly longer, thicker lashes, has impressive wear time and never clumps. The brand shares that it is formulated with a lash-caring complex to deeply condition, and it also tints your lashes over time.
You know when you take off a nose strip and feel so satisfied seeing how much gunk it pulled out of your pores? One of our testers said that this is like that, but for your whole face — and far less irritating to remove. Just apply an even layer to clean, dry skin, leave on for 20 minutes and peel it all off in one piece.
“This mask felt like both a soothing spa treatment and a vacuum for my pores,” gushes producer Melea McCreary.
Dr. Groot is a huge name in Korean hair care for their thickening products, and Murphy has been loving this new launch. The scalp treatment targets common issues like buildup and hair loss, with dermatologist-approved ingredients like rosemary oil, niacinamide and salicylic acid. After rinsing out your shampoo, Brach suggests massaging this formula into a damp scalp and leaving it on while you wash your body to reap the benefits before rinsing it out.
One of our reviewers says using this eye cream was "like opening a gift every night." Who doesn't want their skin care routine to feel like that? The powerful formula minimizes dark circles, reduces shadows and brightens the whole under-eye area, all without irritating thanks to a gentle concentration of vitamin C.
Our skin can be more prone to breakouts in the summer, so gentle exfoliation is key, especially for fading those pesky dark spots. Writer Danielle Murphy found these brightening toner pads and says they made a world of difference for her acne-prone skin, helping to fade dark spots she has had for years. Users claim they can't live without these anymore!
Plus, get 20% off the Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Toner Pads with code TODAY through June 24.
This affordable serum contains ectoin and niacinamide, which our panel of experts says is "meant to treat the skin throughout the day, helping to improve tone, texture and luminosity over time."
"My skin is super sensitive to flushing/rosacea and this active did not irritate or dry me out me at all," reports meteorologist Angie Lassman, adding that it helped brighten her skin. "I used it every morning and found that it laid well under my moisturizer."
Beauty Awards winners seen on TODAY with Jenna & Friends
Consider your search for the best concealer for mature skin over, because this new launch from It Cosmetics claims to plump wrinkles, hydrate the under-eye area and brighten dull skin. The hydrating concealer has a creaseless, buildable medium coverage with a radiant finish, which Brach says is the key to not looking cakey. It comes in more than two dozen shades, so you can find your flawless match.
Lip oils have the shine and sheer color of a gloss, but with a bit more of a cushion, making them feel super nourishing while on. Plus, this lip oil is packed with ingredients you’d normally find in a balm, like hyaluronic acid. The light pink shade is universally flattering and adds a barely there pigment that testers say attracted a ton of compliments.
Forget the days of scrubbing your eye makeup off endlessly at the end of the day. This one gets every last stitch of makeup off, with no need to back in and fix — even around the eyes! The brand says the sensitive skin-friendly formula leans on natural ingredients like goat milk and micelles to cleanse without stripping the skin or leaving behind any residue.
Did you know that curly hair is naturally drier? Hair stylist Rogerio Cavalcante from The Second Floor Salon says it's because the shape of the curls makes it harder for the natural oils to travel down the hair shaft. But a good leave-in conditioner like this one can take you from frizzy to smooth and defined almost instantly. Plus, it helps with detangling!
We all know by now that retinol is an effective, dermatologist-approved ingredient for anti-aging, but it can be tough to figure out how much to use. That’s why we like these twist-off capsules, which come pre-measured in single doses that are so easy to travel with and act as a one-step skin care superhero. Plus, the brand is offering 30% off with code TODAY through June 23.
More Beauty Awards winners to shop
Our winner for best tinted lip balm gives a sheer, "your lips but better" boost of color while nourishing dry lips. It contains shea butter, beeswax and vitamins C and E, and quickly became a favorite on the Shop TODAY team for its efficacy and value.
This clear, waterproof brow laminating gel will lock your arches in place through summer sweat and humidity. Users love the dual-ended applicator, which allows you to comb and brush through brows before applying the gel to get every stray hair to lay down exactly where you want it.
