Brandwave

Essence vs Rare Beauty:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, Rare Beauty had more branded searches than Essence among bronzer stick brands in New Zealand. Rare Beauty had about 2,680 branded searches, while Essence had 1,360. Rare Beauty made up 27.1% of all bronzer stick brand searches we track, and Essence accounted for 13.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about bronzer stick brands, Rare Beauty appeared in three of the five answers and Essence in none.

Among bronzer stick brands in New Zealand in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

Rare Beauty, about 2 searches for every 1 for Essence

Rare Beauty 2.7K searchesEssence 1.4K searches

Who does AI mention more?

Rare Beauty, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Essence in 0

Rare Beauty in 3 of 5Essence in 0 of 5

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Top bronzer stick brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Rare Beauty was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Essence did not appear in any of the five answers.

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Rare Beauty3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Charlotte Tilbury0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Essence0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Milk Makeup0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about bronzer stick brands

5 answers

  • Asked ChatGPT

    “Which bronzer stick brand should I buy in New Zealand?”

    1. 1Rare Beauty

  • Asked ChatGPT

    “What are the best bronzer stick brands in New Zealand?”

    1. 1Rare Beauty

  • Asked ChatGPT

    “What's the best bronzer stick brand in New Zealand for easy makeup?”

    1. 1Rare Beauty

  • Searched Google, AI Overview

    “cream bronzer stick”

    1. Searched Google, AI Overview

      “contour stick nz”

      Not named in any answer:

      Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 20, 2026.

      Is Essence or Rare Beauty more popular in search?

      This chart shows how often people search Google for Essence and Rare Beauty by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all four bronzer stick brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.

      Essence and Rare Beauty among bronzer stick brands in New Zealand, by month

      Share of searches by month for Rare Beauty, Essence. The figures are in the table below the chart.

      View monthly share of searches table
      MonthCharlotte TilburyRare BeautyEssenceMilk Makeup
      Oct 202550.9%36.7%9.8%2.6%
      Nov 202554.1%34.6%8.9%2.4%
      Dec 202555.5%33.3%8.5%2.8%
      Jan 202654.1%32.8%9.9%3.2%
      Feb 202650.2%35.9%10.1%3.8%
      Mar 202652.8%31.5%13.2%2.5%
      Apr 202653.6%32.8%11%2.5%
      May 202653.2%32.5%12.2%2.1%
      Jun 202662.5%24%11.3%2.2%
      Jul 202655.3%29.6%13.4%1.7%
      Aug 202654.8%29.2%13.8%2.1%
      Sep 202657.4%27.1%13.8%1.7%

      How has the Essence and Rare Beauty comparison changed over the last 12 months?

      3 findings

      How did search popularity change for New Zealand bronzer stick brands in September 2026?

      2 changes

      1. In September 2026, Rare Beauty lost share of searches among bronzer stick brands in New Zealand, from 29.2% to 27.1%.

      2. Estimated monthly branded searches for Essence in New Zealand rose 38.8% over 12 measured months, from 980 to 1.4K in September 2026.

      How are branded searches counted?

      9 search terms

      Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Essence’s and Rare Beauty’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.

      Essence

      3 branded search terms

      • essence makeup
      • essence makeup makeup
      • essence mascara

      Rare Beauty

      6 branded search terms

      • rare beauty
      • rare beauty blush
      • rare beauty foundation
      • rare beauty highlighter
      • rare beauty lipstick
      • rare beauty mascara

      How the Brand Demand Index is measured

      Other head-to-heads among bronzer stick brands

      Creator with pink hair and a pink jacket

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