What sets a breakthrough color cosmetic launch apart is a fluency in trends balanced by timeless relevance, capturing the spirit of now while promising enduring utility. With that perfect swipe, velvety finish, or impeccable payoff, the product solves real needs, tells a resonant story, and claims a coveted place in daily rituals.

The BeautyMatter Awards judges—uniquely equipped as formulators, cosmetic chemists, and professional makeup artists—are well-suited to determine the true category disrupters in color cosmetics.

Best Breakthrough Color Cosmetics (Complexion): Recognizes innovation in a finished complexion product related to either formulation, delivery system, new format, use of technology, or sustainability.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Blurring Balm Powder Universal Radiant - A skin-balancing, priming superstar, this weightless balm-to-powder formula creates a blurring, skin-refining barrier that enhances the application of any foundation in one effortless step. Formulated with Upsalite—a groundbreaking Swedish innovation and the first amorphous, porous magnesium carbonate used in beauty—it absorbs oil and sweat 10x faster than silica yet remains weightless and breathable on the skin.

Patrick Ta Beauty Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo - Tapping into Patrick’s signature layering technique of cream over powder in a sleek, easy-to-use compact, this unique duo format allows users to build a customized flush that is long-lasting, luminous, and never flat. The powder formula delivers a soft-focus, airbrushed effect, while the cream formula melts into skin for a fresh, dewy glow. Blush can be more than just a pop of color; it can sculpt, lift, and enhance the complexion entirely.

Huda Beauty Easy Bake Setting Spray - Marking the expansion of its best-selling Easy Bake franchise, the innovation is designed to withstand the harshest of elements, with long-lasting wear that smooths, blurs, and locks makeup for 16 hours. It's formulated with five types of hyaluronic acids to boost moisture, and modified rice starch, which blurs pores and absorbs excess sebum for a natural, blurred finish, as well as mineral clay, which offers shine control.

Kosas Cloud Set Loose Powder - Building on the Cloud Set collection that promises to deliver perfect balance with no shine while still glowing for all skin types, the loose formula claims to set makeup in place for 12 hours with a blurred, radiant finish that cuts shine, not glow, and doesn't look powdery or flat. It’s a clean, talc-free blend of plant-based and mineral powders with bamboo stem extract to help absorb sebum so skin feels soft and fresh.

Fluency MultiStick - A multiuse color stick designed for cheeks, lips, eyes, and even contour that can be applied as a sheer tint or layered for intense depth, the formula combines the power of superfood pigments from regenerative farming with compostable packaging to create an easy-to-use daily product.

Best Breakthrough Color Cosmetics (Lip): Recognizes innovation in a finished lip product launched to market related to either formulation, delivery system, new format, use of technology, or sustainability.

Lisa Eldridge Beauty Rouge Experience Refillable Lipstick - A luxurious lipstick holder that takes a modern approach to true luxury with its visionary pack, this cutting-edge design fuses with irresistibly glamorous simplicity reminiscent of the most iconic eras in makeup history. The formula incorporates a technology that combines gel, oil, and cream phases to create a solid that transforms into a thin buttery film upon contact with lips.

Ahyun Matcha Vanilla Glossy Lip Syrup - The nourishing lip product was formulated by eliminating ingredients known to trigger fungal acne and create a new sensorial experience in lip care. It includes powerful skincare ingredients used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) such as goji berry and jujube fruit.

Laura Mercier Caviar Hydra-Crème Lipstick - True to the high-performance, high-impact philosophy of the iconic Caviar franchise, this lipstick leaves lips feeling instantly hydrated while providing all-day true-color wear. One-stroke delivers high-impact, full-coverage color that makes lip look fuller and more plumped—and the modern, smudge-proof formula provides rich, yet lightweight color that never feels dry.

Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick - The formula is distinguished by its dual functionality, which is 89% skincare-based, delivering a rich color while also caring for lips by improving hydration, smoothness, and overall texture. Available in both satin and velvet matte finishes, Rouge G ensures long-lasting color while delivering exceptional comfort. The iconic lipstick case, available in luxurious designs such as Le Strassé, L’Art Déco, and Le Marbre, is both refillable and eco-friendly.

Moira Beauty Butter Bliss Lip Balm - This 100% vegan formula bridges the gap between skincare and cosmetics, challenging traditional product categories and meeting the demand for multifunctional products. Designed to smooth fine lines, it makes lips look fuller by ensuring long-lasting moisture and shine.

Best Breakthrough Color Cosmetics (Eye/Brow): Recognizes innovation in a finished eye or brow product related to either formulation, delivery system, new format, use of technology, or sustainability.

Subtl Brow BFF - All the tools you need in one easy pencil to enhance brows without the need for 3+ products. It's infused with jojoba oil, rosa canina oil, and vitamin E to nurture brows. Use the brush to blend and fluff up brows into the desired shape. Use the pencil to fill in any sparse areas. Finish by applying the flake-free gel to freeze brows in place.

