Top 10 Best Makeup Brands Leading the Pack in 2024

When it comes to makeup brands in 2024, women undoubtedly have endless options to choose from – yet finding ones that genuinely produce exceptional, top-tier products can feel like locating diamonds hidden amongst rubble. Though innumerable brands aggressively compete to capture loyal beauty buyers, very few survive the tests of longevity, quality, and consistency over so many players flooding the space.

Indeed, while countless makeup brands overpromise with sky-high claims about their wonder products, the reality is that exceedingly few manage to actually deliver makeup that uplifts, transforms, and dazzles time and again. So which virtuosos dominate the oversaturated makeup brand landscape in 2024? Which industry titans continue conquering unparalleled new heights in innovation, quality, and consumer devotion year over year?

Within this definitive top 10 countdown, uncover 2024’s cream of the crop – the makeup brands leading the pack when benchmarked across every key metric, from sales to social media frenzy to beauty editor unanimous favorites. With proven formulas honed through decades of expertise apiece, these are the brands that not only perfect makeup magic, but evoke genuine consumer passion spells in the process.

Before we deep dive into the individual brand spotlights, let’s contextualize our star players. The table below distills key founding details across our top 10 titans of makeup – tracing country of origin, launch year, and original creator.

Website Link: https://www.maccosmetics.com/

ID: @ maccosmetics

Follower: 24.6 Million

Originally launched in Toronto in 1984 by founders Frank Angelo and Frank Toskan, MAC Cosmetics has blossomed into a global beauty behemoth topping $1 billion in sales. With distribution across over 500 company-owned locations internationally plus availability in countless retail stores, MAC’s professional yet playful makeup is now easily accessible to beauty lovers worldwide.

Renowned for offering an unrivaled range of lip colors from nudes to true blues, MAC empowers self-expression across all skin tones. Its high-pigment formulations allow anyone from makeup novice to artist to unleash mesmerizing looks, while collections created in collaboration with icons from Mariah Carey to Nicki Minaj keep MAC eternally aligned with high fashion’s cutting edge. For flawless coverage packaged in daring aesthetics, MAC cosmetics entice beauty adventurers everywhere.

Website Link: https://www.maybelline.com/

ID: @ maybelline

Follower: 11.7 Million

With over a century of beauty expertise, industry trailblazer Maybelline shows no signs of ceding its rank as top affordable prestige brand. Maybelline first carved out mass market success with cake mascaras and brow pencils back in 1915, but evolved into a drugstore staple for today’s woman by continually responding to consumer preferences through eras of trends.

Currently its celebrity and social media-powered Fit Me! franchise leads Maybelline’s market share – spanning glowy foundations to pore-minimizing primers that deliver flawless luminosity without settling into fine lines. Enhancing natural beauty to produce a lit-from-within radiance proves Maybelline’s specialty – exemplified by bestsellers like the Instant Age Rewind eraser illuminating concealer. Fans also swear by the brand’s high-impact collagen-infused Lash Sensational mascara, Clear Glow brightening powder, and its original hero product – creamy, easy-to-apply lip color now styled into matte lip crayons. Affordable yet salon-quality, discover your best self through Maybelline’s century-strong family of problem-solving makeup. Just don’t forget to remove your makeup thoroughly before bed – sleeping in mascara or eyeliner can exacerbate irritation or infections.

Website Link: https://www.loreal.com/en/

ID: @ lorealparis

Follower: 10.8 Million

More than a century since its founding in Paris 1909 by Eugène Schueller, L’Oréal stands today not merely as a makeup juggernaut, but the largest beauty conglomerate worldwide – encompassing an empire of over 30 diverse cosmetics and personal care brands. Yet despite its multi-billion dollar scale, L’Oréal keeps close to its roots with an enduring dedication to human progress through enhancing lives with innovation.

A pioneer in skincare, hair color, sun protection, and color cosmetics alike, L’Oréal consistently captures the zeitgeist by celebrating diversity and empowering self-expression. The brand integrates insights across demographics including age, gender, ethnicity and lifestyle – as illustrated through campaigns featuring spokespeople ranging from Jane Fonda to Viola Davis. Additionally, by investing in scientific research L’Oréal unlocked game-changing advances like substituting animal testing with tissue engineering. But beyond breakthroughs, for millions globally L’Oréal embodies aspirational beauty ideologies transcending physical attributes – where cosmetics uplift confidence, creativity, and our very identities.

