For any makeup fans out there, there is likely a lot you know about Makeup by Mario and the brand’s fearless leader and renowned celebrity makeup artist, Mario Dedivanovic. From his close-knit relationship with the Kardashian clan to his famous lip-liner tricks and iconic, continuously sold-out palettes, a lot of things come to mind when we hear Makeup By Mario. But, there’s also a lot about the 41-year-old makeup mogul that fans don’t know—he’s a New York native and NOT from Los Angeles, for starters.
There was a lot I didn’t know about Dedivanovic when I had the pleasure of sitting down with some fellow industry members to hear from the brand leader about his new launch. (He’s a little bit psychic, he started his career at Sephora and he gives great manifestation advice, to name a few.) While all of these facts may seem unrelated, Dedivanovic’s humble beginnings, childhood memories and New York heritage were all formative aspects in the creation of his new SuperSatin Lipstick ($28). Ahead, the makeup superstar talks all things product development, from the key ingredients to the stories behind each shade name.
Makeup by Mario SuperSatin Lipstick: A Personal Line for the Bronx Native
As Dedivanovic explained during the launch panel, getting into the world of satin lipstick has been a long overdue endeavor, as he finds himself opting for satin mixtures when he’s doing glam on his A-list clients. Creating this new line, though, goes much deeper than just a new formula for the Bronx native, as lipstick holds a deep, sentimental value for him. “There was a lipstick [my sister] would apply every morning—I have no idea what it was, probably L’Oréal— but when I started making this line I kind of recreated that exact lip that I envisioned as a child staring at her doing her makeup. That became Bronx Baby (Mario’s favorite of the 18 SuperSatin shades).”
It’s safe to say that lipstick has been a formative part of Mario’s makeup journey, hence why he took such careful consideration in crafting this line. Dedivanovic started working at Sephora in the flat iron district of Manhattan at 17 years old as a fragrance consultant, but one of his most prominent memories from his time at the store was when he did his first ever makeup application. “Flatiron was where I actually did my first makeup application ever. I remember it was evening time and the store was slow and I was kind of ‘cool’ with the manager—I was a fragrance consultant so I wasn’t allowed to do makeup—but I asked her if I could and she said yes and so I did a three-hour long application.” And thus was born the gorgeous, nude SuperSatin shade Flatiron. “There’s a lot of those memories in this collection.”
Each of the 18 shades in the SuperSatin line is named after an area of New York City that holds special value to Mario, or to his team, as he noted that the opinions of his colleagues are of the utmost importance to him. “Sam, for example, she’s one of my girls who’s been with us from the beginning, and she lives in Staten Island, but it always fascinates me that she’s the first one in the office and she lives the farthest away,” he explains. “She wakes up so early in the morning and takes the ferry. She lives on the South Shore, and so I said, ‘Sam, let’s name one of the shades South Shore.'”
The Making of SuperSatin
Beyond the deep, personal connections that make SuperSatin so special, Mario also spent countless hours ensuring that the formula was exactly what he wanted it to be. In terms of priorities in creating SuperSatin, Dedivanovic explains that “grip” was of huge importance. “With this line in particular, it was largely about comfort. Grip is always one of the most important terms that I use in product development across all categories of makeup. Sensorially, I just hate when products slide too much. It’s okay when products slide when you first apply so that you can manipulate it, but then I don’t want it to move around. This product is an extremely comfortable lipstick to wear, but it also provides a nice grip.” I can attest—having tried every shade, it’s kind of amazing how comfortably and smoothly the product goes on, but it also manages to stay in place without feeling dry or tight.
In terms of overall vibe and inspiration, Mario explains that he “wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel” when it comes to the SuperSatin launch. “I really just wanted to channel this classic, iconic satin lipstick world that’s reminiscent of my upbringing and especially my early years in New York and doing makeup,” he begins. “Back then we didn’t have crazy fancy lipsticks—it was just a lipstick tube, and I love that. I love simple and classic. Bringing that idea to the brand with this collection is just the perfect juxtaposition of a classic idea and a modern formula.”
You too can channel your inner child and savor a slice of New York heritage with any of Mario’s 18 SuperSatin shades, available now exclusively at makeupbymario.com and in-store and online at Sephora.
