Beauty Independent Names 31 Winners of 2026 Beacon Awards

Beauty Independent crowned 31 winners at its seventh annual Beacon Awards on Wednesday, chosen from more than 130 nominees by a panel of 25 expert evaluators across deals, product launches, entrepreneurship and industry leadership.

Jolie took Best Brand on the strength of 19 consecutive quarters of growth and more than $160 million in revenue, according to founder and CEO Ryan Babenzien. The filtered showerhead brand now sells through Ulta, Target, Costco, Erewhon and independent beauty retailers.

Salt & Stone won Growth and Late-Stage Deal. Presenting the award, Ulta Beauty president and CEO Kecia Steelman said: "Salt & Stone has built a truly differentiated brand, surpassed $165 million in revenue and helped redefine premium body care along the way. We believe they have an exciting runway ahead."

Who judged the 2026 Beacon Awards?

The 25 evaluators included Steelman, IPG president and co-founder Tish Poling, K18 founder and 2024 Beacon Award winner Suveen Sahib, Caliray founder and 2022 Industry Icon winner Wende Zomnir, former Cos Bar CEO Oliver Garfield, former Sephora SVP Alison Hahn, former Ilia Beauty CEO Linda Berkowitz, Beekman 1802 CEO Jill Scalamandre, and beauty entrepreneur Tai Beauchamp. Nader Naeymi-Rad, founder of Indie Beauty Media Group and publisher of Beauty Independent, emceed the digital ceremony.

Dermalogica and International Dermal Institute founder Jane Wurwand received the Industry Icon award. Steelman, presenting it, said: "For more than 40 years, Jane has championed education, elevated professional skin therapy, and created opportunities for generations of entrepreneurs. Her purpose-driven leadership, paired with her skincare expertise, has always been ahead of its time." RoC Skincare CEO Fernando Acosta was named Brand Builder; Snif's Bryan Edwards took Entrepreneur.

What won on the deals side?

Everist snagged the Indie Deal award and Medik8 the Reference Deal. True Beauty Ventures won Seed + Small Growth Investor, and Prelude Growth Partners took Growth Investor.

Product launch honors split by category:

• Skincare: SickScience Labs, for its concentrated serum NetWork
• Cosmetics: Chillhouse, for the Super Tint nail treatment
• Wellness: Wizard Wellness, for Multi-Benefit Probiotic Oral Strips
• Personal care: Toothpod, for its anti-cavity gum
• Haircare: Rhute, for the Density + Repair Scalp Serum
• Home and lifestyle: Hello Klean, for Showerhead Plus
• Fragrance: L'Epoque Parfums, for Inner Child Eau de Parfum — the brand's first industry award

Accepting the wellness award, Wizard Wellness founder Lorne Lucree said: "We launched in January believing allergy care should feel like skincare, a daily ritual, not a chore. Our Multi-Benefit Probiotic Oral Strips are a big part of that ritual." Sahib, presenting Toothpod's award, said the brand asked "a very simple question: Can we make this meaningfully better?" and answered by "taking oral care beyond the bathroom."

Presenting the fragrance award, Printemps head of beauty Ariel Fantasia called Inner Child an invitation "to reconnect with the self, a part that's often bogged down with external expectations," delivering "a moment of serenity, to feel comfortable within the scent of oneself."

Which brands won for purpose?

Norms took Inclusivity Champion for destigmatizing hemorrhoid care. Presenter Michelle LeBlanc, VP of beauty, personal care and Hispanic strategy at CVS Health, said: "Inclusion isn't a campaign, it's hundreds of small decisions about who gets to feel comfortable," citing the brand's fragrance-free options and HSA and FSA payment eligibility as evidence that "access is part of dignity." Co-founder Carly Roth said: "At Norms, we believe everyone deserves to feel seen, supported, comfortable talking about the health issues that are often too hidden or too stigmatized."

Sally Beauty CEO Denise Paulonis presented the Philanthropy Champion award to Alaffia for its shea butter cooperatives supporting women in rural West Africa. "Alaffia has built purpose directly into its supply chain and operations," Paulonis said. President Isabelle Francois added: "For 20 years, Alaffia has been built around a simple purpose: Through the power and tradition of shea, we foster peace." Voshbon won Sustainability Champion for freeze-drying technology that removes water and preservatives from formulas; Berkowitz called it a brand "living its DNA, doing much more with less."

Filament Sciences won Brand Launch for its signature hair treatment mask featuring Tensilex, a patented compound the brand describes as rebuilding broken bonds in hair rather than temporarily masking damage. Noyz took Product Innovation and Formulation for Milk de Parfum, a pour-on fragrance format with skincare benefits, and Alfheim Beauty won Product Innovation and Technology for its Red Light Scalp Serum Applicator. "It converges serum and device into one elegant object," presenter Garfield said.

Megababe's "I'm Fine" campaign won Best Campaign with 183 million impressions across billboards, social media and a hotline women could call to vent. "They really pulled upon the emotional piece of women who hide everything and push everything down," Poling said. Founder Katie Sturino said the brand spent its biggest campaign budget yet on emotional honesty rather than product promotion, adding: "We address the things that big beauty has traditionally ignored."

The Good Face Project won Technology Platform for its formulation, regulatory and compliance platform; Isima took Best Packaging, with Joonbyrd as runner-up. Sponsors of the seventh annual Beacon Awards included Merit Manufacturing, IPG, iLABS and Allure Beauty Concepts. Winners were announced Wednesday at the digital ceremony; Beauty Independent has run the awards seven years running.