The year 2026 has been marked by a series of highly anticipated comebacks across various cultural spheres. From the music stage with Hillary Duff’s return after 18 years and Ariana Grande’s after seven, to the television screen with the five-year wait for Euphoria season three and the silver screen’s two-decade anticipation for The Devil Wears Prada 2, fans have been treated to a resurgence of cherished artists and franchises. For the beauty community, this year also heralds the long-awaited revival of Marc Jacobs Beauty, the eponymous designer’s celebrated makeup line that ceased operations unexpectedly in 2021.
The news of Marc Jacobs Beauty’s reboot emerged last year, but the journey to its official launch has been a gradual and meticulously managed process. For beauty editors and enthusiasts alike, the lead-up has been characterized by a sustained period of anticipation, punctuated by subtle teasers and speculative reports. This extended period of quiet anticipation has amplified the excitement surrounding the brand’s re-entry into the market.
The official relaunch of Marc Jacobs Beauty on June 1st at Sephora, and concurrently on MarcJacobs.com, signifies a new chapter for the brand. This return has been met with palpable eagerness, particularly from those who cherished the original formulations and iconic products. Many beauty aficionados recall the brand’s initial debut with fondness, some even holding onto beloved items like the Highliner gel eyeliners and Dew Drops coconut strobing cream, despite the natural limitations of product expiration.
A Brand Reimagined: Coty’s Vision for Marc Jacobs Beauty
It is crucial to note that Coty Inc., the global beauty conglomerate that currently owns the Marc Jacobs fragrance business, is positioning this new iteration of Marc Jacobs Beauty as a completely distinct entity from its predecessor, which was previously under the LVMH-owned Kendo umbrella. A representative from Coty emphasized that the new Marc Jacobs Beauty is "not a reissue of the original line; everything has been reimagined: the formulas, the textures, the performance." This strategic divergence aims to establish a fresh identity and narrative for the brand, allowing it to evolve and adapt to contemporary beauty standards and consumer preferences.
Despite Coty’s insistence on a clean slate, Marc Jacobs himself acknowledged at the launch event in New York City that "we looked at, obviously, what Marc Jacobs Beauty was before" when conceptualizing the new collection. This suggests a thoughtful consideration of the brand’s heritage, even as the focus remains firmly on innovation and a forward-looking approach.
For many who were devoted to the brand in the 2010s, the excitement is deeply intertwined with nostalgia. Memories of the legendary gel liners and the coveted Omega Bronze Perfect Tan Bronzer evoke a strong sense of longing and curiosity about how the new offerings will measure up. To address this, a group of Allure editors, regular contributors, and professional makeup artists, many of whom were fans of the original Marc Jacobs Beauty and still possess some of its iconic products, were invited to test the new range and share their insights.
The New Collection: A Deep Dive into Formulations and Philosophy
The relaunched Marc Jacobs Beauty collection debuts with a curated selection of seven core products, each designed to embody the brand’s renewed vision:
- Flashes Mascara: Available in classic black, brown, and a striking blue, this mascara promises to deliver dramatic lash impact.
- Drawn This Way Eyeliner: A waterproof gel formula, this eyeliner is described as having a creamy, kajal-like consistency. It launches in an extensive palette of 21 colors, featuring four distinct finishes: matte, metallic, and two "magical" finishes (encompassing glitter and duochrome effects).
- Born Star Eyeshadow: Offering 14 individual powder eyeshadows, this range also categorizes its shades by texture: matte, metallic, and magical, allowing for diverse eye looks.
- Joystick Blush Stick: These multi-use balms are designed for both lips and cheeks, available in a spectrum of 10 shades.
- Legally Bronze Bronzer: A buildable powder bronzer offered in eight shades, catering to a wide range of skin tones from fair to deep.
- Money Shot Highlighter Gel: This innovative highlighter comes in a single, universal shade designed to impart a luminous glow with pink and blue reflects.
- Heart On Lipstick: A hybrid lipstick balm hybrid, this product offers a comfortable, hydrating feel with intense color payoff. It is available in 15 shades, spanning neutral, pink, red, purple, and trend-driven hues like electric purple and Barbie pink.
