New York-based MAC Cosmetics and the Rodarte design firm of Los Angeles apologized Tuesday for any offense caused by a joint collection inspired by U.S. and Mexican border towns that features some pallid, ghostly hues.

The collection had shades entitled Juarez, Factory and Ghost Town, named after Ciudad Juarez, which is infamous for the number of women murdered there. The branding caused a storm of protest across the blogosphere as beauty writers highlighted the link.

MAC said it will donate $100,000 to help the women of Ciudad Juarez.

The collection of lipstick, blushes and other cosmetics caused a stir on Mexican social networking sites because it used names like “Juarez,” ”Bordertown,” ”Ghost Town” and “Factory.”

Actress Ana de la Reguera wrote on her Twitter account that the collection “is an insult,” and urged her fans to “say no to MAC cosmetics.”

MAC said in a statement Tuesday that “we are deeply sorry that the MAC Rodarte makeup collection offended people. It was in no way inspired by the reprehensible violence against women in Juarez.” The statement also said the company would change the product names.

“An important outcome from this has been the collective raising of global awareness on this issue,” the statement said. “We are taking these learnings and moving forward in a constructive way to do our part to make a positive difference in that community.”

Ciudad Juarez has been the city hit hardest by drug violence in Mexico in recent years. More than 4,000 people have been killed there in drug-related violence since the beginning of 2009.