Pat McGrath Reveals the Drugstore Cleanser She Uses to Take It All Off

ALLURE: Which artists of the non-makeup variety do you admire?

PM: I am always deeply inspired by 17th and 18th century French and German rococo and baroque styles, specifically the architects of Nymphenburg and Versailles, mixed with Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Besson’s Le Cinquième Élément.

ALLURE: Most descriptive beauty adjective in your vocabulary:

PM: Major!

ALLURE: Most admired person:

PM: I adore Grace Jones.

ALLURE: Last TV binge…

PM: Le Bureau.

ALLURE: Favorite flower:

PM: A “Divine Rose,” of course!

ALLURE: When we can travel again, what is the first place you’d like to go?

PM: A little heat could be nice, but I’m not like a lot of my friends — it’s like the Grand National rushing to get to the airport! They just want to go somewhere. I’m like, “I have been somewhere my whole life.” Once, in a single week, I went from New York to London to Japan and back to New York. I’m not bolting to the airport.

ALLURE: Do you dream about makeup?

PM: Working in makeup is a dream! 

ALLURE: Drugstore beauty staple:

PM: Bioderma Sensibio H20.

ALLURE: Favorite sunscreen:

PM: Institut Esthederm Bronz Repair.

ALLURE: The products that are always in your shower:

PM: The Aesop Citrus Melange Body Cleanser, the Oui The People Rose Gold Sensitive Skin Razor and Sugarcoat Shave Gel-to-Milk, and the Pattern Leave-In Conditioner.

ALLURE: I feel most confident when… 

PM: …I read reviews from beauty lovers around the world who’ve spent their hard-earned money on something from Pat McGrath Labs and they love it. That’s just beyond rewarding.

ALLURE: Who are your beauty icons?

PM: Donyale Luna, Grace Jones, Pierre Laroche, and Serge Lutens.

ALLURE: Who makes the best black headband?

PM: They are actually handmade for me in Paris at an undisclosed location ;).

ALLURE: Wellness essentials:

PM: Sleep. Laughter. Friends.

ALLURE: Last product you finished:

PM: My Bronze Temptation Lust Gloss. I am obsessed!

ALLURE: Most used item in your personal makeup bag:

PM: My Dark Star Mascara.

ALLURE: Most surprising item in your personal makeup bag: