Welcome back to another edition of my annual Keep Calm and Chiffon Beauty Awards!
As many of you know, growing up I read a lot of magazines (and even went on to be an editor at Nylon and Interview) and one of my favorite yearly traditions was end-of-year round-ups and awards.
Nylon in particular used to do incredible yearly issues with some really amazing editorial photo shoots dedicated to the best beauty products of the year.
Here They Are: The 2023 Beauty Awards Winners
I hosted my first Beauty Awards six years ago (!!!) on my YouTube channel but in 2021 and 2022 I switched over to hosting the awards on my blog to make it much easier to scroll through and shop.
As a beauty creator I am in the extremely privileged position to receive gifted products from brands. However, I am under no obligation to give them a positive review, recommend them, or even talk about them at all unless I choose to do so at my own editorial discretion. Like right now!
So, with that being said every product I’m sharing here are products I genuinely love, have used heavily throughout 2023 and recommend that you check out.
I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the beauty brands that have sent me products this year. I absolutely love receiving and testing the latest and greatest things you’re creating and this post would not be possible without the access I am given to test products. I am extremely grateful.
As you’ll see there are some products that are three, four or even five time winners, so pay extra close attention to those because you’ll know they stand the test of time and that they’ve become staples in my beauty collection.
I am the one and only judge here so I am likely mentioning the shade or version that I personally use. But keep in mind, you may find another shade of the same product would be a better match for you.
For reference, here is my beauty breakdown:
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Skin tone: light
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Skin type: normal to dry
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Hair type: straight
Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “Let’s get on with the show, Austen!”
Without further ado, presenting the 83 best beauty products of 2023 according to, well, me!
best of beauty 2023: Skin
I truly feel like my skincare routine is an essential part of my day. Whether I’m starting the day with eye masks or ending it with a luscious facial oil, I take great pride in taking care of my skin and these are my favorite products that helped me look radiant in 2023.
best of beauty 2023: Hair
I am proud to say that I think I experimented with more hair products this year than I ever have before. There were some truly standout new launches in 2023 that have knocked some repeat winners off of the podium this year—so I can promise they’ll impress you just like they impressed me.
Best of beauty 2023: Lips
best of beauty 2023: Face
Best of beauty 2023: eyes
The eyes have it! (I make this joke every year let me live.) For me, this year was all about keeping it simple and practical in the eye category, which I’ll be the first to admit isn’t the most exciting but it has made doing makeup every day super easy. Long live laminating brow gels and one-swipe eyeshadow sticks!
Best of Beauty 2023: Nails
Sometimes, a few simple products are all you need. My love of press-ons is still going strong (I wore them for my bachelorette weekend and bridal shower.) But taking care of your nails is key too—I learned this after getting gel extensions for my wedding.
Best Quick-Dry Nail Polish: Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish in Buns Up
The Best Clear Top Coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish Shiny Top Coat (Two Time Winner)
Best Remover: Zoya Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover (Four Time Winner)
Best Nail File: Olive & June Nail File 3 Pack (Two Time Winner)
The Best Nail Repair Treatment: Sally Hansen Repair + Rescue Super Strength Defense (Two Time Winner)
Best Press-On Nails: imPRESS Press-On Nails Collaboration with Love Shack Fancy (Two Time Winner)
Shop these nail products:
Best of beauty 2023: body
Body is one of my favorite categories every year because I truly you don’t need to splurge to have high impact (unless we’re talking about the Paula’s Choice sunscreen—not a splurge per say but I wish I could buy a larger bottle of this.) Caring for your skin from the neck down is key, so remember that going into 2024.
Best of Beauty 2023: Tools & Accessories
I am absolutely floored that I have never included tools & accessories as a category before. Where else can I rave about Conair hair tools (affordable and effective) and my Amazon ice roller for de-puffing? Not to mention the things I literally could not do my makeup without—brushes and sponges!
Best Dermaplaning Tool: Versed Instant Gratification At-Home Dermaplaning Tool
Best Ice Roller: ESARORA Ice Roller for Face & Eye
The Best Face Roller: Herbivore Jade De-Puffing Face Roller
Best Makeup Brushes: Sigma Beauty (all brushes but especially contour and eyeshadow shading brushes)
Best Beauty Sponge: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
The Best Hairbrush: BESTOOL Boar & Nylon Bristle Hair Brush
Best Hair Elastics: Gimmie Beauty No Damage Hair Ties
Best Silk Scrunchies: Slip Silk Large Scrunchies
The Best Curling Iron: Conair Infiniti 1” Ceramic Curling Iron
Best Hair Dryer: Conair Infiniti Pro 3Q Hair Dryer
The Best Tweezers: Tweezerman Slant Tweezers
Best Razor: Joy Razor (Five Time Winner)
Shop these tools and accessories:
Best of beauty 2023: fragrance
Well, I really am a creature of habit when it comes to fragrance, however this was the year I was introduced to Replica On a Date by Maison Margiela Fragrances which I loved SO MUCH I wore it at my wedding. It is fresh and floral without being too sweet.
Best of beauty 2023: Product of the year
I thought long and hard about the product of the year and the end of the day, the Supergoop! Glow Screen came out on top! I know this is not a new product but it was the one I was reaching for over and over again this year. I wear the shade Golden Hour and I love it because I can use it as a base for makeup, a skin tint on its own and of course we love that it has SPF. I’ve gotten so many compliments on my skin this year and I believe I owe it to Supergoop! My runner(s) up were the amika Mirrorball Shampoo and Conditioner, which launched this year.
Best of beauty 2023: best collab
This was a late entry to the best of 2023 given it just was released a few weeks ago but I can’t get over the creativity of the collaboration between Glossier and Starface! Not only is this a PERFECT product collaboration—utilizing Glossier’s designs of their physical stickers and turning them into acne stickers alongside Starface but I think the brands have very similar backstories and customers so it felt very organic and aligned. Hats off to both brands!
Best of beauty 2023: brand of the year
When it came time to select the brand of the year, it was clear to me the choice was Milk Makeup. For me it wasn’t about any crazy marketing campaigns or viral videos—it was truly a brand where every single product I tried from them this year I loved and added into my day-to-day rotation. I especially need to shout out the hydro grip line because those formulas in particular are just to die for. Congratulations to Milk!
