Home/Best Makeup Brands

Best Makeup Brands

Reviewed by the Clientele Research Team · Last checked 9 days ago (2026-07-15)

12 options

CLIENTELE RATED

SCORE8.8ELITE

Best overall

e.l.f. Cosmetics

Drugstore prices, vegan formulas, massive TikTok reach

shade range7.0

price10.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability10.0

✓Halo Glow Liquid Filter is $14 — the same soft-focus skin effect as Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Filter ($49) at 72% less

✓Available at Target, Walmart, Ulta, CVS, and Walgreens simultaneously

✓Vegan and cruelty-free across every product — the only brand in this comparison that achieves both below $15

✓Hydrating Camo Concealer ($10) has been compared in coverage and formula to NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer ($32) at less than one-third of the price

✓Power Grip Primer ($10) competes directly with Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip ($38) in tackiness and grip mechanism

✓The #eyeslipsface TikTok campaign generated 4 million user videos

Shop e.l.f. Cosmetics

SCORE8.0STRONG

Best for shade range

Fenty Beauty

The brand that forced the industry to expand shade ranges

shade range10.0

price7.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

✓50 foundation shades cover cool, warm, neutral, and olive undertones

✓Pro Filt'r Foundation is $38 and is full-coverage and transfer-resistant

✓The entire brand is certified cruelty-free

✓Sephora's Color IQ system can scan your skin and recommend your Pro Filt'r shade in-store

✓Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint launched in 40 shades for lighter, skin-like coverage

✓Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer ($22) was designed to read well across all skin tones

Shop Fenty Beauty

SCORE8.0STRONG

Best value in prestige makeup

Rare Beauty

Skin-first formulas that photograph well at $20–29

shade range8.0

price9.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

✓Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($22) requires one dot per cheek — one bottle lasts roughly 6–12 months of daily use

✓Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation is $29 — $9 less than Fenty's Pro Filt'r for a comparable shade count (48 shades)

✓Formulas layer without looking cakey — you can build coverage without starting over

✓1% of all revenue goes to the Rare Impact Fund, which funds mental health services

✓Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer ($29) SPF 20 comes in 48 shades

✓The entire line is cruelty-free with no mainland China sales

Shop Rare Beauty

All best makeup brands · 12 options

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MIN SCORE

Fenty Beauty

The brand that forced the industry to expand shade ranges

shade range10.0

price7.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

8.0Open →

Rare Beauty

Skin-first formulas that photograph well at $20–29

shade range8.0

price9.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

8.0Open →

Charlotte Tilbury

UK prestige brand built around one iconic glow product

shade range4.0

price5.0

ingredient quality3.0

availability8.0

5.0Open →

Glossier

Minimalist skin-tint brand for the no-makeup makeup look

shade range5.0

price8.0

ingredient quality6.0

availability6.0

6.3Open →

ILIA Beauty

Clean ingredients with SPF built in — for skin-conscious buyers

shade range7.0

price5.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

6.8Open →

Kylie Cosmetics

Accessible prestige pricing across Ulta, Target, and Amazon

shade range6.0

price8.0

ingredient quality6.0

availability10.0

7.5Open →

MAC Cosmetics

Pro artist staple with 99 shades and deep-tone expertise

shade range10.0

price7.0

ingredient quality3.0

availability10.0

7.5Open →

NARS

Cult blush and bronzer formulas with an artistry heritage

shade range6.0

price5.0

ingredient quality3.0

availability7.0

5.3Open →

Milk Makeup

Stick-format clean makeup with a Gen-Z urban identity

shade range6.0

price6.0

ingredient quality9.0

availability6.0

6.8Open →

e.l.f. Cosmetics

Drugstore prices, vegan formulas, massive TikTok reach

shade range7.0

price10.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability10.0

8.8Open →

Urban Decay

Long-wear cult formulas with an edgy aesthetic

shade range8.0

price7.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability8.0

7.8Open →

Huda Beauty

Full-coverage foundation built for a globally diverse customer

shade range8.0

price7.0

ingredient quality7.0

availability7.0

7.3Open →

LEADERBOARD · OVERALL SCORE

#	NAME	BEST FOR	SCORE
1	e.l.f. Cosmetics	People who want to build a full makeup kit for under $100, without paying prestige prices. Available at Target and Walmart with no professional advice needed.	8.8
2	Fenty Beauty	People with deeper or hard-to-match undertones who have been underserved by mainstream shade ranges. Pro Filt'r Foundation is $38.	8.0
3	Rare Beauty	People who want lightweight, buildable coverage and shop at Sephora. A strong pick if blush is your priority product.	8.0
4	Urban Decay	People who need makeup that holds through a full day or night without touch-ups. Stay Naked Foundation comes in 50 shades and is tested for oily skin.	7.8
5	Kylie Cosmetics	People who want prestige-adjacent packaging at $20–35 and need the flexibility of buying in-store at Target or ordering on Amazon.	7.5
6	MAC Cosmetics	People with deep or dark skin tones who have historically struggled to find foundations with accurate undertones. MAC has 500+ store locations with trained artists in-store.	7.5
7	Huda Beauty	People who want full-coverage, long-wear foundation with strong representation for Middle Eastern, South Asian, and deeper Mediterranean skin tones — warm and olive undertones in particular.	7.3
8	ILIA Beauty	People with sensitive or reactive skin who want a tinted SPF product with EWG-verified ingredients and are willing to pay $48 for it.	6.8
9	Milk Makeup	People who want a clean, vegan product line with easy application in stick or tube formats. A strong pick if Hydro Grip Primer is already on your radar.	6.8
10	Glossier	People with relatively even skin who want to enhance rather than cover their complexion. Best for buyers who like a minimal aesthetic and strong brand identity.	6.3
11	NARS	People who want the Orgasm blush or bronzer and are buying for color payoff and prestige finish. Not a fit for shoppers who prioritize cruelty-free certification.	5.3
12	Charlotte Tilbury	People with fair-to-medium skin tones who want a luminous, filtered finish and are willing to pay $46–52 for a foundation. Not a fit for anyone who prioritizes cruelty-free certification.	5.0

WHAT MOVED

•

e.l.f. Cosmetics — Initial publish

8.8→8.8

25 days ago

MOST RECENT CHANGE

e.l.f. Cosmetics — Initial publish

8.8→8.8

Initial research and scoring published for 12 options in Best Makeup Brands.

How we score best makeup brands

Shade Range & Color Accuracy

How many shades are offered, how well they span from very fair to very deep, and whether undertones — cool, warm, neutral, olive — are represented across the range, not just at the middle.

Price & Value for Money

What you pay per product, how much product you get, and whether the formula quality justifies the price compared to other brands at the same tier.

Ingredient Quality & Skin Compatibility

What is in the formula — whether it is cruelty-free, vegan, free from common irritants, or meets a verified clean standard — and whether it is likely to work for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Availability & Where to Buy

Whether you can pick it up at a store near you — Target, Ulta, Sephora, or a department store — or must order online. Includes access to in-store shade matching and returns.

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