Summer is gone, but before we officially bid the season farewell, we are first celebrating our four Summer 2025 Editor’s Choice Award Recipients! With products spanning both holistic and family-first wellness, wearable art, and skincare-infused makeup, the Beauty News NYC Official team is treating you to a fully vetted list of our favorite brands this past season.
Barefoot Sunday
Award Category: Best CBD Balm Topicals
Barefoot Sunday is selected for providing holistic Wellness through plant-based products such as their CBD Balm Topicals.
You can achieve serenity, comfort, and balance naturally with Barefoot Sunday products, especially their incredible CBD Moisturizing Recovery Cream and Freeze Gel, which work wonders. Every batch they formulate undergoes rigorous third-party lab testing to ensure purity and efficacy, instilling consumer trust. Barefoot Sunday’s commitment to quality and transparency is laudable. By adhering to stringent standards, they ensure the production of quality products that support both humans and the environment.
“Our CBD Topicals are crafted with clean, science-backed ingredients to deliver relief you can feel and results you can trust, ” said Nansy Mui, Founder of Barefoot Sunday. “Being recognized with the Beauty News NYC Editor’s Choice Award affirms our commitment to creating products that truly support comfort, balance, and everyday wellness.”
Beauty News coverage:
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Learn more about Barefoot Sunday.
EllieLove Mom
Award Category: Family-first, woman-owned wellness brand
EllieLove Mom is selected for its expertise in addressing skin sensitivities as a family-first, woman-owned wellness brand, offering the In Your Heart and Koleur collections.
This brand is ideal for anyone with sensitive skin issues such as psoriasis, atopic skin, and weak immunity – especially their In Your Heart and Koleur collections. With a curated collection of daily essentials, chosen by love and intention, EllieLove Mom focuses on clean, gentle ingredients. This brand is founded on authenticity and supports small Korean makers with heart-driven stories and a purpose. EllieLove Mom provides the nurturing daily care your entire family deserves.
Yoo Jun, the brand’s founder, says, “EllieLove Mom curates indie Korean beauty and wellness brands for the U.S., always beginning with what my own family—including my daughter Ellie, whose name the brand carries—uses and trusts first.”
Beauty News coverage:
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Learn more about EllieLove Mom.
FABA Collection
Award Category: Best Wearable Art in Sustainable Fashion
The FABA Collection is selected for practicing what it preaches when it comes to combating the fast fashion industry with sustainable and unique, wearable art.
FABA Collection Founder Ane Howard, says, “The inspiration behind launching FABA came from my desire to break the boundaries between traditional fine art and fashion. I wanted to create a platform where art could be experienced in a new, dynamic way. Since its inception in 2022, FABA has evolved into a brand that not only offers unique, limited-edition pieces but also champions sustainability and ethical production practices. I am planning to expand our collections, and to collaborate with various artists, and garnered a loyal customer base who appreciate the fusion of art and fashion.”
Beauty News coverage:
- FABA-lous Cotton Tote Bags
- Q&A with Ane Howard, Designer and Founder of FABA Collection
- The FABA Collection: Slow Fashion for Artful Summer Dresses, Shoes + More
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Learn more about FABA Collection.
M2U NYC
Award Category: Affordable Clean-Ingredient Makeup
M2U NYC is selected for its demonstrated commitment to clean makeup, which prioritizes skin health and offers prices that everyone can afford.
M2U NYC is a clean, vegan, and cruelty-free makeup brand born in New York City, created to make high-quality, skincare-infused makeup accessible to everyone, with prices ranging from just $5 to $15. As M2U NYC Founder, Amy Chou Granger, likes to say: “We believe beauty should be fun, affordable, and never compromise on quality. That’s why M2U NYC exists — to bring premium makeup within reach for everyone.”
Their products are especially loved by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who connect with their playful approach to beauty. They also collaborate with local NYC art students on our packaging designs — giving every palette and product a unique, creative edge that resonates with the next generation of beauty lovers.
Beauty News coverage:
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Learn more about M2U NYC.
We at Beauty News NYC Official extend sincere congratulations to all nominees and winners of our 2025 Editor’s Choice Award. If you haven’t already, check out our Spring Roundup, and stay tuned for late December for our Autumn 2025 Editor’s Choice Award Roundup!
