Ever since John Galliano hypnotized Couture Week with his show for Maison Margiela, one question has obsessed makeup enthusiasts around the world: how did Pat McGrath, the make-up artist who worked behind the scenes of the show, she managed to transform the mannequins into porcelain dolls?
On social networks, theories are multiplying.
Vaseline?
Latex?
Vegetable wax?
Everyone wants to reproduce this “
glass skin
” effect and on TikTok, the videos are multiplying.
@sacheu
Glass Skin inspired by the Pat Mcgrath x Maison Margiela Makeupim obsessed!
#greenscreen
In this shirt - ___lyrics.___
Faced with so much enthusiasm and creativity, the makeup artist ended up agreeing to reveal her secrets.
And met his community this Friday, February 2 at 9 p.m. (French time) on his brand's Instagram account.
In the comments, the emotion is palpable, the suspense almost unbearable.
“You made the internet go crazy with this technique!”, “Honestly, it's like Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Eid and all the holidays rolled into one.
My excitement level is really real!”, “Thanks for the gift!
The world needs something fun and beautiful like this to lift their spirits.
You are so special Lady Pat.”
To an Internet user who wrote on the fashion house's account “I can't understand makeup.
Is it a thin mask or something else?”, another responds: “Stay tuned on February 2 for the Instagram live masterclass recreating the Maison Margiela porcelain look.
A gift given to us mortals by the greatest.”
This shows the aura enjoyed by the famous makeup artist who has already officiated behind the scenes at numerous shows.
And to whom we owe in particular the glitter faces of the Valentino haute couture spring-summer 2020 show. Another artistic look which captivated the front row like the rest of the beauty sphere.
Ultimate proof of the impact of the Maison Margiela look and the popularity of Pat McGrath, the live event brought together more than 15,000 people.
“All the makeup artists around the world are connected,” laughs a participant on the messages posted live.
“A hyper-glossy glaze, imitating the smooth, reflective quality of glass”
Pat McGrath had already revealed at the end of the show a “Get the Look” or the little guide to reproducing the look of the fashion show... but maintained a sort of vagueness.
It was just specified in the press release that “the skin is covered with a hyper-shiny glaze, imitating the smooth and reflective quality of glass and completing the incredible metamorphosis of the models.”
And to reproduce it, we will need to prepare the skin with its Divine Skin Rose OO1 The Essence lotion (sold for €99 at Sephora.)
And if the base with the lotion proves essential for the expert as she emphasizes at the start of her live, the secret to this porcelain complexion lies in several things.
First of all, in dots of water-based glue placed with a cotton swab at strategic points: at the corner of the lips, on the bridge of the nose, at the inner corner of the eye.
Then, the makeup artist imagined this famous glaze which results from a mix of several masks (including the Pineapple Peel off from Que Bella or the Cucumber Renovator from Freeman) mixed with plain water.
She also included Clear Gloss from The Illustrator, a product that was created by make-up artist Ve Neill to achieve Jude Law's “plastic effect” complexion in Steven Spielberg's film
AI
.
To apply this glaze lightly, it was not with a brush that the team worked but with a tool specific to the world of painting: the airbrush, drying between each layer with a hairdryer as best you can. see him in some behind the scenes videos from the show and in the masterclass.
Pat McGrath also explains that to have this glass and porcelain effect you need at least 7 to 8 layers.
The latter require exposure to a hairdryer between each step to little by little see “these dolls come to life” as the makeup artist describes it.
A revolutionary process that she has actually been working on for three years and which, she insists, does not give a sticky result.
On the day of the show, the models were called at 7 a.m. for a show...at 7 p.m.;
12 hours of preparation were therefore necessary to develop this very arty beauty look on the big day.
The real challenge for Pat McGrath?
“The timing but also this millimeter precision, especially since there are many steps” before emphasizing that all of this is the result of real teamwork.
On Instagram, a video montage also shows the models removing this glaze like a peel-off mask or second skin.
Like a change backstage.
From poetry to removing makeup.
Beyond the skin, other details help to create this doll-like look.
All of this is done before applying the glaze.
Thus the eyebrows are discolored to be replaced by fine arcs, as if drawn in pencil.
On the cheeks, a cream blush (Le Divine Blush: Legendary Glow Coulour Balm) is applied to the center of the cheeks.
While on the lips, shades of blood red and black are covered with a transparent gloss (Lust: Glow Nude Négligée) to recreate a stunning pout.
On some lips, green flirts with pink.
Always more confusing.
One of the silhouettes from the Maison Margiela show.
Pat MacGrath
After such a splash, what will the make-up artist who reigns backstage have in store for us?
Answer to the next Fashion Week.