As an Instagram influencer, specializing in beauty is one of the most popular approaches you can take – after all, according to HypeAuditor’s State of Influencer Marketing 2023, beauty influencers constitute the third-largest category of influencers on Instagram today. Part of the bread and butter of being a beauty influencer comes down to collaborating with brands – but finding the right brands within the ever-large and saturated beauty industry can be a challenge. We’ve decided to do the extra legwork and summarize fifteen of the most prominent beauty brands that prioritize influencer marketing as part of their marketing strategy. So, if you’d like to learn more and take some inspiration from some of the biggest players in the game and the influencers they work with, just keep reading.
What is a beauty brand?
Let’s clarify exactly what we mean when we speak about beauty brands. A beauty brand refers to a company or business specializing in creating and selling beauty products and other personal care items. This usually includes makeup and skincare products, but can also extend to haircare, fragrance, and various other items. A beauty brand might also be called a cosmetic brand.
A beauty brand is not just about the products it sells; it also encompasses the company's identity, values, and image in the market. Successful beauty brands often build a unique brand identity, positioning themselves with a specific target audience and promoting their products through various marketing strategies.
Of course, one of the major marketing approaches that beauty brands take is utilizing influencer marketing on social media. These brands, depending on their size and notoriety, might work with anyone from micro-influencers to mega-influencers as they seek relevant figures to promote the brand. The tactics that skincare and makeup brands use vary widely from standard paid sponsorship campaigns to UGC initiatives all the way to recruiting brand ambassadors and running either a beauty influencer program or a makeup influencer program, depending on the brand’s niche.
List of beauty brands working with influencers
There is a huge array of beauty brands looking for influencers in the current influencer marketing landscape. Let’s take a look at 15 of the most popular examples below.
Maybelline
Maybelline, a beloved mass-market makeup brand, has been a beauty staple for decades. With a strong commitment to creating accessible and high-quality products, Maybelline offers an extensive range of makeup essentials to cater to diverse beauty needs. From their iconic Great Lash Mascara to their Fit Me foundation line, the drugstore mainstay is known for its affordability and inclusivity, making it a go-to choice for beauty enthusiasts worldwide. Embracing beauty trends and constantly innovating, Maybelline frequently collaborates with beauty influencers to stay at the forefront of the industry.
Sephora
A beauty haven for makeup aficionados, Sephora is a well-established beauty retailer known for its luxurious and immersive shopping experience. With stores spread across the globe, Sephora curates a wide selection of makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance brands, ensuring customers have access to the latest and most sought-after products. In addition to offering top-tier beauty brands, Sephora has its in-house brand, Sephora Collection, which provides an array of high-quality and affordable makeup and skincare products.
By staying ahead of trends and embracing digital innovation, Sephora effectively engages with its beauty community, making it a leading destination for beauty enthusiasts and professionals alike. One of Sephora’s most well-known influencer initiatives is the Sephora Squad, an annually-run influencer program that is somewhat of a dream for wannabe beauty influencers. Sign-ups are limited, so joining the program is a prestigious and much-hyped event that generates buzz amongst the beauty community.
Redken
Redken, a reputable professional haircare brand, has been at the forefront of hair innovation since its inception. With a mission to bring salon-quality products to consumers, Redken offers an impressive array of shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and hair treatments, catering to various hair types and concerns. Trusted by stylists worldwide, Redken's cutting-edge formulas and dedication to research and development have earned the brand a loyal following among both professionals and at-home users seeking optimal hair health and style. Redken has also conducted campaigns to back up its products’ status and claims to work for a range of hair types. Working with the likes of Daniela Perkins, Aisha and Azra Mian (The MianTwins), and Bethany Fosbery, Redken has successfully shown its commitment to diversity and broad product appeal.
Fenty Beauty
Founded by music icon Rihanna, Fenty Beauty quickly revolutionized the beauty industry with its emphasis on inclusivity and diversity. At its core, Fenty Beauty strives to ensure that everyone, regardless of their skin tone, can find products that complement and enhance their beauty. Known for its game-changing Pro Filt'r foundation, boasting an extensive shade range, Fenty Beauty's commitment to representation has been widely lauded. Beyond foundation, their range includes show-stopping highlighters, richly pigmented lip products, and versatile eyeshadows, all designed to empower users to express their individuality with confidence.
MAC Cosmetics
A trailblazer in the beauty realm, MAC Cosmetics has earned its place as one of the most iconic and influential makeup brands worldwide. Celebrated for its artistic approach to beauty and bold color offerings, MAC has long been favored by professional makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike. From their vast array of highly pigmented eyeshadows and lipsticks to their celebrated collaborations with artists and celebrities, MAC continues to push boundaries and inspire creativity within the makeup community.
Rare Beauty
Born from the vision of singer and actress Selena Gomez, Rare Beauty is more than just a makeup brand; it's a movement centered around promoting self-expression and mental health. Embracing the message of embracing imperfections, Rare Beauty seeks to empower individuals to feel confident in their own unique beauty. With an impressive lineup of products, including the lightweight and inclusive Perfecting Liquid Foundation and the versatile Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Rare Beauty has become a symbol of empowerment and authenticity in the beauty industry.
