Pat McGrath Just Revealed the Glass Skin Products That Gave Maison Margiela Models Porcelain Complexions
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Updated February 2, 2024: This article was updated with the face mask formula Pat McGrath uses to create the reflective, porcelain skin look, which the makeup artist just revealed during an Instagram Live.
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Pat McGrath finally revealed the secret to shiny glass skin that delivers the porcelain doll effect she created for Maison Margiela’s Couture Spring 2024 runway show. In an Instagram Live on Friday, February 2, McGrath broke down the concoction of face masks she used with an airbrush machine for the glass skin look: Freeman’s Renewing Cucumber Peel-Off Gel Facial Mask, Que Bella’s Hydrating Pineapple Peel-Off Face Mask, Daggett and Ramsdell’s Peel-Off Facial Mask, and Proot’s Calendula Peel-Off Mask.
During her Instagram Live tutorial, McGrath walked 17,000 viewers — including notable names like Jimmy Paul, Katie Jane Hughes, and Ariel Tejada — through the inspiration behind her porcelain doll look. “In my first briefing with John [Galliano], he took me on a journey in Paris by the Seine in the moonlight and painted a picture of these dolls coming to life with this glass skin,” McGrath explained during the live stream. “The challenge that John gave us was almost no-makeup makeup look that’s ethereal and otherworldly,” she added. “It took all of us to another planet.”
McGrath explained that she prepped the Margiela models’ skin with Pat McGrath Labs’ Divine Skin: Rose 001 Essence (“a spa treatment for the skin,” per McGrath), before using her Sublime Perfection Foundation. For the eyes, she applied a combination of shades from the Mothership I Subliminal Eyeshadow Palette. Models wore Divine Blush: Legendary Glow Colour Balm in a circular placement on the apples of the cheeks for a doll-like look. As for the lips, McGrath smudged the PermaGel UltraGlide Eye Pencil in Blitz Brown in the center of the lips to depth, then dabbed on the MatteTrance Lipstick in Guinevere, a moody crimson shade. McGrath also revealed her golden rule for flawless lips: “Always take your fingers around the edges of your lips and blur.”
To prep the skin for the concoction that turns skin into glass, McGrath skipped setting powder on the majority of the complexion, instead just dusting on a light layer of her Sublime Perfection Under Eye Blurring Powder. She then used a cotton swab to pat glue near the mouth, nose, and the inner eyes — an essential step that prevents the peel-off mask mixture from lifting.
Next up, pure alchemy. McGrath used a plastic spoon to whisk the four peel-off face masks with distilled water, thinning it out enough to feed it into an airbrush machine. Then, she misted the mixture onto the model’s face, using plastic spoons to cover the eyes while applying the mixture in a thin, even coat. She used a hair dryer to set the mixture, then repeated this process eight times to create the mask-like porcelain shine. To finish off the eyes with a glossy lid, McGrath used her Lust Lip Gloss in shades Peach Perversion and Flesh Astral for shine that doesn’t lift or crease.
McGrath revealed that her own glass skin product is “coming very soon,” but in the meantime, shop the products you need to try the look at home here.
Freeman Renewing Cucumber Peel-Off Gel Facial Mask
Amazon Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.5/5 stars
$3.86 $4.29 10% off
Editor testing and review notes: “Freeman’s mask has a thick, honey-like texture that feels cool as soon as you apply it. I applied a shot glass’s worth of the the product with my fingertips over makeup — the glossy effect sets in immediately, but you’ll want to use a hair dryer to set it (otherwise it took a thick coat 30 minutes to fully dry). I noticed some lifting around my nose and mouth, but if you do your best to keep a straight face while it’s drying it sets evenly.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $3.86
Proot Calendula Peel Off Mask
$18.99 $24.99 24% off
Price upon publish date of this article: $18.99
Que Bella Hydrating Pineapple Peel Off Face Mask
$3
$1.99
Price upon publish date of this article: $3
Daggett and Ramsdell Peel Off Facial Mask
$39.99
Price upon publish date of this article: $39.99
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More About the Hype Behind Pat McGrath’s Glass Skin Makeup Look
The internet went into a frenzy after the Maison Margiela Couture Spring 2024 runway show, with thousands of beauty lovers eager to find out how the British makeup artist achieved the poreless complexion look on runway models.
Shortly after the Paris Couture Week show, beauty fanatics and experts quickly began to dissect McGrath’s brilliant makeup artistry, with one of the makeup artist’s Instagram posts garnering over 309,000 likes — and the praise has continued to roll in. Bobbi Brown commented “Omg. You are the greatest living makeup artist of all time.” Katy Perry added, “My fav ever. Iconic. I’ve only ever used that word like twice. I think the first time was Beyoncé.”
While the couture collection has been heralded as one for the history books by critics, the response to McGrath’s porcelain doll makeup has equally turned into an unforgettable viral sensation, reminding us of the awe-inspiring creativity that comes from McGrath and John Galliano’s long-time runway show collaboration.
