The Who What Wear Podcast: The 2026 Who What Wear 100 Beauty Awards

0:10Erin Jahns:Welcome to the Who What Wear podcast. I'm Editor-in-Chief Kat Collings and today we are diving into our third annual Who What Wear 100 Beauty Awards. I'm joined by our beauty director Erin Jahns who led the curation of this list to talk about all the must-know products you should shop. From hair to skin to tools and special categories like low price, high impact, this list truly has something for everyone. We discuss everything from a standout scalp scrub to the perfect nail polish, plus what products celebrity makeup artists and hairstylists are reaching for. It's all coming up on Who What Wear.

0:56Erin Jahns:Erin, welcome back to the podcast. Thank you for having me. I love being here. Today, we're talking about the third annual Who What Wear 100 Beauty Awards. I'm sure it feels like you've been doing this for years now. Can you tell our listeners who might not be familiar what the beauty awards are? Yes. So essentially, we approach our beauty awards as just the opportunity to highlight, in our case, 100 brands and products that are the most results-driven, innovative, and universally lovable that we think everybody should know about. So these are the products that absolutely set the highest bar of excellence.

1:29And we truly want all of our readers to be able to refer to our winner's list and have a ready-made recommendation for whatever they're in the market for, whether they're looking for a new concealer or a new hairdryer. We want our list to kind of be what people can look at and just know they're getting a great recommendation.

1:47Erin Jahns:Yeah, it's a very tight list, right? Because most other publications, beauty awards feature hundreds and hundreds of products, correct? Yes. We have more people than ever entering to be part of it, right? And people get mad when they're not chosen, so I've heard. It is. The competition is definitely very tight, and so we obviously do our best to pick new brands and new products, but sometimes if a brand or a product is still really the most elite in its category, we won't be scared of continuing to honor them. What goes on behind the scenes of actually creating this list? Because you work on it pretty much year round, I feel.

2:25Erin Jahns:Yes. So starting in November, brands can start submitting all of the products that they'd like to be considered for our awards. And like you said, this year, we had our highest ever number of submissions, which was 2 ,163. And so then most of January and February, me and the team kind of are focusing on whittling down that huge number to, I say it in quotations, our shortlist. Because I think this year our shortlist was 950 products. Yeah. So those are the products that we physically call in to test. So usually we organize it so that all the fragrances are tested in New York in kind of a large group setting.

3:08and then we ship out and kind of designate all the other products to our other editors. They can take them home, they're shipped out because those are products that we're spending months, usually three to four months testing and reviewing and writing feedback for.

3:21Erin Jahns:So that's most of the spring. And then once we have all of that data, we get together and we start just going through everything and whittling that list down further and further until we have 100 products. But this year we actually had 104 products, but I know that we're going to talk a little bit more about that later. The mysterious four. Yes. Are there ever any like fights like between the editors? Like I think this one should win, but no, actually this one is better. We try to just do majority wins. You know, sometimes we'll just look at reviews and we'll just study what other people on the internet are saying about it too.

3:54So if we're like, you know what, this product actually, it seems like the masses who've tested it, they like it better or they're not having such and such issue with it. Then we'll just take that into account too, because we try to be as rigorous as possible with our testing team. But sometimes we need some outside research to help.

4:11Erin Jahns:Speaking of outside research, you engage with a number of judges that are sort of experts in the industry. Tell me about how you pick them. Yes. So we have hairstylists like Justine Marjan, who's worked with the Jenners and the Kardashians and has so many celebrity clients. And then we have nail artists like Brittany Boyce, who have worked with Megan Fox and Kate Hudson. We let them actually judge all products across all categories. So what were some of their favorite products? So some of the favorite products were the Rose Salt Scalp Scrub, Waze Super Dry Shampoo, Laneige's Lip Sleeping Mask, Rhodes Glazing Mist, Sharks Cryo Glow LED Mask, Sophie Pavitt's Jelly Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer.

4:59Erin Jahns:Was there one product that several beauty power players were really into? Yeah. So I would say that Rose's Salt Scalp Scrub, which is a little bit a tongue twister. Salt Scalp Scrub. Yes. But I would say Rose, they won last year. People love that brand, but this is a newer product. And we had both of our hairstylists commented on this one and reviewed it and said that it's a must to remove buildup and give your scalp a refresh. They love using it once a week and it gives you incredible volume at the roots and really a fresh base for anything you're doing the rest of the week. And it's also very gentle and perfect before a big event like a wedding or a red carpet.

