When it comes to makeup, Rare Beauty is on top.
Data from CreatorIQ shows the Selena Gomez-founded brand ranked number-one by earned media value in February, garnering a total $55 million EMV — which measures the impact and engagement of social media content featuring a brand — during the period.
The brand celebrated five years of Gomez’s similarly named “Rare” studio album with activations including a Los Angeles pop-up from which proceeds were donated to Direct Relief’s wildfire response efforts in the area, a limited-edition blush duo and more.
Other top-performing makeup brands for the month were Nyx Professional Makeup, which expanded its bestselling Fat Oil franchise with lip-cooling additions during the period, plus Huda Beauty in third place.
“When we’ve seen enthusiasm in 2025 so far, it tends to be product-driven,” said Alex Rawitz, director of research and insights at CreatorIQ, citing Huda Beauty’s recent Ube collection and its Easy Bake Loose Powder, which is “one of the most popular products in beauty as a whole as gauged by EMV.”
While not among the top 10 makeup brands by EMV, Morphe, Danessa Myricks Beauty and Kosas are among the top growers by the metric in both January and February this year, said Rawitz, adding that the brands are united by a recent “focus on complexion products.”
Indeed, Kosas introduced a first loose setting powder and mist this year, while Danessa Myricks has expanded her eponymous brand’s Yummy Skin collection and Morphe has rolled out a Wakeup Artist Under Eye Correcting Concealer; new foundation and concealer brushes and a cloud-inspired illuminating powder in four shades.
“With the top 25 or so brands by EMV faltering month to month, there might be an opportunity for brands in the 40-50 range to step up as alternatives,” said Rawitz.
The top 10 makeup brands by EMV in February in the U.S., per CreatorIQ.
1. Rare Beauty
- EMV: $55 million
- Posts: 16,500
Rare Beauty
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2. Nyx Professional Makeup
- EMV: $49.8 million
- Posts: 14,400
Nyk Professional Makeup
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3. Huda Beauty
- EMV: $47.7 million
- Posts: 12,300
Huda Beauty
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4. ColourPop
- EMV: $47 million
- Posts: 20,200
ColourPop
5. Charlotte Tilbury
- EMV: $46.4 million
- Posts: 11,400
Charlotte Tilbury
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6. MAC Cosmetics
- EMV: $45.4 million
- Posts: 13,000
MAC Cosmetics
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7. Maybelline New York
- EMV: $42 million
- Posts: 12,600
Maybelline New York
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8. E.l.f. Cosmetics
- EMV: $41.7 million
- Posts: 12,900
E.l.f. Cosmetics
9. Fenty Beauty
- EMV: $40.3 million
- Posts: 10,900
Fenty Beauty
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10. Benefit Cosmetics
- EMV: $36.8 million
- Posts: 10,600
Benefit Cosmetics
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