Make-up Art Cosmetics
Encyclopedia
History
M·A·C Cosmetics, Makeup Artist Cosmetics, was founded in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by Christian Lagnese and Frank Notarangelo in 1984. The first U.S M·A·C store opened in 2003, in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, New York.
The company's products were initially specifically designed for professional make-up artists, but are now sold to consumers worldwide.
Estée Lauder Companies
Estée Lauder Companies
Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. is a manufacturer and marketer of prestige skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The company has its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-History:...
acquired controlling interest
Controlling interest
Controlling interest in a corporation means to have control of a large enough block of voting stock shares in a company such that no one stock holder or coalition of stock holders can successfully oppose a motion...
of M·A·C in 1994, then completed their acquisition of the company in 1998. Original founder, Frank Notarangelo, died in 1997 due to complications during surgery.
Products
On January 8, 2011, Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced that DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' iconic heroine Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
will team up with M·A·C Cosmetics to create a Wonder Woman makeup collection that will be available in M·A·C stores in the spring of 2011. The collection includes blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, lip gloss, lipstick, mascara, mineral powder and nail polish.
Most M·A·C products are oil free. Some M·A·C products do contain natural oils which function as emollients (for example: orange oil, jojoba oil). These oils provide benefits for the skin such as prevention of water loss.
M·A·C PRO
The M·A·C PRO Program is provided to professionals in the industry. A M·A·C PRO membership application is required along with two forms of professional identification. The application is mailed and approved by a M·A·C PRO representative. Cosmetic professionals and students receive discounts on purchases.Social initiatives
M·A·C has five social initiative programs currently in place- M·A·C Cruelty-Free Beauty: principle that prohibits animal testing and the policy is extended to ingredient suppliers as well.
- Back 2 M·A·C Recycling: offers free lipglass, eyeshadow, or lipstick at any M·A·C location (lipsticks only at M·A·C counters in department stores) with the return of six empty M·A·C containers. Viva Glam products and sheen supreme lipsticks are excluded.
- M·A·C Kids Helping Kids: started in 1994 where kids living with HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDSAIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
create images that are reproduced as greeting cards. 100% of selling price goes back to participating organizations. - The M·A·C AIDS Fund: supports community organizations providing direct services to people living with AIDS.
- M·A·C Viva Glam: 100% of the purchase price of any Viva Glam product (lipsticks, lipglasses and holiday sets) goes to the M·A·C Aids Fund.
Controversy
Rodarte: M·A·C was the center of controversy when public offense arose over the anticipated September 2010 release of the M·A·C Rodarte collection, a collaborative effort with the fashion label RodarteRodarte
Rodarte is a brand of clothing and accessories founded by Kate and Laura Mulleavy. The Mulleavy sisters are U.C. Berkeley graduates from Aptos, California, and have received a number of industry awards since the line's inception in 2005...
. The collection was based on the border town of Juarez, in which at least 400 women have been killed in brutal slayings. M·A·C eventually pulled the line before distribution, and instead set up $100,000 in a charity.