Pat McGrath: Makeup to the Max

Each season, Pat McGrath wows with her makeup pyrotechnics, and spring was no exception. From the theatrical glamour at John Galliano to the barely there but bold at Balenciaga, McGrath’s looks helped define the predominant themes seen throughout. “This season was so exciting and eclectic,” says the makeup artist, who is also P&G’s creative design director for makeup. “We’re having a major return to full-on looks.” That meant judicious pops of bright color—particularly what McGrath calls a “brazen” red on the mouth or an unexpected jolt like pink on the eyes offset by black liner and mascara—and a return to all-out glamour with undeniable sex appeal. Says McGrath, who worked on 30 spring shows but never lost her cool despite the pressures backstage: “Makeup is back in a big way.”