Revealed! The Good Housekeeping Institute Believe in Beauty Awards winners 2026

Combining brightening vitamin C with moisture-locking glycerin, Olay’s lightweight body lotion left dry skin feeling softer, smoother and hydrated all day without any greasy residue.

Working overnight, this luxurious body oil combines smoothing bakuchiol with deeply hydrating ingredients and calming aromatherapy notes of lavender, chamomile and vetiver. “It made going to bed feel indulgent,” said one panel member.

Delivering effective exfoliation without irritating skin, this formula uses bamboo stem powder and walnut shell granules to buff away rough, dull skin. The result? Impressive skin-softening results.

This looks more like whipped cream than body wash, but its foaming formula won our testers over with the ultra-light texture and sweet coconut scent making every shower feel a little more indulgent.

Thanks to the addition of salicylic acid, this delivered both a deep cleanse and gentle exfoliation, helping to tackle excess oil and body acne while leaving skin feeling soft and moisturised.

This mousse is a triple threat: it dries quickly, hydrates skin and delivers a golden, natural-looking tan. “It dried in six seconds and didn’t transfer onto sheets or PJs,” said one glowing tester.

This was a firm favourite among our testers (it was the talk of the office) thanks to its skincare-infused formula that softened fine lines over time, the very flattering satin finish – great for dry or dull skin – and beautifully luxe packaging.

This iconic full-coverage foundation (launched in 1997) has been updated with a more breathable formula that still delivers the long-lasting wear the original was known for. Testers praised its all-day staying power despite the lightweight feel.

Offering light coverage with a soft-blur matte finish, this compact balm foundation impressed testers with its versatility – it’s great worn by itself for everyday or layered under foundation for evenings out.

This fuss-free stick foundation impressed testers with its quick, mess-free application, glowing lightweight coverage and smooth finish that didn’t cling to dry patches. “I love the glow it gives me, and it feels lightweight,” said one panellist.

Available in 22 shades with a detailed shade-matching quiz, this creamy concealer earned record-breaking scores for its seamless full coverage, crease-resistant finish and long-lasting wear.

With its lightweight texture, blend-able formula and fresh dewy finish, this liquid blush impressed. Testers particularly liked the buildable colour and its versatility – use across the cheeks, lips and eyes.

Housed in a chic tortoiseshell compact, this silky bronzer was praised for its smooth, shimmery finish and shine-controlling formula that kept skin looking even and polished all day.

This lightweight formula received glowing feedback, reducing inflammation and providing a smooth base under makeup. “This definitely counteracted my redness” said one satisfied customer.

Maybelline’s iconic Colossal mascara wowed testers with its dramatic volume. A double-curved wand and collagen-infused, clump-free formula combine to create full, fluttery lashes.

With an easy-to-use wand, this tubing mascara has become an everyday staple for many of our testers after delivering noticeably longer lashes in just two coats.

Winning unanimous praise for its impressive transfer-proof wear, rich pigment, comfortable feel and nourishing vitamin E formula, this matte lipstick is also a great value buy.

This soft, easy-glide lip liner was loved for its precise application, long-lasting pigment and colour-matched barrel, which makes it easy to find in a crowded makeup bag.

A great hybrid makeup/skincare product that uses clever ph-reactive tech to create a pink tint that’s totally unique to the wearer, while also plumping and hydrating with the help of hyaluronic acid. “It enhanced my lips with a lovely soft pink colour,” said one tester.

OPI’s fast-drying ‘Rapidry’ formula was a hit with testers thanks to its smooth application and quick drying time. Mess-free manicures made easy.

This stood out for its fine refreshing mist and impressive staying power, with one tester saying it kept their makeup in place better than any other spray they’d tried.

These brushes were popular thanks to their ultra-soft bristles, which make applying makeup a true joy. With a foundation, blusher, highlighter, eyeshadow, and brow brush included, this set is a steal for the price, too.

Suitable for all hair types, this lightweight hairdryer comes with multiple ionic styling attachments that left hair smooth and sleek. It dried quickly too, without the usual arm ache.

Dyson’s latest styling tool stood out for its fast drying time (far quicker than previous models we’ve tested), powerful motor and six versatile attachments that make switching between sleek and curly styles effortless.

Soft, bouncy curls and salon-worthy waves came easily with this hot brush, thanks to its adjustable heat settings, classic barrel design and gentle retractable bristles. "It's easy to use, not too heavy, and I loved the different temperatures," said one tester.