5:40Erin Jahns:Are there any other celeb faves from the guest panel of judges? Yes. So this product actually won last year as well. So this is an example of a product that just could not be beat in its category and it's the Makeup by Mario Mastermat's palette in original. And so it's basically just the perfect palette. I think it's 12 shades matte and they're all nudes from like very like a fair to deeper and you get a black. So you can kind of do everything with it. And we had two of our makeup artists, Renee Lewis and then Lila Childs both comment on this. But then we also had our esthetician, Candice Marino.

6:22We had Bridget Reger, who's our a celebrity hairstylist or one of our celebrity hairstylist judges. So, so many applause for this product.

6:30Erin Jahns:I find it especially worthwhile to pay attention to when a makeup artist is commenting on another makeup artist's brand, right? Yes. Some people see that as competitive. That means even more. And the fact that it won two years in a row. Have you used this product? I don't usually wear eyeshadow, but sometimes just for a little bit of dimension, I do like a nude or a couple of shades of nude at this. It's really hard to mess up. And both of our makeup artists say it's incredibly versatile. You really don't need anything else in your kit. I mean, unless you're doing like bright eyeshadows, which this isn't that, but you know, for just a staple, this is really great.

7:05Erin Jahns:Okay. Well, you had me at hard to mess up because I likewise, I'm a little skittish around eyeshadow. I don't, I don't really know how to do it. Yeah. Okay. I also want to talk about the special four that you've been teasing a little bit. So we past two years have had a hundred products. This year we had 104. So these are products that have just really set themselves apart. So we wanted to give them a niche award. So we had our social media sensation, which was Wonder Skins, Wonder Blading, all day lip stain, which has been around a while, I think since 2019 or 2020. Tell us more about this because we're visual people.

7:43It's blue when it goes on. Yeah, it looks like something Alien would wear. It's bright blue and kind of metallic and does not look like anything that should be on your lips ever. You put it on and you can either use it as an eyeliner or you can put it all over your lips.

7:57Erin Jahns:And then basically you just let it sit there for, honestly, it only really takes like 30 seconds. I usually end up leaving mine on for a minute or two. And then you just wipe it off and you have just this like perfect lip stain that obviously gives you color. But I feel like it also makes your lips look plumper and just better all around. And I know that I don't really leave the house without using it. And then our makeup artist, Lila Child, says she literally also does not leave the house without applying this. So it's amazing. And that's so interesting that this was like the original one that kind of kicked off that trend.

8:31Erin Jahns:Because I know everybody's really seen that look. but this so this is the gold standard yes what else is in these top four categories so we also had worth the investment which was a product that had to be i think 150 or more and we awarded that to higher doses infrared p-e-m-f pro mat comes in at a cool 1300 so it is an investment both caitlin and i have tested it i think everybody on our in team editors has tried it at least once but it's essentially helps reduce inflammation in the body. It can help relieve stress. It can help improve focus. I have troubles with my neck and my back and just muscle soreness around that.

9:13And I swear that if I use it for 30 minutes, I feel a million times better. So it's pretty incredible. I do recommend it. So you see, you feel instant results, you'd say, from using this. Not instant, but like within after use, you feel a change? Yes, definitely. Wow. Okay.

9:29Erin Jahns:Okay. I'm intrigued. What else have we got? So then we have high impact, low price. And this had to be a product that was under$25. And we did Lumify's Redness Reliever Eye Drops, which is something that I think it's the first thing that I use in the morning when I wake up. Just because I always seem to just have such tired kind of red eyes when I wake up. They're very sensitive. And makeup artists say that it's an essential part of their kit. They don't let their celebrity clients go out on the red carpets or go to an event without using it. It doesn't give you any irritation, but it's just such an easy little trick to look so much brighter, more awake, makeup will look better, everything.

10:10I get that.

10:11Erin Jahns:And I feel like there are some celebrities that have mentioned Lumify over the years as something that they go to, especially, you know, there are people that get photographed a lot. So it's really a go-to. Again, it's one of those products that we feel like you just can't beat it. And we've tried everything. So I love it. And then our last of the four categories is Timeless Classic. And we gave that to Essie for their iconic pale pink nail polish ballet slippers, which has been around since I think it launched in 1982. And despite all the light pink nail polishes that have launched since then, it's like remained one of the go-to, you know, most timeless nail polishes to ever exist.

