PEOPLE's Beauty Awards 2022: The Best Hair and Makeup Products of the Year
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People and Today are back in the beauty aisle!
For our Beauty Awards, which launched in 2015 and are now in their 8th year, 30 staffers led by Andrea Lavinthal, People's Editorial Director — Style & Beauty — and Jill Martin, Today Lifestyle Contributor, tried 260 skin care, body care, hair care and makeup products that launched in drugstores in 2022 to determine what of the latest is destined for a spot among the greatest.
We lathered, slathered, layered, sprayed and more to find 60 — yes, 60 — budget-friendly finds that deliver and deserve a spot on your vanity.
When it came to hair and makeup, that meant masks had to moisturize without weighing hair down, and mascara had to pile on volume and last hours.
Below, the shampoos, hairsprays, lipsticks and nail treatments that made our testers say: "I'll never use another version of this again!"
If you want to see the products in action, tune into Today on Monday and Tuesday to catch a glimpse of just why some of these 15 hair and 17 makeup winners are so impressive.
BEST HAIR CARE
Best Shampoo & Conditioner for Damaged Hair: Aveeno Hair Plant Protein Blend System
"I'll buy it again and again," one tester said of the strengthening oat, plant protein and chia formula. Find it at walmart.com and amazon.com.
Best Dandruff Shampoo: Cantu Guava & Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Finally: A dandruff shampoo that isn't drying and doesn't smell like, well, a dandruff shampoo. Find it at walmart.com.
Best Hair Serum: Dove Hair Therapy Brilliant Gloss & Repair Serum
Just a few drops of this ceramide-infused styler smooth split ends, flatten flyaways and impart a glossy look. Find it at target.com.
Best Mask for Curls & Coils: Function of Beauty Curly Hair Mask
It's hard to find a mask that hydrates without weighing hair down. But this coconut oil and shea butter one does just that, testers reported. Find it at target.com.
Best Smoothing Treatment: Garnier Fructis Glass Hair Water
This rinse-off liquid uses lamellar technology to leave strands sleek and shiny. "I had my best hair day of the year thanks to this stuff," raved one tester. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Heat Tool: Hairitage Up in the Air Volumizing Brush
Testers said this blew them away. Explained one, "It's so easy to maneuver that I was able to turn my frizzy waves into a professional-looking blowout." Find it at walmart.com.
Best Detangler: Herbal Essences Bio:Renew Detangling Cream
This won over testers—and their husbands ("he commented on how good my hair smelled"). Find it at target.com.
Best Shampoo & Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair: John Frieda Vibrant Shine System
This shine-enhancing system removes dulling residue to keep your color looking fresh between appointments. Find it at walmart.com and amazon.com.
Best Gel: Kim Kimble High Def Curl Gel
If you want the control of a gel, you usually have to put up with some crunch. Not so with this winner, which defined curls while keeping them feeling soft. Find it at walmart.com.
Best Shampoo & Conditioner for Dry Hair: L'Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron Plump Hydrating System
This combo has skin-care superstar hyaluronic acid to add hydration and give hair shampoo-commercial bounce. Find it at walmart.com.
Best Shampoo & Conditioner for Frizz: Nexxus Ultralight Smooth System
Rainy days have nothing on this duo, which contains a mix of polymers and light silicones that block humidity and make hair feel silky. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Mask: Odele Moisture Mask
Whether your hair is totally fried or just needs a hit of moisture, this mask has you covered. "I noticed such an improvement after using it," said one tester. Find it at target.com.
Best Treatment for Color-Treated Hair: Pantene Pro-V Color Enhance Booster Mix-In Shot
After using this concentrated formula, testers said their hair looked as vibrant as the day they'd dyed it. Find it at walmart.com.
Best Scalp Scrub: Sun Bum Revitalizing Detox Scalp Scrub
In addition to the"unreal" aroma, testers loved how this banana and sugar blend left their scalps feeling so clean. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Hairspray: TRESemmé Total Volume Hair Spray
Testers said this did the impossible: It held styles in place for hours while still letting testers run a brush through their hair at the end of the night. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
BEST MAKEUP
Best Brow Pencil: Arches & Halos 2-in-1 Defining Eyebrow Pencil and Powder
With a pencil on one end, a brush on the other and a powder hidden in the middle, this has everything you need to create fuller-looking brows. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Brow Gel: Burt's Bees Power Brow Brow Gel
"It's a must for lazy girls," said one tester of this tinted gel, which creates "thick, fluffy brows" in a couple of coats. Find it at target.com.
Best Liquid Eyeliner: CoverGirl Exhibitionist Lash Enhancing Liquid Eyeliner
Testers loved how this long-lasting one glided along lids. "The felt tip is easy to control—I'm a fan!" said one. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Primer: E.L.F. Cosmetics C-Bright Putty Primer
"I didn't know I needed a primer until I tried this," said one tester. Adds another: "It blends like a dream and really brightens!" Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Nail Treatment: Essie Hard to Resist Nail Strengthener
Using a special bonding technology, this polish transforms weak nails in three days, while the color-correcting tint makes them look instantly healthier. Find it at cvs.com and amazon.com.
Best Powder Eyeshadow: Flower Chrome Crush Pressed Pigments
Our testers had a blast playing with these glittery shadows from Drew Barrymore's brand. "Please tell Drew I want them all!" Find it at cvs.com.
Best Lip Liner: Flower Perfect Pout Sculpting Lip Liner
You'll feel like a pro wielding this "creamy, easy-to-blend" angled liner, which makes application foolproof. Find it at cvs.com.
Best Lipstick: L'Oréal Paris Glow Paradise Balm-in-Lipstick
True to its name, this innovative formula has the moisturizing feel of a balm with the pigment of a lipstick. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Bronzer: L'Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24HR Soft Matte Bronzer
For a natural, sun-kissed look, it doesn't get better than this powder. "It earned a coveted spot in my already full makeup bag!" said one tester. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Liquid Eyeshadow: Lottie London Colour Cloud Matte Liquid Eyeshadow
This formula — which goes on as a liquid but looks like a powder — is a breeze to apply with your fingers and doesn't budge. Find it at walmart.com.
Best Eyeshadow Palette: Maybelline New York Shadow Blocks Stacked Palette
These pretty shadow trios earned extra points for their smart packaging. "My teenager approved of them, which is huge," said a tester. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Liquid Lipcolor: Maybelline New York Super Stay Vinyl Ink Lipcolor
"It's better than most luxury brands," noted one tester, who, like the others, was impressed by this liquid's bold color and creamy feel. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Lip Oil: Milani Cosmetics Fruit Fetish Lip Oil
"It reminds me of the glosses I loved in the 2000s," said one tester of this fruit-scented find, which imparts tons of shine without any stickiness. Find it at walmart.com.
Best Tinted Moisturizer: Pacifica Beauty Kind Tint Tinted Serum
The word "glow" kept coming up in the reviews of this serum. Explained one tester: "It gives you the perfect no-makeup makeup look." Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Multipurpose Stick: Pixi On-the Glow Bronze
This solid tint makes it simple to add a touch of shimmery color to cheeks and lips when you're on the go. Find it at target.com.
Best Highlighter: Winky Lux Cheeky Rose Highlighter
The beautiful packaging delighted testers almost as much as the product itself, which won thanks to its "gorgeous, buildable cream." Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
Best Mascara: Winky Lux ExtravaLash Mascara
As soon as testers got the hang of this"magic" ball-shaped wand, which "grabs every lash," they were hooked. "It created so much curl and volume," raved one. Find it at target.com and amazon.com.
