e.l.f. Cosmetics vs Maybelline:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Maybelline had more branded searches than e.l.f. Cosmetics among blush brands worldwide. Maybelline had about 823,000 branded searches, while e.l.f. Cosmetics had 165,000. Maybelline made up 35.8% of all blush brand searches we track, and e.l.f. Cosmetics accounted for 7.2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about blush brands, e.l.f. Cosmetics appeared in three of the four answers and Maybelline in none.
Who do people search for more?
Maybelline, about 5 searches for every 1 for e.l.f. Cosmetics
Who does AI mention more?
e.l.f. Cosmetics, mentioned in 3 of 4 answers, Maybelline in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
e.l.f. Cosmetics, the only one of the two named
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Top blush brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, e.l.f. Cosmetics was mentioned in three out of four: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Maybelline did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Rare Beauty4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers- e.l.f. Cosmetics3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
NARS2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Saie2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Milani2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers- Maybelline0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Tarte0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Benefit Cosmetics0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about blush brands
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which blush brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best blush brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best blush brand for everyday makeup?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“blush brands”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best blush”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is e.l.f. Cosmetics or Maybelline more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for e.l.f. Cosmetics and Maybelline by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight blush brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Maybelline, e.l.f. Cosmetics. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Maybelline | Rare Beauty | NARS | Tarte | e.l.f. Cosmetics | Saie | Milani | Benefit Cosmetics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 32.8% | 27% | 12.1% | 12.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2% | 2% |
| Nov 2025 | 25.4% | 31% | 17.1% | 11.4% | 5.1% | 6.2% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 29.8% | 29.8% | 13.4% | 11% | 6% | 6% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| Jan 2026 | 29.7% | 29.7% | 13.3% | 10.9% | 6% | 6% | 2.7% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 33.9% | 27.7% | 12.4% | 10.1% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 3% | 1.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 32% | 26.1% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 6.4% | 5.2% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 34.2% | 27.9% | 12.5% | 8.3% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 2.1% |
| May 2026 | 28.9% | 19.3% | 12.9% | 23.6% | 7.1% | 4.7% | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| Jun 2026 | 37.1% | 20.3% | 13.6% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 6.1% | 2.7% | 1.8% |
| Jul 2026 | 33.7% | 27.5% | 12.3% | 10.1% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 2.5% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 35.5% | 23.7% | 13% | 10.6% | 7.1% | 5.8% | 2.6% | 1.7% |
| Sep 2026 | 35.8% | 24% | 13.1% | 10.7% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 1.8% |
How has the e.l.f. Cosmetics and Maybelline comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Maybelline was ahead of e.l.f. Cosmetics in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, e.l.f. Cosmetics’ share of searches among blush brands worldwide moved from 6.6% to 7.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 165K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Maybelline’s share of searches among blush brands worldwide moved from 32.8% to 35.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1M to 823K.
How did search popularity change for blush brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
Estimated monthly branded searches for e.l.f. Cosmetics worldwide fell 17.9% over 12 measured months, from 201K to 165K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Maybelline worldwide fell 17.7% over 12 measured months, from 1M to 823K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using e.l.f. Cosmetics’ and Maybelline’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
1 branded search term
- e l f cosmetics
Maybelline
1 branded search term
- maybelline
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