Beauty Independent Unveils 2025 Beacon Awards Nominees Recognizing Standout Talent, Innovation, and Impact Across Beauty

The 2025 Beacon Awards shine a light on 129 outstanding nominees across 29 beauty, wellness and personal care categories.

Now in its sixth year, Beauty Independent’s Beacon Awards recognize the people and companies setting new standards for innovation, impact and growth in an ever-evolving market. Carefully selected by the editorial team at Beauty Independent, the nominees represent the brightest and most thoughtful players in beauty and wellness today. 

This year’s program is supported by iLabs, International Products Group (IPG), Incrementum Digital and FP Labs and hosts a wide-ranging collection of contending brands, retailers, entrepreneurs, executives and investors recognizing everything from formulation breakthroughs and brand launches to investment milestones, inclusive leadership and exceptional storytelling.

“At Incrementum Digital, we love partnering with beauty and wellness founders to scale on Amazon and Tik Tok,” says Liran Hirschkorn, founder of Incrementum Digital, an expert evaluator and sponsor of this year’s program. “As an advisor and investor in beauty brands, I’m thrilled that the Independent Beauty Beacon Awards will shine a spotlight on true innovation in our industry and give these visionary founders the exposure they deserve.”

In the Entrepreneur category, nominees include Shizu Okusa, founder and CEO of Apothekary; Courtney Adeleye, founder of The Mane Choice and Olbali; Priscilla Tsai, founder and CEO of Cocokind; Tisha Thompson, founder and CEO of Lys Beauty; Jared Pobre, co-founder of Caldera + Lab; and Colette Laxton and Mark Curry, co-founders of The Inkey List.

The Industry Icon honorees have each made a lasting impact on the beauty industry through decades of leadership, innovation and influence. This year’s recipients include Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter; Carol Hamilton, former group president of L’Oréal USA and current strategic advisor at L’Oréal; Alan and Joseph Shamah, co-founders of AS Beauty and original founders of E.l.f. Cosmetics; and Nancy Twine, founder and CEO of Briogeo.

Executives fueling brand growth are recognized in the Brand Builder category. The nominees include Melissa Palmer, CEO of OSEA; Malena Higuera, CEO of Noyz and former L’Oréal executive; Elizabeth Ashmun, CEO of Phlur; Jeremy Soine, CEO of Face Reality; Elaine Choi, president of Crown Affair; and Fernando Acosta, CEO of RoC Skincare.

The Best Brand shortlist includes evolvetogether, Timeless Skin Care, Amika, Cocokind, Touchland, and Dr. Diamond’s Metacine—each recognized for their staying power, consumer resonance, and impact on the market. Beyond this category, the 2025 Beacon Awards fete a wide range of standout brands making waves across the industry. Huda Beauty and Medicube are honored for their excellence in social media, while newcomers like No Makeup Makeup, ERLY and Pareva earned nominations for their splashy and strategic brand launches. 

Other disruptors such as Patrick Ta Beauty, Bubble, Beekeeper’s Naturals and HigherDose are among those recognized for Product Launch – Cosmetics, Product Launch – Skincare, Product Launch – Wellness, Product Innovation – Technology and Product Launch – Personal Care, respectively.

The 2025 nominees also recognize dealmaking and capital influence. Seed + Small Growth Investor nominees include True Beauty Ventures, Felix Capital, Unilever Ventures and Greycroft, while Growth Investor nods go to Silas Capital, Sandbridge Capital, Eurazeo, and Humble Growth.

Indie Deal contenders include LYS Beauty, Wonderskin and Crown Affair, and Reference Deal nominees Touchland, Revive Skincare and Olive & June spotlight recent notable transactions.

On the retail side, Brand Booster, Audience Educator, Assortment Innovator and Service Maven categories honor key players C.O. Bigelow, Shop Good, Stele and Clean Your Dirty Face.

The expert evaluators who determine the Beacon Awards winners are assigned to committees concentrating on specific award categories based on their backgrounds and expertise. The expert evaluators include Kecia Steelman, CEO of Ulta Beauty; Mona Kattan, founder and CEO of Kayali Fragrances; Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter; Ju Rhyu, co-founder and CEO of Hero Cosmetics; Wende Zomnir, founder of Caliray and 2022 Beacon Awards Industry Icon winner; Brooke DeVard, host of the Naked Beauty podcast; David Chung, founder of iLabs and 2025 Industry Icon winner; Tish Poling, president and co-founder of International Products Group (IPG); and Melissa Niebes, president of FP Labs.

Winners will be announced in a digital ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 1p.m. EST. Program participants will celebrate the Beacon community at invitation-only cocktail events in New York and Los Angeles ahead of the digital ceremony.

For more on the Beacon Awards, click here.