The Best of Beauty Awards Reward Characterful Scents, Latest Skincare, And Earth-Conscious Make-Up

What’s big in beauty this year? From characterful scents to the latest skincare and earth-conscious make-up, discover this year’s best beauty at Selfridges.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

There are some products that go from being backstage secrets to social media superstars, and Flawless Filter is the ultimate ‘hype’ product that has earnt its place in the beauty hall of fame. Popping up in make-up artists’ kits for years, this complexion-enhancer-meets-liquid-highlighter gives skin that ‘filtered’ effect that cheats a glow from within and works alone or under foundation. Pretty much any beauty tutorial will start with this stuff – although there have been thousands of dupes since its conception, nothing beats the OG.

THE ICONIC PALETTE” ISAMAYA Industrial Colour Pigments Eye Shadow Palette

This high-concept, 14-pan palette is packed with pigmented shades – from rich greens to burnt copper and iridescent white – so you can let your creative juices flow. This is not a beige wallflower palette; it’s a bold extrovert that promises you a good time.

ACE OF BASE: NARS Light Reflecting Foundation

NARS complexion products are legendary (you won’t find a dud in the collection), and their Light Reflecting Foundation is no exception. This next-generation formula is a blend of make-up and skincare that offers long-lasting hydration (so you don’t get dry, flaky skin throughout the day) for a lightweight-yet-buildable finish. It comes in 36 shades across cool and warm undertones that blur, smooth and give a natural radiance to the skin. We’re smitten.

BEST CULT FRAGRANCE: PHLUR Missing Person Eau de Parfum

“PHLUR caught my eye from across the pond after seeing the frenzy of the Missing Person waitlist. I knew we had to have it,” said Selfridges fragrance buyer, Laurie Field. Despite being a newcomer to the Selfridges roster, PHLUR has already made a big impact. Founder Chriselle Lim describes the viral scent, Missing Person, as bottling up that nostalgic feeling of missing a lover after they’ve left. Made up of comforting white musk, jasmine, orange blossom and sandalwood, it’s the right balance of provocative and cosy.

Champions of sustainability

CRUELTY-FREE: The Ordinary – Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

The Ordinary’s cruelty-free formulas regularly hit bestseller lists. This serum contains two star ingredients, niacinamide and zinc, to battle blemishes and pigmentation – perfect for stressed or acne-prone skin.

REFILL: Dries Van Noten Refillable Fragrance and Lipstick

One of the most encouraging changes within beauty is the number of high-profile brands switching up their packaging for more planet-friendly options. Dries Van Noten’s first foray into beauty was an entire line of exquisitely bottled fragrances and lipsticks that are refillable. The perfumes themselves have been an instant hit with fragrance fans and beauty editors alike, with favourites including Rock The Myrrh and Fleur du Mal.

BEAUTY VEGAN AWARD: Aesop Resurrection Duet

Can you even post a pic of your bathroom without this cult hand wash and lotion duo by the sink? Aesop is a definite Selfridges favourite, thanks to its chic apothecary-style packaging, addictive scents and skin-loving vegan formulas. The beloved Resurrection Aromamatique scent blends zesty orange, rosemary and lavendar that happily lingers on the skin. We’ll always have a place for Aesop in our bathroom.

BEAUTY LAUNCH OF THE YEAR 2022: r.e.m. beauty

The department store welcomed Ariana’s collection exclusively to UK soil earlier this year, when fans flocked to the stores to get their hands on the products, so the beauty experts simply had to vote it Launch of the Year. Comprising eyeshadow palettes and liners (to create Ari’s signature look), to a fab lipstick and the instantly trending concealers and undereye balm: the range is as colourful and fun as you’d expect from Ari.

THE SUNDAY BEAUTY RITUAL AWARD: Olaplex – N°8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask

Is there anything better than locking the bathroom door, running a bath and hitting play on a ‘Chill Tracks’ playlist? Naturally, Sunday feels like the day to indulge in a little TLC – and masking is always high on our agenda. Olaplex’s intense moisture mask seeks out broken bonds in your hair (caused by chemical and heat damage) to repair strands and return them to their former glory.

SKIN SAVIOUR AWARD: Augustinus Bader The Cream

With advocates including Victoria Beckham and Margot Robbie, the potent formula harnesses stem cell research to repair signs of damage, renew the skin’s texture and plump it more over time. Win, win.

THE RIDE-OR-DIE LIP: Hourglass – Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm

The skin-loving formula delivers the hydration of a lip balm, the fullness of a lip plumper (with no weird stinging) and the high shine of a lip gloss. There’s a few nude shades – perfect with a lip liner for a more natural everyday look – or you can layer a pink or red shade over a bold lipstick for a more high-impact affair.

BEST BLOCKBUSTER SCENT: Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land Eau de Parfum

Smelling equally gorgeous on both men and women, Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land Eau de Parfum blends Turkish rose absolute and petals with spicy pink pepper, sweet raspberry and woody papyrus for a modern take on rose that’s grown-up and elegant.

BEST BEAUTY GADGET: By Dr. Vali – Cutis: The Ultimate Micro-Contouring Tool

Taking the top spot for Gadget of the Year is the By Dr. Vali Cutis contouring tool. “After years in the making, unveiling the new Dr. Vali 360 Experiential Centre was definitely a highlight this year,” said Head of Beauty Buying, Melissa McGinnis. Alongside the innovative space in store, Dr. Vali launched Cutis, a micro-contouring tool that delivers high-powered sonic waves to depuff the skin, boost radiance and lift and tighten.

HAIR HERO: OUAI – Hair Oil

The hair winner of 2022 is this multitasking marvel from OUAI. It was founded by stylist-to-the-stars Jen Atkin, who’s done hair for the likes of Bella Hadid and the Kardashian clan, and knows a thing or two about effortless, cool-girl hair. The brand’s Hair Oil protects from heat, smooths frizz and seals split ends for a healthy, shiny finish (and also happens to smell delightful).

BEST IN WELLBEING: Vida Glow – Natural Marine Collagen

Vida Glow cool branding and clinical research focus on beauty being as much about what you put in your body as on it. Their collagen powder supplements work from the inside out to firm skin, promote thicker hair and build stronger nails as part of your daily routine.

BEST IN BROWS: REFY – 3.0 Stage Brow Kit

When it comes to brows, it’s probably no surprise to beauty fans that REFY took the trophy this year. You’ve likely spotted Brow Sculpt all over Instagram and TikTok, single-handedly defining the 2022 laminated brow look. Alongside the beloved Brow Sculpt, this kit contains a brow pomade and brow pencil, so you can re-create founder Jess Hunt’s recognisable brows for yourself at home.

BEST MASCARA: Gucci Mascara L’Obscur

“Now, I’ve tried a lot of mascaras in my time and this is my number one,” says Grace Gargini. “It’s one of those products that just ticks all the boxes. It lengthens, volumises and doesn’t fall down my face throughout the day.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD: r.e.m. beauty – Midnight Shadows Eyeshadow Palette

And the winner is… r.e.m. beauty – Midnight Shadows Eyeshadow Palette, available in six shades.

r.e.m. beauty blew up on social media when it launched earlier this year (thanks to a TikTok cameo from Ari herself) and this palette was an instant favourite. The pigmented shadows are easy to blend and the Principessa shade palette combines the perfect mix of warm tones in both shimmer and matte textures.