Product of the Year
Hair care: Dyson Air Throat
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Dyson has been keen to revolutionize the hair care category ever since it launched its first hair dryer, the Supersonic, in 2016, and when it announced a $500 million investment to develop hair care technology, it put its money to good use. This year, he kept that promise with Airstrait, which may be his most revolutionary product yet; Airstrait, a straightener that dries and straightens wet hair without any hot plate. Instead of excessive heat, it uses targeted airflow to soften hair, thanks to slots that distribute air at a 45-degree angle. Hair is trapped inside as airflow pushes moisture out, leaving strands dry, smooth and undamaged. The $499 price point doesn’t seem to deter consumers, as Airstrait quickly garnered four- and five-star reviews across platforms and went viral on TikTok. As prestige beauty continues to gain momentum in retail, it’s clear that Dyson is a pioneer in leading this growth.
make up: Danessa Myricks Beauty Foundation Defining Neutrals Palette
As a makeup artist and product developer, Danessa Myricks has created some of the most successful launches for brands such as Benefit Cosmetics and Kiss. So who better to reinvent the industry staple, the neutral-toned palette, and appeal to consumers in a whole new way? The Groundwork Defining Neutrals Palette consists of 10 shades, each consisting of a velvety pomade and coordinating powder. Designed to be used to shade, sculpt, sculpt and color on eyes, face, cheeks and lips, it quickly garnered rave reviews on Sephora.com, including “This is the one palette that truly does it all” and “I Am.” “I’m obsessed.” In its first month, the palette became a top five bestseller in its category at Sephora; where Myricks embarked on a standing-room-only tour with Jackie Aina called the “Fearless Tour,” featuring how-tos, meet-and-greets. greeting and panel discussion. While it’s been a big year for Myricks, one thing is certain: Despite his success, the entrepreneur remains grounded.
Skin care: Westman Atelier Skin Activator Serum
For the last few years, the beauty industry has been abuzz with the skin-tightening of makeup. But this year, Westman Atelier took a different approach with its Skin Activator Serum: You could call it the makeover of skincare. Five years in the making, the product was the first curation initiative for the brand launched by makeup artist Gucci Westman and her entrepreneur husband David Neville. Westman worked with skin scientist Raymond Park on the product’s technology, resulting in a multilayered emulsion that mimics the structure of skin and contains 15 active ingredients, including four different molecular weight hyaluronic acids. Skin Activator, which sells for $150, is said to provide continuous hydration throughout the day and adapt to the skin’s different needs. Westman and Neville have said their goal from the beginning was to create a lifestyle company and envision Skin Activator expanding Westman Atelier’s appeal to men. The strategy is working: The luxury clean beauty brand is one of the top brands with sales said to be around $100 million.
Smell: Burberry Goddess
Burberry’s newest women’s fragrance, Goddess, quickly entered the sales pantheon when it launched in August. Produced under license from Coty, the fragrance rose to the top of the prestigious fragrance rankings and pioneered the resurgence of vanilla, the key fragrance trend of the year, with a trio of notes including Firgood, also known as vanilla caviar, used for the first time in Vanilla. a smell. Goddess also hit the mark culturally, capitalizing on Barbie’s huge success for a campaign photographed by Mario Sorrenti alongside brand ambassador Emma Mackey. But it wasn’t all glitz and glamor. Prestige Commercial Director Caroline Andreotti said Burberry Goddess is also the first refillable fragrance in the Coty luxury portfolio, which is a significant milestone. “Packaging is key to transporting our products and protecting our formulas, but it also contributes to our environmental footprint,” she said. “We want to enable consumers to make environmentally responsible choices while enjoying our most luxurious fragrances.”
Health: Liquid IV Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier
How do you go from good to great? Remove the sugar. That’s what Liquid IV did this year when it launched a sugar-free version of its hero product, the Hydration Multiplier. Consumers have been clamoring for a sugar-free version for years, said Stacey Andrade-Wells, vice president of marketing. “This is our biggest launch since the company was founded. The sugar-free market is growing.” The product contains completely natural ingredients. Instead of artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose, Liquid IV Sugar-Free has a special blend of allulose and amino acids. Equally sweet: Sales. The brand, which Unilever acquired in 2020, is said to be approaching $1 billion in net sales, and the newest version is expected to deliver a 15 to 30 percent increase.
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