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MAC Cosmetics is one of the most iconic brands in the beauty industry. With a signature look and iconic products, MAC has amassed a cult following throughout the years, and it's here to stay. While beauty is often considered an overconsumption-driven industry, it is essential to remember the importance of history for brands and people. Makeup spans generations, and our nostalgia for distinct eras within history speaks to the artistry. MAC was founded in 1984 by two Canadian photographers and has since shaped much of editorial and everyday makeup. The beauty industry is fluid and changing, and it is exciting to see what pocket of history is being created right now. From Makeup Forever's Endless Cacao, a cool-tone multi-use liner that is viral on TikTok, to Makeup by Mario’s The Neutrals Palette, to the newfound love for cool toned bright pink blush, there has been a resurgence of the cool tone emphasis in the makeup industry. 

 

This shift towards cool tones and 90s soft grunge can also be seen in MAC’s release of The Nudes Collection. This includes Angelina Jolie’s iconic lipstick of the 90s and 2000s — Folio — a beautiful grey cool-toned beige that is the opposite of the warm and pinky tones of the 2010s. 

 

Since the early 2000s, many discontinued cool MAC shades and reformulated shades have caused outrage among the community. Think of the original Spice lipliner from the 90s. Coined “The Supermodel Pencil,” Spice was a cool tone shade synonymous with stardom and beauty. Kevyn Aucoin, legendary makeup artist to the stars, is on record mentioning Spice more than any other shade when discussing the signature lip combos of the industry. But as MAC shifted towards warmer shades due to manufacturing and formulation changes, this lip liner was lost to time. The launch of The Nudes provides something many beauty enthusiasts have been advocating for since the 2010s.    

 

Although this launch is not an exact replica of the original collection, it is still a significant move towards cool shades. Users on Reddit, a forum website used to discuss new makeup launches in an unfiltered way, expressed sadness at the Folio swatch, which leans warmer than before. This general shift from cool to warm is due to formulation changes and labs moving around different countries. 

 

Perhaps the most beloved release of The Nudes Collection is Cool Spice — a seemingly genuine 90s, cool-toned, supermodel-approved lip liner. This release also speaks to MAC’s ability to listen to its audience and work to create the shades that are in demand. This can be partly accredited to TikTok and the rise of many beauty enthusiasts and historians sharing their thoughts and wishes for MAC and other long-standing brands. One such creator is Erin Parsons, a beauty historian who is legendary within the makeup industry for working with powerhouses such as Pat McGrath and carving her niche of experimental and historical beauty on TikTok on her successful platform. Parsons has been vocal about the return to accurate formulation of MAC’s liners and lipsticks and was invited to the MAC historical archives to explore and learn the illustrious history. 

 

This collection is an exciting release from MAC and it also emphasizes the importance of history and science within the makeup industry which can often be overlooked.