Global Hair & Makeup Awards Categories

2026 Global Hair & Makeup
Award dates

ENTRIES CLOSE
Friday 23 October 2026

WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Tuesday 1st December 2026

Welcome to the Global Hair and Makeup Awards 2026, formerly known as the Global Makeup Awards.

Our new name better reflects the wide range of makeup, haircare, skincare and beauty products celebrated across the awards. Now entering our eighth year, we continue to welcome entries from independent brands and established names around the world.

Explore the 2026 categories below and find the best fit for your products.

HAIR
Categories

HAIR

Best New Hair Product
Open to products launched on or after 1 January 2023.
Best Shampoo
Best Dry Shampoo
Best Conditioner
Best Hair Mask
Best Hair Treatment
Best Hair Oil or Serum
Best Scalp Care Product
Best Hair Growth Product
Best Hair Styling Product
Includes hairsprays, texture sprays, mousses, gels, styling creams and finishing products.
Best Curl Care Product
Best Product for Coloured Hair
For products that protect, treat or maintain coloured hair.
Best Hair Colour Product
Includes permanent and semi-permanent colour, direct dyes, root touch-ups and colour-depositing products.
Best Product for Damaged Hair
Best Anti-Frizz Product
Best Hairbrush
Best Hair Accessory
Includes scrunchies, hair ties, claw clips, slides, silk wraps, bonnets and shower caps.

MAKEUP categories

Best Overall Makeup Product
Best New Makeup Product
Open to products launched on or after 1 January 2023.
Best Foundation
Best Base Makeup Product
Includes primers, concealers, skin tints, BB creams, CC creams and tinted moisturisers.
Best Cheek Product
Includes blush, bronzer, contour and highlighter products.
Best Setting Product
Includes loose powders, pressed powders, finishing powders and setting sprays.
Best Mascara
Best Eyeshadow
Best Eyeliner
Best Brow Product
Includes brow pencils, powders, pomades, gels and styling products.
Best False Lashes
Best Lash or Brow Growth Product
Includes serums and treatments formulated to support the appearance of fuller or healthier lashes and brows.
Best Lipstick
Best Lip Gloss
Best Lip Oil
Best Lip Liner
Best Lip Care Product
Includes lip balms, masks, serums and treatments.
Best Single Makeup Brush
Best Makeup Brush Set
Best Beauty Tool
Includes non-electrical tools such as makeup sponges, eyelash curlers and applicators.
Best Beauty Storage
Includes beauty boxes, vanity cases, makeup organisers, cosmetic storage, brush holders and travel-storage solutions.

SKINCARE
Categories

Best Skincare Product
Best Cleanser
Best Moisturiser
Best Toner or Skin Mist
Includes facial toners, essences, hydrating mists and treatment sprays.
Best Hydrating Serum
For serums primarily formulated to improve hydration and moisture retention.
Best Brightening Serum
For serums targeting dullness, uneven skin tone, pigmentation or age spots, including vitamin C products.
Best Anti-Ageing Serum
For serums targeting fine lines, wrinkles, firmness and visible signs of ageing, including retinol, retinal, peptides and bakuchiol.
Best Calming or Barrier Serum
For anti-redness, soothing, barrier-support and repairing serums designed for reactive, stressed or sensitive skin.
Best Anti-Ageing Skincare Product
For anti-ageing products in formats other than serums, including creams, treatments, masks and oils.
Best Luxury Skincare Product
Best Face Mask
Best Eye-Care Product
Includes eye creams, eye masks, eye serums and targeted eye treatments.
Best Product for Sensitive Skin
For products specifically formulated or marketed for sensitive, reactive or easily irritated skin.
Best Face Oil
Best Men’s Skincare Product
Best SPF Product
Includes facial and body sunscreens, daily SPF skincare, tinted SPF products and sun-protection mists.

BODY / BATH / FRAGRANCE Categories

Best Body Care Product
Includes body lotions, oils, creams, scrubs and targeted body treatments.
Best Bath or Shower Product
Includes bath products, shower gels, body washes and cleansing products.
Best Self-Tan Product for the Face
Includes tanning drops, facial mists, serums, creams and gradual facial tanners.
Best Self-Tan Product for the Body
Includes tanning mousses, lotions, sprays, oils and gradual body tanners.
Best Hand Product
Includes hand creams, hand serums, exfoliants and targeted hand treatments.
Best Nail Product
Includes nail colour, base coats, top coats, nail treatments, cuticle care and nail-strengthening products.
Best Deodorant
Includes roll-ons, sticks, creams and sprays.
Best Women’s Fragrance
Best Men’s Fragrance
Best Candle
Best Room Spray
Best Diffuser
Best Aromatherapy Product
Best Sleep Product
Includes sleep supplements, sleep perfumes, pillow mists, sleep masks, silk pillowcases, bath products and other products designed to support sleep or a bedtime routine.

Electrical devices

ELECTRICAL DEVICES

Best Hairdryer
Best Hair Straightener
Best Hair Styling Device
Includes curling tools, multi-stylers, heated brushes and wavers.
Best Hair Removal Device
Includes IPL devices, epilators and other at-home electrical hair-removal tools.
Best Face Device
Includes cleansing, toning, massage and facial-treatment devices.
Best LED Beauty Device
Includes LED devices designed for the face, hair or body.
Best Body Device
Includes body-toning, massage and body-treatment devices.

Supplements
Categories

SUPPLEMENTS

Best Beauty Supplement
For general beauty-from-within products and supplements supporting more than one area, such as hair, skin and nails.
Best Collagen Supplement
Best Hair Supplement
Best Skin Supplement
Best Nail Supplement

BRAND AWARDS

Special Awards

Most Innovative Beauty Product
Best Beauty Product Design and Packaging
Best Beauty Hero Product
Best Beauty Gift
Includes beauty gift sets, limited-edition collections, presentation boxes, beauty devices and individual products suitable for gifting.

Brand Awards

Best Indie Beauty Brand
Best Luxury Beauty Brand
Best Hair Brand
Best Makeup Brand
Best Woman-Owned Beauty Brand

Brand award entry requirements:

To enter a Brand Award or Regional Brand Award, you must provide three different products from across your range for judging. Products already submitted to individual award categories may form part of your brand entry, so duplicate samples are not required.

Regional Brand Awards

Best UK Beauty Brand
Best Irish Beauty Brand
Best European Beauty Brand
Best Nordic Beauty Brand
Best Asian Beauty Brand
Best North American Beauty Brand
Open to brands based in Canada, the USA, Mexico and other North American countries.
Best Australian or New Zealand Beauty Brand