Report Reveals Top Beauty Brands are Influencer-Led

The Traackr Creator Advantage Report revealed a huge truth about beauty brands that most marketers have long suspected: Influencer-led brands are dominating the beauty landscape.

Out of the top five beauty brands of 2025, four of them are spearheaded by influencers and celebrities with a strong, highly engaged social media presence.

It also shows that influencer leadership isn’t the only model driving success. Legacy brands that have fully embedded creator marketing into their growth strategies are also winning. A standout example is e.l.f. Beauty, which continues to be recognised for its creator-first approach.

“Creator marketing has always been in our DNA — community-led, data-smart, and built on showing up consistently with OMG value and real connection. Congratulations to your team on the Creator Advantage Report, and congrats to all the brands recognised” the e.l.f. Team wrote on LinkedIn.

Meanwhile, Kylie Cosmetics has had a resurgence this year, reviving Founder Kylie Jenner’s ‘King Kylie’ era. Tying nicely into the 2016 trend, the nostalgic campaign reminded fans of what they loved most about buying from their favourite celebs - especially the ones who engage more like influencers than traditional, untouchable A-Listers.

Moving down the list, Selena Gomez (Rare) and Hailey Bieber (Rhode) follow the same road. Influencer trips, thousands of PR boxes and reposting UGC all fall into their marketing strategies, making them feel genuine and community-led. The result is a marketing approach that feels participatory rather than promotional, with creators and fans acting as extensions of the brand.

While Ariana Grande also takes a similar approach, she’s been levelling up her game with collaborations that fit her branding. For example, she partnered with Wicked to create gorgeous makeup palettes after starring in the movie, which was a perfect brand moment for R.E.M. Beauty.

The report highlights a clear pattern: brands that treat creators as long-term partners outperform those relying on traditional advertising alone. 

Influencer founders already know the value they bring, and the brands that don’t will get left behind. The top performers invest in ongoing relationships, co-creation, and community trust, allowing creators to shape narratives rather than simply amplify them.