There’s a constant stream of beauty brands vying for attention—and obviously there’s debate as to which will stick around. Beauty Insider consulted with nine beauty editors and asked them which brands they’re paying attention to this year.

Annie Tomlin, Self Beauty Director
“When I talk with other women, they’re often overwhelmed by brands that have a lot of SKUs. So for a certain consumer, the idea of a multitasking capsule makeup ‘wardrobe’ is extremely appealing. I’m paying close attention to Stowaway, a ‘right-sized’ color brand that launched last year. Their concept is modern in its simplicity, the formulas are well done and the direct-to-consumer model is compelling—especially the subscription service. I know the word ‘disruptive’ is thrown around like candy these days, but brands like Stowaway, Glossier and Onomie truly are shaking up the traditional model, and I’m eager to see what they do next.”

Nadine Jolie Courtney, Lifestyle Journalist, NadineJolieCourtney.com
“I have my eye on a company called Deciem, which bills itself as an ‘abnormal beauty company’ and is actually an umbrella portfolio of 10 disruptive beauty brands. They’re Canadian, already huge in the UK (their brand Hand Chemistry was a CEW UK finalist for best newcomer in 2015), and they’ve just launched in the States at mass. One of their brands, Hylamide, features a multi-depth hyaluronic acid delivery mechanism designed to actually penetrate the skin, plus advanced hyaluronic acid complexes and next-generation peptides. Hylamide recently launched a new product, Pore Delete, which is a prismatic primer that’s genuinely like Photoshop in a bottle. I think we can expect big, exciting things from them.”

Bryce Gruber, Freelance Journalist, Founder/Editor, The Luxury Spot


I’m really excited about IT Cosmetics for 2016 because lately, little by little, they’ve been transforming from a great makeup and color brand to a performance technique brand. They recently debuted eyebrow pencils that are unlike any others I’ve seen on the market— they are made to mimic the look of real, individual brow hairs. Unlike the various weird powders and gels out there, this pencil really gets the job done, so I’m convinced the brand is going to really change the way we look at everyday makeup.

Another brand, Manuka Doctor, has been around for a while, but they’re starting to bring the already popular benefits of manuka honey to mainstream, normal beauty products that every woman uses. It is probably a stretch for average humans to incorporate yet another product into their beauty routines, especially one that is viewed as a food product, but when it’s incorporated into a great primer or top notch wrinkle filler… why not?”


Alexis Wolfer, founder of TheBeautyBean.com and author of Radiant Bride


“I’m really excited to see what TULA comes out with next. They have really jumped to the forefront of the probiotic skin care trend and I’m curious to see how they continue to utilize probiotics in interesting ways. As a DIY-er, I’ve often relied on the power of probiotics (namely from yogurt in face masks) because of how they help to balance bacteria on the skin, which is especially great for acne prone skin. I’m excited to see how they continue to innovate. I also have my eye on The Honest Company; they’re poised to launch a beauty line this year and I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

Megan O’Brien, Lifestyle Journalist, Founder of MegsMakeup.com

Sometimes a product slips by you and while it’s not new it’s is news to me. I love Clyde’s on Madison and whenever I’m in NYC I make a stop. I saw Barbara Walters walk out with a tube of Reversital. Barbara looks great so I got a tube too. It’s like a deodorant for your face. It’s not a deodorant in function; it’s an exfoliant and moisturizer in one tube. You roll it up and run it under water, scrub your face with it and splash it off with water. No mess, no fuss. Love it. As for the new kids on the block, I’m using NYC celeb dermatologist Michael Lorin Reed’s Gold Serum. My face is dry and flaky this time of year and this oil works better for my complexion than waiting for a heavy moisturizer to set in.

Andrea Arterbery, Freelance Writer, theartofbery.com

Estée Lauder: It’s always been a great skin care brand in my book, but I always felt the makeup component of the brand was lacking. However, that’s no longer true. It was quite a shock when the news came out about Kendall Jenner becoming a face for the brand and their newest range of lipsticks and foundations. The formulas I have to say are pretty awesome. My newest fave is the Doublewear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact. Such a cool way to be able to carry and apply liquid foundation on the go.

