Time to level up your beauty routine? You’re in luck, because Real Simple’s 2026 Smart Beauty Awards are here to do just that.
To crown these winners, Real Simple tapped a group of 125 women ages 17 to 70 to test hundreds of beauty products, narrowing down to the items that truly enhance skin, reduce frizz and minimize fine lines. Heather Muir, Beauty Director at Real Simple, stopped by the 3rd Hour of TODAY to highlight (no pun intended) the award-winning picks. This sampling includes top brands like Patrick Ta, Olay and more industry favorites.
Scroll on to preview this year’s class of standout makeup, skin care and hair saviors, plus more historic Real Simple Smart Beauty Awards winners.
Real Simple’s 2026 Smart Beauty Awards winners seen on the 3rd Hour of TODAY
Muir likens this cream to a pilates session for your face. Employing triple collagen peptides and niacinamide, it can noticeably tighten, lift and smooth fine lines and wrinkles, strengthening surface cellular bonds when used consistently in the morning and at night.
“If your skin can’t tolerate retinol, this is an amazing alternative that is more gentle,” Muir says. “Our tester called it ‘literal magic’ and said they’d be buying more as soon as it’s gone. I also love to put this on my neck.”
This gentle spot-fader uses a vitamin C alternative called Melaneven to help fade the appearance of dark spots. Muir says it’s great for improving the appearance of sun damage, especially post-summer.
“I actually put the leftover on the backs of my hands to help them stay bright, too,” Muir adds.
Muir says this dermatologist-formulated cream contains a combo of zinc and colloidal oatmeal to soothe reactive and irritated skin. One tester with rosacea says it went on “like silk” and soothed her red skin.
“It’s a personal favorite because I’m always dealing with redness,” vouches Muir. “I also love this because unlike other moisturizers this one is tinted green, which helps cancel out redness immediately.”
This is not your average blush. It’s a serum blush, which Muir says gives you skin care and color all in one step. Ideal for anyone who wants a quick, buildable cheek and lip combo, it comes in six shades.
“It feels weightless so you can put it on both your cheeks and lips, plus it has squalane for hydration,” Muir explains. “I love that it’s not super pigmented or matte — so it gives you this dewy look.”
This creamy, blendable concealer didn’t just win in Real Simple’s Smart Beauty Awards. It also impressed our own team of discerning editors, earning placement in Shop TODAY’s Beauty Awards for its ability to blur spots and brighten dark eye circles without settling into fine lines. With such a prestigious seal of approval from not one but two authorities in the beauty space, we couldn’t recommend this pick more.
This lightweight, oil-free scalp serum is designed to work with your scalp’s natural overnight repair cycle, slowing grays from coming in and supporting healthier hair growth and thickness.
“If you’re starting to notice a few grays (like I am) this overnight treatment is for you. Think of it as a night cream — but for your scalp,” Muir shares. “Our tester said it’s easy to apply, had a pleasant fragrance and didn’t leave her hair greasy the next morning.”
More 2026 Real Simple Smart Beauty Awards winners to shop
Great minds think alike, so it’s no surprise that Dove’s new, oil-infused body wash earned accolades in both Real Simple’s Smart Beauty Awards and Shop TODAY’s Beauty Awards this year. It has an oh-so-gentle formulation that won’t irritate sensitive skin, but still lathers well and leaves behind no greasy residue, per testers.
Under-eye bags, where? This fast-acting “instant eraser” treatment firms the eye area to reduce the appearance of fine lines, crow’s feet and bags for up to eight hours.
For instantly lengthened natural lashes, there’s no better makeup product than mascara. But what if the makeup staple could actually help your eyelashes grow longer over time? This innovation from Kosas claims to do exactly that, so you can enjoy both instant and long-term results.
Between swimming, frequent showers and sun exposure, summer tends to wreak havoc on our hair. When used on damp or dry strands, Redken says this “balm” gets to work sealing split ends, with results you can see from the first use.
“Strawberry skin” and uneven tone and texture are no match for these award-winning exfoliating pads. The brand says they’re safe to use on all skin types and can be swept over any problem areas on your face and body.
Have you heard the red light therapy gospel? Our editors have previously recommended a few red light products from this brand for everything from hats for hair growth to masks and panels. So when we spotted this filtered showerhead on the list of Smart Beauty Winners, we were extra intrigued. It’s said to combine the benefits of red light with a filter to remove unwanted chemicals and minerals from your water, resulting in boosted glow, circulation, mood and skin and scalp health, per the brand.
Real Simple's 2025 Smart Beauty Awards winners seen on the 3rd Hour of TODAY
Muir previously stopped by Studio 1A to share the 2025 Real Simple Smart Beauty Awards winners, which include this serum. With ingredients like mountain cherry for tightening the skin and a peptide complex for relaxing fine lines, reviewers noticed an immediate difference after using this product. The brand says that the serum can even help to reduce the appearance of tech neck with consistent use.
"This serum is easy to apply, sinks in nicely and I haven’t had a negative reaction to it, despite my neck being very different from the rest of my skin," says one reviewer.
If your nails are facing damage brought on by years spent getting acrylics at the salon (or have been the victim of a nail-biting habit), strengthen them with this one-step solution.
Simply brush the treatment over unpolished, clean and dry nails up to three times a week for best results.
Caffeine isn’t just for your morning cup of Joe anymore. It’s been an increasingly popular ingredient in hair thickening products as a way to stimulate strands and promote growth.
It’s prominently featured in this product’s ingredient list, working together with biotin, hyaluronic acid and peptides to further nourish and hydrate the hair.
For an eyeshadow stick that's easy to apply, lasts all day and leaves you with a shimmery or matte finish, turn to Real Simple's pick for best shadow and liner.
You'll find Ilia’s stick to be a creamy, waterproof eyeshadow that the brand says will last up to 12 hours — seamlessly taking you from the office to date night without missing a beat.
We're big fans of Tarte at Shop TODAY, and Real Simple agrees, naming this concealer their top pick in 2025. It comes in a wide range of shades, and not only conceals dark circles, but works to brighten and soothe the under eye area as well thanks to key ingredients caffeine and aloe.
Experts we previously interviewed recommend mineral sunscreen for those with acne-prone skin, as they commonly include ingredients that won’t further irritate the skin.
This SPF blend is suitable for those with rosacea-prone skin, as it works to “neutralize” the redness brought upon by it.
Meet the expert
Our team features a range of qualified experts and contributors in our broadcast segments to reveal the latest in trends, remarkable sale events and all things shopping across a variety of categories. Products were independently chosen by members of the Shop TODAY team, along with Heather Muir.
- Heather Muir is the Beauty Director at Real Simple and Health magazines.
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers. The products above were selected by Heather Muir and members of the Real Simple team.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
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