The

Cosmetify

Index

Q2 2025

Alongside our yearly indexes, Cosmetify analyses the top beauty brands each quarter through a process that involves tracking social following, engagement and search demand across the biggest platforms. Our Beauty Index combines cultural capital with numerical stats and data to spotlight the brands dominating the beauty landscape, from the TikTok icons to even the more classic household names.

Looking at insights from the past three months, we reveal which names are climbing the ranks, which are holding strong, and which are starting to slip. Huda Beauty continues its reign as the most-followed beauty brand online, while Sol de Janeiro’s sun-drenched storytelling and Rhode’s trendy minimal-glam aesthetic help them maintain momentum among Gen Z fans.

For Q2 2025, take a look as we zoom in on the trends, traction and talkability defining the beauty space right now - and which brands are setting the pace for the rest of the year.

Rank	Brand	Combined Followers	Avg. engagement rate	Q2 searches	3 Month Change in Searches on Keyword Planner	Overall score /10

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The Winners of Q2

For our Q2 winners, we’re seeing a stabilisation of the top spots; all the big players are firmly holding their ground. Huda Beauty, Fenty Beauty and NYX maintain their gold, silver, and bronze positions, respectively, proving that virality, accessibility, a strong sense of community and an even stronger cross-platform social media presence still prevail. Last month saw Huda Beauty release their new Lip Contour Stain and Faux Filler Jelly Oil, whilst NYX unveiled their 2025 Pride campaign, Pridemix, as well as the release of their heavily-covered, budget-friendly Buttermelt Glaze Soft Glow Skin Tint. Fenty Beauty has a combined social media following of around 16.5M, NYX isn’t far behind with around 15.4 M, and Huda Beauty continues to dominate with a combined following of over 67.6M.

Dior Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury complete the top five, both boosted by timeless appeal and consistent launches, the latter climbing a place to edge Rare Beauty out of the top tier in Q2.

Further down the list, we see quiet momentum from Sol de Janeiro and Rhode, who continue to rise thanks to high-engagement content and loyal Gen Z audiences. P Louise and Glossier gain ground too, driven by strong creator presence and community-led product hype. The biggest jump this quarter is none other than Beauty of Joseon, moving up eight places as demand for trendy, effective K-beauty still surges. If the first quarter of the year was all about speed and story, Q2 sees a rewarding of staying power, strategic storytelling and strong social media engagement.

Movers & Shakers

This quarter sees steady momentum from some familiar names, alongside impressive climbs from brands dialling into current trends, creators and community.

One of the biggest movers this quarter is Beauty of Joseon, jumping eight places to 16th as the K-beauty wave continues to surge. This is a brand with great Gen X and Gen Z appeal, perfectly straddling the line between riding the ever-growing K-beauty wave and actual, effective, ingredient-led formulations. SAIE and OUAI also saw notable lifts, SAIE rising eight spots thanks to its topical ‘clean girl’ aesthetic and dewy-finish formulas (its founder Laney Crowell grew the brand to over $100M by leaning into transparency and community feedback), while OUAI climbs four places, with a consistent social presence and launches in hair care.

Elsewhere, P Louise and Glossier continue their upward trajectory, landing firmly in the top 10 with engaged communities and viral moments on TikTok. Meanwhile, Haus Labs, ColorWow and Kayali all creep upward too, with steady gains in visibility and conversation across platforms.

The Beauty Brands Losing Popularity

Some brands continue to surge, yet others are starting to slide out of the spotlight, struggling to keep pace with an industry increasingly driven by immediacy, novelty and niche appeal.

Rare Beauty, a breakout success story with near-universal appeal at a point in time, drops out of the top five this quarter: principal searches are down ~18% YoY. Despite its strong brand identity and community-driven content, search dips and slower innovation have taken a toll. Similarly, Patrick Ta, which soared into the top 10 last quarter, has now fallen from the leaderboard entirely - a sign that even buzz-worthy products like the Major Headlines Blush Duos need sustained momentum to hold ground.

Q3 Predictions

As we move into the second half of 2025, several brands hold a lot of potential yet, considering seasonal trends, launches and creator-driven buzz. Sol de Janeiro could climb even higher, with summer around the corner and demand for scent layering and glow-boosting body care could play directly into the brand’s strengths. Likewise, Kayali, riding the ongoing fragrance boom, is another one to watch, especially as vanilla and oud-based scents trend across TikTok.

Rhode continues to build a loyal base (22% YoY search growth) and, with hints of new launches in the pipeline teased on social media like the lip gloss chain belt. Beauty of Joseon also has a lot to benefit from the mainstream popularity of K-beauty, as well as their great offering, with industry news outlets such as Reuters and Business of Fashion highlighting consumer enthusiasm and retail growth.

On the flip side, brands such as Rare Beauty and Drunk Elephant could be at risk of further decline if innovation stalls or TikTok interest wanes. With Gen Z increasingly chasing fresh aesthetics and standout storytelling, even cult brands like Glossier may need to rework their strategy to avoid being left behind.