The 16 Best Makeup Brands You Need to Know About Right Now

Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 with 40 foundation shades when most brands offered maybe 12. The brand now has 50+ shades and proved inclusivity isn't a niche market—it's the baseline. Other brands scrambled to expand their ranges because Fenty showed there was no excuse not to.

The Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation performs equally well across every shade, not just the middle tones. The Gloss Bomb made clear gloss cool again after years of matte everything dominating the market.

You'll find Fenty at Sephora, Ulta, Kohl’s, Target, and on Fenty's site. The mid-to-high price range (foundations around $40) reflects quality formulas with genuine shade inclusivity. Fenty forced the entire beauty industry to raise its standards, and that impact goes beyond just making good products.

e.l.f. has dismantled the myth that affordable means cheap. The brand makes $6 primers that rival $40 luxury versions and maintains strict cruelty-free standards across everything they produce.

The Power Grip Primer became so popular it now has a matte version for oily skin. The Halo Glow Liquid Filter is famous as the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter dupe—many people actually prefer e.l.f.'s version at a fraction of the price.

Most products cost under $10 and you can find e.l.f. everywhere: Ulta, Target, CVS, Amazon. This accessibility makes trying new products stress-free. If you're skeptical about drugstore makeup, e.l.f. is where that skepticism ends—these products genuinely perform.

Pro makeup artists keep MAC in their kits for good reason. Founded in Toronto in 1984 by makeup artists for makeup artists, the brand built its reputation on highly pigmented formulas and extensive shade ranges decades before inclusivity became a marketing trend.

The lipstick collection alone offers over 300 shades across finishes like Matte, Satin, and Amplified. Ruby Woo, the blue-toned red that's been on every "best red lipstick" list for decades, remains unchanged because the formula doesn't need improvement.

Products typically range from $20-35, positioning MAC as mid-range with professional-grade performance. The Back to MAC recycling program lets you return six empty containers for a free lipstick. You'll find MAC at their standalone stores, Nordstrom, Macy's, and Ulta.

Celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury launched her namesake brand in 2013, drawing on years of creating red carpet–ready looks for A-listers. The idea was simple: makeup that gives you polished, professional results without needing a pro-level skill set.

Pillow Talk quickly became the brand’s calling card—a soft pinky-nude shade that somehow works on just about everyone and has since expanded into a full collection. Then there’s Hollywood Flawless Filter, often dubbed “Botox in a bottle” for the way it blurs and brightens skin in real life, not just on camera.

Prices land firmly in the luxury territory (think $34 lipsticks and $45 foundations), but the formulas and packaging justify the splurge.  

Shopping tip: Shop at Sephora and Ulta to catch rotating promos, or check Nordstrom and Charlotte Tilbury’s own site for exclusive sets and limited-edition bundles.

Selena Gomez launched Rare Beauty in 2020 with a clear purpose behind it. Mental health awareness isn’t just a talking point here—1% of all sales go to the Rare Impact Fund, which supports mental health initiatives. Because Selena has been open about her own experiences, the mission feels personal rather than performative. The products hold up, too.

Rare Beauty’s Liquid Blush became a viral favorite because pigment is no joke—a tiny dot is more than enough to give cheeks a fresh, natural-looking flush that actually lasts. The Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil is another standout, think glossy shine without the heaviness or stickiness you usually get from lip oils.

Most products fall in the $20–$30 range and some are exclusive to Sephora or Kohl’s. Rare Beauty strikes a balance that’s hard to pull off: a genuinely meaningful mission paired with makeup that performs just as well as the buzz suggests.

François Nars founded his brand in 1994 with a clear vision: makeup should be sophisticated without taking itself too seriously. Those sassy shade names? Completely intentional. The intensely pigmented formulas? Non-negotiable.

Orgasm blush—peachy-pink with golden shimmer—has been a cult favorite for over 20 years and spawned more dupes than we can count. The Radiant Creamy Concealer sits in nearly every professional kit.

NARS’ prestige pricing ($30-50 range) is a given considering the quality. You can shop NARS at major department stores, Sephora, Ulta, and the brand’s direct site.

Founded in 1914, Maybelline is the brand your grandmother used—and it's still delivering over a century later. The secret? Constant innovation while keeping prices ridiculously accessible.

Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation dominates the drugstore foundation category. Sky High Mascara regularly outperforms luxury options—yes, including that $30 Lancôme your friend swears by.

Most products cost under $12, with many under $8, and are available nearly everywhere: drugstores and major beauty retailers like Ulta and Sephora alike. This is the best drugstore makeup brand that proves quality doesn't require luxury pricing.

Ilia creates every single formula from scratch, which sounds excessive until you realize that's exactly how they guarantee genuinely clean beauty without the performance compromises that plagued early clean makeup brands. This is the brand that converted skeptics who thought clean beauty meant settling for mediocre results.

The Super Serum Skin Tint packs SPF 40 and actual skincare ingredients into coverage that looks like your skin having a really good day, not like you're wearing obvious makeup. The Limitless Lash Mascara proves clean formulas can deliver serious volume, which remains surprisingly rare in the clean beauty category.

Pricing hits $28-48, reflecting the skincare-meets-makeup hybrid approach. Shop at Sephora Ulta, Amazon, or Ilia's website for the full range.

Makeup artists quietly stock NYX in their professional kits because a $10 eyeliner that performs like a $40 luxury version means more budget left over for the products that genuinely require splurging. The brand has built its reputation on delivering professional-quality results at prices that make luxury brands uncomfortable.

