Marie Claire’s Prix d’Excellence Beauty awards 2020: the best products in the world

International Winner
There are more than one trillion bacteria living — crawling, snacking, metabolising —on our skin’s surface (officially called the microbiome) at any given time.They exist to prevent and repair environmental damage, keep a low pH to avoid irritation and actively communicate with your skin cells. In other words, these little guys keep your skin looking great. To that end, Lancome’s serum contains seven ‘fractionated’ pre- and probiotics including bifidus and lactobacillus casei. These are broken-down sugar and peptides that feed the bacteria you already have, helping them to thrive and your skin to stay happy and balanced.

British Winner: Haircare
It’s the hot brush that sold out all around the globe because it’s just. That. Good. The ceramic technology heats to a consistent temperature of 185°C – the optimum for great styling and hair health – and the brush’s ions smooth frizz for a sleek finish that still has natural movement. The different lengths of bristles also allow for larger sections of hair to be straightened – truly the lazy girl’s blow dry in gadget form.

British Winner: Make-up
An undetectable foundation that also delivers skincare benefits? Yes, please. Combining SPF 30, antioxidants and both light reflecting and correcting powders, this foundation delivers 24 hours of hydration and blurs imperfections for a fresh-faced finish. The benefits don’t stop there, though, as it also defends against the ageing effects of pollution and has a practical pump to boot.

British Winner: Bodycare
Designed to take the fuss out of bodycare, this Sanctuary Spa product is a real game-changer. Supercharged with hyaluronic acid and a delicious watermelon fragrance, this glow-boosting, moisturising hero capitalises on your skin's "peak hydration" moment for ultimate moisture. You simply step out of the shower, apply to wet skin and go. Genius.

British Winner: Skincare
A real celebration of just how customised skincare can be, this Clinique range really is revolutionary. Choose from several different cartridges based on your biggest skin concern – fatigue, irritation, fine lines & wrinkles, uneven skin texture, uneven skin tone – to tailor this hero moisturiser to you.

British Winner: Sustainability
The unanimous winner for this award, Unilever has truly committed to doing their bit for the planet through their Sustainable Living Plan. Their goal is to halve the environmental footprint of their products (production and use) by 2030, just one example of the many ways they've pledged to create change.

British Winner: Beauty Gives Back
Avon's #SpeakOut campaign encourages people to share their personal experiences by posting a 'proud, lippie selfie' to social media with the campaign's hashtag, along with the words they wish to reclaim. As well as creating a 'global gallery' of the pictures, the brand has pledged to donate $10 Million to support a range of worldwide causes, including education, breast cancer and against gender-based violence.

International Winner
Gallic beauties rarely feel complete without a swipe of bold lipstick, usually left to its own devices against bare skin. And it seems that we’re set to take a leaf out of their book if The Slim lipsticks are anything to go by. They have a meticulously pointed tip that hugs the mouth for precise application. Plus this matte finish still goes on creamy so lips never feel starved of moisture. Lisa Oxenham, Marie Claire’s beauty and style director, says, ‘I’m fastidious when it comes to the lipstick I wear - the texture and tone can make or break my look. I love this lipstick because it’s highly pigmented and matte but is comfortable, doesn’t dry out and easy to apply.’

International Winner
There’s make-up and then there’s a complexion so glowy, it looks like you’re wearing a filter. The difference between the two? A make-up artist was probably responsible for the latter. So when Peter Philips, Dior Makeup’s creative and image director, dreamt up this face and body primer, you take note. ‘This product instantly creates a flawless look,’ says beauty and style director, Lisa Oxenham. ‘It boosts luminosity, erases imperfections, plumps up lines and brings radiance. Skin is left so uniform that the foundation becomes optional.’

International Winner
Organic skincare is usually loved for what it doesn’t contain. But with this high street range it’s worth celebrating what does go into the products – especially as the herbs and essential oils are certified organic by the Soil Association. Think lavandin, cornflower and thyme from France; argan from Garnier’s women's cooperative in Morocco; lemongrass from Sri Lanka and konjac root from the Asian Highlands.All of which is extracted from the plant using a 9th century steam distillation process. Pretty impressive, no? Lisa Oxenham, Marie Claire’s beauty and style director, certainly thought so. ‘I am delighted Garnier won this award - for me it ticks every box: sustainability, vegan and certified organic formulas. Garnier has raised the bar very high in the green market by committing to being fully transparent with education on the labels, eco-responsible packs and simpler formulas.’

International Winner
Wouldn’t it be great if your skin could always look like it’s bathed in candlelight? As it happens, hybrid foundation achieves just that. One phase is water and jelly-like; the other oily, with thousands of droplets of pigment suspended inside it. Apply with a brush and watch both phases blend together leaving you with a whisper of natural-looking colour. M-a-g-i-c.

International Winner
We all want the next-level glow of a supermodel’s skin – poreless, just like a baby's, and dewy as though perpetually bathed in sunlight. Well, Guerlain’s latest foundation means we may be one step closer to achieving just that thanks to a breathable formula with 97% naturally-derived ingredients and a luminous finish that lasts for 16 hours. Available in 30 shades to match every skin tone.