THE CULT BEAUTY AWARDS 2025: MEET OUR EXPERT PANEL
Calling all beauty aficionados: voting for this year’s Cult Beauty Awards is officially open! With categories spanning fragrance, make up, skin care and wellbeing – from ‘Viral Sensation’ to ‘Healthy Hair Hero’ - it’s time to pick your winners from a cast of beauty legends and emerging names-to-know.
Nominated by our trusted beauty buyers – a team who’ve tested every serum, blush and gadget on the planet (more or less) – the line-up is a roster of the greatest names (and unsung heroes!) across seven cult categories, so use the chance to celebrate your ‘Most-Loved Multi-Tasker', to recognise your go-to ‘Complexion Perfector’ and name the ‘Lip Lover’ you’re never without in 3, 2, 1...
MEET THE EXPERT PANEL
Our brilliant buying team has streamlined our breadth of incredible skin care, must-have make up, self-care essentials and hair care heroes into seven voting categories, each with six products competing to earn the top spot. Expect established names and ‘ones to watch’, all chosen by those with a flair for discovery. Time to meet the experts.
Hannah, Buyer - Skin & Body Care Specialist
Having worked for over two years as Cult Beauty’s Buyer, Hannah has collaborated closely with some of the world’s most incredible brands, and for the past year, has specialised in skin care where she’s fine-tuned her ability to spot a stellar INCI list, identify a lasting trend and recognise a winning formulation. “Being at the forefront of product launches and customer insights has deepened my passion for skin care and given me a unique perspective on what truly works – beyond the hype.”
What unlocked your love for beauty?
Responsible for scoping out the greatest skin and body care, Hannah – like so many of us – discovered her passion for beauty by flicking through magazines. “They were my initial window into the beauty world; I would skim straight to the beauty pages and pore over the beautiful close-up editorial shots, captivated by the artistry, the concepts and the storytelling. Then, as the digital world evolved, I found myself drawn to blogs which offered a more accessible spin on beauty – blending expert tips with chatty, real-life experiences – which unlocked a new level of inspiration and made beauty not just aspirational, but attainable.”
Hannah’s top tip:
“I love to use vitamin C in the evening – a step that has made a noticeable difference to my skin’s tone and vibrancy. Often reserved for the morning, I’ve found that using vitamin C at night allows it to work more efficiently, without the exposure to sunlight. This means it allows my skin to maximise the brightening, dark spot-fading and collagen-boosting benefits while I sleep, so I wake with a fresher, more even-toned glow.”
Hannah’s top three nominees:
Elemis Pro-Collagen Black Cherry Cleansing Balm is Cult’s #1 cleanser for a reason – loved for its make up-removing and nourishing properties, it made waves this year with a decadent, black cherry twist.
The Ordinary GF 15% Serum is proof that great, skin-changing formulas needn’t break the bank. Consistently delivering impressive, results-driven treatments at accessible prices, The Ordinary’s newest icon is a supercharged serum that delivers healthy-looking skin and age-defying excellence.
Kosas DreamBeam Sunscreen SPF 30 is a silicone-free, ultra-comfy mineral sunscreen packed with ceramides and peptides to moisturise, smooth and brighten skin while creating a perfect base for make up.
54
RRP: 15.26€Current price: 12.20€
34
RRP: 40.68€Current price: 32.54€
12
RRP: 55.37€Current price: 44.30€
24
100.00€
280
79.10€
841
RRP: 39.00€Current price: 31.20€
1
2,258.87€
27
RRP: 134.47€Current price: 107.58€
Sophia, Senior Buyer – Make up Specialist
Sophia, can you talk to us about your beauty journey and your expertise?
“I have make up artist training and am totally obsessed with the transformative power of make up – from lipstick to eyeshadow, I’ve always loved playing with colour to alter my look and express how I feel day-to-day; whether that’s a laid-back ‘90s vibe or some after-dark drama (I love a smoky palette). I moved into buying and never looked back – at Cult Beauty, I’ve worked my way up across all of the categories, but now I’m responsible for curating our cosmetic offering – it's so much fun to bring together long-established brands and up-and-coming names. I love discovering a hidden gem – nothing quite rivals the thrill of the new.”
What unlocked your love of beauty?
“My mum! She adores make up and I’m yet to find somehow who owns more palettes – or has better hair! I adored watching her work through her beauty rituals and styling her impressively long locks when I was little, and it definitely ignited my own obsession with all things beauty.”
Sophia’s top tip:
“Prime your brushes! It’s a simple technique that I find prevents any issues with bleeding of products and allows you to blend everything seamlessly.”
Sophia’s top three nominees:
Saie Dew Blush is my ‘holy grail’ for an efforless, on-the-go flush. With its blendable, liquid-cream formula, this melts seamlessly for a blush that look totally au naturel.
