Huda Beauty is reclaiming its title as the industry’s hottest beauty brand, affirming its staying power amidst a wave of viral brands losing their initial popularity. According to Cosmetify’s Mid-Year Index, the first half of 2026 shows luxury brands gaining momentum, K-beauty leaders emerging, and brands built on TikTok virality slowing down.
The index tracks beauty brands, from those trending on social media to well-established household names, to determine who’s leading the industry that year. Based on the data points, which include social media followers, average engagement rate, average monthly searches, and year-over-year (YOY) changes in searches on the tool’s Keyword Planner, the index ranks and rates the brands featured in its January annual report to determine what has remained consistent and what has shifted in the first half of the year. The top 50 brands receive an overall score from 1 to 10 based on these factors.
Huda Beauty became Cosmetify’s top-ranked brand, earning a perfect score. Meanwhile, TirTir’s momentum slowed, not only losing its number-one spot but falling entirely out of the top 10. BeautyMatter outlines the Index’s findings:
The top three brands were Huda Beauty, which reclaimed the number-one spot, followed by Kylie Cosmetics and MAC Cosmetics. The rest of the top 10 remained largely unchanged, with the exception of YSL Beauty, which gained entry at number 9.
Successful product launches have continued to drive momentum for Huda Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics, such as popular lip and blush stains like Huda’s Lip Blush Creamy Lip & Cheek Stain and Lip Contour Stain, and Kylie’s Lip & Cheek Blush Tint and Coconut Water Lip Stain.
Huda Beauty boasts 68.2 million followers across combined platforms and saw 823,000 monthly searches in the first six months of the year, while Kylie Cosmetics and MAC Cosmetics followed with 27.5 million followers and 368,000 monthly searches, and 24.7 million followers and 550,000 monthly searches, respectively.
Fenty Beauty ranked fourth, with Fenty Skin also appearing on the list at number 29, followed by Dior Beauty in fifth place. As luxury heritage brands have increasingly embraced trends, Dior’s rise reflects its digital marketing efforts and ability to attract younger audiences.
The newest additions to the top 20 include Kérastase, The Ordinary, and Bubble Skincare, thanks to their ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences.
According to Cosmetify, Kérastase’s success as a leader in hair innovation is linked to the rise of the “skinification” of haircare, while The Ordinary’s accessible approach to skincare has helped maintain its staying power. New launches, including lip balms, milky toners, and lash and brow serums, have kept consumers engaged with the brand. Bubble Skincare, meanwhile, continues to resonate with younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, as demand for age-appropriate yet effective skincare increases.
TirTir struggled in the first half of the year, falling from the top spot to number 41, with searches down 18% YOY. Despite its popularity as a standout K-beauty brand, rapid trend turnover has made it more difficult for the brand to maintain loyalty.
Similarly, Refy dropped 14 places since the beginning of 2026, despite expanding its brick-and-mortar retail, signifying the challenge of "maintaining relevance in an increasingly fast-moving, TikTok-driven beauty landscape," according to Cosmetify.
Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, Cosmetify predicts that K-beauty will remain one of the industry's biggest drivers of growth. Medicube, ranked 25, is expected to continue its rise, with more than 1.5 million monthly searches and a 123% YOY increase. Laneige and Beauty of Joseon are also expected to gain momentum.
Luxury beauty is also having a moment. Alongside top performers Dior Beauty and YSL Beauty, brands including Victoria Beckham Beauty (which has seen a 49% YOY increase in searches), Prada Beauty, and Armani Beauty are growing.
The relaunch of Marc Jacobs Beauty is also expected to drive renewed interest in prestige makeup. The brand’s new maximalist identity is predicted to make it one of the standout beauty comebacks by the end of the year.
