They’re Back….! Our 2026 Beauty Awards Are Open for Entries (And You’re Invited)
Main image – Liliyarodnikova/Stocksy
If you love beauty as much as we do here at Live That Glow — the way a good serum can change your morning, or a mascara can make you feel seen — then you’re going to want to pay attention. The Live That Glow Independent Beauty Awards are back for 2026, and they’re designed for one simple reason: to celebrate products that actually matter to you – the beauty fans.
And yes, we mean actually matter. Last year our judges were swatching, testing and trialling like it was their full-time job (because… it kind of was), sharing their favourites on socials, and putting products through the kind of real-life stress tests that no PR blurb can survive.
@livethatglow The #livethatglowbeautyawards2025 are almost done! Stay tuned for us to reveal all our winners on May 20! Thank you again to all our amazing judges @mdlondon Hair @torblor @Dr Sonia | dermatology doctor @cassie powney @Ashley Stobart ?? Dr Linda Papadopoulos @Grace | Esthetician ? Maria Sotiriou @Jasmine Wicks-Stephens Vanese Maddix @anabel_kingsley Lucy Thorpe @Genevieve May you never run out of moisturiser again!
Welcome to the Live That Glow Independent Beauty Awards 2026 – aka the awards that are here to celebrate products that genuinely deserve the hype.
What makes our awards different?
There are a lot of beauty awards in the world – but not all of them put readers at the heart of their process. That’s where we come in.
First things first: our awards are still free to enter. And if a brand wins? It’s free for them to licence the winner’s logo too – because we wanted the awards to be about the best products, not the brands with the biggest marketing budgets.
Also, we don’t do the “300 categories for every possible eyebrow look” thing. Instead, our categories are built around the stuff beauty fans actually care about – based on what you’ve told us through polling matters most.
Basically: less fluff, more “this changed my skin/hair/life.”
We also make sure our awards are as transparent as possible – giving you, our readers, all the facts on the criteria that go into our judges’ decision making (and if you ever have a question that isn’t answered here – just reach out at awards@livethatglow.com).
And finally, we’re still accepting entries for new launches AND older favourites – because honestly, some of the most iconic products in beauty didn’t come out last week.
As long as an entry will be available to buy by May 2026, it can be entered.
What’s new this year?
This year, we have four amazing new categories (based on what you told us mattered most to you), as well as even more incredible judges.
Which leads us to…
Meet the judges
We’re not doing “behind closed doors” mystery judging. Instead, we have a genuinely brilliant panel of experts made up of doctors, trichologists, beauty editors, MUAs and nail and hair experts. And yes, you can go and snoop them all right now on our judging panel page.
Think: the kind of people who’ve tried everything, know what works, and won’t be swayed by a pretty campaign image.
In other words… you’re in very safe hands.
Check out the full panel here.
… And the categories
We’ve kept this focused, useful, and very “beauty fan priorities”.
Here are the Live That Glow Awards 2026 categories:
-
Best Blemish Solution
-
Best Sensitive Skin Product
-
Best Dry Skin Product
-
Best Targeted Serum
-
Most Wearable SPF
-
Best For Wide Awake Eyes
-
Best Cult Fragrance
-
Best Hair Volume
-
Best For Damaged Hair
-
Best For Hair Definition
-
Hero Beauty Tool
-
Best Lip Product
-
Best For Lashes
-
Best Base Product
-
Best Blush
-
Standout Body Care Product
-
Best Accessible Beauty Product
-
Readers’ Choice Award 2026
-
Biggest Beauty Disruptor 2026
-
Beauty Community Award 2026
If you want the full breakdown of what each one means, head to the categories page (it’s all there in plain English, promise).
Last year’s winners
And in case you missed it the first time round, check out last year’s deserving winners..
.
-
Best Sensitive Skin Product: Vichy Mineral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Booster Serum
-
Best Blemish Product: Medik8 Blemish SOS
-
Best Dry Skin Product: Dr Idriss Major Fade Active Seal Moisturiser
-
Best For Wide Awake Eyes: Youth to The People Peptides + C Energy Eye Concentrate
-
Most Wearable SPF: Medik8 Advanced Day Ultimate Protect
-
Best Beauty Tool: Simon Ourian Sculpting Bar
-
Best Lip Product: Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment
-
Best Mascara: Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara
-
Standout Makeup Product: ZOEVA Real Magic Skin Perfecting Finishing Powder
-
Best For Fine Hair: Philip Kingsley Body Building Conditioner
-
Best For Damaged Hair: John Frieda Miraculous Recovery Daily Miracle Leave-In Conditioner
-
Best Niche Fragrance – Joint Winner: Jo Malone London Beach Blossom Cologne
-
Best Niche Fragrance – Joint Winner: Contes de Parfums Positano edp
-
Standout Body Care Product – Joint Winner: Body Shop Mango Body Yogurt
-
Standout Body Care Product – Joint Winner: James Read Sunrise to Sundown Tinted Tan Serum
-
Biggest Beauty Disruptor 2025: Luna Daily
-
Best Accessible Beauty Product: Kohl Kreatives Flex Collection Brushes
-
Live That Glow Readers’ Choice Award: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush
How you can get involved this year
This year we have two public vote awards, just for you – Best Accessible Beauty Product and our Readers’ Choice Award 2026.
Nominations for both categories are now open, so to nominate the product you think does the most to overcome a mobility or accessibility issue you can do that below.
Alternatively, to nominate any beauty product you love the most- that you think is deserving of our Readers’ Choice Award, you can do that below.
Nominations close the same day as award entries; February 25 2026. Nominated products will go up for public vote from April 7 to May 18.
Happy voting!
Get Glowing!