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From TikTokers smearing CosRx’s “Snail Mucin” on their faces to the collective internet going crazy to buy Patrick Ta’s ever-sold-out blushes, this year’s beauty trends doubled as milestones for 2023. In July, I couldn’t open my phone without seeing dozens of latte makeup tutorials; Towards the end of August, influencers with flushed cheeks and noses were convinced they were “tomato girls”. And amid the chaos, ever-changing products started appearing on our editors’ desks, and one question was desperate to be answered: Is this really worth the hype?
After 12 months of trying, testing, and wearing products for more than 12 hours to see if they met the promised wear time, our editors picked out the beauty trends for 2023 to reveal the very best products of the year. They’re the ones we can’t go a day without, the ones that stand out in a sea of viral products, and the ones we have backups of so we never have to spend a day without them.
Without further ado, we present to you (for the first time ever!) the Amenlifashion 2023 Beauty Awards.
All of the products featured in our Beauty Awards are products our editors actually use and love. We would recommend them to our mothers and sisters just as quickly as we would recommend them to our readers. While some products ended up on our doorstep through PR, most were purchased with our editors’ own money, and they’re all products we ourselves would buy again. Each of these has made a noticeable difference in our daily beauty routine and has been a solution to a makeup need or skin concern every editor has had.
While every product in this article carries our editors’ seal of approval, you’ll notice that each section highlights a “most recommended” product. These were chosen as favorites based on a combination of overall innovation and the naming of several members of our team.
We also provide a breakdown of each of our contributing editors’ hair and skin types to help you find products you’re likely to love, too.
Gone are the days of having to book blowout appointments for special occasions – the Dyson Airwrap gives me a salon-worthy result every time. It’s common knowledge that the Airwrap is a boon, but it saved me money in the long run. The six included attachments allow me to style my hair any way imaginable – curly, straight, wavy – and it creates a sleek, voluminous look that lasts for days. It has also made my hair healthier over time because I use less heat on it, causing less damage.
-Josie
If you’re reading this, you can’t afford the Dyson Airwrap – same thing, girl! With this in mind, I have already tried a Dyson AirWrap and can say without a doubt that the Shark FlexStyle can completely keep up, even in a cheaper price segment. I have curly hair, so the diffuser attachment here is my first choice, and I personally think my curls have never looked better than they have since I got this device. I’ve suffered some serious heat damage to my hair in the past, so I appreciate that my hair doesn’t feel crunchy or damaged after the next wash, even when I use my FlexStyle for a full blow dry.
My $18 Conair 1.5-inch curling iron has been a staple on my bathroom countertop for over eight years. I have the Dyson AirWrap and love it, but when I just need a five-minute hairstyle or a quick touch-up, this affordable curling iron always delivers loose, beachy curls that last for days.
-Meagan
My Dyson hairdryer is the most important step in my hair routine. I could swap out pretty much any other product (which I often do!) and get the same results, but drying my hair with anything other than my Dyson is a challenge. Where other dryers take an hour or more to fully dry my thick, curly hair, with my Dyson I can diffuse and be good to go in about 20 minutes. For a curly girl mWith lots of hair, it’s a real lifesaver. Although I can’t use many of the attachments that come with the dryer, I know from talking to friends with different hair types that it makes just as much of a difference for them too.
As someone with wavy hair, I’m always looking for a flat iron that goes extra hot and leaves my hair silky and smooth. I had heard great things about Kristen Ess hair care products and decided to give this flat iron a try – and my god, it delivered. After several years of use, it is still as good as when I first bought it. It heats up quickly, stays hot, is easy to use and delivers results quickly. And as an added bonus, its sleek design looks great sitting on my countertop. (To be fair, that’s usually where it is.)
Curly girls! This is the best hood on the market – and I’ve tried a few things during my curly hair journey. The satin helps retain moisture, prevent frizz and breakage and maintain the style while you sleep. Most satin bonnets can achieve this, but what sets the Glow by Daye bonnet apart is its size and adjustability. The drawstring ensures a snug fit and prevents the hood from slipping when tossing back and forth. In addition, the large interior space accommodates even the longest curls.
This product has drastically changed my hair routine. While it may seem like a simple satin scrunchie, it’s actually a groundbreaking way to tie your hair for sleep, so you wake up with stunning locks that look like you just came out of a salon. It adds volume without the heat and you can extend your blow-out or waves without touching them up. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to wrap your hair – it only takes a few seconds and you don’t need a mirror.
As someone with extremely curly hair who lives in an area with high humidity and heat, I’m constantly on the lookout for the best anti-frizz products. My hairdresser recently used this heat protectant blow-out spray on me while drying my hair and I was so surprised at how smooth and bouncy my hair looked that I immediately bought it to style my hair at home. The smoothing effect is similar to a keratin treatment for me and keeps my frizz at bay for days. It also protects against heat, which helps keep my hair healthy and shiny in the long term.
I was struggling with hair loss this summer due to some health issues, and when I explained my situation to my hairdresser, she sent me home with this product. Since using it, I’ve noticed that hair loss after showering has drastically reduced, and my hair feels fuller than it did six months ago (my hairdresser even commented on how much new hair I have). come in). This product also protects against heat and gives my hair great shine after blow drying. If you struggle with hair loss frequently, this will be your absolute best friend.
I’ve mastered blow-dry hairstyles at home with my Dyson Airwrap and can extend my hairstyle to a point that has drastically reduced my prep time. But unfortunately, even with the best blow dryer, my hair looks for any opportunity to return to its natural, frizz-prone state—until I started using this product. It is best to apply Liquid Glass generously to wet hair and then blow it out immediately, preferably with a round brush. Unlike other frizz products I’ve tried and quickly given up on, this product feels weightless and doesn’t leave a sticky residue on your hair.
I tried a few different curl creams this year and this one performed the best. This cream leaves my curls feeling hydrated and bouncy without weighing them down, which is crucial for my fine, curly hair. If you have curly hair that is easily weighed down by product, this is your best friend.
As a natural hair girlie who prefers to wear her hair straight, hydration is key to long-term wear. I use this product after every hair wash and the shine it leaves always amazes me. It doesn’t weigh down my hair, which is very important after trying so many products that left my hair heavy and greasy. Another advantage that sets this product apart for me is its subtle, sweet scent that lingers in my hair long after use.
If I had to describe myself in one word it would be “dry” (if I had two it would be “extremely dry”). My skin, my hair – everything just needs constant moisture. Other than that, this is the best product I have found for the health of my long, highlighted hair. It’s a leave-in product that I apply to my dry hair before bed. When I wake up, my hair is shinier, less frizzy, and overall happier. It absorbs completely overnight, so I don’t wake up with my hair feeling greasy or full of product – just like I did with the best deep conditioning mask in the world. This has a permanent place in my hair routine.