This potent, travel-friendly exfoliator contains salicylic acid and papaya enzymes to improve texture and minimize pores and acne over time. It earned the award for best overall exfoliator, blowing away our testers with its "just add water" activation and noticeable results.
Yes, you're reading that right — this viral can might look like a topping for your favorite desserts, but it's really a sunscreen mousse that contains SPF 30 and smells divine, per testers. Since staying protected under the sun is so important, we're so here for a sunscreen that you'll actually want to reapply this summer!
This brow product is about to be your new BFF for creating perfect sculpted arches, with a spoolie brush, brow pencil and a clear gel all in one. It comes in five shades, and the brand says it even doubles as an eyeliner, thanks to a clean, vegan formula that’s safe to use around the eyes.
“To use, just fluff and tame stray hairs with the brush,” begins Brach. “Use the pencil to create hair-like strokes and fill in any sparse areas, and then lock it all in with the clear gel to freeze everything in place.”
Promising a crease-proof formula that is both long-wearing and nourishing, this stick concealer landed on our winners list because it lives up to its claims and looks mighty fine doing it. A new launch from Tarte, this waterproof formula comes in 48 shades so you can find your perfect match.
Summer heat and humidity are no match for this latest launch from Color Wow. The hairspray dries fast, locking in your style with heat protection and UV protection, the brand shares. As its name claims, it’ll help you achieve big, voluminous style on any hair type that doesn’t feel sticky or weighed down.
Able to take you from day to night, this lip treatment is worth every penny, per our testers. It smooths fine lines and blurs any imperfections in the lips, keeping your pout hydrated and glossy around the clock.
Milk Makeup recently launched a skin tint that has become a fast favorite among the Shop TODAY team. We had four editors of different skin types and tones try the product, and each complimented its buildable coverage, comfortable feel and powerful 12-hour wear. Plus, the skin tint is filled with skin care ingredients, like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, so those with sensitive and acne-prone skin can enjoy it, too.
Want to wake up to minimized pores? This formula's jelly glaze-like texture wraps your skin overnight and works to retexturize, renew and brighten skin while you sleep. If your skin is new to acids, the brand notes to ease into this one by using once per week to start.
There's a reason this plumping gel took home the award for best overall moisturizer — our testers couldn't think of a single thing they disliked about it. Wearing beautifully under makeup and also doubling as an overnight lotion, it worked well across a variety of skin types and has a lightweight feel.
Some luxury beauty products are truly worth the splurge, and Tatcha's dewy milk moisturizer is one of them. Hitting store shelves today, we got to the try the new product out early and already fell in love with its innovative, oil-balancing formula and fluid consistency that's perfect for summer.
Meet the experts
- Adrianna Brach is the editorial director at Shop TODAY, with over a decade of experience as an editor covering beauty, fashion and shopping.
- Lauren D’Amelio Ventre is a celebrity makeup artist, educator and brand founder of D’Amelio Cosmetics and The Art of Enhancement.
- Rogerio Cavalcante is a hairstylist and the founder of The Second Floor Salon.
- Shop TODAY is a team of shopping editors and writers who spend hours every day finding the best new products, tried-and-true favorites and more that are worth shopping, according to our high standards.
How we chose
Shop TODAY’s 2025 Beauty Awards is our third annual iteration of the franchise, where our team of editors and staffers across the entire TODAY team try and review more than 500 products to find the best items on the market. From retinols to lip products to cuticle oils and more, this list is everything that has earned the Shop TODAY stamp of approval.
We sorted through nearly 1,500 new launches, editor recommendations, trending and tried-and-true products to come up with 165 winners. We hosted in-office glam sessions and incorporated products into our everyday beauty routines to determine which picks would surpass our sky-high standards when it comes to value, satisfaction and quality. Over the course of five months, our team of editors and writers tried products in every beauty category — hair, body, skin and makeup — swatching and slathering what felt like endless formulas. Finally, our panel of experts reviewed some of our winners to give their sign-off based on ingredients and other factors.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
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