To celebrate the second annual "Best In Black Beauty Awards" Essence magazine threw a fabulous and inspiring event Tuesday night in New York City.
Beauty insiders, editors, professionals and beauty-loving celebs packed the house to fete the best products and most innovative minds in the industry.
The event, sponsored by Motions hair products, was hosted by Essence's beauty director Corynne Corbett and celebrity stylist June Ambrose.
"We are in the business of celebrating black beauty and the brands that get it right," Corbett told The Huffington Post. "What better way to not only recognize those brands but also the people who are creating the products behind the scenes, in the studios, in the labs and beyond."
Ambrose, star of VH1 reality show "Styled By June" and admired for whipping together fierce wardrobes for some of Hollywood's brightest stars, also knows the importance of head-turning beauty moments.
"The clothing is mute without beauty. It's the finishings -- the hands, the hair, the makeup -- it's what truly gives us confidence, it's our second layer, our armor," Ambrose told The Huffington Post. "I feel like without amazing beauty inside and out, we're incomplete."
More than 60 beauty products (makeup, skin care, nail, fragrance and hair) were awarded top honors in Essence's May 2012 issue and many were showcased at the event in a "live gifting wall," where attendees had the opportunity to take the products home to try for themselves.
But the beauty professionals were the highlight of the evening for pushing the boundaries of beauty, especially when it comes to women of color.
The honorees included: Janis Smith-Gomez, vice president of marketing for Johnson & Johnson; Balanda Atis and Janine Cherette, group leader and color cosmetic scientist at L'Oréal USA Research and Innovation; Lisa Logan, celeb manicurist; and Ted Gibson, celebrity hairstylist and head stylist on the TLC network show "What Not To Wear."
Just one day after creating awesome 'dos for Ashley Greene and Nicole Ricci at the 2012 Met Gala, Gibson said he was thrilled to be recognized at Essence's event Tuesday night.
"It's amazing to be honored by the leading black publication in the world -- I feel like my career has come full circle," he told Huffington Post.
His close friend and client, Grammy-nominated artist Janelle Monae, presented the award--which was the icing on the cake
See a complete list of all the "Best In Black Beauty" award-winning products.
Check out the slideshow below for photos from the amazing event.
