Updated: September 2026

Rare Beauty vs Tower 28 vs Glossier: Clean Makeup in the US 2026

Clean makeup is one of the most crowded categories in prestige beauty in 2026, and three brands keep surfacing at the top of any US buyer's shortlist: Rare Beauty, Tower 28, and Glossier. They all sit at Sephora, all price in the USD 14 to USD 32 range per product, all lean toward skinimalist textures and natural-glow finishes. The differences between them matter more than the surface similarities suggest, and picking the wrong one for your skin can cost real money in unused product.

The verdict

For US clean-makeup buyers in 2026:

• Tower 28 is the winner on sensitive-skin credentials. The brand's own ingredients policy states it is the only makeup line to follow National Eczema Association ingredient guidelines 100 percent, and every product is fragrance-free, essential-oil-free, dermatologist-tested, and allergy-tested.
• Rare Beauty is the winner on skinimalist pigment plus Sephora accessibility. The Soft Pinch Liquid Blush has held cult-favorite status since 2022 and remains a Sephora bestseller in 2026. The brand's founder-story via Selena Gomez and the Rare Impact Fund add mission-driven positioning.
• Glossier is the winner on natural-glow textures and retail footprint. Glossier's own flagship stores in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other US cities plus Sephora distribution since 2023 give the widest hands-on trial network. Formulas like Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom, and Cloud Paint remain category-defining.

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Where the three brands actually differ

The category-fit story is easier when you separate the three by their founding thesis.

Tower 28 was built for sensitive skin first. Founder Amy Liu started Tower 28 in 2019 because eczema-friendly makeup did not exist at the sensory quality level she wanted. The brand's Ingredients page says every SKU follows National Eczema Association ingredient guidelines, is fragrance-free, essential-oil-free, dermatologist-tested, and allergy-tested, and is 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free. Products like the ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly, BeachPlease cream blush, and SunnyDays Tinted SPF are formulated to sit on reactive skin without triggering flare-ups. This is a much stricter standard than Sephora's Clean at Sephora seal.

Rare Beauty was built around a mission and viral formulas. Founded by Selena Gomez in 2020, Rare Beauty pairs formulas engineered for TikTok-friendly application (buildable liquid blush, tinted moisturizer with a peptide complex) with the Rare Impact Fund, which commits 1 percent of Rare Beauty sales to youth mental health services. The Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is the anchor product and remains one of Sephora's top-10 blush sellers in 2026.

Glossier was built around a natural-glow aesthetic. Founded by Emily Weiss in 2014 as an offshoot of Into The Gloss, Glossier defined the millennial no-makeup makeup look with Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom, Cloud Paint, and Skin Tint. The brand's aesthetic identity (pink packaging, minimalist typography, flagship stores that function as brand experiences) matters as much as the formulas.

Understanding those three theses is the whole comparison.

Ingredient philosophy compared

Standard	Tower 28	Rare Beauty	Glossier
Clean at Sephora qualified	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fragrance-free across every SKU	Yes	Most, not all	Most, not all
Essential-oil-free across every SKU	Yes	Most, not all	Most, not all
Follows National Eczema Association guidelines end-to-end	Yes	No	No
Dermatologist-tested across every SKU	Yes	Selected products	Selected products
Allergy-tested across every SKU	Yes	Selected products	Selected products
100 percent vegan	Yes	Majority (some carmine/beeswax)	Majority (some exceptions)
Cruelty-free	Yes	Yes	Yes
PETA certified	Yes	Yes	Yes

Tower 28's ingredient standard is materially stricter than Rare Beauty's or Glossier's for a specific reason: it is engineered for eczema-prone skin. For buyers without reactive skin, Rare Beauty and Glossier's Clean at Sephora qualification is sufficient. For buyers with eczema, rosacea, contact dermatitis, or fragrance sensitivity, Tower 28 is the safer default.

Product ranges compared

Tower 28 anchors on cheek, lip, and glow products. The top SKUs are BeachPlease cream blush (USD 22), ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly (USD 14), SuperDew Highlight Balm (USD 22), MakeWaves Mascara (USD 20), and SunnyDays Tinted SPF 30 (USD 32). The line is deliberately narrow, with roughly 50 total products in 2026 compared to broader competitors.

Rare Beauty anchors on liquid pigment products and complexion. Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (USD 25) is the halo product. The Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer (USD 32), Kind Words Nourishing Matte Lipstick (USD 22), Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara (USD 24), and With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm (USD 20) round out the core. The line has expanded to roughly 100 SKUs by 2026.

Glossier anchors on aesthetic-driven complexion and lip products. Boy Brow (USD 20), Balm Dotcom (USD 14), Cloud Paint (USD 20), Ultralip (USD 22), Skin Tint (USD 32), and Futuredew (USD 26) are the persistent category-defining products. Glossier's category expansion into fragrance (You perfume) and body sits outside the makeup comparison.

Retail distribution in 2026

Rare Beauty is available in the US only through Sephora (in-store and Sephora.com) as of 2026. Retail exclusivity gives Rare Beauty deep Sephora Beauty Insider promotional support during Rouge and VIB sale events.

