Tuesday, 14 July 2026
The beauty industry, decoded through data
Europe

The top makeup brands on social media: celebrity driven in the US versus mass legacy in Europe

April 1, 2026

CreatorIQ’s consolidated Earned Media Value scoring for the last twelve months, gives us valuable insights on the makeup brands which got the most organic exposure on social media.

The United States is dominated by founder-led prestige brands. Huda Beauty secures the top spot followed by Rare Beauty at 96 and Charlotte Tilbury at 94.

In Europe high-volume legacy players lead. NYX commands the regional lead at 84, alongside Maybelline at 71, while US giants like MAC are experiencing a transatlantic friction, dropping from a 91 index in the US to just 42 in Europe.

Rare Beauty captures American market share through vulnerable, founder-integrated mental health narratives that drive intense organic sharing. In Europe, leaders like NYX and Maybelline favor a different approach, relying on vast, localized micro-influencer networks and rapid trend-reactive product drops to secure broad, resilient market penetration.

Share
The Playbook of Beauty Newsletter

Weekly exclusive insights on the beauty industry in your inbox

Join thousands of beauty professionals getting weekly beauty news and insights every Sunday.