Website Link: https://www.esteelauder.com/

ID: @ esteelauder

Follower: 4.5 Million

While household name Estée Lauder markets an extensive range of prestigious cosmetics today, the brand traces back to humble homegrown origins. In 1946, budding entrepreneur Estée Lauder began concocting and selling youth-restoring creams and lotions to beauty salons in New York alongside husband Joseph Lauder. Her personalized customer care, luxury formulations focusing on skin benefits, and exquisitely feminine packaging struck a chord.

Within a decade of launch, Estée Lauder’s small operation expanded into a bestselling skincare label retailed across luxury department stores internationally. Blazing trails as one of the first prestige beauty houses founded by a woman, Estée set industry standards for experiential retail marketing – including gifting samples and publishing how-to beauty booklets for clients. Today retaining strong family leadership as a public company, the Estée Lauder brand diversified its portfolio into a multitude of anti-aging, makeup, and fragrance products at the intersection of science and indulgence. But its founding ideal remains unchanged – fulfilling beauty dreams through quality ingredients and transformative results for women around the world.

Website Link: https://fentybeauty.com/

ID: @ fentybeauty

Follower: 12.8 Million

As the youngest brand on our rankings, Fenty Beauty rocketed to global recognition almost overnight thanks to the star power and hands-on passion of founder Rihanna. Officially launching in 2017 as a joint venture with luxury powerhouse LVMH, Rihanna’s namesake label filled a glaring gap in the market for quality makeup celebrating deeper skin tones.

Where the industry standard capped at a dozen color options, Fenty Beauty debuted with a boundary-breaking 40 foundation shades for an inclusive range of undertones often overlooked. And beyond products formulated specifically for people of color, Fenty blends universal appeal by centering individuality and self-expression. Every campaign and product line exudes bold playfulness – from candy-hued highlighting powders to shimmery lip glosses and liquid liners packing chromatic pop.

While countless celebrity cosmetics crash as passing fads, Fenty Beauty looks poised for longevity by striking product quality standards on par with the most selective luxury houses thanks to hands-on perfectionism by “Badgalriri” herself. For makeup that captivates by celebrating diversity with high performance pigments, women of all ethnicities discover an oasis of inclusion through Rihanna’s passion project.

Website Link: https://www.narscosmetics.com/

ID: @ narsissist

Follower: 9.7 Million

When cosmetics house NARS launched in 1994, the luxury beauty landscape looked starkly different than today’s hyper-saturated, social media-fueled markets. But founder François Nars envisioned a brand celebrating individuality and pushing artistic expression – values that both differentiate and drive NARS decades later.

As a photographer and makeup artist by trade, Nars possessed an innate sensibility for the aesthetically exquisite that translated into an eponymous makeup line. He debuted with just 12 lipsticks in editorial-worthy shades like shocking fuchsia and blood orange, soon expanding into full color collections for face, eyes and complexion. Where mass brands pumped out predictable neutrals, NARS innovated by producing unusally pigmented makeup inspired by people, places and attitudes.

Today NARS translates François’ passion for provocation into an acclaimed mainstay at the intersection of beauty and fashion. The perennially cool brand continues generating buzz by tapping unconventional muses from its downtown New York origins as well as global culture capitals. For those seduced by high-voltage color cosmetics engineered to elevate self-expression, NARS quality and daring uplifts beauty worldwide.

Website Link: https://www.bareminerals.com/

ID: @ bareminerals

Follower: 1.2 Million

Long before clean beauty entered the zeitgeist, Bare Minerals pioneered natural makeup formulas as a mindful alternative to standard synthetic cosmetics. Founded in 1995 by industry veteran Leslie Blodgett, the brand envisioned creating safe, skin-nourishing mineral powders providing a flawless yet lightweight finish.

What began as loose and pressed foundations soon expanded into a full color collection retaining the core ethos – makeup born from cold-pressed minerals naturally derived from earth and sea. Free of irritants found in most beauty products, Bare Minerals ensures sensitive complexions can enjoy vibrant eye shadows, liquid liners, and matte lipsticks without redness or itchiness.

As the original credible clean cosmetics label, Bare Minerals continues leading aesthetically with buildable coverage foundations, breathable setting powders, and subtly glistening highlighters topping must-have lists. Beyond dependable performance, its mineral-based formulas also improve skin clarity, brightness and texture over time. For beauty that looks as good as it feels, Bare Minerals remains in a league of its own.

Website Link: https://www.nyxcosmetics.com/

ID: @ nyxcosmetics

Follower: 14.5 Million

Blending accessibility with high-fashion edge, NYX Cosmetics rapidly resonated into a social media smash since creator Toni Ko debuted the affordably priced line in 1999. Where luxury brands excluded budget-conscious buyers, NYX’s forward aesthetic revolutionized access by making runway trends shoppable for everyday rebels.

