Author: Angelique Ledanois - Sr. Account Manager, Luminary Retailers

The 2025 CEW Beauty Awards delivered far more than a roster of winners—it offered a clear view into the emerging priorities, shifting consumer expectations, and industry forces now shaping the beauty landscape. From treatment-driven formulas and body-focused innovation to Amazon’s growing acceleration of category trends, this year’s event highlighted the balance between established category leaders and the next wave of disruptive indie talent.

Below is a comprehensive look at the most influential developments and standout performances from this year’s ceremony.

Category Innovation Continues to Accelerate

Across haircare, skincare, and devices, CEW’s 2025 winners show a clear pivot toward solution-driven products. Innovations span scalp densifying treatments, peptide-forward serums, barrier-repair moisturizers, and next-generation tools like LED masks and advanced styling technologies. The emphasis on measurable results reflects consumers' growing expectation for products that deliver both immediate and long-term performance.

Established Leaders Strengthen Their Competitive Edge

Several major brands reaffirmed their category authority, signaling strong consumer loyalty and sustained innovation:

• Dior set the tone in makeup with its Lip Glow Butter—a clear nod to the industry-wide move toward lip-care hybrids.

• Oribe continued its prestige dominance with a scalp-focused win, aligning with consumers' growing emphasis on follicle health and hair density.

• CeraVe and Dove secured top positions across body care and cleansing, demonstrating the enduring appeal of dermatologist-backed formulas and accessible price points.

• In skincare and sun care, brands like Supergoop!, Summer Fridays, and Dr. Dennis Gross captured category wins, reinforcing the importance of science-first formulations and high-efficacy.

These victories highlight a market where trust, clinical credibility, and consistent product performance remain decisive factors for consumers.

Indie Brands Make Their Mark With Distinctive Innovation

Several emerging and artist-led brands earned meaningful recognition this year:

• Glow Recipe claimed the Indie Brand Award, reinforcing its resonance with younger audiences seeking gentle yet efficacious formulations.

• Danessa Myricks Beauty and Makeup by Mario continued their ascent as artistry-driven powerhouses.

• Phlur stood out in fragrance, illustrating the rising demand for modern, clean-leaning perfumes with strong aesthetic identity.

These wins illustrate a market increasingly open to brands that pair authenticity with strong digital storytelling and ingredient transparency.

Lip Care Replaces Lip Color as the Category Standard

The lip category underwent a defining shift this year, with every nominee falling under the lip oil or treatment umbrella—an unprecedented departure from traditional lipsticks, glosses, and tints. This uniform tilt toward nourishing, skincare-inspired lip formats signals a transformation in consumer expectations: lip products must now deliver visible care benefits in addition to cosmetic payoff.  Dior’s Lip Glow Butter emerged as a leader in this new landscape, capturing the industry’s pivot toward hybrid lip-care innovation.

Scalp Health Anchors the Future of Haircare

Haircare winners made it clear that the scalp is no longer an afterthought—it is the category’s new foundation. From densifying shampoos to barrier-supporting treatments, every top-performing hair product this year centered on scalp wellness. Brands such as Oribe reinforced the message that long-term hair health begins at the root, aligning with a growing consumer inclination to treat the scalp with the same rigor as facial skin.

Sustainability Recognized, While Clean Beauty Receives Limited Attention

While CEW spotlighted sustainability through dedicated awards, clean beauty as a defined category received minimal presence this year. The absence underscores a gap in industry dialogue at a time when transparency, safety, and ingredient integrity remain key consumer concerns. The industry may look to CEW to reignite this conversation and reinforce its role in shaping the standards of future formulation.

Amazon Solidifies Its Role as a Beauty Powerhouse

For the second year in a row, Amazon’s influence was unmistakable. With a dedicated CEW award—won this year by OPI—the platform’s significance in product discovery, consumer reach, and cross-category growth is undeniable. The recognition signals Amazon’s increasing role not just as a retailer, but as a trend accelerator and competitive proving ground for brands of all sizes.

Body Contouring and Targeted Treatment Categories Surge

Sol de Janeiro’s Iconic Brand Award for its Bum Bum anti-cellulite product highlights a rapidly expanding consumer interest in body-targeted treatments. Firming creams, cellulite solutions, and sculpting formulas are gaining mainstream traction, marking a shift toward full-body skincare that mirrors facial care’s emphasis on results and efficacy.

Manscaped Dominates the Men’s Category

Manscaped delivered one of the most decisive wins of the ceremony, taking the Men’s Grooming Award with its Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra. The recognition reflects the ongoing evolution of the men’s segment, where advanced grooming tools now outpace traditional skincare in both innovation and consumer demand. The category’s rapid expansion shows no signs of slowing, proving that men’s personal care has fully shifted from niche to mainstream.

A Beauty Landscape Balancing Legacy and Disruption

One of the most telling themes from the 2025 CEW Awards is the coexistence of long-established global leaders and agile underdogs. Where legacy brands excel through scale, research, and trust, independent brands triumph through differentiation, community engagement, and rapid innovation cycles. Meanwhile, platforms like Amazon are reshaping how beauty brands achieve visibility and influence.

The result is a marketplace more dynamic—and more competitive—than ever.