Few modern women can do without moisturizers and makeup, but do they all work as advertised?

In response to this vexing question, ELLE Magazine has for the first time introduced international beauty awards that commend "impressive" skin, hair and body care products.

The products list is based on recommendations from 40 of its international edition directors and a readers' poll.

Armani's Maestro Fusion Makeup is named best foundation for its "revolutionary" one single drop effect, while Clinique's Moisture Surge Intense is said to combat the "coldest Russian winter" and has been awarded best face moisturizer.

For best lipstick, Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine is highly commended for being "sophisticated (and) at the same time natural".

"Over the years, we have seen ourselves as the bosom friends of millions of female readers. And we consider it our goal to share more about beauty and its secrets with those who trust us as friends," commented Xiao Xue, ELLE China's editor-in-chief, at the awards ceremony.

ELLE has also completed a "Global Beauty Survey", discovering the various obsessions with beauty products that are shared by women all over the globe. The survey polled 26,893 readers from 35 countries and regions.

It shows that Asian women are among the biggest spenders on cosmetics, especially those between the ages of 25 and 34.

Among the interviewees, 80 percent of Asian women said their biggest expenditure was on cosmetics and skincare products. Chinese mainland women topped the list with 85 percent.

While Chinese mainland women pay more attention to skincare rather than cosmetics products, the survey found Hong Kong women apply lipstick twice as often as mainland women.

Additionally, 46 percent of Chinese women use moisture masks several times a week, more than anywhere else in the world.

European women, meanwhile, are the most frequent users of all kinds of cosmetics, and half of them use mascara every day. Bulgarian women ranked top for being obsessed with plastic surgery.

North American women were most concerned about animal testing of beauty products, with about 50 percent of Canadian women saying they would not use beauty products that were not tested out on animals.

xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 02/03/2013 page13)