Pat McGrath Is Bringing a ‘Softly Sinister’ Mood to Winter Makeup
#Pat McGrath #Winter Makeup #Fashion Week #Beauty Trends #Gothic Makeup #Lipstick #Eye Makeup #Khaite
📌 Key Takeaways
- Pat McGrath introduces a 'softly sinister' winter makeup trend for Fall/Winter 2026
- The trend features dramatic eyes and rich lips balanced with luminous skin
- McGrath's looks are designed to be both runway-worthy and wearable for everyday
- The trend aligns with broader Gothic romance aesthetics gaining popularity
📖 Full Retelling
Legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath, founder of Pat McGrath Labs, introduced her 'softly sinister' winter makeup trend at New York Fashion Week during the Khaite and Anna Sui Fall/Winter 2026 shows in February 2026, continuing her reputation as the beauty industry's premier trendsetter who previously went viral with the glass-skin moment at Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024. McGrath's winter collection focuses on dramatic, moody looks featuring rich, inky lips and deep, smoked-out eyes balanced with luminous skin. At the Khaite show, she created a cinematic aesthetic with wine-stained lips and smoked eyes, describing it as 'beauty that felt cinematic and slightly sinister—softly smoked eyes, a strong burgundy outline and lips that read like deep, inky velvet.' She used products like MatteTrance Lipstick in Elson and PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in Xtreme Black to achieve these looks, which she says embody 'quiet power—painterly, modern and unforgettable.' At Anna Sui's show, McGrath continued the 'slightly dangerous' theme, pairing dramatic eyes with perfected, luminous skin using products like Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation and Mothership II: Sublime. While she mentioned new products coming soon, she emphasized that recreating these looks is accessible by choosing rich, dramatic shades. The trend aligns with the broader Gothic romance aesthetic gaining popularity, evidenced by the buzz around new Wuthering Heights adaptations and Margot Robbie's press tour looks, showing how runway beauty trends are extending into mainstream culture.
🏷️ Themes
Beauty Trends, Fashion Week, Makeup Artistry
📚 Related People & Topics
Fashion week
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Original Source
Pat McGrath Is Bringing a ‘Softly Sinister’ Mood to Winter Makeup The runway is calling for richer lips and deeper liner. Leiana Foye Published: Feb 20, 2026 We may earn commission from links on this page. Each product featured has been vetted and chosen by our editors. Courtesy of Pat McGrath Labs If there’s one person who can set a trend in motion, it’s legendary celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath. The founder of her eponymous line, Pat McGrath Labs, she’s the definition of a trendsetter. Remember the glass-skin moment at the Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024 runway? Models walked with mirror-like, reflective skin that instantly went viral—courtesy of McGrath and her team. This season, she’s doing it again, leaning into dark, dramatic makeup to close out winter. At New York Fashion Week, McGrath delivered standout winter beauty moments worth recreating at home. She doubled down on inky eyes and statement lips, balanced with luminous, fresh-looking skin. Though the looks debuted on the runway, they translate seamlessly into real life. Modern Noir Moody makeup looks dominated the Khaite Fall/Winter 2026 runway, where wine-stained lips and smoked-out eyes set the tone. “I wanted beauty that felt cinematic and slightly sinister—softly smoked eyes, a strong burgundy outline and lips that read like deep, inky velvet,” says McGrath. “I used MatteTrance Lipstick in Elson ($39) with something new (coming soon!) for that perfectly sculpted, noir mouth and built the gaze with PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in Xtreme Black ($29). Everything was about quiet power—painterly, modern and unforgettable.” While the mystery lip addition remains under wraps, recreating the look is simply a matter of choosing rich, inky shades that lean into the drama. And if you need further convincing, Taylor Swift is known to reach for that same Elson lipstick shade. Polished With Edge At Anna Sui’s Fall/Winter 2026 show, McGrath continued the “slightly dangerous” theme, pairing dramatic eyes wi...
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