3 of the Best Brand Collaborations in the Beauty Industry

Brand collaboration takes place when two brands join forces to promote a product or service, often with powerful results.

The best brand collaborations help both parties reach new potential customers, increase social media engagement, promote a cause, boost sales, or achieve their own unique business goals.

Recently, many beauty brands have tried to secure hype-generating partnerships with companies in different industries.

Here are three of the best brand collaborations in the beauty industry, with critical lessons you can learn from them.

3 of the Best Brand Collaborations in the Beauty Industry

The most electric makeup collaborations pair makeup brands with unexpected (or expected) brands to garner excitement (and hopefully sell out).

e.l.f. Cosmetics x Liquid Death, NYX cosmetics x “Bridgerton,” and Olive & June x Bubble Skincare are certainly electric matches.

1. e.l.f. Cosmetics x Liquid Death Know Their Audiences

Makeup brand e.l.f. Cosmetics collaborated with the nonalcoholic (N/A) beverage brand Liquid Death to create a lip balm, cleverly titled “embalm,” a fun play on a morbid theme.

Image Source: Liquid Death

CNN reports that “E.l.f. Beauty’s CEO wants to make a beauty empire for Gen Z,” and The Conversation also notes that Gen Z is a part of the “sober curious movement.”

This pairing is smart because it capitalizes on both the N/A boom — a billion-dollar movement according to NIQ Brandbank — and e.l.f.’s popularity with Gen Z.

Additionally, food and beverage (60%) and personal care and beauty (54%) are in the top four product verticals that shoppers have bought online, according to Salsify’s “2026 Consumer Research” report.

Key Takeaway: Shoot for a Dynamic Duo

Brand fit is key. Select a brand that has the same audience as yours and understands the market you’re trying to reach. In the best brand collaborations, both parties bring something valuable to the table and help each other achieve a high return on investment (ROI).

2. NYX Cosmetics x ‘Bridgerton’ Lean Into Their Combined Popularity

NYX Cosmetics partnered with the popular Netflix series, “Bridgerton,” to create a royal-themed lip kit, handheld mirror, and illuminating puff. These three additions are the newest Bridgerton collab; shoppers can also purchase past limited-edition iterations from “the vault.”

The partnership uses a witty play on words that weaves makeup terms with references to the show, like: “Inspired by the grandeur of the ton, this pearl-packed powder leaves every skin tone with a luminous, gilded glow — face, neck, décolletage, all drenched in golden radiance fit for a queen.”

Image Source: NYX Cosmetics

Both “Bridgerton” and NYX reach an impressive number of consumers on Instagram, with millions of followers respectively.

This is especially important for captivating shoppers, as Salsify’s consumer research found 73% of shoppers discover brands and products on social media, with Gen Zers (73%) and millennials (67%) leading the pack.

Key Takeaway: Social Is King With Gen Zers and Millennials

Strong social strategies go a long way. Consider choosing an influencer who aligns with your brand values so that they can represent your brand authentically. If an influencer works well with your brand, nurture that relationship and partner with them consistently. The best brand collaborations are the ones that show authenticity and consistency throughout the entire campaign.

3. Olive & June x Bubble Skincare Build Trust

Popular nail care brand Olive & June collaborated with the affordable skincare brand Bubble to create a fun, self-care set. And the results are in: Consumers love it.

Image Source: Bubble Skincare

According to Salsify’s consumer research, 68% of shoppers have paid more for a product in the last year because they trust the brand.

These are the keys to building brand trust:

• Product quality and value (67%)

• Customer service and experience (54%)
• Positive customer ratings and reviews (48%)

Bubble Skincare demonstrates these qualities by offering customer service through a phone number shoppers can text 24/7. Additionally, the brand showcases customer reviews front and center on each product detail page (PDP).

Key Takeaway: Showcase Customer Reviews

Shoppers want real reviews, and they trust other shoppers to give them. Make sure your customer reviews are accessible on your PDPs — and showcase a mix of positive and negative to give a fair overview.

Start Capitalizing on Brand Collaborations

Brand collaborations are a powerful tool for reaching new audiences, creating hype around new products, and boosting sales. If you strike the right kind of magic, the collaboration will generate so much excitement that products fly off the shelves.

Learn from the three beauty collaboration case studies above and start thinking about how your brand can fully capture this growth opportunity.