The

Cosmetify

Index

Q3 2025

Each quarter, Cosmetify takes a deep dive into the beauty landscape, tracking social growth, engagement, and search demand to reveal which brands are leading the conversation.

Our index combines cultural influence with real data to uncover the industry’s biggest success stories, breakout stars, and those waning in popularity across TikTok, Instagram, and beyond.

In Q3 2025, Huda Beauty continues its reign at the top of the leaderboard, while Kylie Cosmetics storms onto the Index as a new entry in second place. Reflecting a growing appetite for innovative skincare, Medicube climbs an impressive 13 places to number 31, and Danessa Myricks Beauty jumps 17 spots to 43. Meanwhile, some previous favourites are showing signs of slowdown, with Beauty of Joseon, Patrick Ta and Haus Labs all slipping down the ranks, though K-Beauty overall sees a resurgence in visibility and engagement.

As we head towards the final stretch of the year, the Q3 index spotlights the winners, movers and shakers, and brands losing popularity, before forecasting which names are set to dominate Q4.

Rank	Brand	Combined Followers	Avg. engagement rate	Q3 searches	3 Month Change in Searches on Keyword Planner	Overall score /10

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The Winners of Q3

The third quarter of 2025 proves that the biggest players are still calling the shots, but with a few surprising shake-ups. Huda Beauty holds firm at number one for the third quarter running, continuing its reign as the beauty brand to beat. Despite public discussion around founder Huda Kattan’s outspoken support for the Palestinian movement - which drew both praise and criticism - the brand's transparency, loyal fanbase, and consistent product launches have kept engagement high and visibility unmatched.

A huge new contender this quarter is Kylie Cosmetics, entering the index for the first time and immediately landing in second place. The brand enjoyed renewed viral attention thanks to the Kylie Cosmetics Body Spray and previously launched Skin Tint, which fuelled enormous traction across TikTok, alongside a fresh wave of love for the brand’s glossy Lip Kits - all contributing to a combined following of over 28 million.

Meanwhile, Fenty Beauty continues to impress in third place, with the launch of its new Fenty Skin Bodycare range extending Rihanna’s empire further into another category. Danessa Myricks also made waves, leaping an impressive 17 places thanks to strong creator-led content and the viral success of its Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder. This cemented the brand’s reputation for innovative, pro-level formulas. Meanwhile, Rhode’s Sephora debut and Medicube’s K-beauty-fueled rise reflect the growing power of accessibility, retail presence and social commerce in shaping beauty’s biggest winners this quarter.

Movers & Shakers

Some familiar favourites are still battling for top spot: global beauty powerhouse Huda Beauty held strong at first place; new entry Kylie Cosmetics, which turns 10 this year, grabs second place, pushing top-five favourite Fenty Beauty into third place this time around.

Meanwhile, the ever-accessible Maybelline New York—and the continued social media virality of products like their Lash Sensational Sky High mascara—appeals to a growingly cost-conscious climate, jumping into the top 10 at sixth place. A new entry to the Cosmetify Index, Maybelline New York has curried favour in the beauty world as dupes, viral makeup and “fast beauty” continue to be among the fastest growing beauty trends.

Gen-Z favourite Rare Beauty, the beauty brand of social media’s current hot topic, Selena Gomez, also climbs the ranks, landing at number seven. A standout this year, founder/fan-led brands performed exceptionally well; the performance of Kylie Cosmetics, Rare Beauty and Rhode—which recently sold for $1 billion—in this quarter’s index affirms this.

On the flip side, both Charlotte Tilbury and Sol de Janeiro have slightly slipped this quarter—but still remain long-term strong contenders within the top tier.

Competition, as ever, stays strong, but if Q3 reveals anything, it’s that the authentic and community-driven brands are the ones that continue to shape the beauty hierarchy.

The Beauty Brands Losing Popularity

Not every brand can stay on top forever, this quarter reveals, as several industry heavyweights take a hit. Legacy brand Charlotte Tilbury, once a top-five staple, slipped down the rankings as new-generation competitors are stealing the scene. As younger shoppers, particularly Gen Z, demonstrate no particular loyalty to legacy brands like Charlotte Tilbury, interest is shifting to newer names. Even brands that still demonstrate strong performance are liable to lose momentum and suffer as a result.

Sol de Janeiro and Rhode both saw their seismic momentum slow, sliding a few spots as the seasonal buzz around summer fragrance and skincare hybrids cools. Dior Beauty and NYX also edged down slightly; another indicator that suggests that legacy names could be facing more renewed competition from influencer-led powerhouses, like Kylie Cosmetics. K-beauty is ever-popular, yet increasingly saturated: Laneige, too—a viral mainstay thanks to its Lip Sleeping Mask and dewy skincare aesthetic—has also taken a notable tumble, signalling that even cult favourites can fade when newer, or buzzier brands capture attention.

For e.l.f. Cosmetics, it’s a different story: dropping out of the top 10 entirely, social media criticism over a recent ad campaign reveals that—in a market often driven by personality, storytelling and innovation—affordability alone is no longer the brand’s load-bearing pillar, especially with more budget-brand options. As trends are moving faster than ever, even the biggest names must evolve to keep pace with a beauty audience that is ever dynamic—and increasingly demanding.

Q4 Predictions

Colder weather, holiday shopping and gifting season eagerly await; expect luxury fragrance and glow-boosting, indulgent skincare to dominate search trends once more. This sees Rare Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics poised to continue their upward momentum, fuelled by their viral launches and loyal online communities.

It appears equally as likely that, given the current economic climate, Maybelline could see further gains as budget-conscious shoppers seek high-performing yet affordable staples. On the prestige front, watch out for a potential resurgence from Charlotte Tilbury and Dior Beauty—both brands traditionally shine during festive campaigns and limited-edition drops.

The disruptors to watch? Emerging indie and influencer-founded brands—like Rhode, OUAI and Summer Fridays, both of which narrowly missed out on a top ten spot—continue to embody the qualities today’s consumers value most: authenticity, inclusivity and creativity. If Q3 proves anything, it’s that beauty’s biggest winners are those that evolve fastest. Brands with strong social communities and viral launch potential are best positioned to rise.