Stock your vanity with the products we can’t stop talking about.
Whether you’re a minimalist or someone who can’t wait to try the latest beauty products, there’s no denying the importance of keeping your vanity stocked with the essentials—and a few extras just for fun. The right skin, hair, and makeup products can do just as much for your confidence and well-being as they can for your appearance. That’s why we pored over hundreds of products and tested dozens of expert-approved picks in search of those worthy of your attention.
The winners of our 2023 Beauty Awards include hydrating cleansers, non-toxic nail polishes, serums for thinning hair, and so much more. They’re from industry-leading brands you’re sure to recognize as well as newer names you’ll be excited to tell your friends you discovered first. All are backed by experts and have been vetted by editors. Our picks vary in price from affordable to splurge-worthy, so no matter your budget, there’s something for everyone.
How we chose the 2023 Beauty Awards winners
To select the winners of Prevention’s 2023 Beauty Awards, our editors chose 37 categories, representing nearly 1,000 possible products. A diverse variety of experts narrowed the options, recommending top picks for products in their fields.
Board-certified dermatologists shared their favorite face and body care products for glowing skin at every age. Celebrity nail artists provided their go-to nail care products for strengthening and nourishing manicures. Prevention’s beauty director and celebrity makeup artists gave us their must-haves for getting dolled up without sacrificing skin health. Celebrity hair stylists and trichologists let us in on their favorite hair tools, serums, shampoos, and more for healthy strands.
With those choices in hand, a final round of editor testing determined the list of the absolute best beauty products of 2023, including newcomers and trusted favorites.
1BEST FACE CLEANSERCeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
“This cleanser effectively gets rid of dirt and buildup without leaving the skin feeling dry. It contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and ceramides to support and strengthen the skin barrier. It’s a great option for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin, as it is fragrance-free.” —Dr. Garshick
2BEST FACE EXFOLIATORSunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment Face Serum
“This exfoliating serum helps eliminate dead skin cells and improve overall texture and tone using lactic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid. Because lactic acid is a larger molecule than glycolic acid, it is a particularly good option for those with sensitive skin. This product also contains licorice and lemongrass which work together to brighten discoloration while also using prickly pear extract, which helps soothe the skin and reduce redness.” —Dr. Garshick
3BEST FACE SERUMLa Roche-Posay Vitamin C Serum
“This is a basic skincare staple (vitamin C is needed by everyone, every morning!) to neutralize damaging oxidative sources. With salicylic acid to keep skin bright and smooth and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, it’s super lightweight and easy to apply under sunscreen.” —Dr. Nazarian
4BEST EYE CREAMRoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Eye Balm
“A brightening eye balm, this product uses vitamin C and peptides to brighten and firm the under-eye skin while reducing puffiness and dark circles. Plus, a cooling applicator stick makes it easy to apply and helps depuff skin.” —Dr. Garshick
5BEST FACE MOISTURIZERCetaphil Daily Oil-Free Hydrating Lotion
“This product is so light that it absorbs right into your skin. It is oil free, so it can be used for even acne prone skin, but it contains hyaluronic acid, so it is super hydrating for dry skin, too.” —Dr. Jaliman
6BEST FACE SUNSCREENColorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50
“This product is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic. It also contains 12% zinc oxide, an excellent physical sunscreen. It has niacinamide to even skin color and bisabolol, an anti-inflammatory, to soothe skin.” —Dr. Jaliman
7BEST FACE SKIN TOOLSolaWave 4-in-1 Advanced Skincare Wand
“Combining microcurrent, facial massage, light therapy, and warmth, this at-home treatment helps stimulate the muscles, reduce puffiness, improve the appearance of breakouts and blemishes, boost collagen, and enhance penetration of other skincare products. The brand recommends using it just five minutes per day, three times per week.” —Dr. Garshick
8BEST RAZORBillie Razor Starter Kit
“This razor uses 5 sharp blades and is encased in aloe moisturizer to help achieve a gentle and smooth shave. The ergonomic handle is shower-friendly, and there is also a magnetic holder to place your razor in between uses.” —Dr. Garshick
9BEST BODY WASHNaturium The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Hydrating Body Wash
“This has become one of my absolute favorites! It is formulated with glycerin, a blend of linoleic-rich oils, plant-derived squalane, and other humectants and is very moisturizing. I love how my skin feels like silk after using this body wash.” —Dr. Luke
10BEST BODY LOTIONAveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion
“This lotion contains glycerin and shea butter for incredible hydration. It also contains an oat complex, which is extremely soothing. It absorbs into the skin quickly, so you can put your clothes on immediately.” —Dr. Jaliman
11BEST HAND CREAM
Curél Extreme Dry Hand Relief Cream“This product is super hydrating because it contains ceramides, which improve the barrier protection for your hands.” —Dr. Jaliman
12BEST DEODORANTDove Ultimate Antiperspirant Deodorant Sticks
“I love the peony and rose scent of this water-based product. It contains glycerin and other hydrating ingredients to keep the skin barrier healthy.” —Dr. Nazarian
