From Andy Warhol’s Factory faces to 1990s magazine supermodels, many dream of becoming an ‘It Girl’ trendsetter. Today’s incarnation—social media influencers—not only are style icons but also are posting and scrolling their way to the bank with endorsement deals and sponsored posts.
According to data from online platform Cosmetify, Huda Kattan was recently named the richest beauty influencer, taking home nearly $119,089 for a post across TikTok, Instagram and Youtube. James Charles is the most profitable on TikTok earning $35,502 per video.
Cosmetify’s first Beauty Influencer Rich List, released last year, showed how much some of the biggest names in cosmetics could be earning from their social channels. This year, the company refreshed the list and added each person’s following on TikTok.
Here’s a look at leading beauty influencers by way of cosmetics, personal care and wellness.
Kylie Jenner
Instagram Followers: 320 million!
With 320 million followers, Kylie Jenner is the most-followed female Instagram user in the world! Her beauty brand, Kylie Cosmetics, is owned by Coty now. Her makeup brand, Kylie Cosmetics, has 25.5 million followers on IG.Huda Kattan
Instagram Followers: 49.8 million
This year, subscription service Ipsy launched a limited edition Glam Bag x Huda. The collection features eight full-size products that were handpicked by Huda Kattan herself, including top selects from coveted beauty brands such as Sunday Riley, Rare Beauty, R+CO among others, as well as bestsellers from Huda’s own Huda Beauty, Wishful skin care and Kayali. Kattan recently rolled out the latest product from her skin care line, Wishful: the Wishful Honey Whip Peptide Moisturizer. The beauty mogul announced the product launch to her 557,000-plus followers on the Wishful Instagram page in August. Her latest creation is a vegan matte lipstick, as reported in Happi, as well as a new cream blush for 2022. And, the brand just dropped the Lovefest collection, as reported in Happi.
Addison Rae
@addisonraeeInstagram Followers: 39.3 million
Gen Z-powered beauty brand, Item Beauty, co-founded by social media personality Addison Rae, was sold at Sephora from 2020 into early 2023. Products are now still sold online, as seen in Happi. Rae was also tapped to be the face of Vital Proteins.
Sommer Ray
@sommerrayInstagram Followers: 26.8 million
Influencer Sommer Ray is the spokesperson for Imaraïs, a new PETA-certified, plant-based ingestibles brand. The brand is the brainchild of Nutrabolics Co-Founder Aaron Hefter and Felicia Hershenhorn, an attorney. Imaraïs, inspired by the Swahili language, launched with Glow, a gummy with ingredients such as vegan squalane and marine algae, meant to promote skin-barrier function, as well as activated-C, a vitamin C formula trademarked by the company. Ray is a 24-year-old American athlete, model and social media sensation who has won several bodybuilding and fitness competitions. She has more than 26 million Instagram followers, 1.2 million Twitter followers and nearly 11 million TikTok followers.
Bretman Rock
@bretmanrockInstagram Followers: 18.1 million
Wet n Wild recently partnered with digital personality Bretman Rock to launch a beauty collection: Jungle Rock, a range of limited-edition, eye, face and lip products. It was Wet n Wild’s first-ever influencer collaboration. The products are inspired by Bretman’s bold, untamable spirit and are a tribute to his love for animals, according to the company, which said Bretman’s personal brand mirrors Wet n Wild’s core values, which are rooted in authenticity, inclusivity and fierce self-expression. For 2022, Logitech tapped Rock for the next chapter in its Defy Logic campaign with a new brand anthem. The campaign features pop sensation and trailblazing icon Lizzo who includes the debut of her new song, “Special, as well as the digital entertainer Rock, best known for playing by his own rules in his viral beauty and makeup tutorials.
Eva Gutowski
@mylifeasevaInstagram Followers: 7.7 million
Coastal Citizen, a sustainable line of skin care staples for the “skinamalist” created by social media sensation Eva Gutowski, added a Sun Glass Balm to the collection. Coined “Golden hour in a bottle,” Sun Glass Balm is a multifunctional light reflecting versatile balm that locks in moisture for a natural, luminous glow that gives your skin a glass-like appeal and is made with 100% natural and responsibly sourced mica. Sun Glass Face Balm is also vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, NGMO, gluten-free, fragrance-free and synthetic dye-free.
