Which Best Makeup Brands did Clientele compare?

We independently scored 12: Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, Glossier, ILIA Beauty, Kylie Cosmetics, MAC Cosmetics, NARS, Milk Makeup, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Huda Beauty. Each is rated 0 to 10 on the same dimensions.

How does Clientele score Best Makeup Brands?

Every option is rated 0 to 10 across 4 dimensions: Shade Range & Color Accuracy, Price & Value for Money, Ingredient Quality & Skin Compatibility, Availability & Where to Buy. Each score is tied to a specific, verifiable fact, and scores are not influenced by affiliate relationships.

Home/Best Makeup Brands

Best Makeup Brands

Q: Which Best Makeup Brands does Clientele rate highest?

e.l.f. Cosmetics is our highest-rated pick, scoring 8.8 out of 10 across 4 dimensions. People who want to build a full makeup kit for under $100, without paying prestige prices. Available at Target and Walmart with no professional advice needed.

Reviewed by the Clientele Research Team · Last checked 20 days ago (2026-08-20)

12 options

OUR PICK · 12 tested

Best overall

e.l.f. Cosmetics

People who want to build a full makeup kit for under $100, without paying prestige prices. Available at Target and Walmart with no professional advice needed.

SCORE8.8ELITE

✓Halo Glow Liquid Filter is $15. The same soft-focus skin effect as Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Filter ($50) at 70% less

✓Available at Target, Walmart, Ulta, CVS, and Walgreens simultaneously

✓Vegan and cruelty-free across every product. The only brand in this comparison that achieves both below $15

Shop e.l.f. Cosmetics See full breakdown →

ALSO WORTH IT

SCORE8.0STRONG

Best for shade range

Fenty Beauty

People with deeper or hard-to-match undertones who have been underserved by mainstream shade ranges. Pro Filt'r Foundation is $38.

Shop Fenty Beauty Details →

SCORE8.0STRONG

Best value in prestige makeup

Rare Beauty

People who want lightweight, buildable coverage and shop at Sephora. A strong pick if blush is your priority product.

Shop Rare Beauty Details →

All best makeup brands · 12 options

SORT

MIN SCORE

Fenty Beauty

The brand that forced the industry to expand shade ranges

shade range10.0

price7.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

8.0Open →

Rare Beauty

Skin-first formulas that photograph well at $20–29

shade range8.0

price9.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

8.0Open →

Charlotte Tilbury

UK prestige brand built around one iconic glow product

shade range4.0

price5.0

ingredient quality3.0

availability8.0

5.0Open →

Glossier

Minimalist skin-tint brand for the no-makeup makeup look

shade range5.0

price8.0

ingredient quality6.0

availability6.0

6.3Open →

ILIA Beauty

Clean ingredients with SPF built in. For skin-conscious buyers

shade range7.0

price5.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability7.0

6.8Open →

Kylie Cosmetics

Accessible prestige pricing across Ulta, Target, and Amazon

shade range6.0

price8.0

ingredient quality6.0

availability10.0

7.5Open →

MAC Cosmetics

Pro artist staple with 99 shades and deep-tone expertise

shade range10.0

price7.0

ingredient quality3.0

availability10.0

7.5Open →

NARS

Cult blush and bronzer formulas with an artistry heritage

shade range6.0

price5.0

ingredient quality3.0

availability7.0

5.3Open →

Milk Makeup

Stick-format clean makeup with a Gen-Z urban identity

shade range6.0

price6.0

ingredient quality9.0

availability6.0

6.8Open →

e.l.f. Cosmetics

Drugstore prices, vegan formulas, massive TikTok reach

shade range7.0

price10.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability10.0

8.8Open →

Urban Decay

Long-wear cult formulas with an edgy aesthetic

shade range8.0

price7.0

ingredient quality8.0

availability8.0

7.8Open →

Huda Beauty

Full-coverage foundation built for a globally diverse customer

shade range8.0

price7.0

ingredient quality7.0

availability7.0

7.3Open →

LEADERBOARD · OVERALL SCORE

#	NAME	BEST FOR	SCORE
1	e.l.f. Cosmetics	People who want to build a full makeup kit for under $100, without paying prestige prices. Available at Target and Walmart with no professional advice needed.	8.8
2	Fenty Beauty	People with deeper or hard-to-match undertones who have been underserved by mainstream shade ranges. Pro Filt'r Foundation is $38.	8.0
3	Rare Beauty	People who want lightweight, buildable coverage and shop at Sephora. A strong pick if blush is your priority product.	8.0
4	Urban Decay	People who need makeup that holds through a full day or night without touch-ups. Stay Naked Foundation comes in 50 shades and is tested for oily skin.	7.8
5	Kylie Cosmetics	People who want prestige-adjacent packaging at $20–35 and need the flexibility of buying in-store at Target or ordering on Amazon.	7.5
6	MAC Cosmetics	People with deep or dark skin tones who have historically struggled to find foundations with accurate undertones. MAC has 500+ store locations with trained artists in-store.	7.5
7	Huda Beauty	People who want full-coverage, long-wear foundation with strong representation for Middle Eastern, South Asian, and deeper Mediterranean skin tones. Warm and olive undertones in particular.	7.3
8	ILIA Beauty	People with sensitive or reactive skin who want a tinted SPF product with EWG-verified ingredients and are willing to pay $48 for it.	6.8
9	Milk Makeup	People who want a clean, vegan product line with easy application in stick or tube formats. A strong pick if Hydro Grip Primer is already on your radar.	6.8
10	Glossier	People with relatively even skin who want to enhance rather than cover their complexion. Best for buyers who like a minimal aesthetic and strong brand identity.	6.3
11	NARS	People who want the Orgasm blush or bronzer and are buying for color payoff and prestige finish. Not a fit for shoppers who prioritize cruelty-free certification.	5.3
12	Charlotte Tilbury	People with fair-to-medium skin tones who want a luminous, filtered finish and are willing to pay $46–52 for a foundation. Not a fit for anyone who prioritizes cruelty-free certification.	5.0

WHAT MOVED

•

e.l.f. Cosmetics, Initial publish

8.8→8.8

2 months ago

MOST RECENT CHANGE

e.l.f. Cosmetics, Initial publish

8.8→8.8

Initial research and scoring published for 12 options in Best Makeup Brands.

How we score best makeup brands

Shade Range & Color Accuracy

How many shades are offered, how well they span from very fair to very deep, and whether undertones (cool, warm, neutral, olive) are represented across the range, not just at the middle.

Price & Value for Money

What you pay per product, how much product you get, and whether the formula quality justifies the price compared to other brands at the same tier.

Ingredient Quality & Skin Compatibility

What is in the formula (whether it is cruelty-free, vegan, free from common irritants, or meets a verified clean standard) and whether it is likely to work for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Availability & Where to Buy

Whether you can pick it up at a store near you (Target, Ulta, Sephora, or a department store) or must order online. Includes access to in-store shade matching and returns.

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