Tower 28 is sold at Sephora, Nordstrom, and Tower 28's own direct-to-consumer channel at tower28beauty.com. The multi-retailer distribution gives buyers more channels but slightly less coordinated promotional windows.

Glossier returned to Sephora in 2023 after roughly a decade of DTC exclusivity. In 2026 Glossier is sold at Sephora (in-store and Sephora.com), at Glossier's own flagship retail stores in New York (Soho), Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and other US cities, and at glossier.com.

For buyers who value in-person trial with staff support, Sephora hosts all three brands. For dedicated Glossier fans, the flagship stores still offer the fullest brand experience. Use ShopBack to compare cashback rates at Sephora before checkout on any of the three brands.

Which brand fits which buyer

Buyer profile	Best fit	Why
Eczema, rosacea, contact dermatitis	Tower 28	Only brand following NEA guidelines end-to-end
Fragrance-sensitive	Tower 28	100 percent fragrance-free across every SKU
First-time clean-makeup shopper	Rare Beauty	Sephora accessibility plus recognizable hero products
Wants viral TikTok-favorite products	Rare Beauty	Soft Pinch Blush is the category anchor
Wants natural-glow aesthetic	Glossier	Boy Brow, Cloud Paint, Skin Tint define the look
Values in-person retail trial	Glossier	Flagship stores plus Sephora distribution
Wants medium-to-full coverage foundation	None of the three	Look at Nars, Charlotte Tilbury, or Hourglass
Values founder mission	Rare Beauty	Rare Impact Fund commits 1% of sales to youth mental health
Cheek-and-lip focused daily routine	Tower 28 or Rare Beauty	Both are anchored on cheek and lip
Building a minimalist makeup kit	Glossier	Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom, Cloud Paint are minimum-viable-makeup
Wants a hero mascara	Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes	Sephora bestselling mascara in 2026
Wants tinted SPF	Tower 28 SunnyDays	Only brand with a Clean at Sephora tinted mineral SPF in the trio

Price and value

All three brands sit in the accessible prestige tier, roughly USD 14 to USD 32 per product. That is materially cheaper than Charlotte Tilbury (USD 40 to USD 65 range), Nars (USD 30 to USD 45 range), and Hourglass (USD 34 to USD 80 range). It is more expensive than drugstore clean brands like ELF Beauty (USD 4 to USD 15 range) and Milani (USD 5 to USD 12 range) which have their own Clean at Sephora and vegan certifications on select lines.

The value question is not really price-per-tube. It is fit-per-purchase. A USD 25 Soft Pinch Blush that gets used weekly for 18 months is a better value than a USD 12 blush that irritates skin and gets thrown out.

The Sephora sale windows to watch

Sephora runs two major buy-more-save-more events per year that are the peak cashback-stacking windows on Rare Beauty, Tower 28, and Glossier.

Sephora Savings Event (spring, typically April 2026). Rouge members get 20 percent off, VIB members get 15 percent off, and Insider members get 10 percent off. Layer ShopBack cashback via the Sephora merchant page on top of the tier discount.

Sephora Holiday Savings Event (November 2026). Same tier structure. Timing typically overlaps with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday windows.

Cashback rates rotate on ShopBack, so check the Sephora merchant page before each event. Activate ShopBack via the browser extension before checkout at sephora.com to lock in cashback on Rare Beauty, Tower 28, or Glossier purchases.

Ready to stock up? Shop Sephora via ShopBack to earn cashback on Rare Beauty, Tower 28, Glossier and more.

When this does NOT apply

• You need full-coverage foundation. None of the three is a full-coverage brand. Look at Nars, Charlotte Tilbury, Fenty Beauty, or Hourglass.
• You want a matte long-wear lipstick that lasts 12 hours. None of the three anchors on ultra-long-wear matte formulas. Look at Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless or Mac Retro Matte.
• You are a professional makeup artist buying kit products. Kit brands like Mac Cosmetics, Nars, and Kevyn Aucoin offer the color and shade range professional kits need.
• You are shopping fragrance rather than color. Glossier has You perfume but the category is not core.
• You need pressed powder foundation. Tower 28 and Rare Beauty do not stock a pressed powder foundation in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the cleanest clean-makeup brand: Rare Beauty, Tower 28, or Glossier?

Tower 28 sets the highest bar on the sensitive-skin definition of clean. Tower 28's own ingredient policy states the brand is the only makeup line to 100 percent follow National Eczema Association ingredient guidelines, and every product is fragrance-free, essential-oil-free, dermatologist-tested, and allergy-tested. Rare Beauty and Glossier both meet Sephora's Clean at Sephora standard but are formulated for a broader consumer, not specifically for eczema-prone or reactive skin.

Are Rare Beauty, Tower 28, and Glossier vegan and cruelty-free?

All three are cruelty-free. Tower 28 is 100 percent vegan across every SKU. Rare Beauty is cruelty-free with the majority of formulas vegan, though a small number contain beeswax or carmine. Glossier is cruelty-free and largely vegan with a few exceptions.

Where can I buy Tower 28, Rare Beauty, and Glossier in 2026?