Jayda Cheaves
@jaydacheavesInstagram Followers: 6.7 million
KISS Colors & Care, an innovative, high-performance textured hair care brand from KISS Products Inc., recently partnered with entrepreneur and influencer Jayda Cheaves for the brand's women's collection in 2022. KISS Colors & Care is dedicated to celebrating individual empowerment and self-expression in its consumers' hair journeys by bringing them the hottest trends and highest-quality, game-changing products to style with confidence. With Jayda's impressive entrepreneurial spirit, iconic hairstyles and trendy fashion, the brand is excited to partner with this beauty ambassador who has her own fashion line. She also is a face for fashion line Pretty Little Thing.
Mariale Marerro
@marialeInstagram Followers: 6 million
Recently crowned Influencer of the Year by Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) in the Beauty Creator Awards, as reported in Happi, Mariale Marerro is a Los Angeles, CA-based digital creator who specializes in beauty, makeup, skincare and hair trends. Therefore, ColourPop recently tapped her expertise for the limited edition Mariale X Colour Pop makeup collection.
Kendra Dandy
@theebouffantsInstagram Followers: 5.5 million
NYX Cosmetics tapped artist and influencer Kendra Dandy to create unique packaging for its new Ultimate Queen collection. Her entrepreneurial ingenuity has fueled her ability to build a global cult following. Her artwork continuously captures the attention of household name brands such as Anthropologie, Coach, Vans, Nike, Sephora, Estée Lauder and Bobbi Brown, who have commissioned Dandy for custom campaigns.
Ariana Fletcher
@therealkylesisterInstagram Followers: 5.5 million
Model, macro influencer turned serial entrepreneur Ariana Fletcher utilizes her social media presence to help brands make millions and in turn made herself into a multi-millionaire. Now, she’s forging her own path in the industry with the launching of her new, all-inclusive beauty brand, Remedy by Ari. The vegan beauty collection includes the ultimate ‘it’ girl starter kit comprised of 10 lipglosses, one eyeshadow palette and eight lipliners.
Hunter Schafer
@hunterschaeferInstagram Followers: 5.2 million
HBO's leading "Euphoria" actress, activist and model Hunter Schafer was recently tapped as Shiseido Makeup’s global brand ambassador. She is also a leading makeup inspiration for Gen Z with her bold eyemakeup looks, as reported in Happi.
Iskra Lawrence
@iskra
Instagram Followers: 4.9 million
Model, influencer and entrepreneur Iskra Lawrence has created a new body care brand called Saltair. The skincare-inspired brand is designed for daily use. Lawrence is the founder of the Self-Funding Planner, a tool she created to help people invest in themselves. She is a brand ambassador for both the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) as well as L'Oréal for The Prince's Trust, and was listed on Forbes Europe's 30 Under 30 in 2019 and on BBC World's 100 Most Influential Women list in 2016. In August 2022, the brand rolled out a formula to treat skin issue keratosis pilaris, as reported here.
Charlotte Tilbury
Instagram Followers: 4.5 millionCharlotte Tilbury, founder of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Ltd, is not only a makeup artist but also contributing editor for British Vogue, and global ambassador for Women for Women International. Her company was purchased by Puig in 2020, as reported in Happi. She largely shares updates on skin care and makeup on Twitter. After selling out multiple times and garnering a waitlist of over 50,000 shoppers, Tilbury’s cult-favorite Pinkgasm Beauty Light Wand is now back in stock. And, the beauty brand debuted a new skin care oil at New York Fashion Week for Fall & Winter 2022, as reported in Happi.
Lilly Ghalichi & Leyla Milani-Khoshbin
@lillyghalichi & @leylamilaniInstagram Followers: 3 million & 1.5 million
Vegan nutritional beauty brand Hairtamin recently expanded into Ulta. Hairtamin’s best-selling Advanced Formula and Gummy Stars will be part of the program in Ulta Beauty stores. Founded by best friends and beauty influencers with more than 7 million followers combined, Leyla Milani and Lilly Ghalichi, Hairtamin’s founding mission is to make consumers love their hair again. Its latest launch is a scalp serum as well as a digestive helper.
