Anti-aging this, moisturizing that, long-lasting, natural, organic, you need this, the best ever, the first of its kind, more volume, more color, matte, gloss, shiny, matte-shine, wait what? — and breathe.
Shopping for makeup is supposed to be fun but a lot of women just end up in the beauty aisle wearing a blank stare because there are 10 different mascaras all claiming to turn you into a bombshell with just one swipe. There's a reason it's next to impossible to leave Sephora in under an hour.
And, half the time, we end up buying way more than we need. It's like walking in to Target "just to pick up some dish soap." Seven purses, four picture frames, one new pair of sandals and no dish soap later, you leave with your tail between your legs wondering where the last two hours went.
In 2012, the cosmetics industry as a whole brought in $245 billion in revenue and is expected to reach $265 billion in 2017. So, it's no doubt we're overwhelmed. Repeat after me: You.are.not.alone.
Which brings me to the first-ever StyleCaster Beauty Awards! (Full disclosure: StyleCaster is part of the SheKnows family.) The idea is to get real feedback on the products women are buying from the women that are in the trenches with you. Note: In this scenario "trenches" reads Sephora, Ulta, whatever beauty aisle you call home.
You can nominate your favorite products in categories like Best 'I woke up like this' Hair Tool and The Conditioner That Doesn't Weigh Down Your Hair. Breakup-proof mascara and 'Hide My Late Night' concealer are all on the list (because we've all been there, whether it's because we had one too many or because we stayed up too late binge-watching Orange is the New Black). You have until May 25 to nominate and you'll be entered for a chance to win $500 worth of the winning products (you can enter once a day).
After that, sit back and wait for the winners to be announced on June 10. Start by clicking the image below — do it for the confused soul in the beauty aisle.