L’Oreal
As one of the world's largest and most influential beauty companies, L'Oreal's brand portfolio encompasses an extensive range of makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance brands. In addition to having parent ownership of other iconic names on this list like Maybelline and NYX Professional Makeup, L’Oreal also owns high-end labels such as Lancôme and Yves Saint Laurent Beauty. As such, L'Oreal caters to diverse beauty preferences and price points. With a constant focus on research and innovation, L'Oreal continues to introduce cutting-edge products and embrace sustainability initiatives, solidifying its position as an industry leader.
La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay, a skincare brand born from the therapeutic waters of the La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring in France, is renowned for its dermatologist-recommended products. The brand's commitment to providing effective and gentle solutions for sensitive skin and various skin concerns, such as acne, eczema, and aging, has earned it a devoted following among individuals seeking optimal skin health. Formulated with soothing ingredients and backed by extensive research, La Roche-Posay's products prioritize the well-being of all skin types. The brand also frequently collaborates with a range of influencers, often sending out samples and kits of their new products for eager influencers to try out and share with their audiences.
NARS Cosmetics
Embracing the mantra "play and experiment," NARS brings an artistic approach to beauty, encouraging users to express themselves boldly and fearlessly. Known for their audacious lipsticks, iconic blushes, and artistry-inspired eyeshadow palettes, NARS continually pushes creative boundaries with each product release. Their extensive shade ranges cater to a diverse audience, ensuring that beauty knows no bounds when it comes to NARS.
NYX Professional Makeup
NYX Professional Makeup, a beloved drugstore brand, has earned a reputation for its broad range of affordable yet high-quality makeup products. Pioneering the concept of professional-quality makeup at accessible prices, NYX offers an extensive palette of shades across various product categories, enabling users to unleash their inner artists and experiment with different looks.
In terms of influencers and features, NYX is quite well known for featuring a wide array of both men and women in their marketing, further breaking the boundaries of what makeup is all about. Their makeup sponsorship initiative, NYX Face Awards, became widely regarded as one of the most prestigious events in the makeup influencer world; participants would compete in round-based trials with varying makeup styles and challenges, with only one coming out as the winner. This was held in a variety of regions, allowing people from all reaches of the globe to take part.
Kylie Cosmetics
Founded by reality TV star Kylie Jenner, Kylie Cosmetics is a makeup brand that could be argued to be one of the most successful celebrity endeavors in the beauty scene – or any scene, for that matter. The brand was launched in 2016 and quickly gained immense popularity due to Jenner's large social media following and celebrity status. Kylie Cosmetics is best known for its wide range of cosmetic products, with a focus on lip products. The brand initially gained widespread attention with the release of the "Kylie Lip Kit," which included a liquid lipstick and matching lip liner. The lip kits were known for their high-quality formulas and trendy colors, and they often sold out quickly after release.
Charlotte Tilbury
A luxury makeup brand created by renowned makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty is synonymous with timeless glamour and elegance. Celebrating the transformative power of makeup, the brand offers an array of products and collections designed to achieve iconic and sophisticated looks. Embracing Charlotte's "Magic 5," a signature makeup routine, the brand empowers users to unlock their full beauty potential.
PIXI Beauty
PIXI, founded by makeup artist Petra Strand, is celebrated for its skincare-infused makeup products. With a commitment to using natural ingredients and delivering a radiant, youthful glow, PIXI offers a range of products that cater to achieving a fresh, no-makeup-makeup look. The brand is also well known for its ambassador programs that it’s run in the past, as well as its hyped-up PR boxes and influencer kits that are oh-so-picture-worthy, making them an Instagram darling as far as makeup and skincare brands go.
ColourPop Cosmetics
Bursting onto the beauty scene with its vibrant and trendy offerings, ColourPop has earned a dedicated fan base for its fun and colorful products. Recognized for their high-quality yet affordable eyeshadow palettes, lip products, and more, Colourpop encourages users to experiment with bold, imaginative looks. One of ColourPop's distinguishing features is its frequent collaborations with influencers and celebrities. They have teamed up with various beauty influencers and well-known figures to create limited-edition collections, which often sell out quickly due to the brand's devoted fan base. Prominent examples include a collab with vintage TikTok star Jasmine Chiswell, as well as a release alongside bombastic social media influencer Bretman Rock.
Urban Decay
Embracing an edgy and alternative vibe, Urban Decay has become a favorite among makeup enthusiasts seeking to express their individuality. The brand's name, "Urban Decay," reflects its mission to challenge traditional beauty standards and offer products that celebrate uniqueness and creativity. From the beginning, Urban Decay aimed to provide high-quality, cruelty-free makeup products that catered to a diverse range of consumers. One of Urban Decay's early breakthrough products was the Naked eyeshadow palette, launched in 2010. The palette, featuring neutral and wearable shades, became a huge success and sparked a trend of "nude" and natural eyeshadow palettes in the beauty industry. Over the years, Urban Decay has collaborated with artists, designers, and celebrities for special edition collections, allowing them to maintain their edgy image and remain relevant in the ever-evolving beauty landscape.
Conclusion
Many brands are in the business of offering collaborations or beauty sponsorship to influencers with the potential to push their brands – this list is just the tip of the iceberg! We hope this article has given you greater insight into just how intertwined the world of beauty and influencer marketing is, as well as a little inspiration from some of these beauty influencer success stories.