Lord & Berry Splashproof Waterproof Mascara - The waterproof formula strikes a perfect balance between hard and soft waxes, along with a unique blend of film-forming agents. While waxes help create volume in one single stroke, the high percentage of film formers ensures a truly waterproof, smudge-proof, and ultraflexible film. It perfectly adheres to each eyelash, leaving a volumizing and intense black color and a flexible film, perfect all day long. Each new coat adds volume and length to lashes.

Tilt Beauty Lashscape - A patented grip and curved brush designed for comfortable, full-control application, it's formulated with nonirritating, lash-strengthening ingredients like peptides, keratin, and ceramides—this smudge-resistant, buildable formula lifts, lengthens, and visibly thickens every single lash.

Ardell Beauty Pre-Mapped Extensions -  It makes mapping, a technique used by professional lash techs, accessible. Lash segments are laid out on a tray in an eye shape, so users can easily copy the sequence on their eyes, starting on the outer corner, working their way, and taking the guesswork out of lash placement.

Best Breakthrough Color Cosmetics (Nail): Recognizes innovation in a finished nail product related to either formulation, delivery system, new format, use of technology, or sustainability.

Olive & June Gel Polish System - Designed to deliver salon-quality, long-lasting gel manicures without damage, this system provides up to 21 days of high-gloss wear, curing in minutes, and removing effortlessly. At under $2 per manicure, this system makes salon-quality gel nails attainable for everyone, reinforcing the brand’s mission of inclusivity and innovation.

Heyhae Sun Cured Gel Nail Strips - Unlike traditional nail strips or gel applications, this product introduces a unique middle layer of solar gel that fundamentally changes how nail enhancements cure and set. By designing a gel strip that can cure effectively in various light conditions, from direct sunlight to LED lamps, the product breaks down barriers that typically restrict professional-quality nail treatments.

Umia Beauty AI-Powered Autonomous Nail System - The technology has opened new revenue streams and enhanced customer engagement. The integration into manicure stations provides added value without requiring specialized staff. This adaptability has proven especially beneficial in settings where traditional nail services were previously unfeasible. It’s a transformation of the nail industry, addressing inefficiencies, health risks, and financial constraints.

Zylarra Antimicrobial Top Coat  - By blending antimicrobial ingredients into a traditional nail product base, the product helps maintain cleaner, healthier nails by preventing harmful germs from accumulating, which can lead to infections or other nail issues. The formula is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and 21-free.

OPI RapiDry Nail Lacquer - The combination of built-in Drip Dry Drops, speedy solvents, and an innovative new Rush Brush, the product is designed with 200 extra bristles and a wide fanning brush for faster product pickup, spreading, and drying. It offers smudge-proof nails in 60 seconds. With the application of two coats, RapiDry delivers five days of wear.

Best Breakthrough Color Cosmetics (Palette):Recognizes innovation in a finished palette launched to market related to new format, packaging design, or sustainability.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Lightwork VI Freedom Palette - The one-of-a-kind packaging and formula make this palette completely different from other palettes on the market. It's a groundbreaking magnetic, customizable, stackable, and collectible on-the-go all-over face palette. Whether you prefer a quick swipe of color or enjoy layering shades for added sparkle and dimension, this versatile palette adapts to your unique style and skill level. It contains three curated color stories and 18 mesmerizing illuminating pigments for eyes, face, and lips.

grBest Breakthrough Color Cosmetics (Tool): Recognizes innovation in a finished color cosmetics tool related to either formulation, delivery system, new format, use of technology, or sustainability.

Half Magic FLIK Eraser Makeup Correcting Pen - A game-changing solution for real-life beauty mistakes engineered for precision, this sleek pen delivers micellar water through a soft, angled tip to instantly clean up smudged eyeliner, mascara fallout, lip liner mistakes, and more—without disturbing the rest of your makeup.

BoldHue Device - The innovative and patented color-matching device scans your skin tone and dispenses a perfectly matched shade in minutes and has been dubbed the "Keurig for makeup.”

Morphe Brushes Reimagined - The product concept is centered around affordability and professional-level quality, making premium beauty tools accessible to both beginners and experts. It features state-of-the-art, silver ion-infused bristles, known for their antibacterial properties, keeping brushes cleaner for longer while reducing bacteria buildup.

Anisa Beauty Angled Cream Blush Brush - The product features slightly domed, dense yet flexible fibers to melt any cream or liquid formula into the skin seamlessly. The angled shape perfectly suits the cheekbones, providing focused placement and blending for all face shapes.

Anisa Beauty Multi-Powder Blush Brush - This brush features ultrasoft fibers to press and sweep powder blush over the cheeks. The expertly-sculpted, rounded shape perfectly hugs cheekbones, offering focused placement and buildable coverage.