FOREO:
I admit I was hesitant to try the Luna 2 because it looked super space-agey and seemed like it might be uncomfortable. But wowza! After just one use, I’m hooked. I’m excited to see that the brand has added facial cleansers to its collection and I’m looking forward to seeing what else they come up with.

Black Opal: When it comes to drugstore makeup, this has always been a fave due to the fact that there are always the best colors for my skin tone but their range of products haven’t always been the best. However, they’ve started to add more to their collection and I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next.

Make Up For Ever: I’m head over heels in love with the MUFE HD Stick Foundation. The formula is so great, long lasting and the fact that it’s in a stick formula makes it super easy to use. There’s also the fact that there are tons of shades available, meaning there’s something for everyone.


Patrice Grell Yursik, Creator, Afrobella.com

Urban Decay: I think they’re thoughtful about their collaborations and releases, and that keeps things exciting. I’m always looking forward to what they do next.

COVERGIRL: I love the diversity of their celebrity representatives and their products are always effective. They’re a reliable drugstore staple.

Colourpop: To me, Colourpop is proof that social media is innovating the beauty business. Colourpop blew up via Instagram and has amazing buzz. They’re doing collaborations with popular social media figures. Their prices are so low, customers are racking up the lipsticks and eyeshadows. And the colors are hot!

Alikay Naturals: There are many really great natural hair brands that are now at Target. Alikay Naturals is one I’m paying attention to because the products are great, the brand is innovative and moving into multi-use skin and hair care products, like bentonite clay, and it was all founded by popular YouTube vlogger, Rochelle Graham.

Naturalicious: In 2015, the founder of this natural hair brand became the first ever African American woman to have a patent on a natural hair product. So major. Her products are all about many steps in one item, intended to save time in the natural hair washing and styling process. Her Moroccan Rhassoul 5-in-1 Clay Treatment changed the way I thought about hair cleansers.


Grace Gold, Beauty & Wellness Expert and Journalist, GraceGold.com

Charlotte Tilbury is definitely the cool kid on the block with unique no-makeup beautifiers like Magic Cream that really stand out from the crowd, so I’m staying tuned to what she’s launching this year for a trends perspective. Lancôme has done a savvy job of translating popular Asian beauty trends for the American market, so it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with as well. And as the chemical-free movement gains even more momentum, I can’t wait to try the newest offerings from brands like 100% Pure and Pacifica that I think finally bridge the gap between natural and cosmetic with products that make you feel good on both the inside and outside.

Lara Eurdolian, PrettyConnected.com


As a beauty blogger I try to stay very tuned in to most of the mainstream prestige and mass beauty brands that sell in the US, especially COVERGIRL and Maybelline on the mass side and COVER FX, NARS, Urban Decay and IT Cosmetics on the prestige end. All of these brands are on trend with solid classics, have great innovation and are in the price range of my readers and are easy to find. For skin care I’ve been following Glossier very closely since I like their messaging and how they come out with very relevant products that are all really well done. I’m also trying to break out of my comfort zone (aka, anything you can find at a drugstore, Ulta or Sephora), to follow more brands available at dermatologist and medical spa offices, like Revision Skincare. I’ve been reading a lot of great reviews on them.

More so than brands as a whole, I like to follow products I hear about from makeup artists from overseas and then try to find them on eBay or wait for them to come to the US. That’s been the case with Lise Watier’s Portfolio Correctors, Pixi’s Glow Tonic and Erborian’s BB Cream. At the moment, I’m on the Korea and Iceland kick. Blue Lagoon and Hannes Dottir products are on my radar. And I finally got my hands on Caolion Blackhead Steam Pore Pack, which is my latest K-Beauty discovery (I’ve also been trying a lot of Skin Inc as of late).