Toward the end of each year, Allure releases their highly anticipated “Best of Beauty” list. The list contains what Allure deems to be the best beauty products of that particular year. The list is divided into several different categories such as hair, skin, tools, fragrance, lips and more. They also include categories featuring the best luxury products, as well as the best budget-friendly products. Brands from across the globe submit their products to be featured on the list and Allure goes through a rigorous review, analysis and testing process to narrow down their winners.
Being a college student, I know that despite having a passion for beauty, nobody has time to scroll through 391 products to see what won. To save you lots of time, I did just that. Here are my top five products from Allure’s Best of Beauty list.
1. Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Gloss Balm
The Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Gloss Balm was named the best untinted lip balm. This product is meant to be a hydrating, non-sticky lip balm that repairs and moisturizes the lips for a flawless look. Some of its key ingredients include hyaluronic acid, kakadu plum blend and raspberry extract that gives it a subtle yet refreshing scent.
According to Sephora, the average rating of this product is 4.6 stars. I own this product and I have to say, the reviews are 1000% true. I love this gloss balm and I use it every single day whether I’m wearing makeup or not. Priced at $22, I think it’s worth it and deserving of its award.
2. Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil
The Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil was named the best finishing oil. It’s meant for every hair type and texture so this hair oil nourishes your hair while keeping your frizz tamed and hair shiny. Free of many harsh ingredients, this product truly locks in moisture after styling hair, allowing it to look effortlessly perfect all day long.
Sephora lists its average rating as 4.2 stars, making it a popular purchase among shoppers. I also own this hair oil. I have very curly hair and to keep the crunch out of my curls I need to lock them in with a good hair oil. This Gisou product has always been my go-to. It makes my curls super soft and bouncy. It’s a bit on the pricey side as it’s listed at $46, but it’s worth the investment.
3. Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
The Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter was named the best powder highlighter under the base category. This highlighter is free of many harmful ingredients while still creating the most beautiful shimmer on your face. It comes in four different shades, allowing anyone to achieve the perfect glow on their face no matter what their skin tone is. Sephora lists its average rating at 4.3 stars, making it one of the top rated highlighters at Sephora.
I own this highlighter in the shade Exhilarate, which has a subtle gold shimmer. My absolute favorite thing about this highlighter is how a little bit goes a very long way. I’ve had it for more than a year now and I’ve barely made a dent in it. It gives off a long-lasting, shimmery glow to your face and elevates any look to a 10/10. The highlighter is listed at $25 and considering how long it will take me to use the whole thing that is certainly a steal.
4. Patrick Ta Major Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo
The contour and bronzer duo by Patrick Ta was named the best contour palette in the base category. This easy-to-blend duo creates the ultimate sculpted look, making anyone’s face look snatched to perfection. While the contour shade and bronzer shade are slightly different, the two pair together nicely, adding extra dimension to your face when both are applied.
The product comes in five different finishes, which means that there is a shade for every skin tone. Sephora lists the average rating of this product at 4.6 stars, making it a bestseller on their site. I own this duo in the shade She’s Sculpted, which is for medium-colored skin that has a cool undertone. I don’t necessarily have medium skin or a cool undertone, but this shade compliments my skin beautifully. It’s not too light or too dark, and it adds so much dimension to my face. It’s priced at $40, but if you can get your hands on it, it’s really a great product.
5. Tula Skincare Glow + Get It Cooling & Brightening Eye Balm
Tula’s eye balm was named the best depuffing eye balm by Allure in their Skin category. This eye balm combines probiotic extracts and superfoods for the skin that create the ultimate depuffed and glowy look underneath the eyes. It’s meant to hydrate your under eyes and reduce signs of aging. Not only does it reduce aging, but it contains caffeine which helps make you look much more lively and awake. As a college student, that is a dream come true in a product.
Its average rating on Amazon is 4.4 stars, making it a very popular product. I used to own this eye balm and I have to say it’s really wonderful. It definitely reduced my under eye bags and made them look more alive. I naturally have very dark under eyes and my dark circles reduced significantly with this product. The only reason I didn’t repurchase this was because it’s not really rosacea-friendly. It’s listed at $38, and it’s definitely worth it for those without sensitive skin.
Although these are only a few of the products that received awards from Allure, each of these products are absolutely amazing and will surely give you the results you’re looking for. Since these are not the only products that won, you should take a look at the full list of winners if you have a chance.