Teyana Taylor Says Her New MAC Collection Is All About Play and Experimentation

There are three things that come to mind when I think of Teyana Taylor: impeccable style, flawless makeup, and undeniable talent. My first introduction to her was on MTV's Sweet Sixteen. Mesmerized by her big hair, confidence, and glossy lips, you just knew she was going to be around for as long as she willed it. Over the years, I've watched her grow not only in the entertainment industry but also fashion — which is why it came as no surprise to hear she worked with MAC Cosmetics to create a MAC x Teyana Taylor collection that's sure to catch your attention, starting with the neon packaging.

"I'm a bright and fun girl," Taylor told POPSUGAR. "Working with MAC has always been a dream for me personally, so of course, I had to go all out. I'm in love with the '90s, so they were totally OK with me choosing colors that were bright and neon and reflected the times. We didn't want to do the same black packaging. While the product colors are not necessarily neon, we wanted to think outside the box and create something fun."

Taylor's not new to experimenting with makeup. Ever since she was 15, she began mixing, matching, and playing with MAC products to develop her own looks. If you've watched her over the years, you've probably noticed her musing for '90s Black beauty in her everyday style and red carpet beauty. "I'm in love with the entire era. I love the fact that less was more in the '90s. I love Naomi Campbell, Janet Jackson, Nia Long — the list goes on and on. They all knew to keep the power in the lips. That is where I glean a lot of beauty cues from. There are so many great moments."

With this in mind, Taylor chose to carefully curate products that encourages her fans to create their own looks and play with experimentation. "The colors are custom," she said. "This is not a situation where we pick a few colors and throw my name on it. We made sure that the colors are ones you'll actually want to wear. What is equally important to me is that the shades complement Brown skin. Sometimes you see beautiful 'nude' shades of lipstick but quickly realize it's not your shade. I wanted it to be true to who I was and create colors that we can mix and play with."

Taylor adds how makeup has helped shape her into the woman she is today. "At 15, I was such a tomboy. I loved my BMX bike and skateboard. I used to just wear Lipglass, but as I grew older I did more with my makeup. MAC Cosmetics has helped me find myself and learn exactly what I like in a look. I still can't go anywhere without my Lipglass."

We are not the only ones superexcited to try the collection: Just as Taylor played in her mother's makeup, her daughter Junie has also shown enthusiasm with experimentation and colorful looks. "I used to go in my mother's bag and pull out her makeup. Now Junie has played in my collection and on everyone's face. She loves makeup. I don't even think I was that heavy on makeup, but she's really into it and actually decent."

Many products in the lineup are also named off of some of her songs on her albums, because music played a huge role in her self-discovery: "I like to listen to music while I'm putting on my makeup. Just like makeup, music is a great representation of who you are and how you move."

Check out Teyana's full collection ahead.