Byrdie launched its first-annual Byrdie Beauty Awards, called “The Byrdies,” honoring the best in beauty, across categories including Skin, Makeup, Hair, Under $25, and People.

Byrdie’s editors nominated, analyzed, and chose winners for 91 different categories. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Best At-Home Peel—Renee Rouleau’s Triple Berry Smoothing Peel
• Best Lipstick—Mented Matte Lipstick
• Best Deodorant—Megababe Daily Deodorant in Rosy Pits
• Best Toothpaste—David’s Premium Natural Toothpaste in Mint

While Byrdie has published “best-of” features in the past, this is the first time the editorial team has compiled a sweeping, cross-category list of awards. Byrdie’s annual Eco Beauty Awards, which focuses on clean, sustainable beauty, is now in its fifth year, and inspired this broader examination of the industry.

Hallie Gould, associate editorial director, says, “The winning formulas are a mix of new launches and time-tested favorites—and the people we’ve chosen have shape-shifted the beauty space through influence, artistry, innovation and expertise.” 

Byrdie’s Names Leaders in the Beauty Space 

Alongside the product categories are 11 “People” categories, naming Byrdie’s chosen leaders in the beauty space for 2021—here they are:

• The Dermatologist: Dr. Alexis Stephens of Parkland Dermatology


• The Esthetician: Sofie Pavitt of Sofie Pavitt Skincare Studio


• The Formulator: Joyce de Lemos, Co-Founder/Head of Product Development, Dieux


• The Hairstylist: Lacy Redway


• The Influencer: Jackie Aina


• The Rising Star Makeup Artist: Sam Visser


• The Veteran Makeup Artist: Daniel Martin


• The New Guard: Olamide Olowe, founder and CEO, Topicals


• The Plastic Surgeon: Dr. Dara Liotta


• The Wellness Leader: Shannon Boodram, certified intimacy educator


• The Founder: Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye, CEO and founder, Ami Colé

The Judging Process

Byrdie’s team of 15 editors, along with five guest judges, tested hundreds of products and nominated more than 400  contenders. 

The winners were selected based on three criteria: Efficacy, Overall Value, and “That Special Something,” that indescribable factor that makes a product a favorite.

To further educate its readers about the best of the best, each winner profile includes tags to identify where the product fits in the beauty industry-whether it is Byrdie Clean, made with sustainable packaging, vegan, cruelty-free, Black-, AAPI-, or Latinx-owned, and/or has a charitable element.

See the full list of the 2021 Byrdie Beauty Award winners here.