The 10 Best Makeup Brands You Need To Know About

If you're on the hunt for the best makeup brands, MAC makeup, Makeup Forever, NYX and Kat Von D are among the best makeup brands for eyes, lips and face!

Just a twenty-something trying to navigate life. Northern Vermont University…

Arguably, I think a majority can agree that makeup is one of the most common components shared among women and men across the globe. It’s a fun and artistic way to enhance your natural features, and give those of us a little boost of confidence when needed. With makeup, you can sculpt and shape your face, have a gradual tan in the winter, and extend your eyelashes to ungodly lengths. However, not all brands can turn you into the beauty queen you aspire to be, which is why these beauty lines below are the 10 best makeup brands you need to know about!

1) MAC

Makeup Art Cosmetics found it’s start in Toronto, CA when a couple of frustrated makeup artists, Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo, didn’t like the way most makeup photographed. This resulted in them taking their own approach by creating makeup in their kitchen, and selling it from their salon to fellow makeup artists. The brand was history from there, and MAC as we know it, launched in 1984.

2) NYX

NYX is best known for it’s high quality makeup, and affordable prices. Honestly, who doesn’t love that combination? Well, we can all thank Toni Ko for this brand as she is the founder and inspiration for the company we know and love today. NYX got its start back in 2010 in Los Angeles, CA and has grown rapidly ever since.

3) NARS

Founder Francois Nars got his start very similarly to MAC’s founder, as he was yet another frustrated makeup artist. Born in France, Nars went to beauty school in Paris, eventually making it big in the makeup artist world and moving to the big apple (aka New York City), where he worked with huge designers. However, Nars didn’t find the products he used to be satisfactory and went on to create his own line of lipsticks which launched in Barneys New York back in 1994. The line, self named “Nars,” went viral and continues to be one of the best makeup brands you need to know about!

4) Kat Von D

Does the name Katherine von Drachenberg ring a bell? You may know this famous tattoo artist and television personality from the reality show “LA Ink” which premiered for four seasons, back in 2007. The following year, the beauty shop Sephora approached Von D with an opportunity to collaborate on a makeup line, and the brand Kat Von D Beauty has been successful ever since!

5) Tarte

This cosmetics line has a unique story, as a former student (now founder of Tarte) was receiving her doctorates in psychology and decided to ditch the books and pursue her real passion, makeup. As a beauty guru her whole life, Maureen Kelly dropped out of school and accrued lots in credit card debt and loans from family to create the line Tarte. Tarte is known for its natural ingredients, and was eventually picked up by department stores all over. Now, a success story and something I would definitely categorize as one of the best beauty brands for you to know about!

6) Anastasia Beverly Hills

Anastasia Soare immigrated to the US from Romania, and had a vision that was beauty. Soare worked with salons all throughout Beverly Hills, California and would implement her degree in art history into her salon work, mainly focusing on the importance of a well shaped eye-brow. Soare eventually teamed up with a Beverly Hills flagship salon, and by 2000 she launched her own line, Anastasia Beverly Hills, known for its brow shaping products!

7) e.l.f

Similar to NYX, Eyes Lips Face – aka e.l.f , is a beauty brand that is passionate about giving you a high end product, for a low end price. The company was founded by two NYC men Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba, who met at a party discovering both of their passions for a quality cosmetics line. A few days later they met up and created a business plan and after two years, one of the best makeup brands, e.l.f , was launched in 2004!

8) Too Faced

A makeup line known for being cruelty free and its fun girly packaging, Too Faced, was founded by Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson back in 1998. Both founders got their start in the beauty industry at makeup department stores where they met, and decided to break out of the box of 90’s grunge and create a line filled with pinks and bright colors. Their first collection was picked up by large retailers like Nordstorm and Sephora, which is why Too Faced is one of the best makeup brands!

9) Dior

Founded by Christian Dior back in 1947, Dior is needless to say one of the top luxury brands on the market. Dior’s products range anywhere from fashion to jewelry, and even makeup. The brand’s vision comes from Christian Dior, a Normandy born fashion designer who worked for the fashion house Lucein Lelong, with designers such as Balmain. Dior’s designs were recognized by a wealthy entrepreneur, who invested in opening the Dior fashion house. From then on, Dior has made a well known name for itself in the fashion and beauty world!

10) Makeup Forever

Launched back in 1984 by Dany Sanz, Makeup Forever has always been inspired by the stage. Sanz started as a fine arts student who worked on painting backgrounds for sets. This eventually expanded to the body, where Sanz would paint characters for plays. Sanz loved the way art could control a persons character, inspiring her to create her own professional makeup school where she found her students had limited creativity with the makeup she supplied. Sanz, as an alternate, started making her own makeup. This then led to her teaming with boutiques and larger brands to create Makeup Forever.