The best minds in beauty arrived bright and early to the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center Thursday morning for the unveiling of this year’s annual WWD Beauty Inc Award winners, hosted by WWD’s Pete Born and Beauty Inc’s Jenny B. Fine. The new venue (for many years the breakfast had been held at The Four Seasons) provided a fresh palette for a who’s who in beauty, including Estée Lauder’s William Lauder, Fabrizio Freda, Lynne Greene and Jane Lauder; L’Oréal USA’s Frederic Rose, Karen Fondu and Carol Hamilton, and P&G’s Esi Eggelston Bracey. .
The winners, chosen by WWD’s beauty editorial staff, were selected taking into account market performance and retail feedback in the mass, specialty and prestige distribution points, awarding exceptional achievement in marketing, digital, advertising and creativity. This year’s Visionary Award winner, Leslie Blodgett, former CEO of Bare Escentuals, accepted the morning’s top honor with a humbling speech that gave deep thanks to the industry and her peers. She started off by explaining how the beauty industry is much like one of her childhood experiences, where she ran into her burning house to save a stuffed bunny, only to reconnect with family after the successful rescue, staying up late, eating cookies and talking about it.
“It’s a lot like our industry. At one minute you’re safe and warm, and then the next you’re in flames and the next you save your bunny and talk about it over a nice meal.”
Leslie attributed her success to simply working hard, taking a lot of risks and making a lot of mistakes, admitting “she’s not the smartest person” and she “pissed a lot of people off.” But diligence paid off. In 2010, Shiseido snapped up Bare Escentuals, which Leslie turned into a revenue powerhouse much due to her successful selling technique on QVC, for $1.7 billion.
Prestige
Skin Care
Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate
Color Cosmetics
Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Push-Up Liner
Fragrance
Giorgio Armani “Si”
Mass
Skin Care
Olay Regenerist Luminous Collection
Color Cosmetics
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel
Hair Care
Tresemmé 7 Day Keratin Smooth
Retailer of the Year
Mass: Rite Aid
Prestige: QVC
Specialty: Rituals Home and Body Cosmetics
Digital Innovator of the Year
Mass: L’Oréal Paris Makeup Genius App
Prestige: Sephora The Beauty Board
Ad Campaign of the Year
Chanel No. 5’s
Newcomer of the Year
Mass: So Cozy
Prestige: Christian Louboutin Beauté
Launch of the Year
Prestige: Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum
Mass/Specialty: & Other Stories
Creative Influencers of the Year
MAC’s Jennifer Balbier, SVP of Global Product Development and James Gager, SVP and Group Creative Director
Brand of the Year
Mass: E.l.f. Cosmetics
Prestige: Urban Decay
Corporate Social Responsibility
CoverGirl Girls Can Campaign
Indie of the Year
Josie Maran Cosmetics
Marketer of the Year
Prestige: Sandra Main, Global Brand President, La Mer
Mass: Ingrid Jackel, CEO, Physician’s Formula
Company of the Year
L’Oréal USA