The Best New Makeup Collections Of 2021 Ranked
Ask any true makeup fan which Instagram account they stalk the most, and they'll likely say Trendmood. Avid makeup gurus find themselves checking in regularly, as new products and collections get announced seemingly every day. The surge in content makes sense, as 2021 was the year of makeup. Heading back out into the world, it was time to revamp and refresh your makeup collection, and the beauty industry definitely understood the assignment.
If it feels like there have been daily new releases, that's because there have been. From new brands launched by big names in the beauty industry to cult-favorite brands launching exciting new products and collections, there was no shortage of excitement or things to pop onto your wish list in 2021.
With the year coming to a close, it's time to reflect on some of the makeup collections that really stood out. When you have such a constantly evolving and growing industry, it becomes almost impossible to actually be remembered. Once a brand announces its new and exciting launch, another one follows, and you quickly lose track of what you even wanted to buy. However, a few beauty launches really stood out this year. So without further ado, here are the eight best new makeup collections of 2021, ranked from pretty exciting to absolutely game-changing.
8. Jaclyn Hill's lipstick do-over
For Jaclyn Hill, 2019 was a rough year. The beauty guru is the OG of all makeup YouTubers, as she's been around since 2010 and has amassed 5.72 million YouTube subscribers and 6.8 million Instagram followers. Needless to say, Hill has a huge fan base and has been the go-to authority on makeup for beauty lovers for years, so when she announced she was launching a lipstick range, people couldn't wait. That bubble burst very quickly as her lipstick scandal unfolded, with users claiming to find lumps, spots, hair, and even mold on the products (via Refinery29).
Hill was very quickly canceled, and despite posting apology videos, she lost a lot of her support. After staying hidden away for a while, she relaunched her brand as Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics, and on March 18th, 2021, she decided to brave the lipstick world yet again (via Insider). This time launching lip pencils and liquid lipsticks, the launch went how the first should have. While most people were skeptical and refused to give her a second chance, those that did found the lipsticks delivered. The brand also launched Valentine's Day mystery boxes for a steal, per Insider.
7. Fenty Beauty released another 'Bomb' range
Ever since its launch in 2017, Fenty Beauty has been one of the most popular brands in the beauty industry. Rihanna simply has that kind of impact. With every launch being met with excitement and instantly selling out, the 2021 "Bomb Posse" launch was no exception (via Elle). Inspired by the cult favorite "Gloss Bombs," this holiday 2021 range features an eyeshadow palette, a face and body palette, three new shades of the Gloss Bombs, and a new shade of the "Flyliner" (via Harper's Bazaar).
The "Bomb Posse" range includes blush as well as warm-toned neutrals. It gave fans holy grail products they've already come to love and included new shades that are perfect for everyday uses. The "Bomb Posse Eyeshadow Palette" was especially a hit amongst fans — the finishes of the mattes, shimmers, and metallic shades were smooth and almost creamy while packing a punch of pigmentation (via Harper's Bazaar). Rihanna has done it yet again.
6. Makeup By Mario's Soft Sculpt Collection
Mario Dedivanovic is one of the few makeup artists who's somewhat of a household name. Being Kim Kardashian's right-hand guy will get your name known pretty quickly. More popularly known by his social media handle Makeup By Mario, Dedivanovic has been Kardashian's makeup artist for some time. Over the years, he's become a celebrity of his own, boasting 9.4 million followers on Instagram. When the iconic makeup artist that creates masterpieces on every Kardashian announced he was releasing a makeup brand in 2020, everyone gasped.
The brand Makeup By Mario has been as successful as Dedivanovic, launching unique textures and formulas that had never been seen before. He took things one step further on June 3, 2021, by releasing a range of face sculpting products called "The Soft Sculpt Collection 03" (via Bustle). This release couldn't have been more appropriate, considering Dedivanovic's signature contouring base methods on the Kardashians are what people admire most. The collection featured a range of sculpting sticks, blush sticks, bronzers, powder blushes, and highlighters — everything you could possibly need to achieve that impeccable Kardashian sculpted glowing look.
5. Colourpop's Animal Crossing Collection
Colourpop Cosmetics has become famous for its constant new collections. It sometimes seems as though the brand launches new a collection monthly. What's so great about them is that they're almost always a collaboration with some nostalgic or popular trend. Animal Crossing was undoubtedly one of the four horsemen of quarantine days of 2020, so it made all the sense in the world when Colourpop wanted to hop on the bandwagon.
