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Marc Jacobs Beauty has finally arrived in Australia with the brand launching online and in-store at Sephora today.
I was of Marc Jacobs Beauty shopping age the first time the brand launched in 2013, and among the YouTube viral brands popular during this era, it had a demure sophistication. The high-quality products, including the long-wearing eyeliners, famous Omega Bronzer and Coconut Hydrating Primer, were staples in beauty lovers’ routines, so when news broke in 2023 that the brand would be making its return, excitement was high.
So how does the new Marc Jacobs measure up? I will say “demure sophistication” is not the word that came to mind when I saw the new packaging, raunchy names and plenty of glitter.
But when I slid one of the pillowy green eyeshadows open and it made a satisfying click, my inner child squealed.
The ELLE Edit:
Marc Jacobs Beauty, Joystick Blush Stick, $53
Marc Jacobs Beauty, Born Star Cream To Powder Eyeshadow, $48
Marc Jacobs Beauty, Drawn This Way Longwear Eyeliner, $45
Marc Jacobs Beauty, Legally Bronze Bronzer, $66
Marc Jacobs Beauty, 24HR Wear All Over Concealer, $59
Different eras require different products, and when Marc Jacobs Beauty launched in the 2010s it was a much-needed breath of restrained fresh air in a market crowded by contour kits and blue liquid lipsticks. Marc Jacobs as a designer has always been subversive and so it’s unsurprising that, in the era of clean-girl makeup, he’s launched a line that is loud with perfect, scintillatingly silky duochrome eyeshadows and popping liners available in shades like brown, black and nude, of course, but also daisy yellow.
Sitting in my bed at 10pm surrounded by opened cartons and covered in swatches, I texted my group chat, “I’m happy as a pig in mud.”
Below, find my top Marc Jacobs Beauty products to shop before they sell out.
Image: Sephora
The Marc Jacobs Beauty blush was definitely a highlight for me. Infused with daisy oil (the flower from which the packaging takes its design), it has a sheer, natural finish while packing a vibrant punch of colour. It’s a little bit like a stain in a stick. Hydrating enough to dab on the lips, it’s a dream to apply and carries its own natural, glossy finish for a sexy, slightly sweaty flush that earns its name. Boosted with hyaluronic acid, it offers up to 12 hours of hydration and up to 14 hours of wear. I’ll be reaching for the vibrant “Pink Kink”, an intense cool-toned fuchsia, all summer, and I can’t wait to explore all ten shades. If you like blush that looks juicy rather than powdery, this would be my first pick from the range.
Image: Sephora
In a world full of eyeshadow palettes where you only ever hit “pan” on one or two colours, I’m actually a defender of the single shadow – now a creature of the past that many brands don’t offer. MJ has made the single shadow a star of the line (literally) with the puffy mint packaging that slides open and shut with a satisfying click. While the range has some nice sensible neutrals, the shimmers are clearly the star of the show.
As someone with dry skin, I’m always gun-shy of metallics, but these genuinely feel like powder-to-cream formulas. Indeed, they’re so silky they almost melt into liquid silk on application; fingers or a brush will work. The colours are also impeccable. Mood Swing, a blue-and-purple duochrome, is as pretty as an aurora australis with flecks of sparkling shimmer throughout, while Zero Chill is a warm metallic silver with saturated pigment that will suit a variety of skin tones.
If you’re partying, a wash across the lid will hit, but I like to apply foil-finish shadows like this with a damp liner brush and trace across the lash line for a pop of eye-catching colour. These offer 14-hour wear and live up to their crease-free, waterproof and humidity-proof claims. And they’re fallout-free, which is essential for shimmers. If you’re only buying one product for the fun of the Marc Jacobs Beauty comeback, I’d make it one of these.
A note on the eyeshadows: with the holidays rapidly approaching, they’ll make easy and very charming Christmas gifts.
Image: Sephora
You’ll prise my Victoria Beckham kohl liners from my cold dead hands, so I was sceptical the Marc Jacobs Drawn This Way liners could compete. They do by offering something completely different. While the VB liners are a smudgy kohl, these are gel liners in pencil format that offer some initial blendability before setting for 24-hour wear. This means they’re better for precision work, and that’s ideal because the range of colours rewards clean lines.
I never thought I’d gravitate to a bold daisy yellow, but after applying a fine line and flick to my lash line, it’s surprisingly flattering. Delulu, a lilac duochrome, and Unhinged, a turquoise glitter, are similarly charming. And of course, they have the obligatory black, brown and perfect nude for everyday wear. Like the original liners, they deliver 100% opacity even in the lighter shades. I’d recommend these most if you want colour that still feels polished rather than novelty makeup.
Image: Sephora
The Omega Bronzer was arguably the hero of the Marc Jacobs line and when the product line-up was unveiled, many OG beauty influencers took to socials to bemoan the fact it wasn’t coming back. So how does Legally Bronze measure up? Legally Bronze is a different kettle of fish with neither the coconutty scent nor comically large size to speak of. The formula is silky and matte and gives a sheer but rapidly buildable wash of colour.
What I really appreciate is the well-thought-out shades. Too many bronzer ranges launch with three shades, “Fair”, “Medium” and “Deep”, without really catering to the variety of undertones and depths (or degrees of fairness) of real human skin tones you find in the average consumer. Marc Jacobs has launched with nine shades — a huge leap from the much more limited original range — with three shades within each category and a variety of warm and cool tones.
As a very fair girl, I’m gun-shy with bronzers, particularly powders. It blends in as effortlessly as a cream or liquid product while giving the precision of a powder, ideal if you want to use it for contouring. It’s not a nostalgic replacement for Omega Bronzer, but judged on its own, it’s the product I’d recommend to anyone who struggles to find a powder bronzer with the right depth and undertone.
Nude Awakening 24-Hour Wear All Over Concealer
Image: Sephora
This is a newer launch for the brand and one I didn’t get my hands on, but I am VERY eager to try it. Described as a creamy full-coverage concealer with a dense, fluid texture, it’s designed to whisk away under-eye circles and blemishes while still looking like skin. The range is A+ with 40 shades, and the formula is boosted with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
The applicator is intriguing; instead of a traditional doe-foot applicator, they’ve gone with a brush so you can use it as a foundation in a pinch and pinpoint tricky areas like the inner corners and the sides of your nose. It’s the first time I’ve seen this approach, and colour me very intrigued!
Senior Writer, Fashion + Beauty
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