Queen Of Hearts

In 1994, M.A.C first introduced Viva Glam 1, an outspoken, unabashedly-deep red lipstick that was universal in its appeal and glamour. It was the first lipstick ever created to directly raise money and awareness for AIDS at a time where makeup communities were stigmatized as gay. And if that wasn’t enough, they chose the six-foot-seven-inch, statuesque, African-American drag queen RuPaul to be their very first spokesperson for the Viva Glam collection. RuPaul opened ten stores and raised millions for the M.A.C Aids Fund.

You’ve been an inspiration to many with the commendable work you’ve done since 1994. What keeps you inspired?

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Anybody who is my age has lived through the devastation of HIV/AIDS and we’ve all seen loved ones dwindle away. We’ve come from a legacy of doing whatever it takes to make sure that not only is all the information that we need out there, but that we’re also able to save lives.

I’m proud to say that the M·A·C AIDS Fund has been successful in getting word out there and also in literally saving lives, by funding community-based organisations that get services and help to the people who need it. We’re talking people who need their rent paid, people who need medication, people who need at-home care. All of this has gone directly to these people via community service organisations. You can’t beat that. What does VIVA GLAM mean to you?

VIVA GLAM means life and love and celebrating life through beauty, love, colour and laughter. It means taking beauty and colour, and making it your mission statement in life. It’s the bohemian aesthetic. It’s everything I grew up with. I was born in 1960 and I grew up with the hippies, with disco and colour. VIVA GLAM represents all of those things. Life is to be lived and enjoyed. Why not paint it up and let your creator know that you appreciate it by painting it and making it more beautiful.

Makeup to you is… Power. Makeup can shift shape, change, emphasise, and de-emphasise. It allows you to put focus where you want it, immediately. When I wear makeup and I’m placing the focus where I want it to be, I can change how I look and feel. I have the power to do that. I love that ability!

What was the most special moment to you in this campaign?

Every time we’ve been able to present a cheque to small local charities like AIDS LA or Hail House has been special to me. These are community-based organisations that have received huge cheques from the M·A·C AIDS Fund, which have literally funded them for years. Those were the best moments for me.