Each year, beauty lovers, professionals, and curious consumers alike look forward to a single, showstopping event: Allure’s Best of Beauty Awards. The 2025 edition is no exception—it’s a celebration of innovation, efficacy, and inclusivity across skincare, haircare, makeup, and wellness. With thousands of products tested and only a few hundred making the final cut, these awards are the gold standard in beauty.
But what makes this year’s roundup even more exciting? A noticeable shift toward age-inclusive beauty. Mature women are no longer an afterthought in product development—they’re being seen, heard, and served with game-changing formulas that address mature skin, evolving hair needs, and the unique beauty goals that come with experience and confidence.
So, whether you’re tackling fine lines, looking for luminosity, or just want products that keep up with your life, here’s a breakdown of the 2025 Best of Beauty winners that really speak to you.
Why the Best of Beauty Awards Still Matter
The Best of Beauty Awards, launched in 1996, have grown into one of the most trusted benchmarks in the beauty world. Allure editors and testers spend months rigorously evaluating over 8,000 products—yes, eight thousand—across categories. They assess everything from ingredients and performance to innovation and packaging. Only the top-tier performers are awarded the signature red seal.
What sets this year apart is the deeper representation of skin tones, hair types, and age groups—especially women over 40, a demographic often overlooked despite having tremendous purchasing power and a strong appetite for quality.
Best Skincare Products of 2025 for Mature Women
1. Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, $28
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is a gentle leave-on exfoliant with salicylic acid that unclogs pores, smooths wrinkles, and brightens skin tone, helping reduce blackheads, blemishes, and redness for clearer, more even-toned skin.
2. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer, $23.99
This gentle, barrier-restoring moisturizer is a favorite among dermatologists. It’s packed with ceramides and niacinamide to help soothe and strengthen skin, which can become drier and more sensitive with age. Bonus: it layers beautifully under makeup.
3. CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, $13.93
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is a gentle, non-foaming cleanser designed for normal to dry skin. Enriched with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, it effectively removes dirt and oil while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture barrier for lasting hydration.
4. Michael Todd Beauty Soniclear Sonic Cleansing System, $139
The Michael Todd Beauty Soniclear Sonic Cleansing System uses advanced sonic technology to deeply cleanse skin, remove impurities, and exfoliate gently, promoting a clearer, smoother, and more radiant complexion.
Makeup Winners That Complement Mature Skin
Makeup can be tricky as you get a little older—products need to enhance without settling into fine lines. These award-winning picks hit the sweet spot:
1. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, $26.15
Celebrated for its buildable, crease-resistant coverage, this concealer remains a makeup artist favorite. It delivers brightness to tired under-eyes and covers imperfections without drying out delicate skin.
2. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, $44.82
This full-coverage foundation is shockingly lightweight. It blurs fine lines and evens out skin while giving a soft matte finish. Best of all, it doesn’t cake or settle, even after hours of wear.
3. Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, $22.80
Formulated by Selena Gomez’s brand, this creamy blush blends easily and gives a youthful, radiant flush that flatters all skin tones. The lightweight texture means it won’t cling to texture or fine lines.
4. Benefit Gimme Brow+ Eyebrow Gel, $22
Aging can thin out brows—but this tinted gel adds instant volume and color without looking overdone. A few swipes and you’re framed and fabulous.
Haircare That Supports Aging Hair
As we age, hair can become thinner, drier, or more brittle. The 2025 awards honored several hair heroes ideal for women of a certain age:
1. Ouai Leave-In Conditioner, $16
This multitasker detangles, hydrates, and protects against heat damage. Whether you’re dealing with post-menopausal dryness or color-treated hair, this one leaves hair silky without weighing it down.
2. Living Proof Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray, $36
Living Proof Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray delivers instant, long-lasting volume and texture. Ideal for fine or flat hair, it provides flexible hold, enhances body, and refreshes styles without stiffness or residue, leaving hair touchable.
3. Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, $32
Affordable and effective, this drugstore duo uses bond-repair technology to strengthen strands from the inside Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo gently cleanses while repairing and strengthening damaged hair. Formulated with patented bond-building technology, it restores moisture, adds shine, and improves manageability, making it ideal for all hair types, especially color-treated or chemically processed hair.
Also check out Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner, $32, which won the favorite conditioner category!
Extra Credit: Allure’s Curated Beauty Boxes
For those who want to sample multiple award-winners without spending hours shopping, Allure’s limited-edition beauty boxes offer curated selections, often including trial- and full-size versions of the winning products. This year’s Readers’ Choice Box and Bloom + Brighten Collection include some of the gems listed above, making it easier than ever to refresh your routine in one go.
Final Thoughts: Age Isn’t the Limit—It’s the Launchpad
The 2025 Best of Beauty Awards make one thing clear: beauty has no age limit. The industry is finally catching up with what we already know—women over 40 don’t want to turn back the clock, they want to glow, flourish, and own their look.
From skincare that supports changing complexions to makeup that enhances rather than masks, these award-winning products represent a refreshing shift toward smarter, more inclusive beauty. Whether you’re simplifying your routine or indulging in a total overhaul, Allure’s 2025 winners offer a trustworthy roadmap to looking—and feeling—amazing.
So go ahead: glow boldly, laugh often, and treat your shelf to something red-seal worthy.
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