10:52Erin Jahns:Okay. I love it. So these are the four sort of little hero products that got an extra award. And let's dive into the core 100 as well. First up, let's talk about hair. You know, you mentioned the scalp scrub. Are there any other standouts that you think our readers should definitely know about? Yes. So Chris McMillan launched Align in the last year. He's a very famous celebrity hairstylist who's perhaps most notably known for the Rachel, which was Jennifer Aniston's haircut in Friends. But all of his products are great. But his glassy smooth hair oil, one for best hair oil, and it is so great.

11:27It does really give you that glassiness, but without any oiliness or heaviness.

11:32Erin Jahns:Hair oils are tricky, but we all just fell in love with that product. And then Crown Affair's Overnight Repair Serum was another one where you just apply it at night. It feels very lightweight. It smells nice. And then you wake up and you feel like if you have split ends, you can't really see them anymore. your hair just feels stronger, shinier. And one of those kind of easy things that you can just do before you go to bed and wake up with better looking hair and then get that instant gratification, but also obviously with time kind of builds upon the results. And is that something where you wash your hair in the morning after it's done or are you, you just roll out of bed and your hair looks great?

12:12Yes. You can roll out of bed and you don't have to rinse it out.

12:15Erin Jahns:Oh, nice. Yes. Okay. Okay. I love crown affair. I feel like everybody does. they have won in the past and we feature them all the time on site because very beloved. Absolutely. The scents are good and we just are big fans. Any hair products that surprised you? Yes. So I've kind of gotten out of the habit of using hair masks just because I do feel like so many shampoos and conditioners and some of the leave-ins I use kind of do the job. But I tested the shoe in Mira Ultimate Reset Strengthening Hair Mask and I've never seen such a dramatic before and after. And I've been kind of on anybody who knows me or works with me knows that I've kind of had a hair journey with.

12:55I used to be beach blonde. Now I have red hair, but it's taken a few years for me to outgrow all of the damage from the blonde hair. But the last year, my hair has been in a pretty good spot. It's been shiny, a lot healthier. So I didn't really even think I would notice a huge difference, but it was incredible. My hair looked so much shinier. It had kind of this natural body to it. It felt like I wasn't noticing the split ends. I started to notice a few times after I've used a hot tool. It's incredible. Okay. Let's talk about makeup.

13:28Erin Jahns:It's a huge category to nail down, right? You've got scary, you've got lipsticks, you've got blush. Is there a universal product that you think literally anyone or almost anyone could pick up in Sephora and love? I would say this is another one that I think all the celebrity makeup artists on our panel would back me up would be the Charlotte Tilbury, the airbrush, wallace setting spray, especially if you do use base products like a concealer or a foundation. And as we're heading into summer, when, you know, maybe skin gets a little bit hotter, it just locks everything in. So many setting sprays can kind of just like mat things down or you feel like you just put hairspray on your face, but it's just, I feel like it makes your skin feel nicer.

14:07Makeup lasts all day. So So that's another great one. There's another one too, Makeup Forever's Multitasking Artist Color Pencil. That's an OG. I feel like you see all the celebrities wearing it or testing it on TikTok or, you know, makeup artists love it too. You can use it as a lip liner, an eyeliner. You can use it as a shadow, a blush. And it has lots of iconic shades like Wherever Walnut, Anywhere Caffeine, Limitless Brown, Endless Cocoa.

14:34Erin Jahns:This is the second product that you've, a lip product that you've mentioned wearing on your eyes too. I love the multitasking element going on. Are there any makeup winners that you don't necessarily like you'd need, but are kind of a fun like treat yourself moment? Yeah. So I would say that one of our other most expensive products that we gave an award to, especially the makeup category was the Hermes Plain Air Luminous Matte Foundation. It's definitely not the type of matte foundation where it feels cakey or like really, really matte, like 2016 era, but gives you this kind of like cloud-like finish where it doesn't look too dewy or wet, like some foundations end up looking, but you just look kind of like it says luminous.