When Colourpop kicked off the year by announcing it was launching a collection in collaboration with Animal Crossing, it was clear how quickly the range would sell out. The collaboration was every Animal Crossing fan's dream — even more so for those that are into beauty. In true Colourpop fashion, the collection consisted of everything you could need: eyeshadow palettes, blushes, lip tints, and even a glitter gel (via Allure). Karina Hoshikawa reviewed the range for Refinery29 and confirmed that it maintained Colourpop's usual quality standard, which is amazing considering the low price point. How quickly this collection sold out definitely earns itself a spot on this list.
4. Huda Beauty's GloWish Collection
Huda Beauty has almost become synonymous with amazing makeup. The Dubai-based influencer Huda Kattan's brand began with just a few pairs of lashes and has grown into a complete makeup range, from foundations to eyeshadow palettes. Every time Huda Beauty launches a new collection, it quickly climbs to the top of everyone's wishlists — after all, it's repeatedly proven itself as providing quality products.
In June 2021, Huda Beauty launched a brand new "GloWish" collection, which was all about achieving that iconic Huda glow. The collection consisted of a vegan skin tint foundation, radiant bronzing powders, and even some glow-inducing brushes (via Stylist). While Huda Beauty is usually all about full coverage and high pigmentation, this range offered something different by being all about the more natural, lightweight, dewy look (via Bustle). The collection was a huge success and even recently added some new shades to the range.
3. Samantha Ravndhal's Auric brand launch
Samantha Ravndahl, better known as @Ssssamanthaa, joins the list as another beauty guru to launch her own brand. The Canadian influencer has been posting makeup tutorials since 2013 and has been loved for her raw, real, and funny content as well as her insane makeup abilities (via YouTube). In 2021, Ravndahl decided to finally launch her own beauty brand, "Auric."
Throughout her career, Ravndahl has always been a huge advocate for inclusivity in the beauty industry. She's always held brands accountable and refused to use or review collections that fell short when it came to the shade range. Fans were happy to see she maintained that attitude within her own brand by releasing seven shade options of her highlighter to suit various skin tones (via Vogue Business).
Since Ravndahl is all about natural, lightweight, glow-inducing makeup, it was only right that her collection would include a glowy base and some shimmery shadow pots (via Temptalia). Finally, fans were able to achieve her beautiful dewy look all over!
2. Dezi Skin's Dew Me Over Prep, Set & Refresh Face Mist
While celebrity brands often fall a little short, that wasn't the case in 2021. People were clearly taking the time to perfect formulas before launching, and it showed in how well-received they were. Desi Perkins has been an OG beauty guru for years, and considering her flawless skin is what draws so many people to her tutorials, it was only right that she would launch a skincare brand of her own.
The "Dezi" skincare range was all about healing and achieving a flawless base from within, so when Perkins launched the Dew Me Over setting spray/face mist, fans were ecstatic to finally incorporate it into their makeup routine (via Bustle). The facial mist claimed to be an "Oxygen-powered bottle that is the FIRST continuous mist of its kind," with a formula that's "propelled by pure oxygen, which is nourishing to the skin," and fans agreed!
1. Glossier's Ultralip
Last but certainly not least, a roundup of 2021's makeup releases would not be complete without a mention of Glossier's Ultralip. Glossier somehow always manages to drop new products that end up going viral and becoming everyone's new fave. The famous Ultralip made its debut on Olivia Rodrigo's lips, which only made everyone need it more (via Stylecaster). The Ultralip promises to deliver "the rich moisture of a balm, the sheen of a gloss, and the buildable color of a lip tint, without the hassle of layering multiple products," and it definitely delivered (via Glossier).
With nine shades available, the Ultralip quickly became everyone's new must-have product as people fell in love seemingly overnight (via Refinery29). Users not only found it to be super hydrating and nourishing, but they loved how it managed to also be long-lasting, with the color fading naturally as opposed to forming that dreaded lip line (via Women's Health).
As always, this one was a win. Only time will tell what viral beauty product Glossier chooses to launch next year. How will 2022 be able to beat these fantastic makeup collections?