Ever since Pat McGrath [1] debuted that first pot of dazzling gold pigment in the Tuileries Garden in Paris four years ago, beauty-lovers around the world have been waiting patiently for the legendary makeup artist to come out with her own foundation. It's not because we're greedy, though. It's because throughout McGrath's two-and-a-half decade-long career, she's become known for her ability to create ethereal, otherworldly-looking skin. Applying nearly everything with her fingers, she is the master at making models and celebrities look like their skin is actually giving off light — not just reflecting it away — even as she blurred and blended away redness and spots with layers of primer, foundation, concealer, and powder. With the launch of her Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection System, McGrath finally gave the people what they wanted and then some, launching not just a liquid foundation, but an entire range of complexion products based on the multistep technique she's been using throughout her career.
"All of the previous launches — Gold 001, Lust 004 [2] — all of that was about telling secrets of how do we really get the ultimate sparkling lip, or how do you really work with a gold shadow. And I knew that once I had my fun with all of my sparkles and pigment, skin was going to be such an important of Pat McGrath Labs," McGrath told POPSUGAR at the launch event for the collection.
Over five years in the making, Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation System is also about divulging McGrath's backstage secrets: "We didn't want to just launch a one foundation formula because we wanted to show exactly how we do skin backstage [at fashion shows], and we don't do it with just one bottle of foundation," she said. "We wanted to show how we make it last longer, how we set it, how we layer it for different effects — the set is basically exposing the chemistry of our artistry."
The Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation System launches in the UK on July 26 on
patmcgrath.com [3] and selfridges.com [4]. Keep reading to learn about all of the products in the collection, including a primer, foundation, loose powder, and two cruelty-free brushes.
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Primer (£52)
The primer is one part moisturiser, one part FaceTune in a bottle. "It's a gel-cream that when applied to your skin, breaks into a water-like consistency and then dries to a velvety-matte finish," said Regina Maguire, senior vice president of global product innovation for Pat McGrath Labs who was also in attendance at the event. "The formula is over 50 percent water with a high level of high sodium hyaluronate, which acts like a moisture lock on the skin." It also contains ceramic fillers, which create a blurring effect on the skin, and glycerin, so if you have very oily skin, you can actually use it in place of your face cream.
McGrath often uses the primer on its own when the job calls for it. "For the menswear shows, we used just the primer because it gave the models' skin a slight matte, pulled-together feeling without looking like makeup," she said.
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation (£60)
McGrath describes the oil-free foundation formula as "serum-soft" (no, really, it feels like a feather brushing over your skin as it's applied), while the finish is meant to look completely natural. "It's like an extension of the skin," said McGrath. The secret behind the second-skin effect is twofold. First, it's the skincare-like ingredients in the formula (the brand calls it the "Vita-Serum Complex") that Maguire says activate your skin's natural production of hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Second, it's the soft-focus powder mixed into the formula that creates a blurring effect and "brings life to your skin," said McGrath.
Before the launch, everyone wondered how many shades McGrath would launch with. The final answer? 36 (although McGrath hinted that it's the magic number "for now"). "This has been the amount that I've needed to reach all skin tones when working backstage," she explained. To make sure they provided something for everyone, she broke down the range into five shade categories: Light, Light-Medium, Medium, Medium-Deep, and Deep. Within each shade category there are seven-to-eight different tones to choose from that feature neutral, cool, or warm undertones.
McGrath took extra care to ensure that the foundation would remain colour true — meaning the shade would never look ashy or chalky or skew too blue once out of the bottle and onto your skin. This comes down to the fact that the formula contains a high level of water (similar to the primer) but doesn't contain SPF (so remember to put on your sunscreen beforehand).
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder
"The powder is mistake proof — it's like air — and you still see skin after application," said McGrath. Surprisingly, it may just be the highlight of the collection.
"The jet-milled, microfine pigments make this truly the most lightweight powder I've ever seen in my life," said Maguire. "But the beautiful thing about it is that the particles are hexagonal and crystal-shaped, which means they lay flat, forming their own flexible matrix that moves with your skin." What does that mean for your face? That this powder can be used under your eyes without it ever settling into fine lines and creases.
And if you're rolling your eyes at the fact this is loose versus pressed, that was done for a good reason. "Pressed powders have to contain binders, which means they can rarely every be truly sheer," explained Maguire. "Pat wanted something more ethereal." McGrath actually wanted something way more specific: to replicate a loose powder that's been in her kit for 25 years and long since discontinued. "I've used it for ever, and there's only one jar left," she said. "And after years and years, I finally found a way to re-create that powder."
The Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Setting Powder comes in five shades, the lightest of which is almost the equivalent of a translucent hue. On days you don't feel like wearing foundation but still want a touch of coverage, McGrath actually suggests applying your specific shade of powder on top of the primer. A makeup artist showed me this layering technique at the event, and I was shocked at how good my skin looked afterwards; much of the redness around my nose and cheeks was gone.
On the flip side you, can also turn the foundation into a more full-coverage formula by adding powder on top of the foundation, then adding another layer of foundation and another layer of powder on top of that. Doing this, McGrath promises, will increase the opacity and lock your makeup in place without looking chalky or mask-like. "With most powders, you cannot layer foundation top — it's like mixing flour and water, you get a paste," said McGrath. "But with this, you can put the liquid foundation on top of the powder and not have a mess."
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Foundation and Powder Brush
McGrath also launched two brushes to be used for the foundation (the short brush on the left) and the powder (the taller brush on the right). And since I know you're wondering: yes, these brushes both have synthetic bristles meaning they're cruelty-free and vegan. They also feature FSC-certified wooden handles, meaning that the Forest Stewardship Council of the United Kingdom has signed off on the fact that they have been sourced responsibly.