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Retro Cosmetics: Make Up For Ever Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Beauty company also debuts its makeup on TikTok this month.

Make Up For Ever is known for its innovative color cosmetics.

This year marks Make Up For Ever’s 40th anniversary. And, for 2024, the brand will be making its debut on TikTok Shop, selling exclusive sets timed with this milestone.

“Turning 40 is always special, whether it’s a person or a brand. In a category and an industry where a new brand launches every other month, it’s rare to find a brand that has been around for four decades on its own terms,” said Sonika Malhotra, Make Up For Ever’s general manager, North America.

“It’s also special to turn 40 and continue to appeal to a wide range of makeup lovers. Make Up For Ever offers something for everyone. Whether it’s an 18-year-old loving our eye and lip pencils, or a 65-year-old foundation loyalist, we aim to serve everyone, with a variety of products and offerings,” she added.

Per Malhotra, the brand started with humble beginnings and an exciting, but very finite range of products.

“Since then, the brand has grown a lot in multiple ways,” she told Happi. “Today, we have a presence worldwide and not just in France. Spanning Europe, North America, Korea and the Middle East, we are serving our products both online and offline.”

Malhotra noted that the company also offers an extensive product assortment spanning from “skin loving foundations and concealers” to “viral” lip pencils.

“We offer our products through strategic partners such as Sephora, our dot com business and the Make Up For Ever boutiques, as well as through professional retailers,” said Malhotra. “This is because we appeal to professional makeup artists and experienced pros, in addition to everyday makeup lovers and consumers, playing with our products at home.”

Make Up For Ever started in Paris in 1984 by entrepreneur Dany Sanz.  Since the brand’s founding, Make Up For Ever is now available globally, in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

According to Malhotra, Make Up For Ever is the longest standing exclusive makeup brand sold at Sephora.

A photo from the Make Up For Ever archives

Iconic HD Skin Franchise

After years of doing makeup for live shows, stage and theatre, Danny Sanz worked with chemist Richard Girousse to develop new formulas and treatments for ingredients and pigments, testing them with cinematographers to perfectly understand the implications of new digital technology. 

Diversity & Equity

Since its inception, Make Up For Ever has been passionate about diversity and equity. In 2022, Make Up For Ever launched the Make Up For Ever LGBTQIA+ Scholarship Fund for Education & Artistry which provides tuition to aspiring makeup artists within the LGBTQIA+ community to attend the makeup school of their choice. The fund celebrates Pride by ushering in a new generation of artistry talent.

New for 2024

New for this season is HD Skin Face Essentials Palette H1 and H3, which are now available on Sephora.com. The products are available in three “harmonies”— Light to Medium Skin Tones (H1), Medium to Tan Skin Tones (H2) and Tan to Deep Skin Tones (H3).

In August 2024, Make Up For Ever will also launch exclusive sets on TikTok Shop.

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