World Duty Free (WDF) has announced that it is to be the leading retail sponsor for the inaugural Cosmetic Executive Women (UK) Beauty Awards in 2006 which recognise product innovation and excellence within the market.

Over 100 products, representing more than 50 leading beauty brands, have been entered in the inaugural awards, which will be presented at a Demonstration Evening on February 6 at Vinopolis, where the 500 CEW (UK) members, drawn from all sectors of the industry, will sample and vote on winners for each of the elevencategories.
Winners will be announced at an award luncheon which is scheduled to be held at the Royal Opera House on April 26, 2006. ‘This will be the UK?s premier award for beauty products and brands. Our members are the most knowledgeable women in the UK beauty industry, they know what makes a product great, so there is no better endorsement than to win this award’ said Caroline Neville, President of CEW (UK).
Modelled on the 11-year success of the US CEW Beauty Awards, the first year of the UK Beauty Awards will focus upon prestige brands, with plans to integrate mass brands and hair care in subsequent years.
A range of sponsors are backing the awards, including World Duty Free, Easy Living Magazine, Esprit, Ernst & Young, Handbag.com, JSL Concepts and The Royal Promotion Group.
Mark Riches, Managing Director of World Duty Free said: ‘We are thrilled to be working with CEW to launch the first CEW Beauty Awards in the UK. We believe that the members of CEW (UK) are the true beauty insiders and their endorsement of winning products at retail is vital. WDF are planning to provide retail support for the winning collection in order to bring the awards directly to the consumer.’
The winning products will be further supported by CEW?s other retail partners House of Fraser and Harrods, who will be showcasing the winners in-store during the year.
World Duty Free is a leading retail force in perfumes and cosmetics in the UK, selling more than ?200m ($355m) worth of products at its seven UK airport locations and accounting for more than 11% of the UK market.