What the Marc Jacobs Beauty Revival Is—and Isn’t
The Marc Jacobs Beauty revival is a designer beauty comeback that reimagines the original line with new formulas, playful packaging, and a color-first, maximalist makeup attitude aimed at expressive, joyful self-presentation. Officially, Coty positions the reboot as a fresh brand: “This is not a reissue of the original line; everything has been reimagined: the formulas, the textures, the performance,” a brand representative explained to Allure. Yet nostalgia hangs over the launch—editors still hoard Highliner pencils and Omega Bronzers from the 2010s era. The new range, which lands at MarcJacobs.com and retailers like Sephora, leans heavily into eye makeup with Drawn This Way eyeliners, Flashes mascara, and Born Star shadows, plus Joystick blush sticks, Legally Bronze bronzers, Money Shot highlighter gel, and Heart On lipsticks. The question is not whether it copies the past, but whether it can emotionally replace it.
Packaging, Mood, and the New Maximalist Identity
Visually, the new collection leaves the sleek black minimalism of the original behind for something softer, cheekier, and more toy-like. According to Vogue, the packaging sits between the polished femininity of Daisy and the mischievous spirit of Heaven by Marc Jacobs, topped with metallic balloon-like details that look like they belong next to inflatable armchairs and stacks of zines. Jacobs wanted the sweetness of the look undercut by provocative names—Born Star eyeshadow and Heart On lipstick give a clear wink. The overall effect pushes the brand into a playful, maximalist lane where makeup is meant to be seen. As Jacobs told press, “Joy and pleasure is hugely important [to me], especially when there’s so much stuff in the day that isn’t playful or joyous,” and the presentation makes that mission hard to miss.
Highliner Nostalgia vs. Drawn This Way Eyeliner
For many original fans, the benchmark of any new makeup collection review here is clear: how does Drawn This Way compare to the old Highliner eyeliner? In Allure’s informal test, editors who still cling to their expired Highliners put the new waterproof gel against their memories of the classic. The verdict: while not a formula copy, Drawn This Way hits the same sweet spot of slip and lock-down. The pencil feels as creamy as kajal yet sets to a long-wear finish, with 21 shades and four finishes spanning matte, metallic, and glittery or duochrome “magical” options. That shade spread alone outpaces the original’s lineup and leans into the brand’s color-driven revival. For tightlining and smoked-out wings, testers found the control and intensity comparable to their beloved Highliner, with bolder creative potential.
Eyes, Cheeks, Lips: How the New Formulas Perform
Beyond the Highliner eyeliner comparison, the rest of the range needed to prove that this designer beauty comeback is more than packaging nostalgia. Born Star shadows, described by Vogue as cream-to-powder and long-wear, delivered dense payoff in both neutral mattes and loud metallics, with the “magical” finishes giving a foil-like effect when packed on. Flashes mascara fanned lashes with noticeable volume and length, aligning with Jacobs’s long-standing focus on eyes as the main canvas for experimentation. On cheeks, Joystick blush sticks melted into skin with a skin-like finish, echoing the exaggerated flush seen in the Memory Loss runway show, while Legally Bronze bronzer built smoothly without patching. Heart On lipsticks behaved like balm-lipstick hybrids—comfortable, with color that ranges from office-soft to electric purple statement.
Who This New Marc Jacobs Beauty Is For
Taken as a whole, the Marc Jacobs Beauty revival does not chase the minimalist, barely-there trend; it celebrates color, whimsy, and a bit of trouble. The collection rewards people who enjoy playing with texture and shade—those who want cobalt liner one day and soft brown smudges the next, or who see blush as an accessory rather than an afterthought. There is nostalgia for longtime fans, but the new identity reads less like a museum piece and more like archival pieces re-styled for now, as Jacobs noted. If you loved the feel and performance of the originals, this round offers comparable or stronger payoff with more options for creative looks. If you are discovering the brand for the first time, it sets a clear tone: makeup as expressive, maximalist mood, not background noise.