Milk Makeup’s new Hydro Grip Gel Tint is packed with triple-powered hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in a weightless gel base that delivers the dewiest, light-yet-buildable coverage.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray is an oil-free, featherlight, hydrating setting spray to prime and set your make up – and don’t forget to spray your brushes (see above)!
1764
24.86€
7
38.42€
1756
36.16€
4
RRP: 24.86€Current price: 19.89€
1242
38.40€
102
50.85€
72
36.73€
260
22.60€
Polly, Junior Buyer – Hair Care Specialist
“This coming August will mark my three-year anniversary at Cult within the buying team – and although I’ve worked across multiple brands and categories, for me, ‘home’ is where the hair is. I’ve learned so much about hair health and shifts within the hair care space - from its ‘skinification’ to the growing emphasis on scalp care – as well as trends like ‘hair cycling’ and heatless styling, and I’ve earned an incredible 360˚ understanding of this ever-growing category. It's such an exciting and dynamic area of growth (no pun intended).”
“Beauty, for me, was always about two things growing up: unlocking creativity and affording a chance to experiment but also sparking conversations and forging connections. A trending accessory, change of hair style or new lip gloss could instantly create a sense of camaraderie – I love how exciting new beauty can be; bringing people together while at the same time, celebrating individuality.”
Polly’s top tip:
“Rotate your shampoo, conditioner and treatments in the same way that you would your skin care. The needs of your hair and scalp change with the seasons, your hormones and stress levels just as your skin does (scalp is skin, after all), so once you’ve established a ‘base’ routine to suit your hair type (hydrating, volumising or curl defining, for example), weave in a regular scalp treatment, detox shampoo or bond-building oil to help cherish your lengths and protect from the elements.”
Polly’s top three nominees:
Gisou Honey Gloss Ceramide Therapy Hair Mask delivers the glossiest locks imaginable – amplifying shine and boosting elasticity of every strand.
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience AirWash Dry Shampoo is a next-gen dry shampoo. Powered by the brand’s patented strand-strengthening K18 technology, the innovative no-aerosol formula reduces odour and absorbs excess oil for up to three days.
Davines OI All-in-One Milk is an ‘everything’ treatment – a smooth, milky mist that’s enriched with conditioning extracts, it softens, smooths and detangles while protecting your lengths from high heat.
44.07€
25
54.24€
1
79.10€
44.64€
336
31.60€
Abigail, Senior Buyer – Fragrance Specialist
“I loved fashion and beauty growing up and fully immersed myself in every beauty trend throughout the early noughties – some good... some, less so. And, while I regret straightening my hair to within an inch of its existence - not to mention the pencil-thin eyebrows - I have no regrets about testing and trialling new products and looks to arrive where I have. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey, and I’ve learned SO much along the way (like, listen to your mum about your eyebrows).
How did you become our resident fragrance aficionado?
“I started out working in fashion before moving into homeware, where I purchased the Fragrance and Home Fragrance categories. This was where I really caught the beauty buying bug, and I transitioned to working exclusively across beauty around two years ago. I feel so lucky that I was able to oversee the fragrance category when I joined Cult Beauty last year – it's hands down my favourite. There is nothing as powerful as perfume’s ability to influence your mood and mindset – it can be totally transformative – and there’s so much mind-blowing research into how scent affects our wellbeing.”
Abigail’s top tip:
“If you want your scent to last longer, try to layer the same fragrance in multiple ways. It’s worth investing in the body wash and lotion if you’re wedded to a particular perfume, and scent really clings to your hair so a hair perfume really is worth the additional splurge. And always keep a travel size in your bag for an on-the-go spritz – you never know where the day may take you, so it pays to be armed with your signature scent.”
Abigail’s top three nominees:
Maison Margiela Replica Afternoon Delight Eau de Toilette has a delicious madeleine accord that whisks you straight to Paris and a petit French patisserie – it really does smell good enough to eat.
Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia Cologne is the scent of British summer in a bottle. Fruity and floral, it’s fresh and evocative – capturing the subtlety of sun-warmed pears and leisurely al fresco lunches.
KAYALI Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81 is a pure sugar rush for those with a sweet tooth; an addictively moreish blend of marshmallow and vanilla for the ultimate indulgence.
141.25€
4
137.86€
23
120.91€
47
57.00€
30
39.55€
11
38.00€
Now you've met the experts, see all nominees and pick your winners from our roster of this year's stand-out products.
CAST YOUR VOTES
Cult Beauty’s Content Editor and a Cult Beauty OG, Verity loves nothing more than the marriage of language and lip balm. A quintessential Libran, she’s a self-professed magpie for luxury ‘must-haves' and always pursuing the new and the niche — from the boujee-est skin care to cutting-edge tech. Balancing an urge to stop the clock with her desire to embrace the ageing process (and set a positive example for her daughter), Verity's a retinol obsessive and will gladly share her thoughts about the time-defying gadgets, masks and treatments worth the splurge...