Redditors were quick to investigate potential products McGrath used to create the look. As of Saturday, January 26, the crowd-sourced verdict was that McGrath used Kryolan Liquid Glass, a vinyl polymer that forms a clear, reflective film on the skin. The product is fully sold out on Kryolan’s website, with a restock scheduled in three weeks. However, McGrath replied to a TikTok by Nico Haagenson about the Kryolan theory, saying “Amazing!! But we will show the real product soon! Stay tuned.”
Makeup artist Erin Parsons was the closest to uncovering McGrath’s secret. She posited in a TikTok posted January 28 that Freeman’s Cucumber Peel-Off Gel Mask was the secret behind the glass skin, noting that the face mask would need to be diluted to function with the airbrush machine. Parsons goes on to DIY the mask-and-water combo, spraying on five layers of the watered-down mask and using a hair dryer to set and seal it between coats.
Whether Kryolan, cucumber, or a bespoke concoction from Mother herself, special effects makeup isn’t known for nourishing skin the way regimented, Korean-inspired glass skin routines do. Consumer trends point to growth in the skin care category — it was the fastest-growing sector during the fourth quarter of 2023 — but still, the masses are entranced with the special-effects, makeup-first shortcut McGrath used for a poreless look.
More Glass Skin Makeup Products to Shop
Pat McGrath Labs Divine Skin: Rose 001 Essence
Nordstrom Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
Ulta Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
$86
$86
Pat McGrath Labs Divine Skin: Rose 001 Essence was an essential step in prepping the Maison Margiela models’ skin. This product sets a dewy foundation with its biphase formula that includes a milky emulsion and rose water essence. Use it as a base before moisturizer and makeup primer, then tap it over cream and liquid makeup products for more shine.
Price upon publish date of this article: $86
Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face & Body Gloss
Amazon Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.5/5 stars
$23.53 $35 33% off
One TikTok user posted a video using this gloss by Kevyn Aucoin for a porcelain skin look, wielding a makeup sponge to layer the glaze over cream blush, foundation, lipstick, and eyeshadow for a high-shine finish. The product is available in six ethereal shades, but the Crystal Clear colorway has blue undertones that aligns with the cool-toned look of the Margiela models.
Editor testing and review notes: “This face and body glaze is a dream to use — it has the finest, pearly pigments that impart a reflective look without looking like painted-on glitter. I love it for the high planes of my cheeks over a cool-toned liquid blush and as a body highlighter on my collarbones and shoulders. It has the nourishing feel of a lightweight face cream, but doesn’t feel greasy.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $23.53
Gucci Beauty Éclat De Beauté Effet Lumière Gel Face Gloss
Sephora Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
$37
$37
Consider it a lip gloss for the skin — Gucci Beauty’s face gloss is a translucent jelly that adds wet shine wherever you apply it. It’s friendly for tapping over foundation and blush, or mixing in with eyeshadows for a glossy lid look. The silicone-free formula is surprisingly breathable, and easy to remove with warm water.
Price upon publish date of this article: $37
Tower 28 Beauty SuperDew Shimmer-Free Highlight Balm
Sephora Top-Quality Store Badge on Google: 4.8/5 stars
$18
The caveat of a porcelain doll skin look is that many glossy products leave you with a sticky finish that can catch stray pieces of hair. That’s not the case with Tower 28’s highlighting balm, which melts into the skin for a luminous look that doesn’t feel wet on the skin.
Editor testing and review notes: “This is a super wearable way to achieve a softer version of a porcelain doll makeup look: The balm deposits more of a dewy finish rather than high-wattage shine. It can cause makeup to smudge a little if you apply it with your fingertips or a makeup brush — use a makeup sponge to stipple it where you’d like some luminosity instead.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $18
Mac Cosmetics Jelly Slime All-Over Highlighter
$28
This limited-edition highlighter by Mac is a buildable gel: Use one to two coats for a sheer dewy look, or more to bring out the metallic shimmer. The silver shade brings a cool-toned touch that’s in lockstep with McGrath’s porcelain skin look. It’s only available for Mac Lover members, but it’s free to sign up.
Price upon publish date of this article: $28
KJH.Brand Hyper Shine High Lite Kit
$75
KJH.Brand’s highlighter kit includes a shimmery pot of pigment with a liquid glaze you can use to calibrate the sheen and shimmer of the product. The pink shade layers beautifully over blush and on bare skin — apply a generous amount of the included Hyper Shine Serum for a glass skin look.
Editor testing and review notes: “KJH.Brand’s highlighter is genius because it lets you control how much pigment and sheen you put down by adding more of the pigment or more of the shiny serum. For a glossy skin look, I’ll drop a dime-size amount of the serum into the pot of pigment and use the brush to swirl and blend the two together, then paint it onto my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose. The serum can catch a stray hair or two, so I recommend it with a slicked-back hair look.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $75
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Meet the Author
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over six years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She keeps her finger on the pulse of all things related to beauty and wellness, as well as the latest shopping trends and clothing brands.
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