Kim Petras Is the New Face of MAC Cosmetics' Iconic Viva Glam Lipstick: 'Princess Moment' (Exclusive)

Kim Petras just made a big beauty move, in a word glam.

The Grammy-winning singer, 31, has just been announced as a celebrity ambassador for MAC Cosmetics. To kick off their partnership, Petras stars in the latest campaign for the legendary lipstick brand Viva Glam.

Petras and pop star Danna Paola, who has also been named a celebrity ambassador, join the brand in a special moment.

This year, MAC Cosmetics celebrates both its 40th anniversary in the beauty business, as well as the 30th anniversary of the creation of Viva Glam, a lipstick known worldwide for its lasting influence in the beauty industry and beyond.

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In 1994, Viva Glam was launched with a vibrant blue lipstick and a clear mission: to donate every penny from product sales to the MAC Aids Fund, which supports organizations that help people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

KD Lang became the face of the second iteration of the lipstick, and the collaboration cemented the brand’s relationship with the biggest changemakers in the entertainment industry. Since then, Chloë Sevigny, Dita Von Teese, Fergie and Sia have lent their faces and voices to Viva Glam campaigns.

Now it’s Petras’ turn, and as a true fan of MAC cosmetics, it’s an opportunity she’s more than ready for.

Kim Petras stars in the MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam campaign.

Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

“It took me one second to say yes to the Viva Glam campaign. It was just something that was very present when I was learning about gay culture,” Petras tells PEOPLE exclusively about this “princess moment.”

Make-up has always been “special” for Petras.

The transgender artist says she started wearing makeup at the age of 12 after starting her hormone therapy journey. “It was just mascara and some brow gel, but I remember it being so amazing because before that I had to go to school in boys’ clothes and get my hair back,” she shares, adding, “It felt very liberating and I I can’t describe that feeling and how much it meant to me.”

Petras says one of her first memories of MAC Cosmetics was seeing one of its iconic black eyeshadows on her mother’s makeup cabinet. “I used to steal this black one [shade] with a bit of shimmer with which she used the eyeliner [because] I’ve always been fascinated by it.”

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At age 7, she was curious about makeup, but due to her lack of skills, Petras “just looked like a raccoon,” she remembers.

At school, she recalls that she wasn’t really a “popular kid.” As a result, Petras would spend most days sitting alone, listening to music and spritzing MAC Cosmetics Fix Plus on her face.

“Me and my few gay friends at school would always have it in our bags and spray each other all the time. I remember the smell and the wonderful time we had,” says Petras.

Kim Petras stars in the MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam campaign.

Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

These days, “MAC is something of a charm,” she says. “I wore Ruby Woo to the Grammys when I won.”

Petras says that Vive Glam’s goals are in line with her own.

“A big part of my career and my life is based on that. I wish we could treat everyone the same. Not by gender, not by where they’re from, not by how much money they have, not by how they look,” says Petras.

“MAC agrees. And Viva Glam, which has raised more than half a billion dollars, stands for equality: gender equality, gender equality, racial equality and environmental equality,” she says.

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The brand’s focus on trans youth is especially “very close” to her.

“There are children who have been kicked out of their homes, who have been homeless since they were young because they are who they are. Right now, there are laws being passed around the world about access to treatment that target transgender children and children and it’s really awful to see and it’s such a wild time that I really think it’s really important for me to be able to help and give back in this way – and what it’s like great way,” she says.

Viva Glam has the power to make people feel beautiful inside and out, says Petras. “Buying lipstick and then feeling good about it is such a special thing. When I was young, Viva Glam educated me about many HIV issues. I watched the campaign and then watched them raise money for HIV. It’s great to look back and say, ‘This product really helped a lot of people.'”

Kim Petras at the premiere of “Lola” on February 3, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

For the campaign’s 30th anniversary, MAC Cosmetics is asking the world to put its money where its mouth is by purchasing one of four MACximal Silky Matte Viva Glam Lipsticks ($25 each). While Viva Empowered, Viva Heart and Viva Planet are past Viva Glam shades that boast the brand’s new formula, Viva Equality is brand new.

During the interview, Petras wears Viva Heart, a blue-red shade. “It’s a really nice muted ’90s red. I pair it with a liner called Cherry and it just gives me crazy confidence and makes me feel really put together.”

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Viva Equality, a deep neutral shade, “would probably look great on everyone,” says Petras. Meanwhile, she describes Viva Planet, a beige-mauve shade, as “a more casual nude, for me.”

Petras feels best in his own skin when he is with his dogs in nature. “When I go out into the world, makeup makes me really confident. I wear a lot on stage for people all the way in the back. But I appreciate being without makeup and I’m very happy that I can still like myself without it.”

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Source: HIS Education