30 Best Makeup Brands

Finding the right makeup can make all the difference in your beauty and skincare routine. The best makeup products look good, offer long-lasting coverage, take care of your skin, complement your complexion, and deliver on promises of being high-quality and safe. The bottom line is that good cosmetic lines are worth investing in, especially if you have sensitive skin or want to avoid acne on your face. Fortunately, many of the most popular makeup brands have formulated and designed top-rated products. Whether you need foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, eyeshadow, or powder, we’ve compiled a list of the best makeup brands to fulfill your beauty needs. From Sephora to Chanel to MAC, stick to the top cosmetic companies for products ranging from high-end luxury to everyday professional quality.

Makeup Brands

Estee Lauder

Estee Lauder is one of the best makeup brands in the world. Started in 1946 in New York City, this company has become an international cosmetics company with a wide range of beauty essentials. From makeup to fragrance to skincare to hair products, there are a number of diverse high-quality lines worth using. Reputable and highly-recommended, women should definitely consider this name brand when buying makeup products.

L’Oreal

L’Oreal is a major leader in the beauty industry on a global scale. Based in France, this company has its own line of makeup with popular products such as foundation, lipstick and gloss, eyeliner, and more. Furthermore, L’Oreal also creates nearly every type of personal care item for women. As one of the best-selling and largest cosmetics companies in the world, you can’t go wrong using L’Oreal products.

Maybelline New York

As far as name recognition goes, it’s hard to beat Maybelline New York. This company started with humble roots as a family business and is now one of the largest cosmetics brands in the United States. As a drugstore brand, Maybelline products line the shelves in nearly every major store, including all types of makeup, skincare, and fragrance. Known for being affordable and good-quality, Maybelline makeup is considered one of the best, especially in match-based foundations and scientific shade-specific technology.

Guerlain

While Guerlain is known as one of the oldest cosmetic companies around, the company is also highly regarded for its beauty products, including perfume and skincare. This Paris-born brand has always been a force of innovation, quality, and style since opening its doors in 1828.

NARS

Since 1994, NARS has become a well-known makeup brand that brings the highest quality products to its beauty-loving consumers. NARS started exclusively with lipsticks and has exploded into the cosmetic realm, leading with bold colors and empowering messaging.

Laura Mercier

Like its owner of the same name, Laura Mercier is a widely recognized and praised leader within the makeup industry. This brand has earned several awards; its tinted moisturizer has been recognized as one of the best.

Chanel

As a top luxury brand, Chanel is famous for its exclusivity, glamour and premium product lines. The company’s makeup is chic and stylish, with a price that represents its high quality. As brand name and designer as it gets in women’s cosmetics, every Chanel product is an investment worth making.

Clarins

Clarins is a French luxury makeup, fragrance, and skincare company that can be found at high-end department store counters around the world. It is a premium brand with beautifully crafted and curated products.

Shiseido

Shiseido is one of the oldest cosmetic companies in the world; founded in 1872, it has been producing top-quality makeup, hair products, and fragrances since their inception. Shiseido has a massive following thanks to its cutting-edge cosmetic innovation.

Dior

Dior makeup is as sleek and flawless as the luxury fashion brand itself. This French company drips with excellence in every category, and their cosmetics are no different – their foundations and lipsticks are widely considered excellent purchases.

Urban Decay

Urban Decay was founded in 1996 and has exploded as a cult classic makeup label with a massive fan following. Headquartered in California, Urban Decay is a popular brand that sells various high-end cosmetics products, from all-night coverage foundation to the famous Naked eyeshadow palettes. When new items are released, there’s a definite buzz from beauty professionals, bloggers and everyday consumers alike. Urban Decay is a definite trendsetter in the makeup industry.

Sephora

In addition to being a major retailer for all kinds of makeup brands, Sephora also has its own line of cosmetics known as the Sephora Collection. The company makes an incredible range of makeup products that are affordable, high-quality and versatile for women of all styles, skin tones, and looks.

IT Cosmetics

Known for its skin-friendly ingredients and full coverage, IT Cosmetics is widely considered a makeup brand worth buying. The company’s claim to fame is a range of products that can help improve skin health when applied.

