The brand awards worth winning.
Australia's annual editorial-led beauty industry awards. Six categories. Six winners. Selected by Glow's named editors against the published rubric. No paid entry. No sponsored categories. The only AU beauty award where you cannot buy your way in — and the one therefore most worth holding.
The 2026 winners.
Drawn from the highest-scored products tested in each category across the past twelve months. Each winner has earned the highest editor score in its category and is automatically inducted into the Glow 100.
Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+
The dermatologist default for Australian daily SPF. Tested across three skin types over a full Australian summer. No grease, no white-cast, no pill under makeup. Earns its place every year.
Hollywood Flawless Filter
The primer-base hybrid that solved a real problem the rest of the category was politely ignoring. Layerable, dewy without sliding, photographs beautifully across foundations.
No. 3 Hair Perfector
Eight years of clinical evidence. The bond-building treatment Australian hairdressers and salons have not been able to replace. The only at-home product in its category that justifies the price.
2HR Express Deluxe Mousse Dark
The most natural finish in the express-tan category. Wears like a slow-tan, develops in two hours. Australian-developed, refined over six product cycles to its current formulation.
Contour Face
The highest single score in our entire database (9.4/10). FDA-cleared, dermatologist-endorsed, twenty years of clinical evidence behind the technology. The at-home device that justifies the price tag.
Natural Marine Collagen
The Australian-made marine collagen with the cleanest formulation tested. Smaller daily dose, no fillers, no artificial sweeteners. The category winner readers re-purchase the most.
Three rules that protect the award.
No paid entry.
Brands cannot submit products for consideration. Editors nominate. The annual budget for the Glow Awards is funded entirely by the publication, not by entrants. Most beauty industry awards in Australia accept paid entries; this one does not.
No sponsored categories.
No category is "presented by" a brand or retailer. No brand can secure visibility through a sponsorship attached to the Skincare or Hair award. The award sits entirely outside Glow's commercial commercial relationships.
Audited annually.
The award selection is included in Glow's third-party annual editorial audit. The auditor reviews the per-category nominee shortlist, the editor reasoning for each winner, and any disclosable conflicts of interest. The audit summary is available to media partners on request.
What winning means for a brand.
A Glow Award is not a marketing badge. It is an editorial verdict. Brands who win receive:
- The right to use the "Winner — The Glow Awards 2026" badge on packaging, retailer listings, and brand communications, in perpetuity
- The verdict text in copyable form for retailer pages and PR collateral
- A founder profile feature, where applicable, in the next quarterly publication cycle
- A direct line to the editor responsible for the category, available for product launch consideration
What winning does not include: any guarantee of future favourable coverage, any reduction in editorial scrutiny on subsequent products, any commercial preference in our retailer affiliate routing.
How to be considered.
You cannot apply. Brands featured in the Glow 100 are automatically considered for the following year's Glow Awards. Products that score 8.5 or higher in any category over a twelve-month testing window enter the shortlist. The shortlist is not published. Winners are revealed each April with the publication of the annual edit.
For brands who would like their products considered for editorial coverage in the standard ranking process, contact [email protected] with product details. There is no fee, no submission window, and no guarantee of review.