There are more makeup brands than ever now, which allows for an exciting world of exploration—but also a lot of confusion. From prestige to drugstore, there have never been so many lipsticks, liners, foundations, and other products to consider. To decipher which formulas stand out from the rest, we consulted celebrity makeup artists, read countless customer reviews, and personally tested hundreds of products to uncover the best makeup brands.
The Best Makeup Brands, According to Experts:
Chanel
Read moreDior
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Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
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However, knowing the best makeup brands doesn’t help narrow down which products are worth your coin, as one brand may be known for its stellar mascara while another is beloved for its shade-range selection. When it comes to picking products from each brand, makeup artist Kasey Spickard recommends a few different channels for discovery.
First, try in-store testing, if possible. “There’s still nothing like physically tying the products themselves,” Spickard says. Swatch the products on your hands and arms, assessing their texture, color payoff, durability, and wearability. Spickard also recommends conversing with the sales associates—who, he notes, have great knowledge they can share.
Secondly, consult your friends. “Use your social media and ask a question to your own community,” says Spickard. “I think that people forget to leverage social media in this way; I do this and get tons of recommendations on new products and product categories from my friends and family.”
Lastly, look to online platforms like TikTok and content creators to provide intel on what brands excel in certain product categories, suggests Spickard, who still uses apps all the time to get insight from both ordinary folks and fellow professionals. Try a targeted search—like: “best foundation for dry skin”—and you’ll likely get many videos, including expert advice from pros, like product formulators the Lipstick Lesbians or the brilliant historian and makeup artist Erin Parsons.
If all three of these options for discovery still leave questions in your mind, we’ve got you covered. We’ve nailed down the 10 best makeup brands below, and our favorite product to purchase time and time again from each one.
Pros
- Includes camellia flower
- Nourishing
Cons
- May not be suitable for sensitive skin
- May feature fragrance
Chanel is a luxury brand that could easily rest on its laurels; instead, it is constantly innovating in the world of makeup artistry. The entire Chanel line is worth exploring, but one formula worth considering in particular is this light-to-medium coverage foundation, which features patented MicroFluidic Technology. The encapsulated micro-droplets of pigment suspended in a hydrating gel formula burst upon contact, delivering an instantly radiant, hydrating, and glowing look to the skin.
What experts are saying: “Chanel products are not only incredibly luxurious, but they’re also effective and made with world-class ingredients. This foundation is a must-try, but so are all the lipsticks, nail polishes, mascaras, I could go on…” —Jenna Rosenstein, beauty director
Featured item: Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint
| Key ingredients | Camellia flower |
|---|
Pros
- Versatile
- Long-lasting
Cons
Dior is a force within the beauty industry and particularly in makeup, and out of all the brand’s heralded products, this palette stands out from the rest. Spickard says he uses this ingenious product on almost every one of his clients, noting that the palette lasts forever, the finish is perfect (not too metallic or glittery), and it’s endlessly versatile (great on any part of the face or body). “It provides this perfect glowing veil that I can’t get from any other glow face product,” he says.
What experts are saying: “I am obsessed with everything Dior makes. Peter Philips, the brand’s creative and image director, creates products that blend cutting-edge science with artistic performance and industry-leading sustainability. I used the palette shown here to the bottom of the pan, but I also love the foundations, mascaras, and every single lip product.” —JR
Featured item: Backstage Glow Face Palette
| Finish | Shimmer |
|---|
Pros
- Easy to use
Cons
- Less product in packaging
It’s hard to compile a list of the best beauty brands without including the namesake brand founded by legendary makeup artist Bobbi Brown in the early ’90s. Few products embody Brown’s spirit of natural, easy, and individual beauty like these corrector sticks, which Spickard describes as “essential.” The sticks seamlessly neutralize dark circles and brighten the face with just a few swipes. “They are user-friendly, the formula is creamy but not greasy, and they color correct beautifully,” says Spickard.
