The CEW’s annual Beauty Insider Awards Product Demo took place at the Metropolitan Pavilion on March 8 in NYC. At 6.30 pm people were doing a full block line to try to get in. This show becomes more and more popular each year.

More than 800 products were presented from 400 plus beauty brands within 34 different categories. 200 finalists will be announced late March. Finalists will be voted on by CEW’s Board of Governors, as well as by select industry experts. Winners will be announced May 12 at the CEW Beauty Insider Awards Luncheon at the New York Hilton Midtown. With a show entirely sold out and over 2000 CEW members present, this show is definitely among the most buzzed about award.

This year’s Beauty Awards program aimed to level the playing field between indie and more established brands. In addition to the Indie Brand Beauty Award, CEW has added three new Indie Awards to recognize players in the skin care, makeup and fragrance categories. A Makeup Tools category will recognize innovative tools of the trade. This year’s Most Buzzed About Award has evolved to recognize a beauty product that has collaborated with an outside influence, company, celebrity or designer. As before, a Best Seller Award will be given within the mass and prestige channels; the Iconic Award will recognize a trendsetting product that has created a new category; the Sustainability Excellence Award, presented by Firmenich, will recognize sustainability efforts; and the Indie Brand Beauty Award, presented by Financo, will acknowledge an indie company. Once again, QVC’s Beauty Quest, will select one brand to be featured on QVC in a CEW Beauty Awards Show in July.