Evolving Aesthetics: The Transformation of Marc Jacobs Beauty Packaging
A significant and immediately noticeable departure from the original Marc Jacobs Beauty is the brand’s packaging. During the initial launch in 2013, Marc Jacobs expressed a preference for minimalist, all-black packaging, which he felt was indicative of sophisticated beauty brands at the time. For the 2026 relaunch, the aesthetic has undergone a dramatic transformation, moving towards a more playful, artistic, and disruptive design language.
Jacobs elaborated on this shift at the press preview, explaining the desire for a more "disruptive and different" approach. After reviewing numerous design proposals, including some with unconventional shapes, Jacobs found inspiration in sketching. He settled on three core shapes: stars, representing the eyes; daisies, symbolizing innocence and skin; and hearts, evoking lips. The final designs incorporate a whimsical, party balloon-like quality, infusing the collection with a sense of fun and spirited self-expression.
Comparative Analysis: New Formulations Versus Original Icons
The true test of any relaunched brand lies in its performance. With many of the original Marc Jacobs Beauty products now aged or discontinued, a direct, side-by-side comparison is challenging. However, the Allure team and collaborating makeup artists aimed to provide a qualitative assessment, drawing upon their experiences with the beloved predecessor.
Legally Bronze Pressed Powder Bronzer ($26)
Sophia Panych, Content Director, expressed her deep affection for the original Omega Bronzer, recalling its silky texture and blendability. She noted the stark contrast in size, with the original compact being famously oversized, intended for both face and body application. The new Legally Bronze Bronzer, while a more conventional size, retains a key difference: the absence of the original’s distinct tropical, coconut scent.
"The Omega Bronzer was top tier in 2014, but probably wouldn’t hold up in 2026, most notably because it came only in one shade (boo)," Panych stated. "Legally Bronze Bronzer comes in 10 (I’m Light Medium Plus), and in general, I’m really impressed by the formula. I prefer cream bronzers these days, but Legally Bronze buffs on just as seamlessly. Blending with a fluffy brush—I use the Smith 118 Powder Brush—takes little to no effort." This suggests the new bronzer offers improved shade inclusivity and a user-friendly application experience.
Drawn This Way Eyeliner ($26)
Kara McGrath, Acting Features Director, found the new Drawn This Way Eyeliner to be a worthy successor to the original, which had long since dried up in her collection. "Sadly, the original MJB liners in my makeup archive have long dried up, but this new formula definitely lives up to my memory of them," McGrath reported. "They are so creamy and pigmented, I actually gasped when I tried them for the first time."
She highlighted the liner’s rapid setting time, making it ideal for precise application but requiring quick smudging for a smoky effect. The longevity was particularly impressive: "I applied You Up? at 3 p.m. on a Friday, then went to dinner and dancing after. When I got home around 11 p.m., my base makeup had totally melted off, but the liner was almost perfectly intact."
Cass Raimundi, a professional makeup artist, echoed McGrath’s sentiments, emphasizing the product’s staying power. "After 12 hours on an 84-degree day with no eye shadow primer, I can truly say this liner-and-shadow combo is long-wearing and waterproof!" she exclaimed. "Initially, I applied using only my fingers, and was impressed by how easily I was able to blend. There’s about a minute of playtime before it fully sets. I have quite greasy lids, and after 12 hours, I still had no creasing, even through the sweat and heat! These will definitely be going into my personal beauty rotation and professional makeup kit."
Born Star Eyeshadow ($29)
McGrath’s experience with the Born Star Eyeshadow was more mixed. While appreciating the new packaging, she found the formula to be somewhat problematic. "While I’m completely in love with the new MJB eyeliners, I wasn’t quite as smitten with the eye shadows, beyond the very cute packaging," she admitted. "The new ones feel similar to the old versions: They’re very silky and soft to the touch. This could have been specific to the shade I tested—Mood Swing, a very pretty blue-purple duochrome—but I found the formula to be quite messy, and without enough payoff or staying power to make the cleanup worth it."
