Collaborating with everyone from late R&B legends to drag queens in red leather boots, MAC Cosmetics has always leaned into diverse influencer partnerships, with campaigns fronted by the the kind of stars that we don't always see on the NYFW runways and glossy beauty ads. And the brand's most recent launch — a shiny red lipstick poised to be the next Ruby Woo — was formulated in collaboration with a face that deserves all the spotlight: beauty vlogger Nyma Tang.
Originally from South Sudan, Tang runs a YouTube series called The Darkest Shade, where she tests the penultimate shade of a given product — concealer, foundation, bronzing powder — on herself to see if it matches her deep skin tone. Through the series, Tang has become a makeup expert, which makes her the perfect person to develop her own product.
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"I started wearing makeup when I was a little older, like 21, and that's when I started realizing that there's really not much out there for me," Tang tells Refinery29. "I think a lot of companies are playing catch up right now. We still need those deeper sculpting products, bronzers, and contour powders — even eyeshadows need to be more inclusive and dark skin-friendly."
Where foundation and contour sticks have consistently come up short, a good red lipstick has always been Tang's desert-island must-have. "I just love a red lip," she says. "I take the Fenty 'Stunna' with me if I want to be extra, and I love Sephora's 'Always Red.' That's probably my favorite, besides my own MAC lipstick."
Following months of formulation, today we can officially get our hands on the dreamy red lipstick Tang designed. "I honestly still can’t believe this is happening," Tang captioned her most recent Instagram post (where she debuts the demi-matte, cherry red shade). "The creation of this lipstick means sooo much to me, and I can’t wait for you guys to try it."
From the Nyma Tang uninitiated to her thousands of subscribers, this limited-edition warm red shade will work with both fair and deep skin, making it the kind of collaboration we hope we can see more of in the future. For now, we're taking $20 and grabbing our new favorite red lip, before it sells out.
MAC x Nyma Tang Lipstick, $18.50, available at MAC Cosmetics.