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As the world continues to devour the second season of Shondaland’s hit Netflix series Bridgerton, makeup legend Pat McGrath is bringing the beauty of the Regency era into the real world, thanks to her Pat McGrath Labs x Bridgerton makeup collection, the second drop from which is now available. Described as a “Queen’s ransom of Regency-meets-modern beauty,” the collection features several products inspired by Bridgerton, including MTHRSHP: Belle of the Ball, a six-shade eye-shadow palette; Blushing Delights, which features three blushes and a highlighter; and SatinAllure™ Lipstick, which comes in seven Regency-ready hues.
The products are intended for all skin tones and can be used in a variety of ways, especially when paired with other Pat McGrath Labs essentials — which are perfect for finding that contemporary look with a hint of the ton. In fact, Bridgerton makeup artist Erika Ökvist featured several Pat McGrath Labs core products on all of the cast during season two, including the brand’s Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo and Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation.
“The collection is such an amazing continuation of how the story unfolds with all of the characters and with all of the stories in general throughout the season,” explains Kisha Augustine, the global manager of artistry & education for Pat McGrath Labs. “When you think about season two, it’s all about this beautiful, gorgeous, glowing skin. So, the collection is really an accessory to that. It’s about taking our Sublime Perfection The System, our foundation complexion system, and building to get this beautiful, gorgeous, glowing skin — and then adding the colors with the Bridgerton collection to build a look in whichever way you want to imagine.”
As simple as that sounds written on this page, executing a beauty look can take some practice. So, Augustine, who also points to the ornate packaging of the collection as a bonus for fans, offers some tips on how to best use the palette from the new Pat McGrath Labs x Bridgerton products to achieve a ton-worthy visage.
Interpret the palette in your own way
Because the Pat McGrath Labs x Bridgerton collection is intended for all skin tones and personal styles, there are a lot of ways to interpret the collection. In other words, it’s perfect for everyone because it’s incredibly customizable.
“When you look at the characters, they span every skin tone, from the lightest to the deepest,” Augustine notes. “Of course, we are a brand of inclusivity, and the cast is very diverse, and all of our clients are very diverse. So, you can take any of these colors and then build it and create those looks.”
She suggests that Bridgerton fans mix and match the eye-shadow shades and layer more than one for their eye look. Or add additional color later in the day to transition from the day look to the evening look. McGrath always suggests the motto “Use without caution,” which Augustine feels is a great approach here.
“Play!” she says. “Mix and play with them to create your own thing. I think that’s what makes it really beautiful. On the show, everybody has their own distinct look. And it’s very beautiful to see how you still have this beautiful, subtle, and luminous skin, but then adding those little pieces of each character with their own specific intentions and their own moods. You can just build it that way.”
For those who feel overwhelmed by using makeup or who are interested in becoming more skilled, Augustine suggests approaching it without any pressure. After all, if you mess up, you can just wipe it off and start again.
“I always say, just find one thing that you like,” she says. “The biggest myth about wearing makeup is that you have to do it all. Like you have to do the eye, you have to do the lip, you have to do the cheek. And that’s not necessarily the case. I think you just have to find the one thing that you want to accentuate and then start with one product, whether it’s adding a little bit of shimmer on the lid, adding a little bit of highlighter to the cheeks to give that glow, or adding lip liner to your lipstick and building it from there.”
Applying the palette
While Pat McGrath Labs recommends brushes from the line to help apply the eye shadows, blushes, and highlighters, they’re not actually necessary.
“As Pat always says, we use our fingers,” Augustine explains. “We’re a finger makeup artist kind of brand. Pat is infamous for using her magical finger. Whether you’re stamping it and using a little bit of water, you can literally just take your finger [to apply it]. It’s the body heat from the finger that meshes well with the product. If you’re on the go and you don’t have time to whip out a palette and a brush, it’s a great way to add some color. You can literally just whip out your palette with your finger and tap, tap, and then you’ve got a whole new look just like that.”
While the eye shadows, which come in a range of warm shades, can be used individually, Augustine recommends applying them in tandem to create more structure.
“Pat is known for how, even if it’s something that’s very subtle, we take those subliminal looks and build them up to something a little bit more sexy or something a little bit more avant-garde or subversive,” Augustine explains. “But even if you’re a person that’s on the go, you can literally take Diamond of the First Water and pop it on the lid, and you have a shimmer. If that works for you, then that’s fine. But if you want to build a little bit more structure, then you could add something like Ultimate Taupe, which is our go-to shade, to add subtle structure in the crease. You can also use it if you want to add a little bit of contour on the cheeks. There’s no right or wrong way to do it — it’s just a matter of ‘What’s the look we’re going for, and how are we going to create the steps to get there?’”
The eye shadows don’t have to be used just for the eyes, either. Augustine suggests thinking of them as “eye blushers,” which can be applied with a larger brush for a more sweeping accent along the upper cheek or to extend color from the eyelid.
“You can give it a little dab and pop it on, and add those little whispers and washes of color to build a look,” she says. “And figure out what brushes work for you depending on the type of look that you want. The type or the style of brush makes a big difference.”
When it comes to the actual blush, Augustine says, “There’s no wrong way to do blush.” The signature Pat McGrath method of applying blush starts with the foundation, then adds color to the cheeks, and finishes it off with powder. Your face structure will impact how you apply the blush, whether it’s on the apples of the cheeks or with longer sweeps that elongate the face. The Blushing Delights palette includes a highlighter, which helps to contour the look. But ultimately, it’s about the final effect you’re looking for. The collection’s Skintillating Diamond Body Shimmer adds a dewy look to the skin and can also be used as a highlighter.
“You can follow Pat’s signature look, or if you want something a little bit more airbrushed and matte, you can apply your blush,” Augustine says. “So, the same techniques, but you could just apply it after you’ve set your foundation with powder.”
Adding in other products
The Pat McGrath Labs x Bridgerton collection, of course, works in sync with other Pat McGrath Labs products, which can be used to accentuate the Regency-inspired palette. Augustine suggests adding the PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in BLK Coffee — a favorite of McGrath — to any eye look, especially for an evening vibe.
“That can instantly turn something into a smoky eye,” she says. “Or even if you’re just adding a little bit of the highlight or the Diamond of the First Water on the lid, you can take a bit of BLK Coffee eyeliner and add it, and it immediately just changes the look.”
If you want to bring in more shades of color, the Mothership palettes are a good place to start. Augustine’s favorite is Mothership VI: Midnight Sun, which features 10 shades inspired by the night sky. “I’ll take that, my favorite go-to colors, and I’ll use that to build my structure and then add whatever else that I want,” she notes. “I think it’s definitely a way that you can look at other products that we have to amplify and build those looks.”
The SatinAllure™ Lipstick from the Pat McGrath Labs x Bridgerton collection works on its own or can be augmented with lip liner or gloss. The Bridgerton-inspired shades come in two types of packaging — blue for cool shades, and pink for warm shades — which is helpful when putting together an overall look.
“With all of the seven shades that we have, there’s a color that can work for anyone, and the formula works for anyone,” Augustine says. “Then add in our PermaGel Ultra Lip Pencils, which might work with any of the shades. Or add a lip gloss on top of it. There’s so many different ways you can build it. I even add the Divine Rose [blushes] on top of it. I know that in the first season, Erika used the Divine Rose a lot — that’s from our core. It gives this beautiful wash of color on the lips but still hydrates and gives that super-luminous radiance to the look.”
Emily Zemler is a freelance writer and journalist based in London. She regularly contributes to the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, PureWow and TripSavvy, and is the author of two books. Follow her on Twitter @emilyzemler.
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