Yves Saint Laurent

Creamy textures and satin finishes are among the traits that make Yves Saint Laurent a luxury makeup brand, among the very best. For high-end lipsticks, foundations, and eye products, Yves is in a class of their own.

Givenchy

The fashion world has known Givenchy as a powerhouse in luxury and beauty; this brand has also laid roots as a leading makeup brand. Like its clothing, Givenchy cosmetics are elegant and bold; the name speaks for itself.

Bobbi Brown

The Bobbi Brown makeup brand was created by the makeup artist and professional of the same name. These cosmetics are made by and for women who love and appreciate the art of makeup and are some of the best.

MAC

MAC has been a household name for beauty gurus since opening in 1984. This high-end makeup brand is known for its bold colors and creativity in marketing, clutch collaborations, and must-have collections.

Lancome

Since its opening in 1935, French makeup company Lancome has been a legendary name in the beauty industry. Lancome has paved the way in artistry, cosmetic science, and creativity with their brand.

Covergirl

Another popular makeup brand that has found its way into nearly every woman’s home is Covergirl. This company creates products that are highly affordable and accessible – found in every drugstore – and still maintain high quality. It has made their way into homes and makeup bags by picking a range of gorgeous celebrities to feature as their “cover girl” (or boy, on occasion), that often showcase and represent all different kinds of beauty. Its shade-matching foundations and holy grail eyeliners have contributed to the iconic reputation of this company, who has coined the “easy, breezy, beautiful” mantra.

Clinique

In addition to skincare, Clinique is known for its amazing reputation in cosmetics. Clinique makeup is highly esteemed, always seeking out the best new ways to provide accurate and custom shade-matching for its customers.

e.l.f. Cosmetics

Though extremely affordable, e.l.f. Cosmetics are not cheap. The brand creates quality products that are typically available for under $10. The acronym stands for “eyes, lips, face” so you’ll find complete makeup sets for all your needs. Budget-friendly and versatile, this company can satisfy your beauty needs perfectly.

NYX

NYX makeup has long been considered a triple threat: this brand has the best in quality, prices, and color. If you need bold and rich pigments – especially with eye shadows, eyeliners, and lip colors – to create the hottest on-trend styles, NYX consistently delivers the best of cosmetics to both everyday beauty lovers and industry professionals.

Revlon

One of the top names in makeup has been Revlon, because of its trend-setting brand that has continuously pushed the beauty industry forward. Revlon beauty products are affordable and classy, never sacrificing quality at its accessible price.

bareMinerals

Skin-friendly makeup brands are trendy nowadays, mostly thanks to the trailblazing efforts of bareMinerals. Long before it was popular, bareMinerals had an inclusive catalog of cosmetic products that improve skin health while also enhancing natural beauty. Their go-to items are their mineral-infused foundation powders, which allow women to wear their makeup guilt-free.

Elizabeth Arden

The reputation of Elizabeth Arden is squeaky clean; the company produces a flawless range of skincare, anti-aging, and makeup products that represent all women throughout every stage of life. Its line of cosmetics, including radiant glosses, weightless foundation, and go-to concealers, are staples in any beauty collection.

Burberry

Though most famously known for luxury outerwear, Britain-based Burberry is also considered one of the best makeup brands. They are known for their innovative and fresh-faced products, that create dramatic and flawless looks either at home or on the runway.

Shu Uemura

To many consumers, the Shu Uemura makeup brand was the best, as it allowed even the most novice cosmetics user to embrace their inner artist. The company was founded by the iconic Japanese makeup artist Shu Uemura, who created a flawless catalog of products in his image and name, incorporating nature, art, and science-inspired imagery.

Cover FX

Makeup brand Cover FX is a fan-favorite, thanks to its quality sourced ingredients. In addition to vegan and skin-friendly properties, Cover FX is also known for being cruelty-free and customizable for beauty lovers.

Napoleon Perdis

Thanks to innovative and envelope-pushing ingredients – like snail mucus or donkey milk – makeup brand Napoleon Perdis has always pushed the beauty industry forward. This cosmetics company has innovative and luxurious products.

Mecca

Similar to Sephora, Mecca is a major makeup store and retailer that also produces a cosmetics line. Its house label, also known as Mecca Cosmetica, has an appealing range of high-end products that suit the needs of all women.