British ColumbiaWhat started as a quest to create an eye black that Missy Mackintosh’s son could wear without irritation, has grown into a contract with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.Eye black crafted by a B.C. mother and son is being worn by football players, sold in sporting good storesListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesMissy Mackintosh is the owner of MisMacK cosmetics, which has signed a partnership with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for their GamePlay eyeblack and Grit Kits. (Jacqueline Gelineau/CBC)What started as a mother-son passion project to develop an eye black in their basement, has made its way onto Canadian Football League (CFL) fields and stands with a first-of-its-kind contract. “I wouldn’t actually let Evan wear eye black for many years,” said Missy Mackintosh, the owner and founder of MisMacK cosmetics, a makeup and cosmetics company based in Salmon Arm, B.C., located about 90 kilometres north of Kelowna. Her son, Evan, used to get headaches after wearing the strong-smelling, conventional eye black while playing baseball games. Eye black, applied to the upper cheeks, is popular with baseball, softball and football players to deflect glare from the sun and stadium lights. WATCH | How a mother-son duo developed a new product for the CFL:B.C. makeup artist signs contract with Winnipeg Blue BombersA mother-son duo in Salmon Arm, B.C. designed a new eye black, used by football and baseball players, and their fans, which is now making its way to the big leagues.“I was like ‘Hey Evan, do you want to create an eye black?’ Essentially, it’s like a black lipstick. We have the manufacturing.”Mackintosh said the MisMacK manufacturers, based just outside of Winnipeg, use natural, carefully selected ingredients that are non-irritating to sensitive skin. Without a second thought, Evan said: “Let’s do it.”Through its development, Evan and his teammates tested various iterations of the eye black formulations and he was instrumental in the naming and packaging design process of the final stick. The pair even pitched the product together on Dragons’ Den. WATCH | Missy and Evan pitch on Dragons’ Den:MisMacK Game Play Eye BlackMissy MacKintosh pitches her toxin-free eyeblack for sports. Though none of the show’s investors signed on, the pair carried on with their product. Now, MisMacK’s GamePlay eye black is worn by athletes across Canada and can be purchased at sporting goods stores. Soon, it will also be worn by fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in what the team’s president says is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the CFL and a cosmetics company.The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have entered into a three-year partnership with MisMacK cosmetics for their GamePlay eye black, which is worn by players and fans. (Submitted by Winnipeg Blue Bombers)Mackintosh has signed a contract for a three-year partnership with the Bombers for the GamePlay eye black and Grit Kits — a zip-up pouch that also contains a sweat-resistant glitter that sticks to the eye black for an added sparkle.Mackintosh considers the Grit Kits and eye black as part of a novel category within the beauty and sports industry that she calls “performance ready, sports colour cosmetics.” The eyeblack and glitter can be worn on the field, as facepaint or as makeup, which is something that she wished was available when she was growing up as an athlete.Evan Mackintosh and his mom, Missy Mackintosh, who is the founder of MisMacK cosmetics, have created an eyeblack that is being worn by players and fans of the Winnipeg Bluebombers. (Jacqueline Gelineau/CBC)”I’ve always felt that I had to choose between the two. I had to chose between beauty, and I had to choose between my sport. Where now we get to merge them together, and I can wear my beauty while I play my sport, and it’s it’s celebrated,” Mackintosh said.Evan said his team wears the glitter when they need an edge in playoffs.”It’s a tradition.”The products will be unveiled to fans at the Grey Cup Festival, hosted by the Blue Bombers, in November. “I think it’s great that we’re able to take the products that we use on the sidelines, that our players use, and be able to sell in our Bomber store for our fans,” said Wade Miller, president of the Blue Bombers. Miller said in addition to its practical use of deflecting glare to improve vision on the field, eye black has become like warpaint and an avenue of expression for some players.”Players have kind of made it their own… It’s now just added to the game,” Miller said.”This product is something the players can use to create their own look on game day.”GamePlay eye black is already worn by CFL players on teams across the country, like Riley Pickett, who is a fullback with the B.C. Lions. Riley Pickett plays for the B.C. Lions and uses the GamePlay eye black made by MisMack cosmetics. (Submitted by Riley Pickett)“It’s better than any of the other eye black that I’ve used in the past. And I’m really looking forward to keep on using this product for the duration of my CFL career,” Pickett said.
B.C. mother-son duo develop new eye black for Winnipeg Blue Bombers
