What LLMs cite
where to buy quality makeup on a budget
From recent prompt runs · United States · Updated September 11, 2026
GEOGrow tested this high-intent customer question across Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. Rankings below show which companies appeared most often in those responses — not who is independently the best.
Top brand
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Leads across all key metrics
AI engines mentioning
2 of 3
e.l.f. Cosmetics appears in 2 of 3 AI engines
#1 recommendations
2
e.l.f. Cosmetics was the #1 recommendation twice.
AI answer share
67%
e.l.f. Cosmetics appears in 67% of answers in our tests
Top AI Answers
Which companies appear most often in AI responses?
Updated September 11, 2026
| # | Company | AI engines mentioning | #1 recommendations | AI answer share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | e.l.f. Cosmetics Claim your company | 2 of 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2 | Ulta Beauty Claim | 1 of 3 | 1 | 33% |
| 3 | NYX Professional Makeup Claim | 2 of 3 | 0 | 67% |
| 4 | Sephora Claim | 1 of 3 | 0 | 33% |
| 5 | Maybelline Claim | 3 of 3 | 0 | 100% |
| 6 | Sally Beauty Claim | 1 of 3 | 0 | 33% |
| 7 | Wet n Wild Claim | 2 of 3 | 0 | 67% |
| 8 | Golden Rose Claim | 1 of 3 | 0 | 33% |
What Each AI Recommended
Recent answer snapshots by engine.
ChatGPT
- 1. e.l.f. Cosmetics
- 2. NYX Professional Makeup
- 3. Maybelline
- 5. Wet n Wild
- 7. L'Oréal Paris
- 9. Sephora Collection
+1 more in this answer
Gemini
- 1. Ulta Beauty
- 2. Sephora
- 3. Sally Beauty
- 4. Golden Rose
- 5. O.TWO.O
- 20. Maybelline
Perplexity
What LLMs cite
Sources cited in the most recent prompt runs for this question. The mix varies by engine.
- onlinemakeupacademy.com Best Affordable Makeup Brands for Your Pro Kit (2026 MUA Guide)
- beautybay.com Best Affordable Makeup Brands to Shop in 2026
- thedaleydose.com The Best Affordable Makeup Brands That Deliver - The Daley Dose
- eathealthy365.com Best Affordable Makeup Brands of 2026: A Deep Dive
- google.com NYX Butter Gloss
- serpapi.com Ulta Beauty
- reddit.com Cheap makeup stores : r/Bahrain
- reddit.com best cheap makeup : r/Makeup
- makeupbrands.org 15 Best Affordable Makeup Brands You Need to Know in 2026
- thefrugalglow.com Top 4 Affordable Makeup Brands That Prove Low Price Doesn’t Mean Low Quality
- glamourusus.com Affordable Makeup & Cosmetics Under $5
- google.com Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation
- reddit.com Where can I buy quality makeup without breaking the bank ...
- google.com Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation
- serpapi.com SEPHORA
- google.com e.l.f Glow Reviver Lip Oil
- serpapi.com Sally Beauty
- google.com Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation: User Reviews
Who's Winning in AI?
AI Leaderboard · Based on this buyer question
e.l.f. Cosmetics currently leads this conversation. AI visibility leadership is valuable — but competitive markets shift fast.
e.l.f. Cosmetics currently leads this conversation.
- #1 e.l.f. Cosmetics 67%
- #2 Ulta Beauty 33%
- #3
- #4 Sephora 33%
- #5 Maybelline 100%
- #6 Sally Beauty 33%
- #7 Wet n Wild 67%
- #8 Golden Rose 33%
Get ahead of the competition
Defend this answer before competitors close the gap.
Multiple businesses already appear in this answer set. Claim your company, improve your visibility, and compete for the recommendations students and institutions will actually see.
Leading in AI is an advantage — keeping it is the strategy.
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How We Measure AI Answer Share
AI Answer Tracker by GEOGrow measures how companies appear when high-intent customer questions are asked across supported AI platforms. Results are observational snapshots and can vary by model, location, personalization, source availability, and date.
AI Answer Share is weighted recommendation appearances divided by all possible recommendation opportunities. Rankings shown here represent the responses collected during the stated research period and are not endorsements by GEOGrow. Method: 3 independent AI observations.
- Question tested
- where to buy quality makeup on a budget
- Market
- United States
- AI engines
- Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity
- Research date
- September 11, 2026