Makeup is an art, and that art can be perfected with the proper technique. However, sometimes even with the right method, your makeup can look cakey and improper. That can be due to the low quality of the makeup.
It is crucial to select the best makeup brand, be it a lipstick, foundation, or eyeshadow palette. But that can be tricky, especially if you are new to makeup.
Nevertheless, don’t worry as we are here to help you. Our team of makeup experts researched the market and formulated a list of the 10 best makeup brands in India. In the following article, we shall discuss that, in addition to our favourite makeup products from the said brand.
Best Makeup Brand In India 2024
As there are several products in makeup, we have tried to incorporate all the major brands and their best products. In this way, you can consider this article as your go-to piece of writing for your makeup needs. Well, enough of gloating from our side, and let us get started with the 10 best makeup brands in India.
Lakmé
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Overall Score: 4.1/5
Lakmé is an Indian cosmetic brand that was established in 1952. Our then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, personally requested JRD Tata to fulfill makeup needs for Indian women. This was to avoid the dependency on foreign cosmetic brands and companies.
It was named after the French Opera “Lakmé” that was derived from the “Lakshmi”.
While not all Lakmé products are vegan, but all of them are cruelty-free. This gives you the liberty of applying your makeup without any guilt.
It features all kinds of makeup products, from lipsticks to concealer to blush. Out of that lot, we consider the Lakme 9To5 Primer + Matte Perfect Cover Foundation to be their best product.
This product works as a primer as well as a foundation. It gives you matte finishing without any creases on the skin.
This foundation is slightly tinted and glides onto your skin like butter. It gives full coverage without feeling too heavy on the skin.
It does not get smudged over time. Once you apply it in the morning, your skin looks flawless for the rest of the day. It evens out your skin texture and makes it look spotless.
This foundation is available in 16 shades, all of which are suitable for varied Indian skin tones.
With its high ability to get blended, along with its long-lasting coverage, this foundation must be a part of your makeup kit. It even has SPF20 to protect your skin from sun damage.
Highlights:
- Matte foundation plus primer
- Suitable for Indian skin tones
- Medium to full coverage
- Blends quickly
- No creases
- SPF20
- Sixteen shades
M.A.C
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Overall Score: 3.8/5
M.A.C is a Canadian cosmetic brand that was founded in 1984 by Frank Angelo and Frank Toskan. It is headquartered in New York City.
It stands for Makeup Artist Cosmetics. Originally, it started off as a company for makeup professionals and models. However, the founders noticed that the products were so reliable that the models wanted to share them with their sisters and friends. That is when they opened up for the general public.
M.A.C cosmetics are cruelty-free in most nations, but they might be tested on animals in China.
The brand got its due recognition in the late 1980s when Madonna wore its iconic matte red lipstick.
Research conducted by the NPD Group in 2012 concluded that M.A.C. sells more lipsticks than any other well-recognized brand.
This fact easily established that M.A.C. has its expertise in lipsticks, which led us to try the M.A.C MAC Matte Little Lipstick, and we were happy with our decision.
This matte mini lipstick comes in a compact packaging that can fit into your handbags, making it travel-friendly. It has a rich and creamy texture that glides on the skin like butter.
The Ruby Woo shade gives your lips the right kind of red color. The color is long-lasting and does not get creased after a few hours. Moreover, it does not dry your lips.
If you do not like bold colors, this lipstick is also available in several different shades with light colors.
Highlights:
- Matte finish
- Moisturizes the lips
- No creases or dryness
- Lightweight
- Long-lasting
- Ruby Woo
Maybelline
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Overall Score: 4.1/5
Maybelline is an American cosmetic, fragrance, skincare, and personal care company established in New York City. It was founded by Thomas Lyle Williams in the year 1914.
The company’s first product was Lash-brow-lne. When Tom Lyle saw his sister applying a combination of coal, vaseline, and ash to add a dramatic sheen to her eyebrows, he ended up creating Lash-brow-lne.
He also named his company Maybelline to honour his sister.
Gradually as the company started growing, and soon became a subsidiary company of L’Oréal in 1996.
Maybelline does not test any of its products on animals. It is also considered to be the number one global cosmetic brand as it sells over 200 products.
Out of all those options, we recommend trying the Maybelline New York Fit Me Concealer. This concealer is made with chamomile that protects the skin from free radicals and sun damage.
This concealer effectively hides the dark spots, pigmentation, dark circles, and troubled areas of the skin without feeling too heavy. It blends well with the skin without leaving any creases.
This concealer is oil-free, making it suitable for all skin types. Moreover, it is also non-comedogenic in nature. This means that this product will not block your pores, and therefore prevent acne breakouts.
