The Secret to Maison Margiela's 'Porcelain Doll' Makeup Costs Less Than a Latte
The Internet has crowed Maison Margiela the winner of Couture Week. Under the creative direction of John Galliano, the house put on a show dripping in artistry, from the choreography (models worked with movement director Pat Boguslawski to perfect their "broken doll" walks) to the actual clothes (according to a press release, Galliano used 15 different sewing, draping, and embellishment techniques — several of which he invented — to craft the collection).
Makeup also played a pivotal role in telling Galliano's story, a meditation on the "ritual of dressing" as a "composition of the self." Legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath, whose collaborative relationship with Galliano dates back to the designer's days at Dior, turned models into porcelain dolls, painting their eyes and lips in washes of pastel color.
Bringing the look to the next level was glassy, hyperreal skin that gleamed as if it had been buffed and polished. Netizens are flooding social media with speculation on how McGrath may have achieved the surreal effect, helping the show — and its makeup magic — go viral.
While McGrath herself hasn't yet revealed her exact technique, the Internet has some theories. On Instagram, one commentator alleged that McGrath and her team brought the product (or combination of products) responsible for models' shiny, plasticky skin in unlabeled cups.
"I suspect it's some form of clear peel off face mask," said user added.
Building on the theory, some are guessing that McGrath used Kryolan Liquid Glass, a liquid glaze that dries to a reflective finish. "Liquid Glass can be lifted as a film after completely drying," the product page specifies, seemingly corroborating videos of models peeling their shiny second skin off post-show.
McGrath later clarified in a TikTok comment that Liquid Glass was not involved in the making of Margiela couture, but that hasn't stop curious onlookers from giving it a shot. The product, which retails for only $5.40, was available last Friday and sold out over the weekend.
Another product widely cited in social media content speculating on McGrath's technique is Freeman's Renewing Cucumber Peel-Off Gel Facial Mask, a $4 drugstore find.
Celebrity makeup artist Erin Parsons was first to float the theory, thanks to a tip she received from someone who worked on the Margiela show.
According to the source, McGrath used a product that looked like Listerine mouthwash — the Freeman mask has a similar blue-ish green tint, leading Parsons to believe that McGrath mixed it with water and applied it in thin layers using an airbrush.
On February 2, McGrath finally spilled her secrets in a step-by-step tutorial live-streamed on Instagram. The artist and her team loaded airbrushes with a mix of "so many" masks — including Que Bella's Hydrating Pineapple Peel Off Mask, Proot's Calendula Peel Off Face Mask, and Freeman's aforementioned Renewing Cucumber Peel-Off Gel Facial Mask — mixed with distilled water and a hint of Skin Illustrator Clear Gloss.
The look required eight layers of the mixture, each coat individually set with a hairdryer.
If you're not keen on concocting McGrath's goopy skin finish at home, fear not: On Instagram Live, she revealed that she's developing a one-stop product to achieve the look.
So there you have it: The secret to a runway makeup moment that will go down in history. Thank you, Professor Pat!
