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The 2017 Good Housekeeping Beauty Breakthrough Awards

Never again guess whether to save vs. splurge. Here's your cheat sheet from our Beauty Lab experts!

By and GH Institute Beauty Lab
2017-beauty-awards
Betsy Farrell

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Meet the year's top-performing products — from anti-aging serums to mascara to shampoo — that stood out in our rigorous testing. (See the "Lab Lowdown" for a behind-the-scenes look at what our Beauty Lab thought during its evaluations!) We're also highlighting proven Good Housekeeping Seal stars, budget-friendly tools and hot new apps you can get your hands on now.

1

Miracle Anti-Agers

miracle-antiagers
Betsy Farrell

The ultimate in ultra-firming, radiance-boosting and age-erasing.

2

Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Night Infusion Cream

Product, Lens, Peach, Beauty, Beige, Cosmetics, Camera accessory, Material property, Skin care, Silver,
Mike Garten

$76, sephora.com

With grape seed oil and the antioxidant resveratrol (derived from grapevines), this silky Caudalie cream proved to be a powerful hydrator and smoother.

Tester Notes: "It didn't leave my face greasy," one said. "My skin felt soft when I woke up," said another.

Lab Lowdown: It scored among the highest in our night cream test for moisturization, increasing it 43% over six hours.

The Lab's Visia complexion analyzer's digital imaging showed a 12% improvement in skin texture.

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3

L'Oreal Paris Skin Expert Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Moisturizer SPF 30

Product, Liquid, White, Logo, Grey, Peach, Metal, Bottle, Silver, Brand,
Mike Garten

$20, amazon.com

The best of the Lab's anti-aging day creams test, this L'Oréal lotion delivers the biggest bang for your buck, evening skin tone, reducing UV spots and hydrating.

Tester Notes: The "fast-absorbing" SPF made skin "bright and radiant" and "decreased the look of wrinkles."

Lab Lowdown: Analysis revealed it raised skin's hydration 28% and decreased UV spots by 11% in four weeks.

4

L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Volume Filler Night Cream

Product, Face, Skin, Water, Skin care, Beauty, Head, Moisture, Cream, Hand,
Mike Garten

$25, amazon.com

Light in feel (and price!), this gel-like L'Oréal cream received high marks for firming and moisturizing.

Lab Lowdown: It led to a 36% uptick in skin's firmness in four weeks, plus a 40% rise in moisturization.

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5

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum

Product, Skin care, Beauty, Skin, Moisture, Water, Cream, Hand, Cream, Lotion,
Mike Garten

$30, ulta.com

GH Seal holder No7 was tops for improving texture, firmness, pores and brown spots.

Lab Lowdown: The Lab saw a 6% lessening of pores and a strong 21% jump in firmness.

6

Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum

Water, Fluid, Spray, Skin care,
Mike Garten

$60, amazon.com

Scoring points for softening, firming, brightening, evening tone and minimizing pores and brown spots, Clinique was the clear winner in the anti-aging serums test.

Tester Note: 100% agreed it had a nice texture.

Lab Lowdown: The serum was best at boosting firmness, 24%, and reduced the look of pores and brown spots 7%.

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7

Mary Kay Volu-Fill Deep Wrinkle Filler

Face, Product, Skin, Beauty, Skin care, Head, Water, Beige, Cream, Cosmetics,
Mary Kay

$45, marykay.com

Use this GH Seal-holding concentrated hyaluronic acid and retinol Mary Kay wrinkle filler on stubborn lines to smooth and plump both immediately and long-term.

Lab Lowdown: Evaluations of clinical studies showed between 64 and 69% improvement in the look of crow's feet and forehead and mouth wrinkles after one use, and over eight weeks of use, 84% of testers had improvement in total line and wrinkle count.

8

Mary Kay TimeWise Repair Volu-Firm Night Treatment with Retinol

Product, Beauty, Skin care, Cream, Cream, Material property, Moisture,
Mary Kay

$52, marykay.com

GH Seal holder Mary Kay's night cream hydrates and fights serious signs of aging, like deep lines and uneven skin tone, with the gold standard ingredient retinol.

Lab Lowdown: Data revealed that applied nightly, the overnight treatment effectively smooths wrinkles and improves skin tone, while leaving skin moisturized for up to 10 hours — and is suitable for even sensitive skin.

