Pat Mcgrath Q&A
We talk to Pat Mcgrath, the world’s most influential make-up artist…
Where did the inspiration for your line, Pat Mcgrath Labs, come from? Labs is my opportunity to share everything I have ever dreamed of, product and formulawise, with the world. Labs is inspired by my obsession, inspiration and addiction to beauty, fused with a passionate desire to experiment. What beauty trick should everyone know? The inimitable power of your fingertips. There is no tool, technique, brush or applicator that will apply make-up as organically and flawlessly as the tip of your finger. There is something beautiful and unmatchable about the way the warmth of the hands affects product – whether it is adding polish to your foundation or making a matte lipstick creamier and more blendable. A brush can never match this. Advice for budding make-up artists? Practise, practise, practise! Building confidence in your technique is key, because you have to work quickly – a make-up artist is always creating and crafting new ideas. How did it feel when Gold 001 (the limited edition gold pigment) sold out in the US? It was unbelievable and completely unexpected. I truly had no idea what was going to happen, or how people would respond. I am always experimenting with new formulations and, when I created that sumptuous, molten metallic pigment, I was immediately addicted. If we could afford only one Pat Mcgrath Labs product, what should it be? Skin Fetish 003. This kit [made up of a balm, highlighter and brush] represents the foundation of everything I create. It is one of my most coveted techniques: my signature luminous ‘aliengelic’ skin. Whether you desire a fresh, natural glow or something ethereally luminescent, these three products are ones I could never live without. Who is your most enduring beauty icon? I always go back to punks and New Romantics. When I discovered them – during my teenage years on the London club scene – they changed everything for me. Their raucous, unconventional, unapologetic style, their utter backlash against cultural norms and expectations – they were my inspiration for creating without boundaries. They taught me that make-up is the ultimate form of self-expression. My Pat Mcgrath Muses are my modern beauty icons – incredible spirits whose iconoclastic style and individuality light a spark in me. Diversity and eccentricity are the future of beauty and my muses overturn beauty standards. Having worked with the likes of Madonna, Naomi Campbell and Scarlett Johansson, whose face do you love painting most? Each face is a fresh canvas, a boundless opportunity to explore something completely different. I could never single out one individual. What’s the best beauty tip you’ve learned? Embrace make-up as a form of selfexpression. The moment you do that, everything changes. What’s in your in-flight beauty kit? Flying is taxing on the body – the skin especially – and hydrated, well-nourished skin is the foundation to a flawless beauty look. Evian Facial Spray infuses skin with instant moisture and freshness, and underneath I am always experimenting with new moisturisers. A few swipes across the highest contours of the face and in the corners of the eyes with Skin Fetish 003, and you’re good to go. How many airplane hold bags are required for your make-up kit? Depending on the show, I travel with up to 87 trunks. I leave nothing to chance. What do you recommend to the models and actresses you work with? Hydration! No foundation, powder or skincare product can nourish your skin from within, which is what proper hydration does. I’m fanatical about drinking water infused with chlorophyll, because that is the purest way to care for the skin. Where do you go for headspace? I adore the FX Mayr Health Center in Austria. Their treatments rejuvenate and restore from the inside out – it’s great after fashion season.