Prepare to get emotional! The long awaited MAC x Whitney Houston collection drops on December 8 and every product in the line embodies the iconic beauty and spirit of the late songstress.
Named for Nippy (the nickname Whitney’s father gave her as a child) and inspired by the diva’s favorite glam shades and looks, the twelve limited-edition capsule products include lipsticks, high shine lipgloss, blush, a golden highlighter aptly named Just Whitney and an eyeshadow palette meant to recreate the singer’s trademark shimmering smoky eyes. An ‘80s-fabulous disco makeup bag and set of lashes round out the group.
How will you know if you’ll really love it? These shades are exact replicas of the singer’s signature musts. MAC collaborated with Pat Houston, the Executor of the Estate of Whitney E. Houston (and Whitney’s sister-in-law and longtime manager throughout her life) to develop the products — even helping to name them — giving the collection a decidedly personal feel.
“Whitney loved working with colors on the lips and eyes,” Houston says. “That iconic red lip was always a favorite of hers. If she wasn’t wearing anything else, going out of the house, she had to have a red lipstick,” she reveals. The songstress loved glam from a young age “practicing doing her makeup in front of mirrors with a broomstick in her hand,” Houston says. At times, she even slept with her makeup on, if she truly loved her look.
To honor this love of beauty and create the most authentic collection, The Estate worked with the brand, “going through all of Whitney’s professional and personal photographs from stage performances to interviews,” Houston explains. MAC creative director Drew Elliott and team then “built a whole world around Whitney.” Elliot says ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ was the soundtrack that pieced its way through every component of the process.”
But this partnership isn’t just about creating the next generation of pretty faces. The brand is also honoring the icon by making a $25,000 donation to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, supporting the SchoolTime performances of Recycled Percussion on December 8 and 9 in Whitney’s honor, ensuring that the next generation of music icons have access to music education programs.
Of course, the makeup collection isn’t the only piece of entertainment honoring Whitney this season. Sony Picture’s musical biopic about the iconic singer, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, hits theaters December 23. In a move of art imitating life, the makeup artists for the film used MAC products to create the looks on screen. Lead artist Tisa Howard used Lip Liner in Soar for everyday looks on star Naomi Ackie, adding Retro Matte Lipstick in Flat Out Fabulous for the ‘How Will I Know’ moment.
Behold our favorite products in the MAC x Whitney Houston line, available at MAC and Macy’s locations nationwide as well as maccosmetics.com and macys.com from December 8.