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The local and international winners were announced at a cocktail party in Johannesburg last nigth, attended by various guests from the beauty industry in South Africa and around the world.
"This year's local winner scored very high with all the jury and was a clear favourite," says Suzy Josephson, Beauty Editor of Marie Claire South Africa, "A Marie Claire Prix d'Excellence de la Beaute award is a huge endorsement and stamp of approval from the beauty industry." The local winner was elected by a jury of nine beauty experts from various sectors within the South Africa beauty industry.
The Marie Claire Prix d'Excellence de la Beaute award is an international beauty honour and the best possible indicator of achievement in the global beauty arena. The 2005 awards include products launched in the past 24 months, and for the first time this year, also the 'Caring Beautifully' award, which was awarded to the South African company which has invested most in the local community. The award went to Tip Top Nail and Cuticle Treatments, which provides beauty training at no cost to women across South Africa. Tip Top also empowers these women with the necessary business skills and assists them to start their own businesses. A study done in 2004 found that 21 of the 24 women who had undergone the training were running successful businesses or had found employment.
Marie Claire South Africa Prix d'Excellence de la Beaute runs in conjunction with the International Prix d'Excellence de la Beaute, which is coordinated by Marie Claire France. Awards for the various international winners were also announced at the event in Johannesburg. The international winners are:
"The aim of Marie Claire Prix d'Excellence is both to support the local industry and to reward it for its extraordinary achievements and products," adds Josephson. "Judging by the number and quality of entries we received, the local beauty industry is delivering better products and growing in size. Marie Claire Prix d'Excellence de la Beaute is the platform where we applaud the achievements of the industry and we hope it will further stimulate growth."