The Epic Ink Liner delivers the kind of precision that's supposed to require luxury pricing, but doesn't. The Professional Makeup Setting Spray works just as well as Urban Decay's cult-favorite All Nighter at a fraction of the cost.

Most products fall between $5-15 and you can find them at Ulta, Target, CVS, and NYX's website. The brand jumps on trends quickly without sacrificing quality in the rush.

Dior translates runway glamour into makeup you can actually wear in real life, bringing the luxury aesthetic of the fashion house (founded in 1946) directly to your vanity. You're definitely paying for the Dior name, but the formulas and experience back up the luxury positioning.

The Dior Addict Lip Glow costs $40 and somehow feels justified when you're using it—it's that good. Diorshow Mascara has been a backstage staple at fashion shows for years because it photographs beautifully and wears even better in person.

Expect luxury pricing across the board, with most products ranging from $35-70. Shop at Sephora, Nordstrom (check Nordstrom promo codes for occasional deals), or Dior boutiques. This is makeup for special occasions, or for when you just want to feel fancy.

ColourPop built its entire empire on a simple promise: insane pigmentation at insane prices, delivered fast. Founded in 2014 as an online-exclusive brand, they've mastered the art of creating viral products that sell out within hours while keeping everything affordable enough that you can experiment without financial stress.

The Super Shock Shadows deliver that bouncy, almost wet texture with serious pigment payoff and minimal fallout—they perform like eyeshadows that should cost $30, not $6. The constant influencer collaborations mean new, exciting products drop regularly, though you'll want to act fast because popular items disappear quickly.

Most products range from $5-20, and you'll find them exclusively at ColourPop's website or occasionally at Ulta. The brand runs frequent sales that make already-affordable prices even better, which is how makeup collections happen.

Hailey Bieber launched Rhode in 2022 with her "glazed donut skin" philosophy, and the beauty world collectively lost its mind. The Peptide Glazing Fluid sold out in three days and built a waitlist of over 100,000 people, which tells you everything about the brand's instant impact on minimal, skin-first beauty trends.

While Rhode focuses primarily on skincare, the Pocket Blush crosses into makeup territory beautifully—it's a cream blush with peptides that creates the dewy, natural flush that looks like you just came in from the cold, not like you're wearing obvious blush.

Products range from $16-28, reflecting the mid-range pricing and minimalist approach. Rhode isn't about offering 50 options in every category; it's about a few really excellent products that do exactly what they promise. Shop at Sephora or Rhode's website for the best color selection.

L'Oréal Paris has maintained an impressive balance since 1909: making genuinely good makeup accessible across an enormous range of products spanning makeup, skincare, and haircare. The fact that they own over 30 brands including luxury names like Lancôme, YSL, and Urban Decay means their research and development trickles down to drugstore prices, which works beautifully in your favor.

The Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation performs like foundations costing $50, not $15. Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara has cult status in the drugstore beauty world, and the Colour Riche Lipstick line offers over 80 shades of creamy, pigmented color at prices that let you collect multiple shades without guilt.

Most products cost under $15 and you'll find them everywhere—Target, CVS, Walmart, Ulta, and Amazon. L'Oréal has spent over a century proving that drugstore beauty doesn't mean settling for less.

When everyone else was doing full-coverage everything in the mid-2010s, Glossier asked "what if we just enhanced what you already have?" The brand built a devoted following around no-makeup makeup done right, proving that minimal doesn't mean boring or ineffective. Want to know more? Our guide to Glossier has all the insider details on the cool-girl brand.

Boy Brow makes sparse brows look naturally full and fluffy, launching a thousand "my brows but better" routines. Cloud Paint basically started the cream blush trend that's still going strong—the formula blends seamlessly and gives you that natural flush everyone wants.

Products run $18-30, positioning Glossier firmly in the mid-range with strong millennial and Gen Z appeal. Shop at Sephora or Glossier's website for the full range.

Savings tip: Look for current Glossier coupons when shopping the direct site for a bonus discount.

BareMinerals was doing clean, mineral-based, skin-loving formulas back in 1995, way before "clean beauty" became a category that every brand rushed to claim. They pioneered the concept that makeup could actually improve your skin over time instead of just covering it up, and they've maintained that commitment for nearly three decades.

The Original Loose Powder Foundation remains the hero product—buildable coverage that won’t clog pores, which means your skin can actually breathe while you're wearing it. The Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer adds SPF 30 and skincare benefits to light coverage, perfect for days when you want protection and a little evening out without full foundation.

Products typically range from $25-35, which feels fair for clean formulas and gentle ingredients suitable for sensitive skin. You'll find Bare Minerals at Ulta, Sephora, department stores like Macy’s, and Bare Minerals' website.

Revlon has weathered nearly a century of beauty trends while continuing to produce cult favorites that end up in professional kits and everyday routines. This is drugstore beauty with serious staying power and a heritage that commands respect.

The Super Lustrous Lipstick isn't just a drugstore staple—celebrities wore full faces of Revlon to the Met Gala 2024, which tells you everything about how far drugstore makeup has come. ColorStay Foundation pioneered long-wear drugstore formulas and remains a bestseller for its staying power and coverage.

Most products cost under $15 and you're guaranteed to find Revlon at CVS, Walgreens, Target, Walmart and Ulta. When top makeup brands include drugstore options that celebrities actually wear to fashion's biggest night, you know the quality gap between luxury and accessible has essentially disappeared.