As the beauty landscape continues to increasingly be defined by the blurred lines between prestige and mass, Milani Cosmetics is doubling down on a proposition it has championed for nearly 25 years: Consumers shouldn’t have to choose between quality and accessibility.
Today, that positioning is translating into measurable growth. The brand has climbed from the 10th to the 7th position in mass color cosmetics, outperforming the category for 18 consecutive quarters. In 2025 alone, Milani delivered more than 10% growth, reaching nearly $250 million in annual revenue, with ambitions to more than double that to $500 million within three years. At the core of this momentum is a strategy that merges product credibility with cultural fluency.
“At Milani, we’ve always believed consumers shouldn’t have to choose between quality and accessibility, and we see that reflected in how our customers shop the brand,” CEO Mary van Praag said to BeautyMatter. “We have one of the highest cross-shop rates between mass and prestige among all major mass brands.”
That cross-shopping behavior has become a defining signal of Milani’s positioning within the “masstige” space, a segment where performance expectations increasingly mirror prestige, but price sensitivity remains high. “Since our founding nearly 25 years ago, Milani has always offered a unique combination of prestige quality and inclusive assortments at accessible price points,” added CMO Jeremy Lowenstein. “The craftsmanship behind our products is unmatched in the mass category.”
For the brand, that craftsmanship is not just marketing language. It continues to work with manufacturing partners in Italy, South Korea, and North America, many of which also produce for luxury brands, reinforcing its claims of “prestige-quality formulas.”
For van Praag, the product remains the starting point of the brand story. “Milani is known for richly pigmented, blendable formulas that rival prestige brands, and we’re the leading mass brand in baked powders and baked blushes,” she says. “Our marketing brings that quality to the forefront.”
Long before inclusivity became an industry imperative, Milani embedded it into its product and brand DNA. The challenge today is maintaining that credibility as inclusivity becomes table stakes. “Milani has always been a brand that is inclusive, not exclusive,” said van Praag. “Since launching nearly 25 years ago, we’ve offered prestige-quality formulas at an accessible price point for a multicultural customer base.”
Crucially, that inclusivity extends beyond shade range, into formulation and sourcing. “We’ve also been very deliberate in not compromising on quality, which ensures that inclusivity and quality go hand in hand.” The approach continues to resonate with younger consumers. Millennials and Gen Z now account for nearly 75% of Milani’s customer base, with engagement levels outperforming the broader mass makeup category.
In a crowded color cosmetics market, Milani’s growth has been driven more by reinforcing what already works. “The launches that perform best are the ones grounded in what consumers are really looking for, and that build on offerings where the brand has already established credibility,” explained van Praag.
That means doubling down on core franchises—from baked products to complexion and eye categories—while evolving them through improved formulas, expanded shade ranges, or more elevated packaging. Lowenstein echoed this focus on iteration over reinvention. “We’ve leaned into our core categories and hero products that consumers already know and love, and invested further in them by improving formulas, refreshing packaging, and strengthening our in-store presence and digital experience.”
The strategy is delivering category leadership across multiple SKUs. Milani’s Make It Last Original Setting Spray is now the #1 setting spray in mass, with four bottles sold every minute. Its Highly Rated Lash Extensions Mascara leads the tubing mascara segment, while the brand also holds top positions in cream bronzer and eye primer.
As consumer journeys become increasingly fragmented, Milani is designing its distribution strategy around how people actually shop, not where brands traditionally sell. “Our channel strategy is designed to cater to how consumers actually shop today, across online, in-store, and social platforms,” said Lowenstein.
The brand continues to drive momentum with major retail partners, including Ulta, Amazon, Walmart, and Target, while simultaneously experimenting with newer channels. TikTok Shop, in particular, is growing as both a discovery and launch platform. “We’re also seeing great success on TikTok Shop, and are launching some products there first, before introducing them more broadly,” he said.
At the same time, Milani is investing in physical experiences to deepen brand connection. A recent West Hollywood pop-up, built around its new brand platform, drew more than 1,600 attendees and 75 influencers, many of whom traveled specifically to attend. “The pop-up allowed guests to learn about our signature baked blushes and powders, get personal shade-matching help, and become part of a larger community,” Lowenstein said. Following its success, the activation is now being replicated globally, with expansions planned in markets including the UK and Australia.
International expansion is a key pillar of Milani’s next growth phase, with particular focus on markets such as the UK, Australia, Mexico, and the Middle East. “Milani’s broad appeal, particularly with younger, multicultural consumers, combined with our accessible price points, positions our brand well for growth across multiple markets,” said Lowenstein.
However, scaling globally requires more than distribution. The brand is investing heavily in consumer research to understand regional behaviors, preferences, and expectations. “We regularly conduct research to understand how consumers want to interact with Milani, and how we can build deeper relationships with our customers both online and offline,” he added.
For Milani, long-term relevance is not just about growth metrics, but about reshaping perception. “Longevity is tied to maintaining our unique brand perspective, while constantly evolving to make sure we continue to connect with our customers in meaningful ways,” said Lowenstein. “It’s also driven by a clear ambition to reshape the narrative around mass cosmetics.”
That ambition is crystallized in the brand’s latest platform, “What’s Inside Is Everything,” which emphasizes both product quality and individual expression. “The campaign platform celebrates individuality, confidence, and the idea that true beauty comes from within, while also highlighting the quality and craftsmanship behind our products,” he explained.
As consumers become increasingly value-conscious yet unwilling to compromise on performance, Milani is positioning itself at the intersection of both demands. “We see strong opportunities in the current environment,” Lowenstein concluded. “Milani is well positioned to meet that need by making prestige-level formulas accessible.”