13BEST FOOT CREAMEucerin Advanced Repair Foot Cream
“This product is fragrance free and contains ceramides and glycerin, so it’s extremely hydrating. It also contains lactic acid to help exfoliate dead skin.” —Dr. Jaliman
14BEST BODY SUNSCREENEltaMD UV AOX Mist Broad-Spectrum SPF 40
“This mineral sunscreen is lightweight and won’t feel greasy while still leaving the skin feeling hydrated. It has a white-to-clear technology that makes it easy to see how much you’re applying but then absorbs easily without a white cast. It also contains antioxidants to help protect against free-radical damage.” —Dr. Garshick
15BEST SUNSCREEN FOR DARK SKIN TONESBlack Girl Sunscreen Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30
“I love this because it is cruelty-free and reef safe and goes on sheer without leaving a white residue on darker skin types. I also love this brand because they have increased awareness around the myths of wearing sunscreen in communities of color and advocate for sun safety behaviors in people of color.” —Dr. Luke
16BEST SERUM FOR THINNING HAIRRene Rurterer Paris Triphasic Reactional Concentrated Serum
“The individual ampules that come with this serum accommodate all hair types. For instance, those with thick, dense hair would apply the complete ampule, and people with thinner, finer hair can get two applications per ampule. It’s also water-based, so it’s easily layered with other scalp and haircare products.” —Hill
17BEST SHAMPOO FOR DRY SCALPBriogeo Be Gentle and Kind Aloe & Oat Milk
“I love the combination of the oat milk and aloe—excellent plant hydration for the skin on the scalp. This is also hypoallergenic, which is important when managing dry and dehydrated scalp skin, which can be a symptom of allergic reactions to shampoos and other hair products.” —Hill
18BEST CONDITIONER FOR OILY HAIRL’Oréal Paris Elvive Rebalancing Conditioner
“This clarifying conditioner purifies oily roots and hydrates dry lengths. It leaves hair looking beautifully fresh and clean from root to tip.” —Fowles
19BEST SERUM FOR CURLSDavines This Is a Curl Building Serum
“This is one of the best foundational serums that can be layered with many types of curly to tightly coiled defining and stretching creams.” —Hill
20BEST WET BRUSHPattern Beauty Shower Brush
“This brush is ideal for thick dense hair to properly separate and evenly distribute product onto tightly coiled hair for optimal definition.” —Hill
21BEST HAIR MASK FOR ALL HAIR TYPESChris Appleton + Colorwow Money Masque
“A deeply hydrating hair treatment for all hair types, this is one of my favorite masks. It has a weightless formula that instantly absorbs into the hair and leaves no waxy, heavy build-up. It also penetrates deep to help strengthen, repair, and renew suppleness. I love that it’s for all hair types and offers heat protection.” —Fowles
22BEST HAIR TOOLBeachwaver S1 Dual Voltage Rotating Curling Iron
“This revolutionary styling tool created by a female hairstylist is unlike anything else on the market and was a game-changer for me, allowing me to easily curl my hair every day so it looks like I’ve been to the salon. It rotates at the click of a button, winding sections of hair around the barrel for you, which takes the guesswork out of curling hair and makes it so effortless and fast, I can curl my whole head in just a few minutes.” —Franzino
23BEST HEAT PROTECTANTKérastase Paris Genesis Defense Thermique Blow Dry Primer
“This is a protective, nourishing, styling treatment designed for weakened hair. You can dry it into the hair daily before blow drying or heat styling. It helps protect the hair from heat up to 428°F, reducing the risk of hair-fall due to breakage. Hair is shiny and soft with a silky touch when finished.” —Fowles
24BEST SHAMPOO FOR COLOR-TREATED HAIRGoldwell Dualsenses Color Brilliance Shampoo
“Developed by one of my favorite professional color lines, Goldwell’s ability to retain high shine in their products is unmatched. This shampoo has been a go-to of mine for over 20 years, and each reformulation gets better and better. This shampoo settles the color molecules and imparts hydration to minimize dryness and color fade.” —Hill
25BEST CONDITIONER FOR FINE HAIROuai Fine Hair Conditioner
“This product is great for fine hair because it’s lightweight, nourishing, and it has some amazing ingredients. It also has a beautiful soft scent of lemon, jasmine, and white musk. It adds volume, softness, and strengthens fine hair types.” —Fowles
26BEST HAIR OIL FOR CURLY HAIRLiving Proof Moisturizing Shine Oil
“This product is a silicone-free, biomimetic oil that mimics hair’s natural lipids to smooth, hydrate, and boost shine to curls. It also provides frizz protection.” —Fowles
27BEST NAIL STRENGTHENEROPI Repair Mode Bond Building Nail Serum
“It literally rebuilds the keratin lost in weak and brittle nails. You can use it as a daily serum for nails while you’re giving them a break, or apply it while doing manicures.” —Mosh
28BEST NAIL POLISH REMOVERCutex Ulta-Powerful Nail Polish Remover
“Truly an all-in-one product at a fantastic price point, it removes gel polish too. The first time I tried it, I knew it would be a mainstay in my kit.” —Kandalec
29BEST NON-TOXIC NAIL POLISHJin Soon Nail Polish
“Jin Soon nail polish is 21-free and formulated by one of the first celebrity and high-fashion manicurists! The founder and the polish are the best.” —Mosh
30BEST CUTICLE OILCND Solar Oil
“This is a tried and true classic for many nail artists. It doesn’t have an offensive smell and it blends with hand lotions seamlessly. I always have a bottle on hand!” —Mosh
31BEST TOP-COATSally Hansen Color Therapy Top Coat
“More than just a clear polish, this is a top coat with benefits thanks to five fortifying botanical oils like argan and sunflower. Wear it as a last layer to seal in your polish or alone for a glossy, healthy-looking finish.” —Franzinoc