The best minds in beauty arrived bright and early to the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center Thursday morning for the unveiling of this year’s annual WWD Beauty Inc Award winners, hosted by WWD’s Pete Born and Beauty Inc’s Jenny B. Fine. The new venue (for many years the breakfast had been held at The Four Seasons) provided a fresh palette for a who’s who in beauty, including Estée Lauder’s William Lauder, Fabrizio Freda, Lynne Greene and Jane Lauder; L’Oréal USA’s Frederic Rose, Karen Fondu and Carol Hamilton, and P&G’s Esi Eggelston Bracey. .

The winners, chosen by WWD’s beauty editorial staff, were selected taking into account market performance and retail feedback in the mass, specialty and prestige distribution points, awarding exceptional achievement in marketing, digital, advertising and creativity. This year’s Visionary Award winner, Leslie Blodgett, former CEO of Bare Escentuals, accepted the morning’s top honor with a humbling speech that gave deep thanks to the industry and her peers. She started off by explaining how the beauty industry is much like one of her childhood experiences, where she ran into her burning house to save a stuffed bunny, only to reconnect with family after the successful rescue, staying up late, eating cookies and talking about it.

“It’s a lot like our industry. At one minute you’re safe and warm, and then the next you’re in flames and the next you save your bunny and talk about it over a nice meal.”

Leslie attributed her success to simply working hard, taking a lot of risks and making a lot of mistakes, admitting “she’s not the smartest person” and she “pissed a lot of people off.” But diligence paid off. In 2010, Shiseido snapped up Bare Escentuals, which Leslie turned into a revenue powerhouse much due to her successful selling technique on QVC, for $1.7 billion.

Prestige


Skin Care
Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate

Color Cosmetics


Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Push-Up Liner

Fragrance


Giorgio Armani “Si”

Mass


Skin Care


Olay Regenerist Luminous Collection

Color Cosmetics


Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

Hair Care


Tresemmé 7 Day Keratin Smooth

Retailer of the Year


Mass: Rite Aid

Prestige: QVC

Specialty: Rituals Home and Body Cosmetics

Digital Innovator of the Year


Mass: L’Oréal Paris Makeup Genius App

Prestige: Sephora The Beauty Board

Ad Campaign of the Year


Chanel No. 5’s


Newcomer of the Year

Mass: So Cozy
Prestige: Christian Louboutin Beauté

Launch of the Year


Prestige: Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum

Mass/Specialty: & Other Stories

Creative Influencers of the Year


MAC’s Jennifer Balbier, SVP of Global Product Development and James Gager, SVP and Group Creative Director

Brand of the Year


Mass: E.l.f. Cosmetics

Prestige: Urban Decay

Corporate Social Responsibility


CoverGirl Girls Can Campaign

Indie of the Year


Josie Maran Cosmetics

Marketer of the Year


Prestige: Sandra Main, Global Brand President, La Mer

Mass: Ingrid Jackel, CEO, Physician’s Formula

Company of the Year
L’Oréal USA