This sulphate-free shampoo gave our testers’ hair a thorough clean without stripping the natural oils. It also achieved the best comb through score, which meant it was particularly fab at detangling.  

Ideal for blonde and grey hair, this purple shampoo effectively neutralised brassy tones while leaving hair smoother, softer and less tangled, all without any of the dryness often associated with toning formulas.

This is designed to detox hair from colour-distorting metals found in water, increasing vibrancy rather than accelerating any fading. It left panel members’ hair feeling clean without stripping, with many noting its smoothing powers, too.  

Helping to calm itchy, flaky scalps, this anti-dandruff shampoo wowed with its gentle yet effective cleansing power and fresh, clean finish.

This conditioner was formulated by trichologists, so it’s no wonder it took the crown for its deeply hydrating properties, leaving our testers’ hair extremely soft and shiny.

Our before and after analysis in the lab showed a significant increase in hair follicle density after the 12-week trial period. This was backed up by our panel feedback – many noted the added fullness, as well as a reduction in breakage.

Powered by nourishing squalane and omega-9, this glossy hair oil left strands sleek, smooth and intensely shiny, while keeping frizz completely at bay even in humid conditions.

This argan oil-infused treatment delivered salon-worthy smoothness and shine without leaving hair greasy, proving great haircare doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

From smoothing frizz to boosting shine and protecting against humidity, K18’s heat protector delivered across the board, shielding hair up to 230ºC with its patented ‘Resilicore’ tech, while leaving strands softer, sleeker and more hydrated. "It made my thick hair much softer and way more manageable," said one tester.

This once-a-week nourishing hair mask was described as “a miracle product” by one of our panel members, who was thrilled with the improved condition of their hair. It increased smoothness and helped make hair more manageable across the board.

This lightweight hair mask worked a dream – our lab results showed it helped improve smoothness without weighing strands down. Keratin is key here, working to seal the cuticle, which effectively reduced frizz.

Designed to help colour stay fresher for longer, Wella’s leave-in mask left hair looking glossy and vibrant with glycerine and vitamin B5 working to nourish and protect against dye-related damage.

In need of immediate hair TLC? This bond-building treatment delivered noticeably softer, shinier strands after just one use, with lab tests also showing it helped smooth rough, broken ends.

Complete with a three-step colour care routine, this blonde dye left hair looking naturally highlighted while keeping it soft, smooth and healthy-feeling after colouring.

This permanent dye from Clairol stood out for the vibrant colour range on offer, from a Sunset Copper to Cherry Red. It includes a hair mask for extra conditioning and long-lasting softness and shine, too.

This root cover-up is a quick and easy solution for bottle brunettes and blondies and banished greys in seconds. Our testers loved using it in between dyes and praised the seamless colour match. Roots who? 

Like a mascara wand for your roots, this clever touch-up tool made covering greys quick and precise, with testers loving how easy it was to use on the go.

If you want to colour your hair without the commitment, our testers liked who easy it was to achieve a rich, glossy dose of colour with this semi-permanent dye impressed. You don’t have to mix it either, which won it extra brownie points.

A cream that perfectly defines each coil, without adding crunch, is a curly-hair dream, and this does both. It added instant softness and shine to our testers’ hair, too.  

Used before heat styling, this lightweight priming spray impressed testers with its smoothing, softening and heat-protecting benefits, all without weighing hair down. “I got so many compliments on my suddenly frizz-free ‘do,” said one tester.

Transform your hair from dry and tangled to smooth and sleek with this deep conditioning treatment. Out of all the treatments we tested, it improved smoothness the most and was particularly effective at detangling and strengthening strands.

Made from real human hair, these clip-in filler extensions blended seamlessly with testers’ natural lengths and colour, offering an easy way to add fullness and spot-increasing thickness.

Designed to minimise frizz and breakage, this organic cotton hair towel was a hit with our long-hairedtesters in particular for its soft, snag-free feel.

The comfortable fit and flexibility of this mask meant greater LED light coverage and precision, leading to strong improvements in skin firmness in the lab.

Delivering powerful at-home anti-ageing results with a speedy two-minute daily treatment time (compared to an average 10 minutes for LED masks), this wrinkle-reducing laser tool stimulates collagen production and is suitable for all skin tones.

This visibly plumped, hydrated and smoothed panellists’ complexions, with everyone commenting on their skin’s improved appearance after use. The microneedling process was surprisingly easy to master, too.

