Marie Claire's Reader's Choice Beauty Awards Have Arrived—Here's How to Cast Your Vote

Does a $500 Sephora gift card entice you to participate?

marie cliare readers choice awards 2026 logo with some of the best beauty products
(Image credit: Sephora)

The Marie Claire Team takes beauty awards very seriously. We spent weeks smelling nearly a thousand perfumes ahead of announcing our 2025 Fragrance Awards. We tapped dozens of hairstylists, dermatologists, and beauty pros to weigh in for our Skin & Hair Awards, and we've swatched more eyeshadows, foundations, and lip glosses than I care to admit in advance of the Makeup Awards.

But right now, we're flipping the script.

For the first time ever, Marie Claire is putting the power in your hands. Our inaugural Reader's Choice Beauty Awards are officially here, and we want to know the products you actually swear by. From the serum that gives you the glassiest glow to the mascara that's survived your longest of nights and the gel polish that fakes a salon-worthy manicure, this is your chance to help us crown the best in beauty across hair, skin, makeup, body, and nails.

Not only will your favorite products and brands win a coveted 'best of' seal (yay for them!), but they'll also make MC beauty history. Need a better incentive to participate? Four lucky voters will win a $500 Sephora gift card to go shopping and stock up on everything from travel-sized fragrances and holiday gift sets to new launches from brands like Rhode, Crown Affair, Summer Fridays, and more.

Our survey closes at the end of the month (November 27th, to be exact), so now is the time to get in on the Reader's Choice action. Here's the deal: every product category has its own entry form. If you cast your vote in all four forms, you'll have four times the chance of getting drafted for the Sephora gift card lottery. Click on the links below, enter your information so our team can get in touch, and select the products that you believe exemplify beauty excellence.

The surveys should only take around 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and rest assured, all information is kept confidential. You won't be asked to share your contact information (name and email address) until the survey is complete.

Thanks for being a part of our first-annual Reader's Choice Awards, and happy voting!

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For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

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Samantha Holender
Senior Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.