Makeup marketing is targeted towards women and predominantly uses female celebrities to advertise products. However, recently, makeup companies have begun unveiling marketing campaigns with some rather unlikely celebrities. Heartthrob male celebrities have now been collaborating with makeup brands like MAC, Milk, and Kosas. In the past few months, there’s been a surge of makeup brands pushing men to shove their products down followers’ faces.
Why would they choose to collaborate with men who don’t wear the product and probably know nothing of the brand? Logically, it seems a good idea to work with people who use and like a product rather than with someone who is clueless about it. Are companies selling the idea of love and abs?
Do the regular makeup demographic buyers want to buy something because of conventionally attractive men?
PARTNERSHIPS/ CAMPAIGNS
The big question is, why use men to promote something when they don’t use the product? Rob Rausch, known for starring in shows like Love Island and Traitors, has released multiple campaigns in recent months. On March 2, MAC released its campaign featuring Rob posing in front of a mirror, with the message “MAC is at Sephora” in red lipstick. The campaign received nearly eight million impressions on social media and was even live, on a billboard in Times Square. Rob has been in more than one makeup campaign recently, partnering with Kosas.
On April 6, 2026, Kosas launched their new lip pulse. The campaign focused on falling in love and yearning, using phrases like “feels like falling in love” to describe their product.
Since his appearance on Love Island, Rob has gained a strong, loyal fanbase. His fanbase is obsessed with him and his looks, so using him for a campaign for love can be appealing to many.
MAC and Kosas have not been the only ones leaning into this new form of marketing. Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s brand has also leaned into this type of marketing. Releasing a campaign with “Babygirl” actor Harris Dickinson to promote its $30 dollar glazing mist.
Although not a full photoshoot campaign, Milk curated a look for Connor Storrie, most known for his role in “Heated Rivalry” for the 2026 Golden Globes, to promote their Hydrogrip concealer. Not only did he use the concealer, but Connor was given a full makeup/no-makeup look using all Milk products.
DOES IT WORK?
Many brands have started to lean into this new form of marketing, but the real question is, does it work? The rise of TikTok has forced brands to try new ways to market plain ads that won’t get people’s attention. Social media pushes thousands of ads in our faces. Now, the only way to pay attention to something is if we like the people advertising. One thing all these men have in common is their large fan base. When MAC organized a fan meet and greet when they partnered with Rausch, many fans showed up not only excited to see him but to buy.. In the early 2000s, we had shirtless men standing outside Abercrombie; now we have ads with shirtless men.
It seems 2026 truly is the new 2016.