MAC Is Bringing Back This Iconic Collab – But Only For A Limited Time

I remember the first limited-edition MAC product I bought: It was a lipstick from the 2012 (!) Naturally collection, and I treasured it like the piece of makeup history I knew it was. The shade was the first nude lipstick that ever worked for my olive skin, and the Cremesheen finish was like nothing else I’d ever tried: Glossy but not overly shiny, and the vanilla-y scent was irresistible. I easily used it for years past its prime (don’t we all), but I didn’t care. To me, it was so much more than a lipstick. Normally, this experience might only be relatable to fellow makeup nerds-slash-amateur beauty historians, but then again, this is MAC we’re talking about.

“MAC is not just a makeup brand,” MAC Creative Director Drew Elliott tells me during a recent interview. “It's a brand that people love and it has created some of the most important shades, products, et cetera, that have created the look of entertainment and Hollywood.” MAC’s history of collaborations — ranging from fashion labels like Alice + Olivia and Proenza Schouler to iconic performers like Selena and Whitney Houston — is a living, breathing example of the of-the-moment, artistry-led M.O. And ahead of the brand’s 40th anniversary, MAC is bringing back some of its most beloved past collaborations — starting with none other than Disney. 

From princesses to villains and every character in between, Disney has received the MAC treatment several times within the four decades of MAC's history, and unsurprisingly, among the most beloved with MAC fans. "Disney created pop culture," Elliott says. "Whether you’re a young person or you're experiencing the nostalgia of all these characters, these collections are not only high-performance makeup, but collectible." If we've learned anything from past MAC collabs, it's that we can expect these to sell out — and fast. Below, take an in-depth look at the re-release, and shop the second-chance products before they're back in the vault for good.

The year was 2015, and Lily James was playing the titular role in Disney's live-action adaptation of Cinderella. Among Elliott's favorites from the collection was the six-pan Stroke of Midnight palette, which features dreamy neutrals and peachy tones worthy of royalty. "Look at these shades: You'll feel like a total princess — a king — ready for the ball," he says. Another highly covetable item Elliott cites from this collection is the Lustreglass Lipstick in Royal Ball, a sheer pink with a hint of shimmer. "[The tube] is this Robin's egg pearlescent blue, which I think is amazing," he says." It's almost exactly the same as the original, but [at the time] we didn't have the 'MAC' stamped on the bullet, so that's a little bit of a change."

Ahead of 2019's live-action Aladdin, MAC traveled to the Arabian desert to develop a range full of luminous jewel tones and earthy hues. From this collection, Elliott name-checks the Jewels on Jewels Lipglass. We know better than to judge a book by its color (or a lip gloss by its tube), but we won't lie: The packaging is a solid 11/10. Another favorite is Princess Incognito, a neutral rose matte lipstick featuring a gold, patina-like tube.

 "The Villains collection was genius," Elliot says, and he is not wrong. The 2010’s Disney collaboration featured four mini capsules of our favorite love-to-hate-them evildoers like Cruella de Vil, Snow White's Evil Queen, Dr. Facilier, and of course — Maleficent, who is getting the spotlight this time around. Her dastardly evil drop features two dark burgundy lip products — a Lipglass and Amplified lipstick — in addition to a color-shifting Mineralize eyeshadow that is a must-have: "It has a dual tone, half-green half-pale blue finish," he explains.

The MAC 40th Disney Favorites collection drops today online and in-store, and even if you're not a Disneyphile, this is a collection that will delight any makeup lover, period. "The Disney vault is mega and major, but it's also very 'makeup artistry,'" Elliott adds. "It builds out a really well-rounded collection: The beautiful jewel tones of Aladdin, the nudey, pinky shades inside of Cinderella. And then some of those deeper, darker colors for Maleficent. There's something for everyone."