“Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline” has become one of the most popular and recognizable slogans in the beauty sector and the marketing industry since the Maybelline New York brand established it in 1991. But after more than 35 years, the L’Oréal brand has decided to update its iconic slogan to adapt it to new generations and give it a new meaning.
After more than three decades, Maybelline is evolving the claim to celebrate the infinite possibilities that exist in every woman, and from now on it will express “Maybe. We’re born with it. Maybe. It’s Maybelline.” The subtle modification involves changing the third person singular to the first person plural and including periods that separate “Maybe” from the rest of the phrases. But with this, the brand goes from asking a question about the beauty of a single woman to making a statement about all women and everything they can become.
The brand transforms a question into a statement of infinite possibilities
As Maybelline expresses in a statement, a simple period transforms a question into a statement of infinite possibilities, while the change from “she’s” to “we’re” expands the meaning. They claim that now, “Maybe.” represents the possibility with which every woman is born, and that the renewed slogan is an optimistic invitation for all women to explore their possibilities, through the confidence and freedom of personal expression that makeup can inspire.
Despite the omnipresence of the original slogan in the collective memory, Maybelline had not used it in its full version for some time. In early 2016, the brand replaced it with “Make It Happen” in order to evoke empowerment and action; but in 2024 he recovered the phrase “Maybe It’s Maybelline”, accompanied by a renewed version of its jingle.
In Spain the brand’s slogan took the form of “It’s in you. It’s in Maybelline”, a more neutral expression than the original English. In recent times, however, the brand’s campaigns have opted for alignment with the international claim, and have included the phrase “Maybe it’s Maybelline.”
From reason.Why We have contacted the company to find out how the renewal will affect the Spanish market. We will update the news when we receive more information.
New era of Maybelline with Miley Cyrus
The change is communicated with the introduction of the “The Beauty of Infinite Possibility” platform and a campaign starring singer Miley Cyrus, Maybelline global ambassador. In the piece, the artist reflects on her career, marked by creative reinvention, freedom and the refusal to be defined by a single identity. The brand points out that the choice is based on the way in which Cyrus has gone through different creative stages, each with its own sound, style and perspective, and on her ability to accept change without giving up her essence. They also highlight the role that makeup has played in exploring different looks throughout her career.
Maybelline ensures that the evolution is a natural continuation of its brand legacy, its commitment to generating confidence in women through makeup and celebrating individuality, self-expression and freedom. “We believe that makeup can open doors to new ways of seeing ourselves, expressing who we are and becoming who we want to be.“commented Sandrine Jolly, Global President of the Maybelline brand. ”With ‘Maybe.’, we build on our heritage and invite women everywhere, at any stage of their lives, to explore the possibilities within them.“.
The brand has supported the change in data. Referencing data from McKinsey, he assures that the perception of beauty has changed in recent years. And more than half of consumers worldwide say that beauty means feeling confident in themselves, compared to approximately 26% who associate it with being attractive to others or with maintaining a young appearance for as long as possible. Likewise, in a study of European consumers in 2026, 79% indicated that makeup goes beyond appearance, as it helps people feel confident and express themselves.
Beyond that, the reality is that Maybelline faces a much more fragmented market than it did in 1991 when it first introduced its popular claim. It now faces a significantly larger number of competitors, many of which have been driven by leading celebrities and influencers in Generation Z, such as Elf or Rare Beauty, and who have taken little time to build large communities of loyal consumers.
The brand will progressively deploy the renewed slogan in its different channels and communications, and will expand the platform with inspiring stories from real women, both in the musical field and from other sectors, who will contribute their personal vision on the possibilities, reinvention and role of makeup.
In addition, Maybelline anticipates that it will launch product innovations, and carry out collaborations and campaigns that celebrate creativity and self-expression.
