The notion of testing beauty products to select winners in each category was a radical idea when Allure’s Best of Beauty Awards first launched in 1996. Most women’s magazines didn’t dare declare one product better than its peers. Linda Wells, founding editor in chief, recalls the initial misgivings about the project, which was introduced in Allure’s October 1996 issue.
When the issue arrived, women tore out pages and immediately began to shop the inaugural list of 234 winners. Unsuspecting brand executives had zero stock left of some winning products to fill store shelves. Wells was just hoping the whole awards idea didn’t leave her without a job.
Wells says, “Because of the initial misgivings about the project, we tiptoed into Best of Beauty, and deliberately didn’t have a party to celebrate it.” The awards became something that people anticipated, and eventually, a seal, advertising, licensing, and even a Today show segment.
The Idea
Wells remembers going into a drugstore and feeling overwhelmed by the number of beauty products. She realized that there was no way for a consumer to sort through it all. Wells thought that maybe, with all the knowledge that Allure’s team had of products, they could select the best in each category to help readers find the best ones.
Wells told S.I. Newhouse, Condé Nast’s then chairman and CEO, about her idea, and he was skeptical. However, Wells really believed in it and knew she had to figure out how to work through the project without alienating every other brand that didn’t win.
Carol Hamilton, vice president of marketing at L’Oréal Paris, recalls that when Allure was born, there was a lot of consternation about the magazine’s approach to judging beauty products. Hamilton‘s CEO basically forbade them from advertising in Allure while he gained confidence in the magazine.
The Response
The first Best of Beauty issue was a sales phenomenon, with readers loving the awards and brands being fully unprepared for the demand. Wells says that people would buy out the winning products, and brands would be annoyed that they couldn’t be told ahead of time if they were winners.
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Hamilton thinks that Best of Beauty was very powerful because it was one of the first curations of beauty products presented in a way that consumers could relate to. The awards were from an editorial perspective rather than a brand perspective, which made them exciting.
Wells notes that the awards often made niche products successful, and it wasn’t just about supporting big brands. The awards genuinely picked the best products, and that was nice for indie brands that might not have survived without the recognition.
The Seal
The Best of Beauty seal was introduced later, though the exact year is not specified in the source. The seal was meant to be a stamp of approval, and it became a revenue stream for the magazine.
Wells says that the seal ended up being a great marketing tool for Allure, and it was a symbol for the magazine’s expertise. The seal was used in advertising, and it helped consumers make more confident choices.
The Legacy
Hamilton gives the awards credit for combining beauty into one category, recognizing it as a massive category with many dimensions. Wells says that the awards were always intended to help the reader, and that’s why they worked.
With the rise of social media, Wells notes that there’s a lot of clutter and unreliable information out there. However, Allure maintains its steadfastness and independence, and the Best of Beauty Awards remain true to their original principle of helping the reader.