Rare Beauty is sold exclusively at Sephora in the US (and Sephora.com). Tower 28 is sold at Sephora, Nordstrom, and direct at tower28beauty.com. Glossier is sold at Sephora since 2023, at Glossier's own retail stores in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other US cities, and at glossier.com. Use ShopBack to compare cashback rates at Sephora and Ulta before checkout.

Which brand is best for sensitive or eczema-prone skin?

Tower 28. Founded by Amy Liu specifically because she could not find makeup her eczema tolerated, Tower 28's formulas follow the National Eczema Association ingredient guidelines end-to-end. The ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly, BeachPlease cream blush, and Superdew highlighter are the most-referenced NEA Seal-tier products in the sensitive-skin community.

Is Rare Beauty actually good makeup or is it just Selena Gomez marketing?

The formulas hold up on their own. Rare Beauty's Soft Pinch Liquid Blush has held cult-favorite status on TikTok Beauty since 2022 and remains a Sephora bestseller in 2026. The Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer, Kind Words Nourishing Matte Lipstick, and Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara are the pigment-formula anchors. The Rare Impact Fund commits 1 percent of Rare Beauty sales to youth mental health services.

Which brand has the best foundation coverage?

None of the three is a full-coverage foundation brand, and that is intentional. All three are built for skinimalism (light, buildable coverage that shows skin texture). Rare Beauty's Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer gives the most coverage of the three at light-to-medium. Tower 28's Sunny Days Tinted SPF gives sheer coverage with SPF 30 mineral protection. Glossier's Skin Tint gives the sheerest coverage of the three. For medium-to-full coverage, look outside these brands.

Can I use ShopBack when buying Rare Beauty, Tower 28, or Glossier?

Yes. All three brands are stocked at Sephora, and Sephora is a ShopBack merchant. Activate ShopBack via the browser extension before checkout at Sephora.com, complete the order in the same session, and cashback tracks in your wallet. Tower 28 direct at tower28beauty.com and Glossier direct at glossier.com may qualify depending on ShopBack's current merchant list; check ShopBack before checkout.

How much does each brand cost?

Rare Beauty products range roughly USD 12 (Kind Words Lip Liner) to USD 32 (Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer), with the Soft Pinch Blush at USD 25. Tower 28 ranges USD 12 (LipSoftie balm) to USD 32 (SuperDew highlighter). Glossier ranges USD 14 (Lash Slick mascara) to USD 32 (Ultralip and Skin Tint). All three sit in the accessible prestige tier and are cheaper than Charlotte Tilbury, Nars, or Hourglass equivalents.

Which brand should I buy first if I have never tried any of them?

If you have sensitive skin, start with a Tower 28 ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly (USD 14) or BeachPlease cream blush (USD 22). If you want a viral-favorite product, start with Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (USD 25). If you want the natural-glow Glossier aesthetic, start with Boy Brow (USD 20) and Balm Dotcom (USD 14). All three brands anchor around lip and cheek products first, foundation second.

Are these three brands actually competing or are they in different lanes?

They compete for the same skinimalism-oriented Gen Z and millennial consumer at Sephora but occupy distinct positioning. Tower 28 owns the dermatologist-endorsed sensitive-skin lane. Rare Beauty owns the celebrity-founded, viral-formula lane. Glossier owns the aesthetic natural-glow originator lane. The three do not fully substitute for each other because their formula philosophies differ.

What is Clean at Sephora and do all three brands qualify?

Clean at Sephora is Sephora's formulator standard that excludes over 50 ingredients including parabens, sulfates SLS and SLES, phthalates, mineral oils, formaldehydes, and more, per the Sephora Clean at Sephora page. Tower 28, Rare Beauty, and Glossier all qualify as Clean at Sephora across their makeup lines. Tower 28's internal standard is stricter than Clean at Sephora.

Will ShopBack cashback stack with Sephora Beauty Insider points?

Yes. ShopBack cashback is a separate promotional layer from Sephora's Beauty Insider program. Beauty Insider points continue to accrue on the transaction, and cashback tracks separately. Check the current Sephora cashback rate on shopback.com before checkout, especially during the Beauty Insider Rouge and VIB sale windows in April and November.

When is the best time to buy these three brands with cashback?

The Sephora Savings Event (spring, typically April) and Holiday Savings Event (November) are the peak windows because Rouge members get 20 percent off, VIB get 15 percent off, and Insider get 10 percent off. Layer ShopBack cashback via the Sephora merchant page on top of the tier discount for the effective lowest cost of the year on Rare Beauty, Tower 28, and Glossier.

Primary sources referenced

• Tower 28 Beauty Ingredients Policy
• Sephora Clean at Sephora Standard
• National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance
• Rare Beauty About Page
• Glossier About Page

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About this section

Brand ingredient standards, product prices, and retail distribution referenced in this article are drawn from each brand's official pages as of September 2026 and are subject to change. Verify current formulations, retail availability, and prices directly with the brand and retailer before purchasing.

Written by Mirabelle Chew, Cashback Expert at ShopBack.

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Brands, work with us: mirabelle@shopback.com.