As this concealer is available in eighteen shades, you can select the one that suits your shade the most.
Highlights:
- Made with chamomile
- Medium to full coverage
- Long-lasting
- Oil-free
- Non-comedogenic
- Eighteen shades
L’Oreal
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Overall Score: 4.2/5
L’Oreal is a French cosmetic company headquartered in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine. It has a registered office in Paris. This company focuses on haircare, skincare, makeup, sun protection, perfume, etc.
It was founded in 1909 by Eugène Schueller, who was a French entrepreneur and pharmacist. He started with a unique hair-color formula named Oréale, which was sold to the Parisian hairdresser. With time, he registered his company, the Société Française de Teintures Inoffensives pour Cheveux. That name was eventually shortened to L’Oréal.
In the present times, the company has over 15 brands under its umbrella, tapping markets like skincare, body care, hair styling, fragrance, cleansers, makeup, etc.
We recommend giving the L’Oreal Paris Base Magique Primer a try. This non-greasy primer has a lightweight composition that smoothens the texture of your skin. It hides the pores and makes your skin appear flawless and spotless.
The consistency is such that it blends well with the skin and gives you a lightweight feel. It absorbs the oil from the skin and gives it a matte texture.
Along with that, this primer makes your foundation last longer. This also enhances your makeup look and keeps it intact for a long period.
With its anti-shine finish, your skin will look spotless and picture-perfect.
Highlights:
- Non-greasy
- Lightweight
- Makes the foundation last longer
- Hides the pores
- Matte texture
- No shine
- Suitable for all skin types
Faces Canada
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Overall Score: 4.2/5
Faces Canada is a Canadian cosmetic brand that is over 40 years old. Initially, it was limited to the countries of North America and eventually found a competitive market in India after its launch in 2009.
This company includes products ranging from makeup and skincare. The founders wanted to maintain inclusivity in this brand, which is why they made the products suitable for every ethnicity, complexion, skin tone, etc.
All the products of Faces Canada are hypoallergenic and cruelty-free. It does not cause any allergies or side effects due to its qualitative composition.
Most of their products are manufactured in Turkey, Italy, and Germany, wherein they maintain stringent quality checks and international standards.
If you want to try this brand, we recommend the Faces Canada Magneteyes Eyeliner. This gel eyeliner gives an intense black finish that covers your eyelids with a single stroke.
As it is highly pigmented, the eyeliner lasts long without any smudges. It comes with a brush applicator with a thin tip for those thin and sharp strokes.
Moreover, this eyeliner is waterproof. With its matte finish, this eyeliner can help you get several types of eye looks with its smooth application.
Highlights:
- Gel eyeliner
- Matte finish
- Waterproof
- Thin stokes
- Single coat
- Intense black
Colorbar
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Overall Score: 4.1/5
Colorbar is often considered to be an American brand, but it is an Indian brand. It was founded by Mr Samir Modi in 2004.
Colorbar is a highly reliable and cost-effective makeup brand, with products ranging from foundation to primer to lipstick. Along with makeup, it also manufactures and sells nail care cosmetics, serums, skincare products, men’s face washes, fragrances, body wash, pouches, brushes, etc.
Currently, it has over 100 exclusive stores while also being available in partner chain shops. Moreover, it is also available for sale in foreign countries like the USA, Malaysia, UK, UAE through e-commerce platforms.
If you’d like to enhance your eye makeup along with eyeliner, we recommend the Colorbar Just Smoky Kajal.
This kajal pencil is formulated in Germany. It has a matte finish with an excellent pay-off. The pencil tip glides easily along the contours of your eyelids with its soft and velvety texture.
You can use this kajal pencil as an eye shadow and eyeliner as well. With its built-in smudge, you can create a smokey look with ease.
This kajal is waterproof and remains intact for up to 12 hours. Moreover, it is sweat and transfer-resistant.
As this kajal is dermatologically tested, it is suitable for sensitive eyes as well.
Highlights:
- Matte finish
- Can be used as kajal, eyeliner, eye shadow
- Highly pigmented
- Built-in smudge
- Water, transfer, and sweat-proof
- Lasts for up to 12 hours
- Seven shades
NYX
Buy Now on Amazon
Overall Score: 4.5/5
NYX Professional Makeup is an American cosmetic brand that was established in 1999 by Toni Ko.
She initially started by selling eyeliners and lip liners. Once those products were appreciated by the public, she started making jumbo eye pencils. Those were sold to beauty experts and makeup professionals.
The cosmetics were sold in high-end departmental stores at significantly low prices. That attracted a whole new market, and that’s how the brand left its imprint in a short span of time.
