The best skincare & makeup winners of 2022

For a nourished complexion that feels good, these skincare and makeup Best of Natural Award winners – and runners up, are worth adding to your everyday.

From oil cleansing to wipe away your day, nourishing night cream, beautifully light BB cream and more – the judges were so impressed with all the entries.

Whether you’re after skincare essentials that do wonders for your complexion, or ethical beauty that doesn’t compromise the health of our planet,your skin will soak up these high-performing ingredients that will leave you with a natural glow.

Explore our Skincare & Makeup Winners:

Best cleanser: NUN Pure Facial Cleanse

NUN Pure Facial Cleanse is a concentrated oil cleanser infused with nutrient-dense botanicals like refreshing cucumber and grape seed. This gentle option is superb for helping rebalance sebum levels and strengthening our skin’s barrier – and works well for removing everyday grime and makeup. Simply massage 2-3 drops onto your face, rinse off with warm water and a cleansing cloth, and you’re good to go.

What the judges’ loved

• High in essential fatty acids
• Lovely ritual to massage your skin
• Packaged in recyclable packaging
• Suitable for all skin types

“Loved the fresh cucumber scent – quite an innovative smell for an oil cleanse. This made using the product quite special. Its performance lived up to a classic oil cleanse.” - Sara Corleison

Runner up cleanser: KUMO Bioactive+ Face and Body Cleansing Oil

Cleanse and soothe your healthy complexion with KUMO Bioactive+ Face and Body Cleansing Oil. Featuring Camellia oil to hydrate and Castor oil to cleanse pores, it’s a wonderful choice for sensitive and dry skin.

Best serum: Living Nature Advanced Renewal Night Serum

Welcome refreshed, radiant skin with Living Nature Advanced Renewal Night Serum. Suitable for all skin types, this high-performing serum uses active ingredients to help brighten and renew your complexion, making the most of your beauty sleep. After cleansing, gently massage onto your face, neck and decolletage – followed by your favourite moisturiser, for a well-rounded night time skincare ritual.

What the judges’ loved

• D-ribose, hyaluronic acid and rosehip oil to rejuvenate
• Packaged in BPA-free packaging
• Helps soften fine lines and wrinkles

"Love this one. Great texture and instant glow.” - Liz McNamara

Runner up serum: Essano Collagen Boost

For a rich, silky serum crafted here in Aotearoa, Essano Collagen Boost is a beautiful choice. This runner-up helps stimulate collagen production by repairing your skin’s barrier using an innovative blend of certified organic rosehip oil and plant peptides.

Best eye cream: ManukaRx Pro Aging Eye Cream

Whether you’re looking to support brighter ‘under eyes’ (who isn’t?) or deeply nourish tired skin – ManukaRx Pro Aging Eye Cream was an easy win for the judges. Scientifically formulated using plant-based ingredients, it’s a no-brainer for supporting against puffy eyes and the appearance of fine lines.

What the judges’ loved

• East Cape mānuka oil & rosehip oil
• Sustainably sourced in Aotearoa
• Gentle choice for all ages

“Have been using this repeatedly. Love the use of line smoothing peptides for around the eyes.” - Sara Corleison

Runner up eye cream – Weleda Hydrating Eye Gel

Refresh tired eyes with runner-up Weleda Hydrating Eye Gel. Glide on with a cooling roll-on tube for a gentle massage, judges loved how easy it was to apply and the addition of wheat germ oil and cucumber extract – to help provide instant hydration while supporting a healthy skin barrier.

Best face moisturiser: Antipodes Avocado & Pear Nourishing Night Cream

For your evening ritual, Antipodes Avocado & Pear Nourishing Night Cream is an easy essential. Best loved by the judges, this night cream became a winner thanks to its use of bioactive ingredients, sustainable packaging and quality results that felt divine.

