Interview: Chappell Roan on Becoming the Face of MAC Cosmetics, Her Makeup Must-Haves, and What Comes Next
It just makes sense
As bold makeup makes a triumphant return ahead of 2026, M·A·C Cosmetics doubles down with the appointment of pop icon Chappell Roan as its new Global Brand Ambassador.
If there’s one partnership that makes sense, it’s Chappell Roan as the newest Global Brand Ambassador for M·A·C Cosmetics. The pop icon has been a vocal fan of the brand for years, with her makeup artist Andrew Dahling attributing many of Roan’s intricate looks to M·A·C staples.
“Partnering with M·A·C feels full circle. This brand has always made space for people like me; since day one, they’ve embraced art, queerness, drag and self-expression,” the singer explains. “I’ve built a special relationship with the M·A·C team over the years, and they’ve been amazing and thoughtful collaborators on this new journey. I can’t wait for the time when I can share what we’ve made with people everywhere.”
Roan will star in M·A·C campaigns worldwide from 2026 onwards—until then, read the full interview below to find out about her inspirations, makeup essentials, and more:
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Your signature on-stage makeup is bold, expressive and theatrical. Can you walk us through the creative process that goes into developing each of your performance look? How do you use makeup to build the ‘Chappell Roan’ persona?
CR: It’s always a collaboration! With the complexity of the looks I wear on stage now, it’s best led by the makeup artists I work with. They know way more than I do, obviously, and I trust them with everything. A few lovely people I use consistently are Andrew Dahling, Dee Carrion, and Ali Scharf. Pinterest is our best friend. We each have a little folder of photos, and we kind of compare pictures that we’ve pulled from runway, fashion shoots, oil paintings, films, drag, etc.
Sometimes they will make a drawing or do the makeup on themselves, so I can see it in real life. We build the look from there. It is always glam to the max, slightly haunting, a little weird, and gorgeous. I think there’s something so special about looking not just beautiful, but striking in a surreal way, while singing sparkly pop songs. It’s giving David Lynch vibes for me. There’s always something in the back of my mind that is saying, “is this bold enough for someone to make a Halloween costume out of it? Is this special enough for people to remember?”
You’re known for your fearless use of colour, from vibrant eyeshadows to bold blushes. What is your philosophy on incorporating colour into a makeup look, and what advice would you give to someone who wants to start experimenting more with colourful makeup?
CR: Whenever I don’t have colour in a makeup look, I feel very naked. A couple looks we did for PFW were neutral, and I felt gorge, but not necessarily myself. I love blue and purple eyeshadows the most. My advice would be to try whatever you can or want—you can just wash it off if you hate i,t and no one ever has to know it happened. I had to lean into the recklessness and embarrassment of looking like a crayon box, and that took a long time.
How has the artistry of drag queens influenced your personal approach to makeup? Are there any specific techniques or products you’ve learned from them that have become staples in your routine?
CR: My favourite type of drag is the very budget-friendly, sh*tty wig, sweat-stained, clearly DIY vibe. I love an oatmeal brow on a queen. A sloppy glue down. It feels so real and good to me. I want to be that free and that raw. I love the pageant queens, the flawless queens, the glamorous, very luxurious and expensive queens; but something is so special about that type of grit and haphazarding (sic) your way through drag. I took that approach with my album and still do to this day in different ways. I don’t love looking proper and perfect all the time. The queens on YouTube taught me how to glue down my brows. I still mess it up. A cut crease is really all I can do myself, but it gets the job done every time.
Your “Midwest Princess” aesthetic is a fantastic blend of high glam and down-to-earth approachability. What are the key makeup elements you feel are essential to creating that look? If you were to curate a ‘Midwest Princess’ makeup starter kit, what products would absolutely be in it?
CR: Glitter and colour, I would say, are the two key things for eyes. A white foundation is essential for that classic theatrical club kid look that I reference a lot. A bright orange-red lipstick that won’t budge…or one that completely smears off onto your teeth. I usually do one or the other. A big lash and a beauty mark of some kind. It’s a formula that I stick to.
Your music videos are always visually stunning with a strong aesthetic point of view. How involved are you in the makeup direction for your videos, and how do you collaborate with makeup artists to translate a song’s narrative and emotion into a tangible beauty look?
CR: For the earlier music videos before I could afford a makeup artist, I just did my own looks myself and didn’t have to really collaborate with anyone else because there was no one else to ask. But for my song ‘Casual’, I hired an artist, Chloe Ariella Gingold, who specialised in prosthetics and body painting, and she absolutely slayed it. She gave me some sketches, and we went from there. For ‘The Subway’, I let Andrew Dahling do whatever he wanted. Genuinely. I trust Andrew with everything. One day, I will come back around to combing through every detail of a look and being very precise. I’m currently just too tired and flustered to be a perfectionist.
Given your high-energy performances, you must have some secrets for making your makeup last all night. What are your go-to products or techniques for ensuring your makeup stays flawless from the first song to the last, through all the singing and dancing?
CR: We use M·A·C powders and liquid foundations a lot of the time. I powder like crazy—I don’t use a ton of cream and liquids because they will sweat off. We use glitter glue for eyes and cheeks. Brows are usually blocked as well, but recently, I shaved off my brows, so we breeze through that part. I always use a long-wear (usually liquid) lipstick. Sometimes it’s not even lipstick, it’s an eye or cheek pigment. We line with M·A·C lip liners and use eyelash glue to glue down gems. I don’t like doing a ton of gems anymore because it drives me insane on stage when my hair gets caught in them. We use multiple setting sprays to finish it off. And sometimes when it’s really hot, we waterproof set my face. It’s layers upon layers of makeup, and my skin is always clogged after tour. But…anything for the look!
Looking ahead, what’s next for you? Are there any new musical directions, themes, or other creative projects that you’re excited to explore and that your fans can look forward to?
CR: I’m learning Spanish, so I’ve been listening to a lot of Rosalía and some ’80s synth wave songs in Spanish. It’s inspiring me in a lot of ways! I want to grow a softer heart. I want to make bad songs and be ok with it and make it out the other side not thinking I’m a bad writer. I want to take a break and not cave into the illusion that “if I say no, this will all disappear”. I miss my friends and want to hang out with them and ride my bike. I want to be inspired, watch shitty movies, and go to concerts that make me feel like a kid again. I want to feel like a boring person who feels free to mess up because no one’s watching or cares what I do. I’m not sure what fans can look forward to, but I can assure them that I am not stopping.
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