One customer writes: “Holy Grail product alert! The Bobbi Brown Corrector Stick is the best thing I have found for lightening shadowy under eyes without looking like you have a ton of concealer on. If you want to brighten your under eye without caking and creasing, this is what you need!”
Featured item: Skin Corrector Stick
| Size | 0.11 ounces |
|---|
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Pros
- Radiance-enhancing
- Doesn’t crease
- Lightweight
Cons
- Not as many shades as similar brands
For over 150 years, Shiseido has been innovating from its Tokyo headquarters, creating a string of category firsts that have set new standards across the entire beauty industry. One such innovation is the brand’s foundations, particularly the new Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation, which Spickard describes as his holy-grail product. “It has a perfect medium coverage that can be built up to full coverage if you want, but can also be sheared down to a tint if you mix it with a little moisturizer,” he says. “It is also so durable. It will last a full day without cracking, separating, and breaking down, with its self-refreshing technology.”
One customer writes: “This foundation is that girl. I’m 47 and my skin is really dry and red. This is glowy and hydrating and full coverage.”
Featured item: Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF 30
| Finish | Radiant |
|---|
Pros
- Hydrating
- Helps makeup last all day
Cons
- Some reviewers say primer can feel sticky on skin.
There’s a reason every e.l.f. Cosmetics release instantly goes viral. The drugstore brand is one of the most affordable–yet efficacious–on the market. This might equate to less technology and innovation in some cases, but that couldn’t be further from the truth for e.l.f. products. The brand has a bevy of hits, but its Power Grip Primer stands out from the rest. The refreshing gel texture and hydrating formula (boosted with hyaluronic acid), keep skin glowing and makeup from budging all day long.
One customer writes: “I usually steer clear of gel or silicone-based primers, but this one allows my full-coverage foundations to last long with little to no breakdown throughout the long work day!”
Featured item: Power Grip Primer
Pros
- Dimension of hues
- Variety of colors
Cons
- Some products may be pricey.
The beauty industry is blessed with many talented artists, but very few are mononymous, and only one is known as just “Pat.” Pat McGrath has revolutionized the makeup industry, and her eponymous line is no less revolutionary, particularly in the eye category, where the dimensions and silky feel are in a league of their own. “The shadow formulation is unmatched,” Spickard says. He finds himself consistently reaching for the Sunlit Seduction eye shadow palette, especially when he’s creating an ethereal goddess look for a client.
What experts are saying: “Just about every product from Pat McGrath Labs—from the vast range of eye shadow palettes to the viral blushes and lipsticks—is absolutely stunning, both in the pan and directly on the face. Even if you’re not a makeup pro, the brand’s range of essentials makes you feel like you could be.” —Tiffany Dodson, associate beauty commerce editor
Featured item: Mothership XI Eye Shadow Palette: Sunlit Seduction
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Pros
- Highly pigmented
- Beautiful packaging
- Multipurpose
Cons
In the few short years since its launch, Westman Atelier has already emerged as one of the best makeup brands out there, thanks to the ingenuity of its founder, Gucci Westman. Westman has been the go-to makeup artist for a long list of celebrity clients (including Anne Hathaway, Reese Witherspoon, and Gwyneth Paltrow) and is known for her supernatural dewy look. Now her line helps you achieve that Gucci glow from home. Among the absolute must-haves from Westman’s brilliant line are the creamy Baby Cheeks blushes, which have the “tiniest sheen to them that give you a fresh, dewy glow with only one product,” Spickard says. His go-to shades are Dou Dou and Petal, but all the highly pigmented hues are flattering.
What experts are saying: “When it comes to a professional-level barely-there makeup look or fresh-face finish, it’s hard to go wrong with staples from clean-beauty favorite Westman Atelier. Along with the brand’s Lit Up highlight stick, I always keep the Squeaky Clean lip balm in my personal makeup rotation.” —TD
Featured item: Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick
Pros
- Self-setting
Cons
- Qualities can be drying
To know Mario Dedivanovic is to love him. The artist came from humble beginnings—born and raised in the Bronx, he started as a Sephora fragrance consultant at 17 and charmingly used a beauty-filled Nike shoebox as a makeup kit while doing makeup for $25. Fast-forward through countless years of dedication and success to 2020, when Dedivanovic launched Makeup by Mario, which has already emerged as one of today’s most important makeup brands. Beyond beautiful matte lipsticks and plumping glosses, the lightweight, medium-coverage SurrealSkin Awakening Concealer is a showstopper.
“It’s the undertones. They really nailed the shade and undertone combos, and you can find your perfect match,” Spickard says. “I love that it’s a brand that is artistry first and built by a pro makeup artist, and you can tell the difference.”
What experts are saying: “Fans of Mario waited years and years for his eponymous makeup line—and it was worth it. The products perform at the highest level, whether you’re a newbie or a pro, and feature truly innovative formulas and an impressive shade range. The foundation and concealer are currently in my makeup bag and I use them almost every day.” —JR
Featured item: SurrealSkin Awakening Concealer
Pros
- Versatile
- Multipurpose
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Requires fast blending, as it dries quickly
Available in 50 shades, Colorfix has been an epiphany for the industry: highly pigmented, multipurpose, waterproof, and long-wearing. Designed by game-changing makeup artist Danessa Myricks, these cream formulas are a must-have. “You can use them as an eye shadow base, lip, cheek color, anything,” Spickard says. All Myricks’s products have this same level of customization and versatility. You simply can’t go wrong with any item from the brand.
What experts are saying: “One could argue that Danessa Myricks is the unofficial queen of pigmented makeup. The brand’s Infinite Chrome Flakes take any eye look to the next level, and its highly popular Yummy Skin essentials make getting a flawless base a no-brainer.” —TD
Featured item: Colorfix
| Finish | Waterproof |
|---|
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Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Wide variety of shades
Cons
- Some reviewers say plumping ingredients can feel irritating.
Over 100 years ago, Maybelline was created after its founder crafted a mascara by mixing ashes from a fire with Vaseline—and the rest, as they say, is history. The brand has countless hits, all with incredible price points, but Spickard is a fan of Maybelline’s lip glosses, especially the plumping iterations. “These glosses are affordable, have an amazing finish, and the shade range can’t be beat,” he says.
What experts are saying: “My job allows me to try endless amounts of makeup, but you can count on the fact that there is always something from Maybelline in rotation. The products are just so, so good—easy to use, affordable, trend-driven, and with performance and wear that rivals prestige makeup. I love all Maybelline mascaras, the new skin tints, and the plumping lip glosses, which can be found in the bottom of almost all my handbags.” —JR
One customer writes: “I have tried so many high-end branded lip plumpers and they never last this one BURNS for a good 10 minutes but it’s so worth it. leaves my lips super plump and juicy and lasts a loooong time!”
Featured item: Lifter Plump Lip Plumping Gloss
Meet the Expert
- Kasey Adam Spickard is a New York–based makeup artist with over a decade of experience.
Shop More of Our Makeup Favorites
- The Best e.l.f. Products, According to Makeup Artists
- The Best Lip Glosses of All Time
- The Best Foundations for Acne-Prone Skin
- The Best Lipstick Gift Sets for Makeup Lovers
- The Best Makeup on Amazon Worth Adding to Cart
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For more than 150 years, Harper’s Bazaar has been the preeminent fashion and beauty resource for women at every age. We cover what’s new and what’s next in beauty by working with the world’s leading authorities in dermatology, plastic surgery, cosmetics, skincare, hair care, and fragrance. Every story we publish has been thoroughly researched and vetted by our team of beauty editors and industry experts.
Kristin Limoges
Freelance Editor
Kristin Limoges is a freelance editor, covering all things beauty, wellness, and travel. She was previously the wellness editor at Domino Magazine. Kristin can usually be found face, hair, and body masking simultaneously, while thinking-up clever DIYs for her small-space Chinatown apartment.
