Each year, Cosmetify looks at the world’s hottest beauty brands based on their social following, engagement, and number of Google searches.
In the 2022 Cosmetify Index, Florence by Mills was the hottest brand, with James Charles taking the crown as the most popular influencer, but how will things stand as we look back on 2023?
Keep on reading as we share the 2023 Cosmetify Index and breakdown the hottest brands of the year.
Top 50 hottest brands
When looking at the hottest brands, Cosmetify started with a list of over 1,000 beauty brands before narrowing this down to a top 50 based on Google Search volume.
Each of these 50 brands was then analysed on 2023 data including Google Search, Instagram followers, Instagram engagement rate and Instagram posts, with each being given a normalised score out of 10 per factor before an average score was taken.
Cosmetify also calculated the increase in searches between 2022 and 2023 (using the full initial seed list of brands).
It was Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty that took out the top place, with an overall brand score of 7.81 out of 10. Rare Beauty garnered 17.2 million searches last year, and has a solid social media presence, with 7 million Instagram followers and a 0.51% engagement rate.
Following in second place with over 23 million searches and almost 6.5 million followers on Instagram is Charlotte Tilbury, with a brand score of 7.71.
In third place is KIKO Milano with a brand score of 7.66. It appears in more Instagram posts than the top two (2 million) but is slightly behind for searches and followers.
Rounding out the top 50:
4. Kérastase – 7.3 out of 10
4. Tied with M·A·C Cosmetics – 7.3 out of 10
6. The Ordinary – 7.19 out of 10
7. Fenty Beauty – 7.14 out of 10
8. Huda Beauty – 7.09 out of 10
9. Maybelline New York – 6.53 out of 10
9. Tied with Olaplex – 6.53 out of 10
11. L'Oréal Paris – 6.43 out of 10
12. Sol de Janeiro – 6.33 out of 10
13. Estée Lauder – 6.28 out of 10
14. Glossier – 6.18 out of 10
15. Drunk Elephant – 5.97 out of 10
16. Benefit Cosmetics – 5.87 out of 10
17. CeraVe – 5.82 out of 10
18. Paco Rabanne – 5.77 out of 10
18. Tied with The Body Shop – 5.77 out of 10
18. And Clinique – 5.77 out of 10
21 Aēsop – 5.31 out of 10
22 Dove – 5.11 out of 10
23 Glow Recipe – 5 out of 10
24 L'Occitane en Provence – 4.85 out of 10
24. Tied with Laneige – 4.85 out of 10
26. HiSmile – 4.8 out of 10
27. NARS Cosmetics – 4.65 out of 10
28. Le Labo – 4.44 out of 10
29. Kiehl's – 4.39 out of 10
29. Tied with Innisfree – 4.39 out of 10
31. Oh K! – 4.34 out of 10
32. Caudalie – 4.29 out of 10
33. Clarins – 4.09 out of 10
34. Vaseline – 4.08 out of 10
34. Tied with Vichy – 4.08 out of 10
34. And Shiseido – 4.08 out of 10
37. Origins – 3.83 out of 10
38. BaByliss – 3.68 out of 10
39. Cetaphil – 3.57 out of 10
39. Tied with ghd – 3.57 out of 10
41. Nivea – 3.52 out of 10
42. Eucerin – 3.42 out of 10
42. Tied with Bioderma – 3.42 out of 10
44. Neutrogena – 3.06 out of 10
44. Tied with Moroccanoil – 3.06 out of 10
46. Paula's Choice – 2.65 out of 10
47. Garnier – 2.55 out of 10
48. Palmer's – 2.4 out of 10
49. Liz Earle – 2.09 out of 10
50. Bio-Oil – 1.58 out of 10
The most searched brand in 2023
The most searched brand in the last year was Oh K!, with an incredible 73.4 million searches worldwide, reported Cosmetify. Oh K! is a brand that has become synonymous with the global fascination for Korean beauty products. The brand epitomises the innovation, quality, and fun that K-beauty is known for, offering a wide range of skincare and beauty products designed to bring the best of South Korean beauty rituals to the global market.
The most followed brand on Instagram
One brand leads the way on Instagram, with Huda Beauty having over twice as many followers as any other brand, said Cosmetify. Founded by Huda Kattan in 2013, what started as a beauty blog in 2010 quickly transformed into a beauty empire, thanks to Kattan's passion for make-up, her expert knowledge, and her ability to connect with her audience. The brand is headquartered in Dubai, reflecting its founder's roots and the global nature of the beauty industry.
The brand with the best engagement
Sol de Janeiro has the best engagement rate on Instagram, which shows the percentage of likes and comments per post. These are usually higher among brands with fewer followers, as keeping a more extensive base of followers engaged is much more challenging, said Cosmetify. Sol de Janeiro captures the essence of Brazilian beauty culture, known for its fun and vibrant approach to personal care. Launched in 2015, the brand has quickly become famous for its body care products, celebrating Brazil's diversity, beauty, and energy.
The most mentioned brand on Instagram
As well as being the most followed brand on Instagram, Huda Beauty also appears in the most posts, with over 30 million posts mentioning it using hashtags. The brand’s popularity on the platform can likely be attributed to Huda Kattan’s background as an influencer, leveraging her platforms to engage with her audience, showcase her products, and share beauty tips and tutorials.
Keep an eye out for the next report we will be sharing – the brands on the rise for 2024.
You can view the full Cosmetify data methodology, here.
