On Friday, May 2, 2008, nearly 1,300 beauty industry professionals, including GCI magazine's own group editor in chief Karen Newman, gathered at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City to celebrate the 2008 Cosmetic Executive Women Beauty Awards. The awards season began in February with CEW’s new product demonstration expo at the Metropolitan Pavilion and the Altman Building, which attracted 2,000 attendees. Former Sex and the City star Mario Cantone (who played outlandish wedding planner Anthony Marentino on the television show), awarded the accolades during the seasons’ annual culminating event, the CEW Beauty Awards Luncheon.
During the luncheon, Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure magazine, said, “We’re watching for signs of optimism. Beauty may not be recession-proof, but it certainly is recession-resistant.” To make her point, she cited data that determined women would give up afternoon Starbucks to keep beauty their treatments.
This was evident in 2008, as 280 beauty brands entered nearly 600 products for consideration. More than 100 finalists were chosen across 27 categories, with the Indie Beauty Award category garnering 33 entrants. CEW members, industry insiders and experts in the field of beauty selected the finalists, and the CEW Board of Governors determined the winners.
2008 CEW Beauty Awards winners include:
- Body Treatment – Mass: Olay, Thermal Pedicure
- Body Treatment – Prestige: Origins, Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins - The Way of Bath Matcha Tea Body Scrub
- Facial Skin Care – Acne Treatment: Bare Escentuals, RareMinerals Blemish Therapy
- Facial Skin Care – Antiaging, Mass: Olay, Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
- Facial Skin Care – Antiaging, Prestige: Shiseido Cosmetics (America) Ltd., Bio-Performance Intensive Skin Corrective Program
- Facial Skin Care – Cleanser and Scrub, Mass: Dove, SkinVitalizer
- Facial Skin Care – Cleanser and Scrub, Prestige: Philosophy, The Microdelivery Micro-massage Exfoliating Wash
- Facial Skin Care – Eye Treatment, Mass: Olay, Regenerist Eye Derma-Pod Anti-Aging Triple Response System
- Facial Skin Care – Eye Treatment, Prestige: Estée Lauder, Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Radiance Eye Crème
- Facial Skin Care – Moisturizer, Mass: L’Oréal Paris, Revitalift UV Daily Moisturizing Cream with Mexoryl SX
- Facial Skin Care – Moisturizer, Prestige: Estée Lauder, Hydra Bright Skin-Tone Perfecting Moisturizer
- Makeup – Eye Product, Mass: CoverGirl, LashBlast Mascara
- Makeup – Eye Product, Prestige: Dior, DiorShow Blackout Mascara
- Makeup – Face Product, Mass: Mark, Little Block Box Shimmer Cubes and Bars, All Over Face Color
- Makeup – Face Product, Prestige: Estée Lauder, Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Makeup SPF 15
- Makeup – Lip Product, Mass: L’Oréal Paris, Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour
- Makeup – Lip Product, Prestige: YSL Beaute, Lip Twins
- Men’s Grooming: Clinique, Skin Supplies for Men M Cover
- Hair Care and Coloring Product – Mass: Garnier, Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Hairspray
- Hair Care and Coloring Product – Prestige: Frederic Fekkai, Coiff Contrôle – Ironless Straightening Balm
- Sun Product – Mass: Neutrogena, Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 70
- Sun Product – Prestige: Estée Lauder, Multi-Protection Sun Towelettes for Body SPF 15
- Men’s Scent: Bond No. 9 New York, Andy Warhol Silver Factory; Fragrance Supplier: Givaudan
- Women’s Scent – Prestige: Marc Jacobs Fragrances, Daisy Marc Jacobs; Fragrance Supplier: Firmenich
- Scented Bath and Body – Mass: Johnson’s, Softoil Melt Away Stress Massaging Moisturizer
- Scented Bath and Body – Prestige: Tom Ford Beauty, Black Orchid Finishing Oil Spray
- Fifth Annual CEW Indie Beauty Award (tie): BettyBeauty, Inc. and Clark’s Botanicals
