Tinashe, Halsey, Dej Loaf and Lion Babe Are the New Faces of MAC

Entertainment

MAC Cosmetics has always been progressive—never forget that its first Viva Glam spokesperson was RuPaul Charles, in a campaign benefiting AIDS research—but as of today they’re in the business of hooking up quasi-emerging musicians with their own signature cosmetics, a la that Rihanna lipstick you can’t find, but for lesser-knowns.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the cosmetics will drop one by one starting March 17, with Tinashe’s “Times Nine” eyeshadow palette, seen in the above image. After that, fans will be able to cop the marquis beauty looks on their favorite artists, including the “matte gunmetal” lipstick on Halsey, the taupe-colored lip glass on Dej Loaf, and the gold eyeliner on Lion Babe. They all look great and somewhat neutral in the 2016 version of neutral—muted, metallic—so it doesn’t seem to be a case of, say, Ariana Grande’s deep purple lipstick not working with your skin tone.

MAC Creative Director James Gager told the Reporter that the artists were chosen for their varied fan bases, and also as an effort to help “push them forward” in their careers. There’s also definitely a benefit in choosing artists whose social media fanbases are so prevalent and devoted; they might not have the same worldwide recognition as Beyoncé, to cite a former MAC collaborator, but they certainly have major cachet among younger consumers. As Gager put it, “I think we’re also a brand of pop culture and what’s going on at the moment, so the risk is lessened when you hit it on the mark at a particular time.”


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