Maybelline New York is updating its iconic advertising tagline for the first time in more than three decades, introducing a new global brand platform aimed at broadening its message around beauty, confidence and self-expression.
The cosmetics brand, owned by L’Oréal, announced that it is replacing “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline” with “Maybe. We’re born with it. Maybe. It’s Maybelline.” The revised slogan marks the launch of The Beauty of Infinite Possibility, a global campaign featuring singer and Maybelline Global Brand Ambassador Miley Cyrus.
The change represents a shift in the brand’s messaging, moving from a tagline centred on an individual woman’s appearance to one emphasizing the possibilities available to women through personal expression and identity.
A new direction for an established brand
First introduced in 1991, the original tagline became one of the cosmetics industry’s most recognizable advertising slogans. Maybelline said the updated version reflects changing perceptions of beauty and the role makeup can play in how consumers feel about themselves.
The company said the addition of a period after “Maybe” turns the word into a statement rather than a question, while changing “she’s” to “we’re” expands the message to include all women.
Maybelline cited research indicating that consumers increasingly associate beauty with confidence and personal expression rather than physical appearance. According to McKinsey, just over half of consumers globally say beauty means feeling confident, compared with about 26 per cent who associate it with looking attractive to others or remaining youthful.
A 2026 European consumer study by Cosmetics Europe found that 79 per cent of respondents said makeup goes beyond appearance, helping people feel confident and express themselves.
“At Maybelline, we believe makeup can open doors to new ways of seeing ourselves, expressing who we are and becoming who we want to be,” said Sandrine Jolly, global brand president of Maybelline. “With ‘Maybe.’, we’re building on our legacy and inviting women everywhere, at every stage of life, to explore the possibilities within them. Makeup can be a spark of curiosity in the everyday, a ‘what if?’ that becomes a ‘why not?’, and a reflection of the freedom, confidence and self-expression at the heart of our beauty philosophy.”
The company said the new platform builds on its history of making makeup accessible to women around the world. Maybelline traces its origins to the development of modern mascara more than 110 years ago and identifies New York as a central influence on its brand identity.
Credit: Jacob Bixenman, shot at Electric Lady Studios, NYC
Miley Cyrus leads global campaign
The campaign launches with Cyrus, a multi-platinum recording artist who has worked with Maybelline as a global brand ambassador. The company said her career and changing creative styles reflect the campaign’s emphasis on reinvention and individuality.
Cyrus previously lent her voice to the brand’s original tagline last year and is now helping introduce its revised meaning. Maybelline said makeup has been part of her evolving public image, allowing her to explore different looks throughout her career.
“I think of ‘Maybe.’ as all the doors being open. Who you are is something you’re born with, but you can always become something that you’ve dreamt of being by staying true to yourself. I believe infinite possibility is for everyone, and if you can dream it, you can create it,” said Cyrus.
Global rollout planned
Maybelline said the platform will roll out globally this month, with additional stories featuring women from the music industry and other fields planned over the coming months.
The campaign will also be supported by product innovations, collaborations and advertising initiatives designed to encourage experimentation and self-expression.
The company said the participating women will share their experiences with personal reinvention, confidence and the role of makeup in expressing different aspects of their identities.
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