One of my earliest memories is my mother’s vanity table and the time I spent watching her do her make-up. She was totally beauty obsessed and loved creating looks that were often inspired by what she saw for the two minutes the BBC would run the Paris shows. The arts, film, theatre, fashion, and make-up; anything and everything that was creative were very inspirational to her.
Make-up and the arts brought my mother such immense joy - it was her happy place - and to see how much pleasure it gave her definitely had a hand in my own obsession with beauty and fashion.
My mother had such an incredible imagination and was wonderfully creative and practical. There were very few shades available for our skin tone at the time, so she’d take things into her own hands - quite literally - and make her own products, sometimes even mixing in things like cocoa powder. Other times, she'd do a complete face of make-up and then take a bath so the moisture would create the sublimely perfected, 'Skin Fetish' finish I became known for decades later.
She wanted to train my eye, so she would often stand in-front of the TV during my favourite shows and request that I explain to her what she had done differently and what products she’d used to achieve her look. I learned so much from her.
She was such a strong, creative woman. Despite her lack of formal background in beauty or fashion, she taught herself to sew and create looks fresh off the catwalk. If she were alive today she would most likely be backstage with me, YouTubing a step-by-step tutorial for using my EYEdols Single Eye Shadows.
The Avon lady was my very first beauty and business icon who subliminally let me know that there was a place in the cosmetics industry for women like me who were entrepreneurial and beauty obsessed. I remember sitting at the window waiting for her to arrive. The moment I saw her approach, the world changed, it was magical.
Another major mentor was the stylist Kim Bowen, who was one of the first ‘industry’ people to remark that I had talent that was more than just doing my own make-up. I was so young when we first met in a nightclub in London, and I just remember being so starstruck by her.
Kim asked me what I wanted to be and I said a make-up artist. She used to let me go on the very early i-D shoots with her and I would just watch how everything came together and I’d pick things up as it went along. I'm self-taught, so it was times like being on set and then going on to do shoots for The Face and Blitz Magazine that my obsession with beauty, fashion and make-up became a real profession.
Being considered as the 'Mother of Make-Up' is beyond divine. It was a nickname that started backstage and on shoots as a joke amongst friends. It’s always a giggle when I’m walking down the street and out of nowhere hear 'MOOOOOOTHER!' screamed at the top of someone’s voice.
No one loves beauty and cosmetics more than I do, so to have earned the title after twenty five years spent doing exactly what I love every single day can be summed up in one word - heaven. It is truly an honour to be considered a mentor by the new generation of MUAs, illustrators, designers, musicians and filmmakers. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing my own visual universe and products reinterpreted by different voices, hands and eyes. J'adore!
From the beginning of my career, I have always championed extended shade ranges and inclusive casting, from day one of LABS our McGrath Muses have been everyone from Charli XCX, to Paloma Elsesser, to Naomi Campbell, to Duckie Thot and beyond. In addition, every single shade and product in PAT McGRATH LABS range is universally flattering and tested - rigorously - on women of all complexions. I want every woman to feel and look as beautiful as they want to be.
Love what you do. Work as hard as you can. Seize every opportunity presented. And most importantly, be cool, be nice, and treat everyone the way you would like to be treated.
Shop Pat McGrath Labs
Pat McGrath Labs LuxeTrance Lipstick in Major Red - £35
Available at Selfridges soon
Pat McGrath Labs Lust Gloss in Blood 2 - £26
Available at Selfridges soon
Pat McGrath Labs LuxeTrance Lipstick in Apricult
Available at Selfridges soon
