Ace your base with these 11 complexion-boosting Marie Claire UK Skin Award 2024 winners

There are a few steps you can take to get glowing skin: you can use an illuminating primer, add highlights to areas of the face that need it, or you can change up your skincare products. Like this one from Glow Recipe, which the judges applauded for its glow-getting ingredients. “A great combination of PHA + BHA for pore-refining and glow-boosting,” said Dr Kemi Fab, an NHS doctor and skincare influencer. Ola Awosika, who calls himself the C.E.O. of glow says “Even though it’s an exfoliating toner (BHA) the PHA adds nourishment and hydration into the mix, so it’s not irritating on the skin. The smell is divine and adds to the sensory experience.”

Spots, blemishes, zits, whatever you call them they are a nuisance. And when one (or multiple) appear what you want is a quick solution. Which is exactly what Clinique’s iconic Anti-Blemish Gel provides. It contains a high concentration of salicylic acid that helps to unclog pores and control oil production. The brand recommends using it overnight, but it’ll work just as well during the day if you don’t apply make-up on top and let it do its thing. Marie Claire UK’s Contributing Fashion Editor, Penny Goldstone, often has flare ups of breakouts and says “It works a treat. I had quite a large blemish on my chin and within two nights it was significantly reduced.”

Blemishes, dry patches, dehydration – you name it, it’s likely to cause dullness. Which is why we take our hats off to Comfort Zone’s Skin Regimen LX Tripeptide Gel Cream, which promotes hydrated and healthy skin, and in turn a natural looking glow. Alice Hart-Davis, a journalist and author of The Tweakments Guide, sums it up nicely when she says: “Moisturiser with lots of added oomph”.

Glow on-the-go has never been easier. Pixi’s Super Glow stick comes in four lustrous shades, which use 3D pigments and light-reflecting minerals to add instant radiance. However, these are the Marie Claire UK Skin Awards, so there’s ginseng, aloe vera and fruit extracts in the line up too to help hydrate the skin. Aesthetic Doctor Sophie Shotter was particularly fond of how just a subtle sweep of highlight could keep the “skin looking dewy” throughout the day.

“I love the chic packaging, but it’s the inside that matters,” says Penny Goldstone, Marie Claire UK’s contributing fashion editor who’s always trying to tackle the mid-day shine. Thankfully, Grown Alchemist’s Skin Defense Primer impressed her as much as the tube did. “The formula glides onto my skin with a pleasantly refreshing feel. And, it keeps my skin matte and my make-up in place all day. Applying foundation feels a lot smoother too.” What more could you ask for from the best mattifying primer?

We have come to demand and expect more of our make-up. And rightly so, if we’re applying it we want to know that it will work seamlessly with our skin, not irritate it. Lumene’s Serum in Foundation is a glorious product that’s a joy to use. It melts into the skin, never sitting on it and feels like an extension of your skincare routine. Make-up Artist Caroline Barnes loves how it “glides onto the skin seamlessly and hydrates the skin with a natural finish.” Celebrity Make-up Artist Zoë Taylor praised its lightweight texture that just makes the skin look great.

Traditionally a BB Cream was also known as a blemish balm, but Erborian’s BB Cream isn’t just for those with spots. This is the product you use when you’re working from home, for those no make-up make-up days, when you want to even out skin tone but don’t want to wear anything too heavy. “I have used the Erborian BB Cream for years,” says Marie Claire UK’s Katie Thomas. “I use it when I feel my skin needs a rest from normal make-up. It’s rather tricky to explain, but it just makes my skin look healthy and hydrated.”

When you’re looking for a base product, you want something that makes your skin look its best, without hiding who you truly are underneath. And if it doesn’t cost too much, all the better. Well, this is that base product. “This formula works so well on all skin types and the coverage is enough to soften imperfections and leave a subtle glow,” explains Caroline Barnes. “It has an excellent shade selection too and an amazing price point.”

Not only has this product won best skin tint at this year’s skin awards, but it seems the hydrating complexion product has also stolen the hearts of everyone who’s used it, including our judges. “There is a reason this product is so popular,” says Caroline Barnes. “It makes your skin look flawless, but in a natural way. Light and thin in texture but it softens imperfections and blurs skin beautifully.” Freelance Beauty Editor Tori Crowther agrees: “It does exactly what I’d hope from a skin tint, offering that light coverage that blurs imperfections without covering up too much.”

What on earth did we do before tanning drops? The handy bottles of bronzing joy have transformed the way we tan and our esteemed judging panel has deemed Self Glow by James Read’s the best. “You can tell these were developed by a tanning professional because it’s thoughtfully designed, instructions are clear (e.g. including a QR code in the box for people to follow) and the results are stunning,” explains Tori Crowther. “I also love that they smell beautiful and have inclusive marketing.” Make-up Artist and Journalist Rose Gallagher loves that they’re tinted: “I really liked that these drops have a guide colour, which sets them apart, as lots of other facial tanning drops don’t. This meant that I could clearly see and navigate how the product worked with my skin.”

Self tan is notoriously drying and Sienna X knows this. This is why the brand created a self-tan face mist that works with the skin to ensure it’s hydrated not thirsty. Formulated with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide this is a nourishing way to deliver a sun-kissed glow. Tori Crowther, Marie Claire UK beauty contributor and self-tan aficionado was a big fan. “This is a lovely tan that does as promises,” she says. “It gives a lovely natural colour overnight and is super easy to use. Plus, it smells like roses.”