She recommended finger application for better results and noted a significant lack of longevity for daily wear: "It’s also not an office-to-dinner option: I first applied the shadow around 1:30 p.m., and by the time I finished work at 6:30, the shadow seemed to have slid from my eyelids to my temples and cheeks."
However, Cass Raimundi found the Born Star Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadow to perform exceptionally well, especially when paired with the Drawn This Way Eyeliner. Her experience suggests that performance might vary across shades or application techniques, but the potential for a long-wearing, vibrant eye look is certainly present.
Joystick Blush Stick ($35)
Sable, a beauty enthusiast, compared the new Joystick Blush Stick to the original Flesh & Fantasy Airblush, a powder formula she had owned since 2017. She described the original as having a diffused, semi-matte finish with a subtle luster, offering a soft and airy effect that was highly pigmented and long-lasting.
The new Joystick Blush Stick, a cream formula, presented a different user experience. "The new Joystick Blush (shade Self-Centered) is a totally different format—a cream cheek-and-lip formula," Sable explained. "It packs on pigment and has a nice tack to it, sinking into my skin in a way that looks almost like a stain. This is a really easy color to blend and build (I hate when cream blushes feel greasy and kind of smear around in streaks). It’s a much more user-friendly formula than other options, in my opinion, but for staunch powder blush loyalists, probably not a suitable replacement." She noted that while it held up reasonably well on her dry/dehydrated skin, it was less vibrant by the end of the day compared to the original powder formula.
Heart On Lipstick ($34)
Marci Robin, an Allure contributor, shared her long-standing attachment to a mini of the original Le Marc Lip Crème, which she had kept as a memento. Having now tested the new Heart On lipstick, she found the new formula to be a significant improvement. "I held on to a mini of Le Marc Lip Crème in the shade Infamous, a warm pink, for nearly a decade… Now that I’ve finally tried it along with the second coming’s Heart On lipstick, I can confidently say that I won’t be using the old one again," Robin stated.
She described the Heart On lipstick as having a balm-like feel that delivers intense color. "Love Muscle—perhaps my least favorite lipstick name ever—and On Red, and both knocked my socks off," she continued. "The formula feels like a balm, but still delivers intense color. It may not be as opaque as its predecessor, but it’s still pigmented as all get-out. Love Muscle is the closest thing I’ve ever gotten to a YLBB shade, and On Red is the perfect cool red without the dreaded pink-leaning tones." Robin also noted that while the wear time is dependent on eating or drinking, reapplication is a pleasant experience.
Strategic Implications and Future Outlook
The relaunch of Marc Jacobs Beauty under Coty’s ownership represents a significant strategic move in the competitive beauty landscape. By reintroducing a brand with a strong existing following and a reputation for high-quality, innovative products, Coty aims to capture a substantial share of the luxury beauty market. The emphasis on reimagined formulas, updated packaging, and a renewed focus on eye products—a personal passion of Marc Jacobs—suggests a strategy tailored to current consumer trends and preferences, particularly the growing demand for bold and expressive makeup.
The brand’s decision to launch with a focused collection of seven products allows for a controlled reintroduction, enabling Coty to gauge market reception and refine its strategy based on initial sales and customer feedback. The dual launch strategy across MarcJacobs.com and Sephora ensures broad accessibility, leveraging the designer’s direct-to-consumer channel and a major retail partner’s extensive customer base.
The success of this revival will likely hinge on its ability to balance nostalgic appeal with modern innovation. While the memory of original favorites like the Highliners and Omega Bronzer undoubtedly fuels consumer interest, the new formulations and distinct packaging must stand on their own merits. The brand’s emphasis on vibrant colors and experimental textures, particularly in the eye makeup category, aligns with a broader industry trend towards more playful and personalized beauty expressions.
As Marc Jacobs Beauty embarks on this new chapter, its performance will be closely watched by industry analysts, beauty aficionados, and competitors alike. The brand has the potential to recapture its former glory and establish itself as a significant player in the contemporary beauty market, offering a fresh perspective on luxury makeup.
The new Marc Jacobs Beauty collection is available on MarcJacobs.com starting today and at Sephora.com on June 1st.