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9

Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Brightening & Smoothing Daily Moisturizer

Product, Skin, Beauty, Skin care, Lotion, Fluid, Moisture, Liquid, camomile, Plant,
Garnier

$15, amazon.com

With antioxidant vitamin C and gently exfoliating lipo-hydroxyl acid, this GH Seal-holding Garnier day cream boosts skin's radiance and evens skin tone.

Lab Lowdown: A test of 34 women indicated that over 22 days of use, the lotion increased cell turnover, revealing brighter skin, according to evaluations.

10

Top-Tested Targeted Treatments

targeted-treatment
Betsy Farrell

These products tackle fine lines and dark spots like you wouldn't believe.

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11

Patchology Powerpatch Dark Spot Corrector

Product, Water, Beauty, Brown, Skin care, Cosmetics, Beige, Cream, Hand, Moisture,
Mike Garten

$60, nordstrom.com

This unique two-step system with a pigment- fighting gel for day plus P.M. retinol patches to concentrate ingredient absorption lightened our tester's dark spots in two weeks.

12

Mary Kay Timewise Repair Revealing Radiance Facial Peel

Product, Water, Skin, Beauty, Fluid, Skin care, Liquid, Moisture, Material property, Deodorant,
Mike Garten

$65, marykay.com

This GH Seal-holding glycolic acid peel effectively reduces lines and wrinkles when applied twice per week in the evening, yet "is nonirritating," the Beauty Lab confirms.

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13

St. Ives Exfoliate & Nourish Coconut Oil Scrub

Product,
Mike Garten

$7, amazon.com

A new kind of face scrub, this formula contains exfoliating coconut shell powder suspended in coconut and grape seed oils to slough and soften simultaneously.

14

Bioeffect EGF Serum

Water, Product, Beauty, Liquid, Fluid, Moisture, Material property, Skin care, Cosmetics, Spray,
Mike Garten

$160, bioeffect.com

Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D., was impressed by this groundbreaking epidermal growth factor serum; independent studies show it reduced wrinkle size and depth.

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15

Standout Eyes

standout-eyes
Betsy Farrell

Meet your dream team for great length, long-wear and dual-use.

16

Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara

Cosmetics, Mascara, Beauty, Brush, Material property, Makeup brushes, Beige, Eye liner, Lipstick,
Mike Garten

$32, nordstrom.com

Chanel was the most lengthening and separating waterproof formula.

Lab Lowdown: It proved very water-resistant in the water-splash test.

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17

Sephora Collection Long-Lasting 12 Hr Wear Eye Liner

Eye liner, Material property, Cosmetics,
Mike Garten

$12, sephora.com

Sephora's precise-tip liquid liner hit the mark for a sleek line that didn't budge.

Lab Lowdown: Testers gave it the highest score for staying on a full day.

18

Mac Cosmetic Pro Longwear Eyeliner

Eye, Cosmetics, Eye liner, Organ, Writing implement, Material property, Pencil, Writing instrument accessory, Pen, Office supplies,
Mike Garten

$21, nordstrom.com

The top pencil of the Lab's long-wear liner test, MAC went on smoothest, didn't irritate and lasted without smudging.

Lab Lowdown: Over six hours of wear, the color stayed true, and it was the least likely to smear among the 12 assessed.

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19

Mary Kay Brow Gel

Cosmetics, Mascara, Beauty, Product, Eye, Material property, Eyelash, Liquid,
Mike Garten

$10, marykay.com

Brush on GH Seal holder Mary Kay clear gel to naturally tame and set brows.

Lab Lowdown: It holds brow hairs in place all day without clumping.

20

Lancôme Grandiôse Liner

Product, Silver, Cylinder, Drawing, Stationery, Personal care, Cosmetics, Steel, Silver,
Lancome

$32, sephora.com

Liquid liner with a twist: This Lancôme wand's pointed tip can be used straight or at a 35-degree angle, perfect for reaching the lashline or creating a cat-eye or winged look.

Lab Lowdown: "The bendable handle makes it easier to maneuver around your eye," says Beauty Lab Chemist Danusia Wnek, "and it's super long-lasting and doesn't transfer."

Headshot of April Franzino
April Franzino
Senior Beauty & Style Director

April (she/her) is the senior beauty and style director at Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman's Day. She has over 15 years of experience under her belt, starting her career as an assistant beauty editor at GH in 2007, and working in the beauty departments of SELF and Fitness magazines.

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