NYX Professional Makeup received the inspiration for its name from Nyx, the Greek goddess of the night. It is said that Nyx was so beautiful and mesmerizing that even Zeus was captivated by her presence.
While some people pronounce it as N-Y-X, its real pronunciation is “niks”.
This brand is PETA and vegan-friendly, making it a widely-acclaimed cosmetic brand.
In 2014, NYX was sold to L’Oréal, and it is now its subsidiary company.
If you want to make the most out of this brand, we recommend trying the Nyx Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette.
This palette comprises sixteen professionally coordinated eye shadow shades. It ranges from matte shades to shimmery colors.
All the shades have a rich texture that sits well on the eyelids. As they are highly pigmented, they last for a long period.
This eyeshadow palette has a velvety finish that will certainly make your eyes pop. With its nude shade collection, you can highlight your eyes without going too bold.
Highlights:
- Matte texture
- Velvety finish
- Long-lasting
- Highly pigmented
- Sixteen shades
SUGAR Cosmetics
Buy Now on Amazon
Overall Score: 4.1/5
While the market was dominated by big brands like Lakmé and M.A.C., Vineeta Singh wanted to introduce an affordable range of makeup products. That inspired her to introduce SUGAR Cosmetics.
SUGAR Cosmetics was introduced in 2012 as a start-up that made its way up to the top with its quality products at reasonable prices.
This women-centric brand focuses on making products for Indian skin tones and complexions.
Currently, it has over 195 outlets in India. It also focuses on influencer marketing for creating a buzz amongst the younger customers.
The SUGAR Cosmetics Uptown Curl Lengthening Mascara is specifically made from rice bran to provide volume to the lashes.
It comes with a high-tech curved brush to properly curl the lashes and enhance their length and volume. With its rich black formula, your eyelashes get the perfect dark shade.
This mascara can be removed easily with a makeup remover or water without getting smudged around your eyes.
It is said that this mascara stays put for up to eight hours. This keeps your eyes radiant and ready all day long.
Highlights:
- Made with rice bran
- Intense black color
- Naturally lengthens the lashes
- Adds volume
- Lasts for up to 8 hours
- Easily removable
MARS
Buy Now on Amazon
Overall Score: 4.2/5
Similar to SUGAR Cosmetics, Amit Bothra wanted to provide affordable and qualitative makeup products to the Indian public. That led him to establish MARS Cosmetics. This 100% cruelty-free and vegetarian brand specializes in providing quality at affordable prices.
The MARS Highlighter & Blusher is one of the “highlights” of this brand due to its high effectiveness.
This brick highlighter provides natural and uniform coverage. It has a weightless and royal texture that blends well with your skin.
This highlighter and blusher is made with PolyLift technology that allows the powder to melt into your skin, giving you a more radiant and glowing look.
With its matte texture, your skin remains fresh and hydrated without looking dry.
The glow you get from this highlighter stays on for a long period. Even the blush uplifts your cheeks and gives you a dewy and plump look.
Highlights:
- Blusher and brick highlighter
- Matte, shimmery, sheer finish
- Made with PolyLift technology
- Blends well with the skin
- Keeps your face fresh and hydrated
Swiss Beauty
Buy Now on Amazon
Overall Score: 4.5/5
Swiss Beauty was founded in 2008 by Amit Goyal. This brand offers makeup products for eyes, lips, face, nails, etc. Most of their products are imported from Italy, Japan, Germany, and Taiwan.
Swiss beauty is a cruelty-free and vegan brand that provides qualitative and affordable makeup products.
While we have covered the majority of the makeup products previously, all of them will require a brush set for better application. To fulfill that need, we recommend buying the Swiss Beauty Professional Face & Eye Brush Set.
This set includes brushes for compact, eyeshadow, concealer, foundation, highlighter, and lashes.
All of them are made with high-tech materials to give you a nice finish. They are designed in such a way as to avoid any cakey makeup looks.
Even if you are a beginner, you can use this brush set as each brush comes with names on its handles.
Lastly, the packaging deserves separate appreciation as well.
Highlights:
- Brushes for compact, eyeshadow, concealer, foundation, highlighter, and lashes
- Easy to use
- Names written on each brush for easy reference
- Classy packaging
What Are Makeup Brands?
As suggested by the name itself, makeup brands are cosmetic companies that provide qualitative makeup products. Sometimes, in addition to the foundation, concealer, highlighter, etc., such brands also offer skincare and haircare products as well.
The main idea of makeup brands is to create a sense of reliability and trustworthiness amongst their customers to maintain loyalty.
Benefits Of Makeup Brands
The following are some of the benefits of going with a reliable makeup brand rather than picking up drugstore makeup:
- Makeup brands offer better quality.
