ELLE Exclusive: Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois On The Future Of Beauty

When you meet Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois, she doesn’t talk like a global executive. She talks like someone who’s seen beauty in every accent and undertone it comes in. The Senior Vice President and Global General Manager of M·A·C Cosmetics has lived many lives — growing up in Benin, moving to Paris as a teenager, and building her career across London and New York. Each chapter, she says, has sharpened her eye and softened her judgement.

“I’ve been an immigrant my entire life,” she tells me. “I became a great observer, a careful listener, and someone who understands that perspectives vary — there’s no single right or wrong view,” I tell her it’s rare to hear a global leader use words like listen instead of scale, and she smiles knowingly. It’s the quiet kind of confidence that comes from observation, not proclamation.

The Indian Lesson: Beauty as Living Culture

In person, Moudachirou-Rébois watches the world with a painter’s patience. During her visit to India, she’s been noticing how skin undertones change between Chennai and Chandigarh, how pigments catch different light, and how rituals evolve with generation and geography. “From festival looks to bridal artistry to street-style expression, these details are a source of inspiration for us at M·A·C,” she says.

We talk about how Indian women have long hacked foundation shades by mixing two or three tones at home. She laughs — “Exactly. That’s the ingenuity we learn from.” For her, India isn’t a market; it’s a masterclass in creativity. “That richness inspires M·A·C to think differently about product development. We’re learning from local artists, consumers, and creators. Their practices push us to innovate in ways that are both culturally relevant and globally inspiring.”

Beyond Shade Ranges

Her technical curiosity is disarming. “Once we understand the undertone, we ask: how does that skin respond to pigment in India’s climate? Do the pigments oxidise? Do they shift under sunlight?” she explains. Few executives mention monsoon-proof makeup unprompted — she does.

From adjusting pigment particle size to ensuring formulations endure humidity, she describes how M·A·C uses local realities to inform global R&D. “Indian undertones, pigments, and rituals aren’t data points,” she says. “They’re living signals that guide everything we do.”

The Gen Z Equation

Talk turns to Gen Z — and her tone instantly brightens. “They don’t separate local and global; they remix both,” she says. “They’ll blend a centuries-old ritual with the latest trend or use makeup as self-expression rather than correction.”

As someone who scrolls through Indian creators every night, I tell her how a small-town artist can now spark a national moodboard in minutes. “Exactly,” she says. “The lesson for brands is simple: don’t tell them what beauty is. Listen. Watch. Collaborate.”

Icons, Armour, and Play

“What’s the one product you’d never leave home without?” I ask, already guessing the answer. She grins: “Lipstick. Always.”

For Moudachirou-Rébois, the icons endure because they make people feel. “An iconic M·A·C product has to perform flawlessly, express individuality, and stand the test of time. That’s why Studio Fix, Ruby Woo, and Lipglass remain relevant decades later.”

When she talks about makeup personally, it turns intimate. “It’s how I start my day and prepare to show up in the world. Some days it’s armour, like a bold lip before a tough meeting. Other days it’s a reminder to slow down and enjoy the artistry.”

After a day steering a global brand, her idea of luxury is silence. “Evenings are sacred,” she says. “I love to cook for my family, to disconnect from screens and reconnect with real life.” It’s not downtime — it’s discipline. “Rest isn’t doing nothing; it’s recentering. As leaders, especially women, we give a lot of energy outward. Winding down is how I give some of it back to myself.”

On Doubt and Defiance

Moudachirou-Rébois admits that imposter syndrome still visits her sometimes. “It’s natural when you’re stepping into new spaces or breaking barriers. But it’s a signal you’re growing.”

Her message to young women in beauty is clear: “Listen carefully, observe everything, and trust your instincts. Even if you feel like an outsider, your perspective is needed. Imposter syndrome is temporary; your contribution is permanent.”

The Beauty of Multiplicity

Before we wrap, I ask what truly keeps her inspired after two decades in beauty. She doesn’t pause. “Observation,” she says. “By paying attention to what people are really doing — the textures they prefer, the moments that matter — we can innovate products that feel relevant, thoughtful, and beautiful.”

In a world that mistakes noise for innovation, Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois remains refreshingly grounded — a leader who listens first, then creates.

Also Read:

ELLE Cover Star: Huda Kattan On Reclaiming Her Power

The Beauty Editor’s Side Table: My AM–PM Rituals In All Their Chaotic Glory