Kathleen Lights
@kathleenlights
Instagram Followers: 2.1 million
Sol de Janeiro and Lights Lacquer teamed up to create a pampering manicure kit complete with an exclusive, limited-edition Lights Lacquer nail polish shade ‘Heart & Sol’ co-created with influencer and entrepreneur Kathleen Lights. Known for its iconic yellow packaging and careful ingredient selection, Sol de Janeiro knew it had to join in on the fun of Lights’ bright influencer career and create a shade to match. For Fall 2022, Lights Lacquer rolled out a special collection dedicated to Miami.
Aaliyah Jay
@aaliyahjayInstagram Followers: 2.0 million
Los Angeles-based fashion and beauty influencer and Youtuber, Aaliyah Jay is on the rise. Over the past 5-plus years, she has cultivated a following of more than 4 million across her social media platforms. At press time, it was revealed she is working on a partnership with Urban Hydration. Jay creates fashion, beauty, travel and lifestyle content that she hopes will inspire others to be their authentic selves. Originally from Boston and New York, she is now venturing into the next step of her career, one as a fashion designer and correspondent. In addition to fashion commentary and vlogging, she will be relaunching her clothing line Twisted Saints this Spring in addition to growing her already large platforms and expanding her media profile for 2022.
Jackie Aina
@jackieainaInstagram Followers: 1.8m
FORVR Mood is a luxury lifestyle brand founded in 2020 by Nigerian-American entrepreneur and influencer Jackie Aina. After years of creating content, Aina set out to establish a self-care brand putting Black women and luxury self care at the forefront; designed to pamper and spoil with fragrance products that are both quality and affordable. Her products are sold at Sephora and the brand is growing with a new team, as reported in Happi.
Chriselle Lim
@chrisellelimInstagram Followers: 1.4m
Influencer and entrepreneur Chriselle Lim has relaunched fine fragrance brand Phlur with the rollout of a new fragrance called Missing Person. Phlur was first launched in 2015 and was one of the first fragrance brands to make a commitment to fully disclose the ingredient profile of its fragrances. It was acquired by beauty incubator The Center in January 2021. Lim joined later that year to lead the relaunch. Lim serves as owner and creative director of Phlur. The Center's portfolio also includes Naturium, Make Beauty and Saltair.
Camille Razat
@camillerazatInstagram Followers: 1.1m
L’Oréal Paris recently named French actress Camille Razat as its newest global ambassador. She joins the recently appointed actress Kate Winslet, as well as singer and songwriter Yseult in representing the brand globally. The 27-year-old is most famous for her recent role in the first season of Netflix’s Emily in Paris, where she plays the “quintessential French cool girl.” Razat will star in several L’Oréal Paris campaigns including Elvive Dream Lengths, Elvive Extraordinary Oil, Infaillible 24h 2-Steps Lipstick, and Volume Million Lashes Balm Noir Mascara.
Courtney Shields
@courtney_shieldsInstagram Followers: 966,000
Influencer Courtney Shields is entering the color cosmetics business. Her new company, DIBS Beauty, will offer a makeup collection to start (DIBS stands for Desert Island Beauty Status). To create the brand, Shields teamed with Jeff Lee, who was chief operating officer of A-Rod Corp. Lee provided consulting services in the early stages of JLo Beauty. The direct-to-consumer brand, out now, features highlighters and blush-and-contour sticks. Each priced at $32. DIBS raised $2.6 million in an initial round of funding from L Catterton partners Michael Farello and Jonathan Owsley, who invested individually. Other investors include Tula cofounders Dan Reich and Ken Landis, along with fellow influencers.
Tinx
@itsmetinxInstagram Followers: 467,000
Social media personality Tinx—otherwise known as Christina Najjar—is on the pulse of wellness and beauty trends with her Rich Mom Starter Pack videos and product endorsements. She recently appeared at Shiseido’s beach party to promote the beauty giant’s line expansion of skin care and sun care products, amongst other appearances.
Dorion Renaud
Instagram Followers: 267,000
Buttah Skin, the #1 Black-owned skincare brand in the world, has been recognized with the 2021 HSN Small Business of the Year Award. Founder Dorion Renaud accepted the award in a virtual ceremony for The Star Awards presented by HSN & QVC. Buttah Skin is an organic and cruelty free Black-owned skincare brand founded by the multi-faceted actor, entrepreneur, and recording artist Dorion Renaud. Launched in 2018, the brand is currently sold at Bloomingdales, HSN, Macy's Nordstrom and other retailers.