Pat McGrath On Met Gala Madness, Party-Proof Makeup & *That* Margiela Moment
Think of the most memorable red carpet moments at the 2024 Met Gala — chances are, makeup artist Pat McGrath had a hand in them. Between Gwendoline Christie, Tyla, and Bad Bunny, McGrath worked with a whopping 14 celebrities on their glam, a feat that took months of careful preparation.
In the wake of fashion's Super Bowl, Highsnobiety chatted with "Mother Makeup" herself about all things Met Gala Monday, her favorite looks of years past, and the Internet's continuing obsession with "glass skin."
Met Gala Monday is fashion’s biggest night out. How would you describe the energy of the day?
The best way to describe the energy is frenetic but fabulous! We’ve spent months preparing for the event so there’s also a feeling of anticipation and excitement about it finally coming together. It’s also a special day because it’s an opportunity to see all your dearest friends and closest collaborators and spend the night celebrating what we love the most: fashion and beauty!
What is your Met Gala schedule like? I imagine it’s non-stop.
This year, myself and Team Pat McGrath did the makeup for 14 major celebrities. Then, Pat McGrath Labs hosted an intimate VIP watch event with Sephora, followed by a TikTok [livestream] with my team and a few special guests to talk about the looks we created. Not to mention all of the [after] parties. So yes, it really was non-stop!
I started the day very early, checking email and text messages to make sure nothing had changed overnight with any of my clients’ looks. This last check-in is crucial as it informs the final touches on all the bespoke looks I’ve designed for the night. I spent the rest of the day bouncing around between hotels uptown: The Mark, The Lowell, The Carlyle, which are where most of the celebrities get ready before the event. Once all of our clients were set with one last layer of Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder and a final swipe of our LUST: Gloss (or Lip Fetish Sheer Color Balm, in the case of Bad Bunny), then it was my turn to get ready for the Gala.
What are some of your favorite Met Gala beauty moments on the red carpet over the years?
There have been so many incredible Met Gala beauty moments, it’s impossible to pick favorites — each one is its own singular work of art.
I was honored to do Dua Lipa’s makeup last year when she co-hosted the event; we went for a ‘90s-inspired look using our Mothership VI: Midnight Sun Palette and MatteTrance Lipstick in "Beautiful Stranger." I also worked with Taylor Swift for her very first Met Gala years and years ago.
Then there was 2013, for “Punk: Chaos to Couture,” we created an array of punk-inspired looks for the 50 models who greeted guests as they entered the Gala. That was a dream creative brief because the theme was all about no rules, absolute freedom, and no fear. Similarly, we transformed models into androids for “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” in 2016, repurposing lacquered masks I created for the Alexander McQueen show the season before.
Your work for Maison Margiela's Spring 2024 couture show has become one of fashion and beauty’s most talked about moments this year, with longtime fans celebrating your artistry and younger people discovering you for the first time. What has it been like witnessing the outpouring of awe and appreciation in the show's wake?
It was so great to see the whole world become obsessed with "glass skin." The response was incredibly heartwarming and beautiful to see. It's one of the great pleasures of my life to be able to inspire people with my artistry, so I was so honored by the huge response and people’s deep, emotional reaction to the look. We pushed ourselves artistically and technically when creating the glass skin look and it meant so much to me to have that recognized.
You're working with Gwendoline Christie tonight, who closed the Margiela show. What was it like reuniting with her?
Gwendoline and I have been friends for years and share a mutual obsession with all things fashion, makeup, and art, so it’s always a pleasure to work together and catch up. The Met Gala was no different!
We had such a good time designing a look inspired by the Margiela makeup, using a luminous combination of Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation, Divine Blush: Legendary Glow Color Balm, and Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo to create a more wearable version of the glass skin effect.
You’re also working with Pamela Anderson, who usually goes makeup-free. Can you tell us more about her look?
Her look was all about showing how you can enhance your own natural beauty using makeup. I’d describe her look as spa-fresh with a fantasy twist. It’s airy and lively — there is a little dreaminess going on as well. She mentioned how much she loves the luminous skin we’re known for at Pat McGrath Labs, so we of course used our Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection System to enhance her beautiful complexion.
After prepping with Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence, I applied the Sublime Perfection Foundation with my hands, like a moisturizer, allowing the product to really melt into the skin. This serum-like formula is perfect if you want a more natural look because it’s lightweight and buildable — no matter how much you apply it always looks like skin.
After foundation, we went in with the Sublime Perfection Concealer to spot treat and brighten under eyes, followed by our Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo and Divine Cream Blush: Legendary Glow Color Balm, which together gave her skin the most ethereal glow.
Between the Met Gala itself and the after parties, it’s a long night. Is there a piece of advice or “hack” you have for making sure makeup stays on from dusk till dawn?
Ensuring your makeup stays in place for hours and hours is all about choosing long-lasting formulas and layering products strategically. Starting with a primer that absorbs excess oil, like my Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Primer, is a great way to extend the wear of your foundation and concealer.
An eyeshadow primer is also an important initial step for a night like the Met Gala. Our IntensifEYES Longwear Primer is humidity-proof, sweat-proof, and water-resistant, helping your eyeshadow last longer and keep from creasing.
Setting your makeup with a finely-milled powder — I recommend my Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder — is another integral step. However, it’s important to only apply it to the center of your face, leaving the perimeter of your face powder-free so it still reflects the light.
If you’re wearing liquid liner, I always recommend sketching out your shape with a pencil liner first and then layering a liquid liner on top. We used this technique on Elizabeth Debicki, for example, starting with the PermaGel Eyeliner in "Xtreme Black" topped with the Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner. This not only makes it easy to get the exact shape you want but it also ensures your liner stays in place.