What the judges’ loved

• Aotearoa native mānuka honey and Vinanza® Grape
• Suitable for most skin types – specifically those with mature or dry skin
• Low waste packaging made from recyclable materials

“Divine on the skin, pleasant smell, and experience always transcending with this brand.” - Rachel Grunwell

Runner up face moisturiser: Lemon & Beaker Brightening Cream with Rose Essential Oil

Formulated using Aotearoa Kawakawa to soothe, Ginseng and Vitamin E to rejuvenate, and coffee seed extracts to help brighten and revive, runner-up Lemon & Beaker Brightening Cream with Rose Essential Oil was loved by the judges for its premium botanical formula that’s kind on sensitive skin.

Runner up face oil: Tailor Illume

For your daily skin elixir, runner-up Tailor Illumeis here to support restorative skin that feels good. The judges especially loved the use of plant-based retinol – Bakuchiol, which works to plump and refine your complexion. Made with organic ingredients that sensitive skin will appreciate, this nourishing face oil is vegan-friendly and superb for supporting healthy aging.

Best face scrub: evre. Time to Shine Raspberry & Almond Gentle Face Scrub

For a gentle face scrub with your skin’s microbiome in mind, Time to Shine Raspberry & Almond Gentle Face Scrub was well-loved by the judges. Made for younger skin, this winning face scrub is especially soothing and makes a great gift idea for loved ones starting their skincare journey. Using nourishing ingredients like jojoba oil to delicately cleanse, it’s a beautifully smelling scrub to include in any skincare ritual.

What the judges’ loved

• Almond oil to hydrate & raspberry seed oil to rebalance
• Donating 2% of profits to Youthline
• Especially kind on sensitive skin

“Fun colour and great scent that the younger demo would love. A soft, soothing scrub for young skin." - Sara Corleison

Runner up face scrub: Evolu Renewing Facial Exfoliator

Formulated using skin-loving trio – mānuka, lavender and geranium, runner-up Evolu Renewing Facial Exfoliator was loved by the judges for its ability to deeply cleanse and wipe away everyday grime, while being suitable for both you, and your little ones, too.

Best face mask: Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask

For a moment of self-care, Antipodes Aura mānuka Honey Mask tops the list. Amazed by both the quality and gentle ingredients, this winning face mask exceeded judges’ expectations. Whether you’re looking to add another nourishing step in your skincare ritual or simply after a kind choice for your skin, it’s worth adding to your clean beauty wishlist.

What the judges’ loved

• Sustainably made in Aotearoa
• Mānukahoney to draw in moisture & avocado oil to intensely hydrate
• BPA-free packaging

“Light, easy to use, beautiful experience on the face. I love that this is so easy to use and wow my skin was amazing after! Not to mention, it smells incredible and is very soothing – great for redness and blemishes.” - Rachel Grunwell

Runner up face mask – Indie and Mae Face Clay

Runner-up Indie and Mae Face Clay, makes the perfect skincare companion for a Saturday night pamper session. Intentionally designed in powder form, this innovative face clay requires a small amount of water (or your favourite toner) to turn it into a nice, rich clay. Here to exfoliate and hydrate, the judges especially loved the use of aloe vera and chamomile to help soothe and support.

Best makeup – face: Lily Lolo BB Cream

Makeup winner Lily Lolo’s BB Cream uses a light coverage formula that’s superb for any occasion. Offering antioxidant protection, this new judge favourite is packed with nourishing ingredients and mineral pigments to help support a luminous glow. Available in three shades, simply blend onto your skin (or pair with your go-to moisturiser) for a natural glow that will leave your skin feeling great.

What the judges’ loved

• Organic aloe and jojoba oil to moisturise
• Formulated to support healthy aging
• Packaged in recyclable packaging

"A nice lightweight coverage that felt great to use. Evens out skin tone well. Would definitely use again.” - Sara Corleison

Whether it’s their sustainably sourced or locally made ingredients, their mindful packaging, or simply how they feel on your skin, these Best of Natural Award winners – and runners-up, make for a nourishing choice in your clean beauty ritual. From face scrubs for a relaxing night in, to mineral makeup for everyday light coverage, celebrate your skin every day with options that put your skin, and our planet, first.