The year’s most innovative beauty products were recognized at the 18th annual Cosmetic Executive Women’s (CEW) Beauty Insider’s Choice Awards, held at the Waldorf=Astoria on May 18.

The ceremony, hosted for the seventh consecutive year by comedian and Sex and the City star Mario Cantone, is the only awards program where the winners are determined exclusively by more than 4,900 beauty insiders and professionals working in the beauty industry. These CEW members narrowed down nearly 625 product entries from over 300 brands to 146 finalists across 29 categories.

“This award program is meant to make stars out of your products,” said Carlotta Jacobson, president of CEW. “And this year, our presenters are the top beauty bloggers, who are setting the tone for the future of beauty.”

The Estée Lauder Companies was the afternoon’s biggest winner, taking home six awards, while L’Oréal USA trailed closely behind with five. Johnson & Johnson and Coty each took home three trophies, while Shiseido Cosmetics America and LVMH each received two. Procter & Gamble, Elizabeth Arden, Puig, Burt’s Bees, Rita Hazan New York and StriVectin each won one award.

As well as recognizing product innovation, CEW also announced the winner of the Indie Beauty Award—Supergoop!—for its innovation and entrepreneurial spirit as a small independent company in the world of beauty.

Additionally, the annual Best Seller Award recognized the top selling launches in the biggest growth categories of the year, determined by retail sales data from The NPD Group and SymphonyIRI Group. Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips won for Mass Product and Lancôme’s Visionnaire [LR 2412] Advanced Skin Corrector won for Dept. Stores Product.

The second annual Eco Beauty Award, sponsored by Givaudan, was presented to Neutrogena Corporation for its Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser, which moves towards the goal of sustainability.

Chrysallis’ Jill Scalamandre and Allure’s
Agnes Chapski and Linda Wells (r.) with
Claudia Lucas of QVC and Mario Cantone.

Fresh’s Lev Glasman and Alina Roytberg (2nd r.) with Laura Geller Beauty Ingenuity’s Laura Geller and Cos Policastro of Givaudan.

Elizabeth Arden’s Art Spiro with Diane Crecca and Larry Berman of Arcade Marketing.

Givaudan’s Yara Karmiloff and Rose Eckert
with Derek Bowen of Coty Beauty (c.).

Firmenich’s Westly Morris and Jerry Vittoria with Lori Singer of Coty Prestige.

L’Oréal’s Karen Fondu and Steven Wahlberg.

Shiseido’s Maree Lavo, Rita Mangan and
Gisela Ballard with Tracy Dennis of Nars (2nd r.).

Bumble and bumble’s Bernard Zion and
Peter Lichtenthal with NPD Group’s Lori Monaco and Don Loftus of P&G Prestige.

P&G’s Gina Drosos and Kelly Vanasse
with Agnes Chapski of Allure (c.).

Oscar de la Renta’s Jean Hoehn Zimmerman and Macy’s Linda Levy with Alessandra Giansanti Zorlas of Euroitaly.

Bliss’ Brooke Temner, Mike Indursky,
Katie Welch and Ralph Contini.

CEI’s Fred Rakity with Robin Burns
of Batallure Beauty.

SymphonyIRI’s Victoria Gustafson with Lori Monaco and Diane Nicholson of NPD Group.

Macy’s Muriel Gonzalez and Nancy Schmidt with Ken Kane of Orlandi (c.).

Chanel’s Gena Starr and Christine Dagousset.

See more CEW Beauty photos