Backed by aesthetician Caroline Hirons’ vast expertise, this creamy cleanser left skin feeling soft, fresh and hydrated, delivering a luxurious lather without stripping the complexion.

This proved to be exceptionally softening (that will be the 10 nourishing oils and butters in the formula), leaving our testers’ skin looking noticeably smoother long after the balm had been rinsed off.

This brilliant balm made makeup removal less of a chore for our panellists, who said it cleaned off their mascara in just a couple of swipes.

Don’t be fooled by the playful packaging – this brand is serious about skincare. Testers loved how thick and rich this cream is, which is rare for a formula that sinks in so swiftly.

Our testers couldn’t resist this fragrance-free cream, despite its steep price point. “Having seen the benefits to my skin – an instant glow and faded sunspots – I’d be tempted to buy it again. It’s made a difference where others haven’t,” said one.

Praised for its premium feel and lightweight-but-plumping hydration, this was dubbed a “game-changing cream” by one tester, while another noted their skin felt “nicely hydrated and plumped” after use.

If you’re after rich hydration, immediate brightness, plumper-looking skin and something that sits oh-so-smoothly under makeup (without pilling), then Tilbury’s new and improved formula is for you, darling.

Thanks to the inclusion of NAD+ (which helps with collagen promotion), the retinal in this cream works even harder, with testers telling us their skin looked plumper after the trial period.

Lauded for its soothing texture, quick absorption and reliable hydration, this was repeatedly described as “a joy” to slot into skincare routines. Testers told us it worked instantly to provide relief for sore skin and a little goes a long way.

Dry, winter layers were sloughed away to leave plump and soft skin in their wake, thanks to this powerful physical exfoliator, with many testers lamenting their new – rather pricey – ride-or-die product.

This spa-like two-step routine (made up of a ‘fire’ leave-on micro peel and a nourishing ‘snow’ serum) reduced the visibility of pores and fine lines, while evening skin tone, for those who tried it.

This dewy mask left our testers feeling relaxed and de-puffed (thanks to the cooling feel on the skin), with its generous dose of hydration lasting long after they’d peeled it off.

These clever capsules are not only convenient to take on holiday, with perfect portion control, but the serum inside delivered standout smoothing results in our tests.

This improved skin hydration by over 100% according to our facial scans in the lab, with testers saying it helped them blend their makeup more smoothly.

Loved for its convenience and compatibility with airline liquid allowances, reviewers praised the stick format and said the formula left them with brighter skin. “Loads of people told me how good my skin looked,” said one tester.

The pipette application, smoothing results and speedy-sink-in convenience of this serum won it a lot of fans. It also increased skin hydration by 75% in the lab.

This serum, designed to slowly release vitamin C to brighten and even skin tone, delivered on its claims, showing dullness the door and leaving testers with a more radiant complexion.

All the feedback for this moisture-boosting serum mentioned its lovely lightweight texture and refreshing skin feel, while notable hydration improvements were registered by our specialist probe machine in the lab four hours after application.

Designed with mature skin in mind, this barrier-supporting serum delivered visible results without aggravating any sensitivity, and testers said a little product went a long way.

This soothing milky toner is kind to dry, stressed-out skin, leaving complexions feeling far more comfortable and softer after use. The long-term barrier-bolstering effects were a welcome bonus.

Our lab expert said she was dubious about pads delivering real results, but the difference in her VISIA skin scans before and after the two-week trial spoke for itself – her wrinkle density had decreased.

These won favour for being convenient to use, thin enough to leave on target areas when necessary and for clearing pores to reduce their appearance. The acids managed to exfoliate and resurface without causing irritation, too.

This scored 4/5 for key markers such as brightening dark circles and evening skin tone when we analysed our testers’ before and after images in the lab.

This neck sculpting serum effectively firmed lines in testing. The metal rollerball applicator won praise for its lymphatic drainage benefits, which felt great and kept panellists coming back for more.

Don’t be fooled by the playful packaging – this brand is serious about skincare. Testers loved how thick and rich this cream is, which is rare for a formula that sinks in so swiftly.

E45’s gentle balm soothed dry lips and rough skin, with the combination of lanolin, vitamin E and beeswax delivering long-lasting moisture without irritation.

Even gel-damaged nails were left looking healthier after treating them to this nourishing balm, which softened dry cuticles overnight and restored moisture without any sticky residue. One person told us their nail bed felt “completely soft again”.