Category AI Visibility Report
Makeup AI Visibility Report 2026: Top Brands & Buyer Topics in AI Search
Data updated 2026-08-27 · 30-day window · ChatGPT · Google AI Mode · Google AI Overviews
≈125,629
Est. AI queries / month
18
Buyer topics monitored
10
Brands on the AI shelf
Key insights
- Over the last 30 days, GEOly monitored 18 buyer topics in Makeup across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews — an estimated 125,629 AI queries per month.
- Mehron leads the AI shelf with 5.4% of brand mentions, followed by NYX (4.9%) and NARS (3.5%). The top three hold 13.8% combined — a shelf that has not consolidated yet, leaving a clear window for challengers.
- The highest-demand topic is “contour makeup” (top keyword “contour with makeup”, ~27,100 searches/mo).
- AI answers lean on reddit.com most (27.8% of citations) — earning presence on these sources is the shortest path to being recommended.
Brands AI recommends most
Share of brand mentions across AI answers in the last 30 days (Share of Model).
| # | Brand | AI mentions | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mehron | 375 | 5.4% |
| 2 | NYX | 338 | 4.9% |
| 3 | NARS | 245 | 3.5% |
| 4 | ILIA | 236 | 3.4% |
| 5 | bareMinerals | 208 | 3% |
| 6 | Kryolan | 196 | 2.8% |
| 7 | Dermablend | 167 | 2.4% |
| 8 | Fenty Beauty | 158 | 2.3% |
| 9 | L'Oréal | 153 | 2.2% |
| 10 | Milk Makeup | 147 | 2.1% |
What shoppers ask AI
Buyer topics monitored in this category, with estimated monthly AI queries and the top Google keyword behind each topic.
| Topic | Est. AI queries / mo | Top keyword | Search volume / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| contour makeup | ≈33,817 | contour with makeup | 27,100 |
| makeup for mature skin | ≈24,824 | best foundation makeup mature skin | 33,100 |
| skeleton makeup | ≈23,663 | skeletons makeup | 27,100 |
| Korean makeup | ≈22,511 | makeup korean products | 27,100 |
| gyaru makeup | ≈20,814 | makeup gyaru | 27,100 |
| clown makeup | — | clown makeup makeup | 49,500 |
| vegan makeup | — | vegan makeup | 135,000 |
| halloween makeup | — | makeup of halloween | 22,200 |
| brush-on makeup | — | makeup with brush | 49,500 |
| 1980s makeup | — | 80s makeup | 22,200 |
| foundation makeup | — | luxe foundation #makeup | 40,500 |
| clean makeup | — | clean makeup brands | 33,100 |
| tattoo cover makeup | — | tattoo cover makeup | 33,100 |
| goth makeup | — | gothic makeup | 33,100 |
| cruelty free makeup | — | cruelty free makeup | 60,500 |
| makeup for Latina skin tones | — | latina makeup | 33,100 |
Sources AI cites in this category
Root domains AI engines cited most when answering category queries in the last 30 days.
| Domain | Citations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| reddit.com | 292 | 27.8% |
| allure.com | 212 | 20.2% |
| lorealparisusa.com | 54 | 5.1% |
| whowhatwear.com | 46 | 4.4% |
| mehron.com | 45 | 4.3% |
| glamour.com | 40 | 3.8% |
| gyaru.online | 28 | 2.7% |
| vogue.com | 28 | 2.7% |
FAQ
Which brands do AI assistants recommend most for makeup?
Over the last 30 days the top brands by AI mention share are: Mehron (5.4%), NYX (4.9%), NARS (3.5%), ILIA (3.4%), bareMinerals (3%). Data from GEOly's continuous monitoring across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews.
How many people ask AI about makeup?
GEOly estimates ~125,629 AI queries per month in this category across 18 buyer topics, led by “contour makeup”.
Which sources do AI engines cite for makeup?
The most-cited domains are: reddit.com, allure.com, lorealparisusa.com, whowhatwear.com, mehron.com. Building brand presence on these sources is the most direct way to win AI recommendations.
Methodology
GEOly continuously runs category buyer prompts across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews and records which brands are mentioned and which sources are cited. Figures aggregate a 30-day window; AI query volumes are modeled estimates from keyword demand and AI-adoption share. Data: GEOly MCP Server, updated 2026-08-27.
See your brand inside this category
GEOly tracks how ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews mention, rank and cite your brand against every competitor above — and what to fix to win the AI shelf.