I keep seeing unicorn makeup content pop back into my feed, and my radar says it’s not random. Nostalgia cycles hit beauty about a decade deep — and 2017 was the peak unicorn year. So I pulled my original unicorn roundup out of the archive and checked every single recommendation against what you can actually buy today. The graveyard is extensive, but the 2026 signal is clearer than ever.
Here’s the trend that’s actually worth your attention this season: unicorn makeup isn’t a trend anymore, it’s a finish. Multichromes, iridescent powders, color-shift. The indie brands have made 2017’s unicorn lineup look quaint, and the brush side has completely turned over to novelty sets you can order at 9pm and use by Monday.
This post contains affiliate links — I earn a small commission if you shop through them, at no extra cost to you. Code CORDELIA works at Bellabeautebar, Aromaleigh and Devinah (disclosed below).
Worth It or Skip It: Unicorn Brush Sets, 2026
The honest verdict up front: buy them for the vanity, not the blending. Budget unicorn brushes are gorgeous, they’re synthetic, and they handle powder products fine — but check the bristle density before you expect them to replace your workhorse set. I’ve bought a lot of novelty brushes. This is what’s actually in stock right now, all synthetic bristle:
- Fantasy Unicorn Makeup Brush Set — 7 double-sided brushes with unicorn-horn metal handles, in a rainbow box. Marketed as cruelty free with synthetic fibers.
- F.A.R.A.H Black Unicorn Brush Set — 8 black horn-shaped brushes from a small business: powder brush, angled contour, fan brush and 5 eye brushes. If the black Mokde set from my 2017 list lived in your heart, this is its spiritual successor.
- Zoolinn Pink Unicorn Brush Set — 7 glitter-handled brushes covering blush, foundation, powder, eyeshadow, lip and brows.
- XMKJCHA Unicorn Brush Set — 10 pieces plus a sparkly bag to keep them in.
- 10 Piece Unicorn Brush Set in Black — the budget option, covering foundation, brows, eyeliner and blush.
The Fantasy and F.A.R.A.H sets have the best reviews of the bunch — that’s my radar keeper note if you’re choosing one.
The Real Unicorn Signal: Multichrome Makeup
Here’s the secret: in 2026, unicorn makeup means multichromes. Iridescent, color-shifting, holographic — the finish that started as a 2017 trend is now a permanent category in indie beauty. This is the magical makeup I actually reach for now.
- Clionadh Multichrome Eyeshadows — the legendary ones. If a unicorn had an eyeshadow line, it would be Clionadh. This is a radar keeper in the truest sense: one shade, dozens of looks, wear after wear.
- Bellabeautebar — my number-one eyeshadow brand, with multichromes and shimmers that genuinely shift in the light. Code CORDELIA saves you a little (affiliate code, disclosed above).
- Kaleidos — the most unique finishes in the game, and their lipgloss sticks do a magical glossy lip. Shades like Prismelt are full unicorn energy.
- Girlcult Chameleon Eyeshadow Quads — color-shifting quads that are pure unicorn material.
- Aromaleigh Loose Multipurpose Powders — iridescent loose powders for eyes and cheeks, in shades like Kupala and Ostara. Code CORDELIA applies here too.
- Lisa Eldridge Liza Liquid Lurex Eyeshadow — charcoal packed with iridescent magenta, violet, blue, green and disco-ball silver pearls. One shade, entire palette.
- Devinah — eyeshadows, glitters and glitter glue for maximum sparkle. Code CORDELIA.
- Sugarpill — still bringing bold, cruelty free color after all these years, even though my beloved Lumi shade is gone.
For unicorn nails, the move in 2026 is chrome and holographic powders — that’s the horn effect in one step: Daily Charme chrome powders, Vettsy, F.U.N. Lacquer holographics, and ILNP, the lone nail brand that survived from my original list. The spiral-horn method in my unicorn mani how to guide still works with any modern holographic polish.
The 2017 Graveyard (Compressed)
My original post lived through the trend from the inside, so a few names deserve a proper farewell — and a few survivors are still shopping-worthy.
The Macy and Mia 5-piece Neon Unicorn set was my draping tool of choice — the brand is gone, but my microfiber-cloth brush cleaning hack (photo above) still works on every brush I own. Tarte Magic Wands — the fairy-tale horn-shaped limited edition — never came back. The gold Fony set, the Overmal ombre set, the black Mokde set with those long tapered handles, and the Coshine rainbow set have all vanished from Amazon, as budget brush listings do. See the 2026 section above for their modern equivalents.
The highlighter that broke me: Makeup Geek Celestial, an iridescent white that shifted pink-violet on skin. Makeup Geek closed its doors in April 2022, and the Kaleidoscope and Sugar Rush duochromes that traveled everywhere with me went with it. Clionadh and Kaleidos multichromes in my 2026 list fill that void and then some. Geek Chic’s Luck Dragon duochrome — coraly-pink with intense turquoise shift — closed its brand too.
The survivors: Fyrinnae is still going strong, and the Arcane Magic duochromes are worth a browse; Sugarpill is still making bold color (Lumi itself is discontinued); Farsali — the berry-packed serum that blew up overnight in 2017 — is around but its retail presence has shrunk, so check stock; and Overtone still makes the color conditioners, though the hair glitter itself is gone. For hair magic these days, vivid color does the job — my rainbow hair guide covers it.
And the lip side of the graveyard: Too Faced Unicorn Tears, Milk Makeup’s holographic stick, Urban Decay’s Vice Special Effects topcoats (White Lie over Perversion was peak unicorn lips), Bite Beauty’s iridescent Opal — Bite closed in 2022 — House of Beauty Co’s unicorn topcoat, Makeup Revolution’s three unicorn palettes, GlitterDaze Moonbeam and Trust Fund Beauty Boy Tears. Limited means limited. Modern iridescent toppers are your best substitute.
Trend Signal: the unicorn finish, not the unicorn shape. The horn-shaped brushes are the novelty layer — fun, photogenic, fine for powder. The signal worth following is the finish itself: multichrome and duochrome pigments have moved from trend to staple. If you’re going to spend once, spend on a multichrome eyeshadow you’ll wear for years, not a brush set you’ll photograph twice.
Unicorn Makeup FAQ
Iridescent, color-shifting, holographic and pastel products with an ethereal, magical effect — multichrome eyeshadows, duochrome highlighters, iridescent lip toppers, chrome nails. In 2017 it was a trend. In 2026 it’s a permanent part of the indie beauty world, thanks to multichromes.What counts as unicorn makeup?
Varies wildly. Most are budget synthetic sets that look magical and work fine for powder products, but they may not blend as densely as professional brushes. Read the reviews, check the bristle density, and treat them as fun additions rather than replacements for your core set.Are unicorn makeup brushes any good?
Most use synthetic bristles, which is a good start — but synthetic doesn’t automatically mean the brand is certified cruelty free. Check each listing; I’ve noted above which sets advertise cruelty free synthetic fibers.Are they cruelty free?
A note from Sophie: I bought into unicorn everything in 2017, and I’m still not sorry. Donate the novelty, keep the multichromes.
Still deciding between the two? If you’re more #TeamMermaid, my best mermaid makeup post settles it.
Stay on the signal — Sophie