In 2011, we rooted for our favorite spokesbeauties and welcomed new, exciting campaigns starring some of the world's most stunning faces. Behold, a look at some of the year's best hair and beauty ads:
JOURDAN DUNN for YVES SAINT LAURENT
Featuring Yves Saint Laurent's most iconic product, "magic wand" Touche Éclat, this elegant ad marked model mama Jourdan Dunn's first solo beauty campaign. It was also her first major partnership with a beauty brand.
GATE MAYA HAILE for FASHION FAIR
Gate Maya Haile may have intially studied nursing but now she's killing us with her flawless good looks and delicious bronze skin. Starring in Fashion Fair's stunning holiday ad with makeup by Creative Director and makeup master Sam Fine, there's no way we can resist her "Siren Call."
LIYA KEBEDE for L'OREAL
Known for her humanitarian efforts and her generosity, Ethopian stunner became L'Oreal's new global ambassasdor and lent her face for a new host of enchanting beauty ads.
THANDIE NEWTON for OLAY
Revealing that Olay was the "smell of a woman" in her youth, Newton finally landed a new deal as the celebrity ambassador for Olay's Total Effects campaigns in the United Kingdom and United States.
Flexing her inner fashionista all throughout 2011, it was only fair she forge her way into cosmetics as well. Besides joining Cassie and Selita Ebanks for Carol's Daughter's multicultural campaign, Solange graced London cosmetic brand Rimmel with some damn good beauty ads.
NICKI MINAJ for MAC COSMETICS
The Harajuku Barbie landed numerous beauty deals but teaming up (again) with one of the leading makeup brands among urban women is proving to be her best one yet. Following in the footsteps of Missy Elliot, Eve and Mary J. Blige, Nicki Minaj landed the wildly successful Viva Glam campaign as their newest spokesbeauty with fellow eye candy Ricky Martin.
PAULA PATTON for COVERGIRL
The newest member of the fictional Impossible Mission Force has a new assignment to fulfill as the official ambassador of the CoverGirl Queen Collection. This marks the first time the CoverGirl Queen Collection brand featured another face besides Queen Latifah.
FATIMA SIAD for OJON
Siad stayed #winning as she continually popped up in fabulous magazine editorials and lookbooks, various fashion weeks and catalogs and the like. For Ojon, Siad lent her winning smile and silky strands to promote their Instant Restorative Hair Serum.
CASSIE for CAROL'S DAUGHTER
Better known for slaying the competition fashionwise rather than musically, Cassie joined the Carol's Daughter family as a brand ambassador. Her ads thus far have been nothing but fierce.
CHANEL IMAN for DKNY
Besides unveiling DKNY's Golden Delicious Milion Dollar Fragrance earlier this month, Chanel Iman is one step from being a cherished household name with her DKNY Be Delicious Fragrance campaign.
JOAN SMALLS for ESTEE LAUDER
Despite suffering from scoliosis since age 14, Joan Smalls did not let this dehabilitating condition stop her from showing out this year. She played muse to the major fashion houses and strutted on the catwalk for the world's most prestigious luxury brands. The latest achievement in her legacy? Starring in the latest Estee Lauder ads.
Who were your favorites for 2011?
It just goes to show that mainstream America is finally accepting the fact that women of color have an abundance of diversity among them and that women of color occupy a vast marketing arena for beauty products.