Matte’s Refined Return To Makeup

Consumers are dialing down the dew (at least for the moment!) and a matte finish is the beauty trend that matters most.

After years of glowy finishes, analysts say matte is re-emerging in a more modern, refined way. Per Spate’s Popularity Index, the moment’s top matte finishes are highlighters and lip balms.

Matte Highlighter

Matte highlighter was once a staple of daily makeup routines, with products like Smashbox’s Champagne Pop stashed in makeup bags. Today, the trend is back, though still considered Low Popularity, meaning overall consumer awareness remains limited. Analysts say matte highlighter has grown by 967.9% compared to last year, and across platforms. On Search, interest is up 271.0%, while TikTok has seen growth of over 1,000%, and Instagram is up 369.2%. TikTok currently leads the trend with 78.3% Popularity Share.

The category receives 890 average monthly searches on Google and 293,000 average weekly views on TikTok. Because awareness is still relatively low, competition on Search remains limited, with few brands strongly associated with the trend. The top brands searched alongside matte highlighter include Laura Mercier (360 average monthly searches) and Lorac Cosmetics (110), suggesting room for larger brands to step in as consumers appear open to new entrants.

Interestingly, on TikTok, the top related branded hashtags include #makeupforever (2,600 average weekly views) and #kaleidosmakeup (1,800), pointing to discovery-driven more by creators than by brand legacy. Top related hashtags such as #chinesemakeup (50,900 average weekly views) and #xiaohongshumakeup (18,500) highlight the influence of Chinese beauty aesthetics in shaping how matte is being reinterpreted. Additional related hashtags like #sculpting (22,600 average weekly views) and #brightening (2,600) show why consumers are returning to matte highlighters in the first place, favoring definition and structure over shine. Despite a high paid views share of 69.8%, consumer response remains positive, with a sentiment score of 8 out of 10, indicating that even paid content is resonating and that matte highlighter is being embraced as a modern update rather than a dated throwback.

Matte Lip Balm

A common gripe with traditional matte lip products is that they tend to be drying, which makes the rise of matte lip balms of particular interest, analysts say. Still, in its infancy with Low Trend Popularity, this trend has nonetheless grown by 935.1% compared to last year, and across platforms. On Search, interest is up 596.2% compared to last year, while TikTok has seen growth of over 1,000%. TikTok leads the trend with 76.4% Popularity Share.

Matte lip balms currently receive 1,300 average monthly searches on Google and 29,500 average weekly views on TikTok. Top related queries include matte effect (2,800 average monthly searches); soft matte effect (700); and tinted (700), signaling that the line between makeup and skincare continues to blur. Analysts say this is reinforced by the top brands appearing alongside the trend on Search, including Nars (800 average monthly searches) and NYX (720) – both makeup-first brands now entering more hybrid product territory.

On TikTok, discovery is largely driven by paid content. The trend shows a very high paid views share of 75.2% alongside a low engagement rate of 2.5%, suggesting visibility is strong, but organic excitement is still developing, analysts say. The most common related hashtags are #ad (69,300 average weekly views) and #nyxcosmeticspartner (34,800), highlighting heavy brand and partner participation. Top branded hashtags on TikTok include #nyxcosmetics (43,500 average weekly views), #aoulipbalm (4,200), and #bisoubalm (1,700). Additional related hashtags like #affordablemakeup (9,200) and #beautydeals (7,400) show that consumers expect matte lip balms to remain accessible in price. Interest in #liplinercombo (5,500) and #softmattelips (2,800) also points to an opportunity for kits and bundled offerings that bridge skincare and makeup.