Viva Glam, Vive la Résistance

Consumers are the Front Line

Sarah Scull celebrating 3o years of Viva Glam by MAC.

I was my son’s age, 14, when I bought my first tube of MAC’s Viva Glam lipstick at Nordstrom. It wasn’t just a purchase; it was a revelation. At the time, I was somewhat of an awkward tomboy, navigating the confusing terrain of adolescence, unsure of where I fit in. But wearing that unapologetically bold lipstick felt like wearing a bit of rebellion. Little did I know, it would also introduce me to the icon who would change my life: RuPaul.

To wear Viva Glam was to make a statement. Launched in 1994, it was MAC’s first-ever initiative to support HIV/AIDS awareness and research, with 100% of the proceeds going to the cause. By that time, I was well aware of the global crisis we were in, and it was affecting people I knew. It was affecting men, women, children, and half of those dying from the disease were Black.

RuPaul, the face of the campaign, was a revolutionary. His message of self-love, confidence, and unshakable authenticity resonated with me deeply. From Ru, I learned that beauty wasn’t about conforming to societal standards; it was about owning who you are and celebrating it. He also taught me that real beauty is to stand for something and be a changemaker. For a girl without purpose who felt out of place in her own skin, this was nothing short of transformative.

20 years of Viva Glam, by MAC Cosmetics

I may have started wearing red lipstick just before my freshman year of high school, but I was today years old when I followed a rabbit hole in to its history. During World War II, Elizabeth Arden created Montezuma Red, a shade she distributed to women in the military. It was worn for beauty alone; it was thought of a symbol of resilience and resistance. Hitler reportedly hated red lipstick, seeing it as a sign of defiance and decadence. For the women who wore it, it was a way to assert their presence and strength. In Ukraine, red lipstick became a symbol of women’s struggle for their rights. In Nicaragua, women wore it to protest Daniel Ortega’s regime. Red lipstick has always been a weapon of visibility and resistance.

Today, we find ourselves in another moment of global upheaval. This war isn’t just fought on battlefields; it’s fought in boardrooms, city halls, in legislatures, and in the quiet choices we make every day. The erosion of democracy, the stripping away of freedoms, and the rise of authoritarianism are not distant threats; they are here now. And while it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, to retreat into complacency, we cannot afford to do so. The stakes are too high.

All of MAC Cosmetics’ reds are my fave. Viva Glam, Ruby Woo, and Russian Red, my guilty pleasures. ;)

If you don’t want to be loud about your rebellion, that’s okay. Not everyone is called to march in the streets or shout from the rooftops. But there are other ways to resist. One of the most powerful tools we have is how we spend our money. Like I learned as a child, every dollar we spend is a vote for the kind of world we want to live in. Support companies that align with your values, that champion inclusivity, sustainability, and justice. Participate in buycotts; intentionally choosing to spend your money with businesses that stand up for what you believe in. And, just as importantly, withhold your dollars from those who seek to dismantle our democracy and strip us of our freedoms.

MAC Cosmetics, with its commitment to inclusivity and activism, has my lifelong loyalty. They are more than makeup; they sell a vision of a better world. They are a company that helps us me see the power I have as a consumer to shape the world I live in, and has taught me that I can still buy the things I like while refusing to support corporations that profit from my oppression. It’s not just lipstick. It’s about standing up for what I believe in, even in the smallest way.

XO