- Makeup brands do not cause any side effects on the skin.
- You get more variety from makeup brands in terms of products and shades.
- Your makeup seems flawless without looking cakey.
- Makeup brands are more suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Buying Guide: How To Choose The Best Makeup Brand?
Before you set your eyes on any makeup product from any particular brand, refer to the following buying guide to make an informed decision:
1. Qualitative Ingredients
Ensure that the makeup brand uses qualitative and safe ingredients. If you have sensitive skin, you can also try makeup brands that use herbal and organic ingredients.
2. Conforms To The International Standards
The makeup brand should be manufactured according to international standards. This enhances the brand’s reliability and dependability.
3. Cruelty-Free
Even in this day and age, some brands test their products on innocent animals. You wouldn’t want that guilt to come between you and your makeup, would you? So, it is best to boycott such brands and only buy makeup from companies that are cruelty-free.
4. Vegetarian/Vegan
This might be optional, but if you live according to a vegan lifestyle, you will find several vegan/vegetarian-friendly makeup brands.
How To Start Your Makeup Journey
Once you have all the makeup products, it can be daunting to start the makeup, especially if you are a beginner. But don’t worry, as we will kickstart your makeup journey in the smoothest way possible.
- Before you get started, wash your face with mild soap and water. Exfoliate your skin if required. You can also use a toner, but it is optional. But never forget your moisturizer, as it will help you apply your makeup smoothly.
- Primer is the next step as it will make your makeup last longer. Take a peanut-sized amount of primer on your fingertip and apply it all over your face. You can either dab it with your fingers or use a brush.
- Remove the required amount of foundation on the back of your palm. You can either use your fingers, a brush, or a sponge to apply the foundation. Use a small amount of foundation to prevent your makeup from looking cakey. Blend it all over your face to get a smooth and even texture.
- Apply some concealer around your eyes, on the dark spots, and around your pigmented areas. Use your fingers to cover those areas to get an even skin tone.
- If you want to use a bronzer, you can apply it right after applying the concealer. This will give depth to your skin. Apply it on the edges of your forehead, nose, and jawline.
- Smile and apply blush on the apples of your cheeks. This will give a natural plump to your cheeks.
- Take some highlighter and apply it with your fingertips or a brush. Apply it across the top of your cheekbones, inner corners of your eyelids, on your Cupid’s bow, on the bridge of your nose, and a little on the centre of your forehead and chin.
- Now, it is time to apply some eye makeup. Start with your eyeshadow and create a base with a lighter shade. Once that is covered, use a darker shade to get more depth in your makeup.
- Apply the eyeliner/kajal according to your preference.
- Dramatize your eyelashes with mascara.
- Apply lip balm on your lips to moisturize them. Then use your favourite lipstick to create a pop of color on your face.
- Keep your makeup intact by using a setting spray. This will prevent your makeup from looking cakey and creasy.
Tips For Proper Removal Of Makeup
As much as it is important to apply the makeup, it is equally crucial to remove it correctly. In the absence of a proper makeup removal routine, your skin might get irritated and lead to redness and breakouts.
Go through the following tips to avoid such circumstances:
- Take a flat cotton pad and soak it with makeup remover. Glide it across your face to remove the makeup.
- Use a separate cotton pad to remove your eye makeup, especially if your eyeshadow has a shimmery finish.
- Once you have removed your makeup, wash your face with soap and water.
- Pat your face dry with a cotton towel.
- Do not forget to moisturize your face to keep your skin hydrated.
FAQs
1. Is it bad to put makeup on twice a day?
If you have applied your makeup correctly in the first place, you wouldn’t have to re-apply it. You might only need to touch up with a compact powder and lipstick.
It is best to avoid re-applying makeup twice a day to prevent any clogged pores and acne breakouts.
2. What are the side effects of going with an unreliable makeup brand?
If you use local or any random and cheap makeup, your skin might break out. It might lead to other side effects like skin ageing, discoloration, dryness, eye infections, etc.
3. How can I prevent my makeup from getting ruined by my oily skin?
You can use blotting paper to remove excess oil from your skin. It will keep your skin dry and fresh without ruining your makeup.
4. What to apply for a quick makeup look?
If you want a quick makeup look, use a concealer, lipstick, and some mascara to instantly rejuvenate your face and get ready for the day.
Final Note
Out of all the brands that we mentioned above, our favourite is Lakmé. This Indian makeup brand excels in terms of quality, range of products, and applicability.
Well, that was our preference, but you can select your makeup brand as per your requirements. Choose the best one and get your creativity on in the process of beautifying yourself!
