This Wednesday, March 1, while women’s fashion week is in full swing in Paris, the make-up brand MAC Cosmetics, owned by the American group Estée Lauder, is celebrating the launch of Locked Kiss Ink, a range of lip inks presented as being extra long lasting than comfortable. The label, which orchestrates the make-up for shows by Giambattista Valli, Balmain (who has also signed the beauty license with the Estée Lauder group) and Rick Owens in Paris, will thus welcome 800 people, including prominent influencers, in a high place of Parisian nights.
Since the beginning of the year, the label has multiplied its launches. In January, M.AC. Cosmetics has launched Hyper Real Skincare, a skincare line that includes a serum, a cleansing cream and a cleanser (from 21 euros). A range that promises hydration, reinforcement of the skin barrier and good make-up hold. All formulated in particular with Japanese peony extract. “MAC Cosmetics has always offered a few care products related to make-up, but new technologies and new active ingredients allow us to go further. Hyper Real Skincare is a range that we will continue to develop with, in particular, cleansers to remove make-up effectively, and other innovations,” says Philippe Pinatel, the make-up brand’s global general manager for the past five years.
Born in 1984 in Toronto, Canada, at the instigation of a photographer/make-up artist and a hair salon owner, MAC Cosmetics quickly established itself among professional make-up artists. To meet the end consumer, the label has set up a network of 600 stores around the world, including 33 in France, in addition to its 6,200 retailers.
A global network of stores
“Having our own network of stores allows MAC to be the most international make-up brand in the world, because we don’t wait for a distributor to open their doors to establish us in a country. For example, we recently opened a store in Ethiopia, we are also present in Kenya and Nigeria. We have also been in India for 15 years, where MAC accounts for 40% of makeup product sales”, explains Philippe Pinatel.
This global network would allow the brand, which does not communicate its turnover but which would exceed one billion dollars, to achieve homogeneous sales in the world, and to be particularly successful in emerging markets.
Yet MAC is increasingly challenged by young make-up nuggets, such as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty label (LVMH group) to name but one, who have made inclusiveness their foundation. “We’ve been an inclusive brand since our beginnings. For Studio Fixe alone we have 75 shades, and our global footprint allows us to meet the needs of all skin tones. If an undertone is missing, we are able to respond quickly to It’s true that between 200 and 300 make-up brands are created each year, many of which are focused on inclusivity, and we are delighted to have participated in this awakening and to inspire. also to rethink and look at new opportunities”, explains Philippe Pinatel.
MAC has thus strengthened VivaGlam, a program launched in 1994 which has raised 500 million dollars and focuses on the fight once morest HIV/AIDS and support for women, girls and the LGBTQIA+ community.
After being shaken up twice by the Covid, as a retailer and a make-up brand, MAC has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and (re)gained market share for 18 months.
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