SHADOW REALM

Liken your lids to a canvas and take the opportunity to embellish eyes with glitzy glitters, alluring iridescents and oh-sogooey glosses. The more texture, the better, according to illustrious makeup artist Pat McGrath. The mastermind behind that viral Maison Margiela spring/ summer 2024 runway moment, when models looked like porcelain dolls, McGrath is no stranger to disruptive, artistry-forward looks. Having launched Pat McGrath Labs in 2015 with just one product – a gold foil eyeshadow that, unsurprisingly, sold out in record time – she has continued to pursue a beauty ethos of makeup that is both dynamic and avant-garde.

STRIKE OF ARTISTRY

McGrath predicts the new frontier is all about dual-faceted looks that “embrace the understated elegance of Schiaparelliinspired minimalism and the daring drama and subversive artistry of Maison Margiela”. What does this looks like? Ethereal washes of colour paired with unexpected pops of intensity. “To master the trend, begin with a neutral base from our Mothership eyeshadow palettes, then select a vibrant, contrasting hue to craft striking accents – like a graphic wing or a vivid crease line,” she says.

GET GLOSSY

The addition of an eye gloss elevates and gives a sheeny, editorial finish. “Worn over bare lids and cheeks, it creates a subversive, wet effect,” says McGrath. She suggests layering over matte shadows and eye pencils for a dewy sheen, or on top of metallic and glitter shadows to further amp up the shine. “When applying an eye gloss, particularly over shadow or eyeliner, the best application technique is to gently press it on with a flat brush or fingers, so you don’t disrupt the pigment underneath. The more layers, the more surreal the shimmer will be,” says McGrath.

METALLIC MOMENT

Drench lids in rich, textured metallics. McGrath suspects high-shine foils are on the rise, as “they continue to reflect the collective appetite for expressive and bold beauty statements that capture the light and the eye”. Try applying dry for a “brilliant wash of colour” or using wet to create a foiled, intensely metallic finish. “Thanks to the [Pat McGrath Labs] Chromaluxe Artistry Pigments, it’s never been easier to get that ultra-foiled finish in a way that balances extreme luminosity with elegant sophistication,” she says.

“MERGE SUBLIMINAL AND SUBVERSIVE BY LAYERING TEXTURES AND FINISHES, ENSURING EACH LOOK BEARS A SIGNATURE, MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PAT MCGRATH MUSE EFFECT”

1 VIOLETTE_FR Yeux Paint Liquid Eyeshadow + Liner Twinkling in Violette Sauvage, $53. 2 PAT MCGRATH LABS FetishEyes Longwear Liquid Eye Shadow in Divine Champagne, $51, and 3 Mothership X Moonlit Seduction Eyeshadow Palette, $206. 4 NIKKIA JOY COSMETICS Wisteria Metallic Pigment, $19. 5 VIOLETTE_FR Yeux Paint Liquid Eyeshadow + Liner Twinkling in Scarabée d’Or, $53. 6 NIKKIA JOY COSMETICS Wisteria Metallic Pigment, $19. 7 VIOLETTE_FR Yeux Paint Twinkling in Rêve de Dahlia, $53. 8 RITUEL DE FILLE Celestial Sphere Gelée Eye Gloss in Apis, $67. 9 CHARLOTTE TILBURY Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow in Oyster Pearl, $50.