Lily May Mac launches beauty line and talks Insti secrets

She’s got a social media following that puts her as one of the most successful lifestyle influencers in Australia, but Lily May Mac is surprisingly grounded for someone with a 2.7 million Instagram following. Continuing to work for a law firm and electing to spend days snuggling her pug Chippy, one would be forgiven for overlooking just how famous this little pocket rocket is.

But this week Lily make an announcement that is sure to see her status skyrocket even further – with the digi influencer launching her first foray into beauty product development with the release of the Lily May Mac Collection, sold exclusively at Showpo. Featuring a collection of three lip shades – Raunchy Rosehip, Naughty Nude, and Plumping Plum, we hunted Lily down to find out everything about the range (plus gain a few of her Insti insider trade secrets).

Can you tell me a bit about your makeup collection?
Well, it’s just the three shades of lipstick ATM, but they’re so buttery and I love that they’re like nothing I’ve found on the current market. My favourite shade is ‘Raunchy Rosehip‘, I fell in love from the first swatch! It’s been in my handbag for months now but I couldn’t tell anyone what it was, so I’m so excited the secret is finally out!

Did you always envision working on your own beauty line?
YES! I’ve always loved makeup so it’s a dream come true!

Why did you decide to sell exclusively through Showpo?
They’re my fave online store in Australia and I’ve worked with them for years. They are such a great bunch of people and Jane has been a great sounding board for new ideas and projects that come my way. I really wanted to involve them in some way so I thought why not give them the exclusive!

How involved were you in the making of the collection?
What people probably don’t realise is how long the process is. This has been in the works for well over a year and I’ve been involved in every step from the colours, to the shade names and packaging, to how I wanted the campaign to look. It’s my lipstick collection, not just my name, so I wanted to work with Showpo every step of the way.

You have a seriously huge number of Instagram followers! What do you think has been instrumental to you getting this large following?
I wish I knew so I could be more clear when people ask this question! Timing I guess and having a Filipino background has resonated with many people in Asia.

Have there been any events that helped drive this growth?
Working on great collabs with huge brands (like Showpo, Oroton, M.A.C etc) is definitely good for growth as tags generally send new followers your way.

Was there a turning point when you started to see the numbers suddenly skyrocket up?
It all happened really quickly, I just started posting and in a matter of months, I went from 1000 followers to over 800,000 and it’s just started to get bigger after that.

What are your top tips for someone wanting to grow their Instagram following?
I’m really not the right person to ask this as it was something I sort of fell into, not something I actively pursued. I still work at a law firm, everything else is just fun and good experiences. 🙂

How much time do you spend on Instagram a day?
Depends. Sometimes no time at all and sometimes I get stuck in a vortex of stalking, posting and looking at comments, and before you know it, hours have passed, haha.

What is your favourite activity to do when you’re not working?
EATING! Haha! Everyone that knows me loves to joke about me always being hungry! I also love snuggling with my little pug, Chippy, he’s the best. We go hang out with friends, watch TV etc.

What can we find in your make-up bag?
Liquid eyeliner, face powder and duh, LIPSTICKS hehe.

What are your top five beauty buys for 2017?
Naughty Nude, Raunchy Rosehip and Plumping Plum :p I also really love the MAC face powder.

Where do you see yourself in five year’s time?
Probably still mooching around with Chippy and hopefully working hard on exciting projects. 🙂