Cosmetify has launched its annual rankings of beauty brands, retailers and influencers. This year takes a deep dive into the beauty landscape, tracking social growth, engagement and search demand to reveal which brands are leading the conversation.
Top 10 Beauty Brands According to Cosmetify's 2025 Q3 Index
Top 10 beauty brands based on combined followers, engagement rates and search results across Q3:
- Huda Beauty
- Kylie Cosmetics
- Fenty Beauty
- NYX Cosmetics
- Dior Beauty
- Maybelline NY
- Rare Beauty
- Charlotte Tilbury
- Sol De Janeiro
- Rhode
The Biggest Brands to Beat
A huge new contender this quarter is Kylie Cosmetics, entering the index for the first time and immediately landing in second place. Olga at Adobe Stock
A huge new contender this quarter is Kylie Cosmetics, entering the index for the first time and immediately landing in second place. The brand enjoyed renewed viral attention thanks to the Kylie Cosmetics Body Spray and previously launched Skin Tint, which fueled enormous traction across TikTok.
Fenty Beauty continues to impress in third place, with the launch of its new Fenty Skin Body Care range extending Rihanna’s empire further into another category. Meanwhile, Rhode’s Sephora debut reflects the growing power of accessibility, retail presence and social commerce in shaping beauty’s biggest winners this quarter.
Community Driven-Brands Shape Beauty Hierarchy
Authentic and community-driven brands are the ones that continue to shape the beauty hierarchy.Lakkhana at Adobe Stock
Gen-Z favorite Rare Beauty also climbs the ranks, landing at number seven. A standout this year, founder/fan-led brands performed exceptionally well; the performance of Kylie Cosmetics, Rare Beauty and Rhode—which recently sold for $1 billion—in this quarter’s index affirms this.
Competition, as ever, stays strong, but if Q3 reveals anything, it’s that the authentic and community-driven brands are the ones that continue to shape the beauty hierarchy.
Momentum Slows for Charlotte Tilbury and e.l.f. Cosmetics
Not every brand can stay on top forever. Legacy brand Charlotte Tilbury, once a top-five staple, slipped down the rankings as new-generation competitors are stealing the scene. As younger shoppers, particularly Gen Z, demonstrate no particular loyalty to legacy brands like Charlotte Tilbury, interest is shifting to newer names. Even brands that still demonstrate strong performance are liable to lose momentum and suffer as a result.
Legacy brand Charlotte Tilbury, once a top-five staple, slipped down the rankings as new-generation competitors are stealing the scene.4kclips at Adobe Stock
For e.l.f. Cosmetics, it’s a different story: dropping out of the top 10 entirely, social media criticism over a recent ad campaign reveals that—in a market often driven by personality, storytelling and innovation—affordability alone is no longer the brand’s load-bearing pillar, especially with more budget-brand options. As trends are moving faster than ever, even the biggest names must evolve to keep pace with a beauty audience that is ever dynamic—and increasingly demanding.
Q4 Predictions: Accessibility and Authenticity Led the Way
Expect luxury fragrance and glow-boosting, indulgent skin care to dominate search trends once more.Best at Adobe Stock
Expect luxury fragrance and glow-boosting, indulgent skin care to dominate search trends once more. It appears equally as likely that, given the current economic climate, Maybelline could see further gains as budget-conscious shoppers seek high-performing yet affordable staples. Emerging indie and influencer-founded brands to watch out for—like Rhode, OUAI and Summer Fridays, both of which narrowly missed out on a top ten spot—continue to embody the qualities today’s consumers value most: authenticity, inclusivity and creativity. global