15:15And that's$145, but it has so much skincare in it. I think we had a few of our dermatologists and estheticians look at the formula and say it is kind of worth its weight because there is so much happening in that bottle that's actually going to improve your skin while you're wearing it.

15:32Erin Jahns:Okay. That's so interesting. And also fun to see the fashion first brands, And Excel in the beauty category is really cool too. Speaking of actually another product that I was going to mention in the same, like, you know, maybe not necessary, but kind of a cherry on top is the Prada Beauty Touch Blush, which is$45. So not cheap for a blush, but is another universal favorite that kind of feels just really light and gives you a really natural looking blush. We all fell in love with that product as well. Next is skincare. So there are 27 winners in this category. How do you pick? Because everybody's skin and skin needs are so different.

16:09Erin Jahns:You know, aging, discoloration, acne. We look for formulas that can target specific concerns, like you're saying, redness or lines, dullness, but that are also going to be really easy for anyone to incorporate into the routine. So they'll play nicely with all skin types. Even if maybe it's targeting wrinkles, it'll still be great for anybody who wants to use it. And products that will, you know, work well with other products that aren't necessarily on our winning list, but you may be using. So we like the instant gratification. So we try to choose products that are able to deliver long-term and instantaneous paying for your buck with the skincare.

16:46Erin Jahns:Any products that surprised you that you were like kind of disrupted your status quo gold standard beauty routine? Yes. So Mara's Pearl Peptide Glaze, which I've already heard is one of our top sellers so far since our winners were announced. It's just really dreamy. It's kind of a three-in-one essence toner serum hybrid. And it really does just instantly transform your skin. So I usually am a little bit dry in certain areas and then a little bit oily in other areas. And I feel like once you apply, you just have this like dewy, glowy skin. It helps with redness. It helps with hydration. And I am obsessed with it.

17:26I feel like I've started applying it every single day.

17:30Erin Jahns:Amazing. And that's a local to LA brand, which is just always fun. And I love the three for one because I, for one, am not using a toner in essence. So if that can be packed on and with the serum, I appreciate them. Yeah, definitely. It's one of those things where I just wash my face and I apply that and maybe night cream and then that's all the skincare I really need in the morning. Yeah. Let's talk nails. I always feel like you have really nice nails. What's one product you were surprised by that proved itself worthy of a purchase? I'd say that we were all completely knocked out by the manicurist keratin booster nail serum, which you apply on your nails as if you're painting them with a nail polish.

18:08And it will, like right before your eyes, it basically transforms dryness or if they just look kind of raggedy. I don't even know how to describe it, except it makes you all of a sudden look like you have perfect nails. And it's not something where like, oh, you've applied it. So it's wet and kind of just makes it look better, but it definitely just keeps them looking better. And the more that you use it, the better the results are. So if you're trying to get your nails healthier, which I feel like everybody is, whether they're getting manicures or don't wear nail polish, I feel like it's a must for sure.

18:40Erin Jahns:Does it stay on beyond a hand wash, you think, or no? After you let it dry, it should definitely, the results stay. Okay, cool. And that's another product that was backed up by our celebrity nail artist on our panel, Brittany Boyce, who said that she loves it as well. Okay. Well, I was also, I think I'm sensing a theme here in terms of adding things to my list that I wouldn't normally think were must-haves, like a nail serum. I'm like, okay, it's good if I can have a serum for my face, but I guess my nails need a little TLC in that category too. Okay. Let's talk fragrance. What would you recommend for a day-to-night scent that you can, you know, sort of works for every occasion.

19:18I would choose Fugazi's Angel Dust. And that's the one I picked. They also asked the other editors on the team if they disagreed or agreed and they agreed. It's categorized as a skin scent, but I'd say it's a little bit more warm and has a little bit more spice to it. It has notes like white amber and bergamot, black pepper,

19:39Erin Jahns:which kind of gives it a little bit more, a little bit more personality, I feel like, than some of the other skin scents. And the brand itself, it's pretty interesting. They're inspired by the ancient belief that Cleopatra conquered Caesar via her incredible scent, but this was a unanimous favorite. And again, was one that I think Justine Marjan, our celebrity hairstylist that she is obsessed with as well. So then for body, I feel like there's something for everyone in that category. For someone who wants to level up their shower routine, we know the idea of an everything shower, a really sort of decadent self-care shower, what product would you recommend?