MAC Cosmetics Affiliate Program
The MAC Cosmetics affiliate program pays 6% per sale with a 14-day cookie window, and is available to LinkApprove creators and publishers in the US, UK and Canada without a separate application.
Last reviewed by the LinkApprove partnerships team
14days to convert
Shorter than the 30-day median in beauty & skincare. Attribution closes on day 14, which matters most for content readers return to rather than act on immediately.
Program fit score
1.8/5
- Commission per conversion
- 40%
- Cookie window
- 25%
- Average order value
- 20%
- Region breadth
- 15%
Computed from this program’s own terms against 30 programs in its category. How this is calculated
01Overview
About the MAC Cosmetics affiliate program
MAC is the artistry brand almost everyone can name unprompted: Ruby Woo, Studio Fix Fluid, Lipglass, and a shade library deep enough that working makeup artists still buy it as kit stock. That recognition means creators spend nothing on explaining the brand and can move straight to shade, technique, or comparison content that people actually save.
The catch is promotional density. MAC runs frequent sitewide offers and maintains a large professional discount program, so a real slice of your traffic either waits for the next sale or checks out at a pro rate you earn nothing on. Paired with a 14-day window and a $55 average order, this is a volume play that rewards creators who post often rather than once.
MAC has the strongest unaided recognition of any color cosmetics advertiser we carry, which cuts content overhead sharply. It also runs the most promotions in the category, so a meaningful share of creator traffic arrives already intending to wait for the next event.
02Conversion
Why MAC Cosmetics converts
- Ruby Woo and Studio Fix are permanently in demand, so older content continues converting
- The shade library supports comparison and dupe content that gets searched and saved
- Lip products in the $20s convert on impulse without deliberation
- Frequent collections and collaborations create recurring launch moments
03Audience fit
Which creators this suits
- Makeup artists and technique-led creators
- Shade comparison and dupe publishers
- Deal and sale-alert accounts during sitewide events
04Getting started
How to join the MAC Cosmetics affiliate program
- 1Create a free LinkApprove partner account and submit your content channels for review.
- 2Once approved, usually within two business days, open the program directory and find MAC Cosmetics.
- 3Generate a deep link to any MAC Cosmetics product page, adding sub-IDs for the platform or campaign you are publishing to.
- 4Publish, then track clicks and validated commission in one balance alongside every other program you run.
Because LinkApprove already holds the upstream approval, you do not submit a separate application to MAC Cosmetics.
05Attribution
When you get paid on this program
Full thresholds, rails and schedules are on the payouts page.
06FAQ
Common questions
How much does the MAC Cosmetics affiliate program pay?
The MAC Cosmetics affiliate program pays 6% per sale. Average order value on the program is $55, so commission per conversion is calculated against that basket rather than a single item price.
What is the cookie duration for the MAC Cosmetics affiliate program?
The MAC Cosmetics program has a 14-day cookie window. A purchase made after that window has closed is not attributed to you, which is why content timing matters on this program.
How do I join the MAC Cosmetics affiliate program?
You can join the MAC Cosmetics affiliate program through LinkApprove without applying to MAC Cosmetics directly. LinkApprove already holds the upstream approval, so once your LinkApprove partner account is approved you can generate tracked links to any MAC Cosmetics product page immediately.
Which countries does the MAC Cosmetics affiliate program accept?
The MAC Cosmetics program accepts traffic from US, UK, CA. Traffic from outside these regions may not be attributed even when the click is tracked, so check your audience geography before committing content to it.
Beauty & skincare
How MAC Cosmetics compares in its category
Beauty carries the strongest repeat-purchase behavior of any vertical, which makes it the best fit for creators with an engaged, returning audience rather than raw reach. Average order values are lower than fashion but conversion rates run materially higher on tutorial and routine content.
| Program | Commission | Cookie | Avg. order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty Bay | Up to 9% per sale | 30 days | $58 |
| Caudalie | Up to 8% per sale | 30 days | $85 |
| Charlotte Tilbury | Up to 8% per sale | 30 days | $105 |
| Clinique | Up to 6% per sale | 7 days | $70 |
| Cult Beauty | Up to 8% per sale | 30 days | $88 |
| Dermalogica | Up to 8% per sale | 30 days | $95 |
| Dermstore | 8% per sale | 30 days | $120 |
| Drunk Elephant | 10% per sale | 30 days | $90 |
| Elemis | Up to 10% per sale | 30 days | $125 |
| Estee Lauder | 5% per sale | 7 days | $95 |
| Fenty Beauty | 8% per sale | 30 days | $60 |
| First Aid Beauty | Up to 9% per sale | 30 days | $62 |
| Glossier | Up to 10% per sale | 30 days | $65 |
| Il Makiage | Up to 12% per sale | 30 days | $68 |
| Kiehl's | 7% per sale | 30 days | $85 |
| La Roche-Posay | Up to 7% per sale | 30 days | $55 |
| Lookfantastic | Up to 8% per sale | 30 days | $72 |
| MAC Cosmetics (this program) | 6% per sale | 14 days | $55 |
| Murad | Up to 10% per sale | 30 days | $88 |
| Paula's Choice | 9% per sale | 30 days | $90 |
| Rare Beauty | 6% per sale | 14 days | $45 |
| Sephora | Up to 5% per sale | 1 days | $120 |
| SkinCeuticals | 10% per sale | 30 days | $170 |
| Space NK | Up to 7% per sale | 30 days | $110 |
| Summer Fridays | 8% per sale | 14 days | $50 |
| Sunday Riley | 10% per sale | 45 days | $85 |
| Tatcha | 8% per sale | 45 days | $115 |
| The Ordinary | Up to 6% per sale | 14 days | $48 |
| Ulta Beauty | 4% per sale | 30 days | $75 |
| Youth To The People | Up to 10% per sale | 30 days | $78 |
Related programs
Programs partners often run alongside this one
Creators and publishers
Promote MAC Cosmetics and every other program in the directory from one account, with a single payout. Free to join, from 1,000 followers.
Advertisers
Recruit vetted creators across the UK, EU and US without managing hundreds of individual partner relationships.
Promote MAC Cosmetics from today
Join LinkApprove free and generate your first tracked MAC Cosmetics link once approved. No separate application, and no advertiser approval queue.