The New Face of Max Factor Is... Marilyn Monroe?

When a makeup company announces their new "face" you can typically expect to see a time-honored It-girl or supermodel, but one brand has taken this to the extreme. Max Factor's "global glamour ambassador" is... Marilyn Monroe. Yes, the same legendary woman who has been dead since 1962 will be starring in the cosmetic brand's advertisements in 2015.

It's an interesting choice, to say the least, but maybe not as morbid as it sounds. According to the Daily Mail, Marilyn Monroe was a Max Factor client back in the 1940s "when the American brand catered for silver-screen starlets from its beauty parlor in Hollywood Boulevard." Her status as a major style icon is so enduring that even 53 years after her death her look feels somewhat fresh and modern.

"Marilyn made the sultry red lip, creamy skin and dramatically-lined eyes the most famous beauty look of the 1940s and it’s a look that continues to dominate the beauty and fashion industry," Pat McGrath, global creative design director of Max Factor told the Daily Telegraph. But still... she's dead. It's hard not to think about that when looking at photographs of her as a young and vibrant woman. Even if those photographs are accompanied by swanky new Max Factor products.

I'm holding out my official judgment call until I see the full campaign, which hits TV, print, and web on January 6th. Max Factor is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, making now the perfect time to capitalize on some serious cultural nostalgia. After all, some things never go out of style and Marilyn is certainly timeless.