If you want to know who's big in beauty right now, you could follow anyone who sparks your interest on Instagram, then follow everyone that person follows. And so on and so forth, until you end up following Kevin Bacon — and getting really, really annoyed with your Instagram feed.

Instead, let us do the legwork for you. We've rounded up the hair, makeup, fragrance, nails, and skin-care superstars who've been hitting their stride over the past year. From the dude who started the rainbow-hair trend to the best manicurist working today, to the two women who brought K-beauty to the U.S., click ahead for the peeps you should be watching in the beauty sphere.