Channeling the diversity of its Los Angeles roots, NYX celebrates fearless self-expression across infinite looks – from au courant nude lip glosses, to vivid eyeliners packing chromatic shine in 30 shades. Though launched as an indie upstart, within 20 years NYX entered the big leagues as subsidiary of beauty giant L’Oreal, while retaining its niche as the cool alternative where makeup means more than concealing flaws.

Through top-selling hits like the Born To Glow highlighter wand mimicking natural radiance in universal luminosity or the essential Butter Gloss drenching pouts in non-sticky lusciousness, NYX empowers anyone to unlock magazine-worthy artistry on a drugstore budget. Find professional tools for amateur creativity through NYX’s infinitely playful arsenal built for beauty players rather than superficial peacocking.

Website Link: https://www.clinique.com/

ID: @ clinique

Follower: 13.8 Million

While Clinique built an empire as the first dermatologist-developed skincare brand, its foray into makeup holds equal acclaim for fusing color cosmetics with skin-transforming ingredients. Just as Clinique’s 3-Step system revolutionized cleansing and moisturizing suiting every complexion type, its makeup lineup enhances natural beauty through bespoke formulas benefitting unique needs.

As an early pioneer making cosmeceuticals mainstream in the 1960s, Clinique’s scientific authority and customized approach extends across face makeup offering both buildable coverage plus skin care advantages. From antioxidant serums infusing foundations with a luminous yet natural matte finish, to airy powders banishing shine without caking or irritating, Clinique develops makeup meeting dermatological standards for sensitive issues like acne, redness, and aging.

Yet clinical-level standards blend with fashion-forward hues, textures and applicators allowing customizable looks from subtly enhanced to artistically expressive. More than mere surface-level products, Clinique’s makeup solutions help reveal one’s most vibrant, healthy visage at any age or gender worldwide.

Website Link: https://www.dior.com/

ID: @ diorbeauty

Follower: 12.7 Million

Synonymous with French luxury and sophistication, fashion house Dior naturally translated its audacious Parisian aesthetic into a makeup empire epitomizing European glamour. But beyond capitalizing on an elite pedigree spanning haute couture to fragrances since 1947, Dior Beauty equally won legions of devotees through exquisite product performance and surprisingly accessible pricing.

Under famed creative director Pat McGrath, Dior perfected cosmetics alchemy – turning powders and creams into complexion-enhancing sorcery. Its Backstage collection in particular revolutionized pro techniques for everyday wear, like the viral Dior Backstage Face & Body Powder-No-Powder Valmont offering airbrush pigment in weightless imperceptibility. Meanwhile the futuristic microfluidic serum foundation, powered by floral youth extracts, exemplifies Dior’s knack for advanced science cocooned in sensorial elegance.

While couture-level quality comes expected, Dior Beauty further woos followers across beauty lifestyles through charm offensive packaging and formulations catering even sensitive skin types. Discover your own je ne sais quoi through iconics like plumping Addict Stellar lip glosses, floral cheek tints, and dreamy eyeshadow quintets promising to unmask your inner couture muse.

The list of top makeup brands globally includes Mac Cosmetics, Maybelline New York, L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Fenty Beauty, Nars Cosmetics, bareMinerals, Nyx Cosmetics, Clinique, and Dior Beauty.

In addition to these renowned brands, there are numerous others that enjoy strong reputations in the makeup industry. What sets these aforementioned brands apart is their extensive range of products catering to facial, eye, and lip makeup needs. Among them, some are considered luxury brands, while others offer high-quality products at more accessible prices.

We trust that one of these brands will serve as your preferred choice for makeup this year.

UKPACK is at the forefront of providing sustainable and innovative packaging solutions for makeup brands. With a deep commitment to environmental responsibility and a keen focus on innovation, we offer a diverse range of packaging options designed to meet the specific needs of makeup brands while minimizing environmental impact.

Our sustainable packaging solutions incorporate eco-friendly materials, such as recyclable plastics, biodegradable components, and post-consumer recycled materials. By utilizing these materials, we help reduce waste and promote a circular economy within the beauty industry.

In addition to our sustainability efforts, UKPACK is dedicated to fostering innovation in packaging design. We work closely with makeup brands to develop customized packaging solutions that not only enhance product functionality and appeal but also reflect the brand’s unique identity and values. From sleek and stylish designs to practical and user-friendly packaging formats, we strive to push the boundaries of creativity and functionality in packaging.

With UKPACK as your partner, you can trust that your makeup brand will not only stand out on the shelves but also contribute to a more sustainable future for the beauty industry. Let us help you elevate your brand with our sustainable and innovative packaging solutions.