This story is part of a special series celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Fast Company Innovation Festival.
When makeup artist Pat McGrath launched her eponymous beauty line in 2015, she included “Labs” in the name for a reason. McGrath, the first to elevate runway makeup to a realm of artistic fantasy on its own (feathers as eyelashes for Valentino, lacquered masks for Alexander McQueen, 30,000 Swarovski crystals covering rapper Doja Cat for Schiaparelli), is an alchemist at her core. She had spent decades inventing formulas to achieve products that made her job easier. And with Pat McGrath Labs, she found a way to bring her innovations to the everyday user.
McGrath pioneered beauty’s direct-to-consumer model, launching her first product, Gold 001, a luxe gold pigment, on her social media channels in 2015, a month before Kylie Jenner debuted her lip kits. McGrath mastered the art of the drop, creating hype for limited-run products that would sell out in minutes. Her move to establish a collection in 2017 led to private equity firm Eurazeo Brands investing $60 million a year later, bringing Pat McGrath Labs’ valuation to $1 billion at the time and spurring a trend of celebrity makeup lines that include Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs, and more.
Some of that momentum around McGrath’s label has cooled (Eurazeo Brands sold its stake in 2021, and the company has reportedly struggled to reach profitability). But her imagination continues to captivate the beauty industry: The porcelain-doll-like “glass skin” look she created for Maison Margiela’s spring 2024 couture collection drew resounding praise from beauty journalists and influencers. Naturally, she’s now developing products that anyone can use to create the look.
What makes a “Pat McGrath” product?
You are transported into another world. We all need to escape, and makeup is one of the best escapes on planet Earth.
How do you translate your artistry, like your work for the recent Maison Margiela show, into products?
That was such a moment. I had worked on the formula for many years, and [then creative director] John [Galliano] gave me that idea of the underground world of Paris [and 1930s] porcelain dolls. When I started, it was like something I’d done before. And then we merged that glass skin on top, and it became a whole new surreal world. I loved seeing how viral it went. It was wild. I can say: Yes, the [glass skin] product is coming very soon.
What is the biggest change you’re seeing in the beauty industry?
The passion. I’m seeing these amazing articles about kids going into stores, and they know everything about beauty. They are your future product developers, because they know beauty to the point of science.
How would you describe the impact you’ve had on the beauty industry?
I’m bringing beauty to everyone, letting everyone know that they can do it, that they can have fun. Giving everyone the best formulas. [With] bad formulas, you need to be Leonardo da Vinci. [With] good formulas, anybody can do it.