Vogue has released The Vogue Business Beauty Index 2025, which provides a comprehensive assessment of the dynamics driving growth and success across beauty’s most exciting emerging brands, as well as long-standing industry stalwarts.

The index analysed data from over 2,500 beauty consumers across Vogue and GQ readers in six markets, alongside third-party social data, strategic performance audits and a brand questionnaire.

The index ranks a list of 30 high-performing beauty brands curated by our expert editors.

The top 5 beauty brands:

Charlotte Tilbury

• Charlotte Tilbury tops the Beauty Index for the first time.
• The brand’s “Legendary for a Reason” campaign was key to its rise within the digital marketing pillar, along with its social strategy.
• Charlotte Tilbury’s 2025 collaboration with Genshin Impact saw the brand produce co-branded beauty products and collectibles with the gaming franchise.

The Ordinary

• For the first time since 2023, The Ordinary no longer holds the number one position.
• The brand remains the leader in consumer sentiment, boosted by perception of efficacy and quality.
• The Ordinary is also the number one brand consumers expect to purchase from, with an average likelihood of 7.6 out of 10.
• The brand’s communication around sustainability and purpose-led marketing wins it the top spot within the ESG pillar.

Fenty Beauty

• Fenty Beauty climbed three positions to third place in this year’s Beauty Index.
• Consumers appreciate Fenty Beauty for standing for values that they support. They view it as the top brand for championing diversity and gender identity through its marketing campaigns, with this ethos also reflected in its product offerings.
• Fenty Beauty’s focus on the Chinese market, following its Sephora launch in 2024, is boosting its digital marketing score. 

La Roche-Posay

• La Roche-Posay remains the only dermatologist-led skincare brand within the top five. 
• La Roche-Posay falls short in its perceived quality and brand association.
• The brand’s digital marketing performance is down. 

Nars Cosmetics

• Nars makes its way back into the top five.
• The brand holds the top spot in the innovation pillar, with ongoing developments in AI-based shade selection, virtual stores and immersive gaming experiences this year.
• While it has a robust score for consumer sentiment, Nars is not a brand consumers feel particularly passionate about. What lets it down is consumer opinion on its brand story and uniqueness.

Key insights:

• INNOVATION - 33% of index brands now offer skin diagnostics or colour matching.
• DIGITAL MARKETING - 36% of consumers discover brands through friends and family, as opposed to 22% from influencers.
• ESG - Only 10% of the 30 Index brands (Charlotte Tilbury, Kiehl’s and La Roche-Posay) actively encourage or incentivise their consumers to use refillables.
• CONSUMER SENTIMENT - 31% of consumers are looking to buy from less expensive brands if prices rise.

For the full report, visit voguebusiness.com.