This $86 Essence Is the Secret to Taylor Swift’s Flawless Skin

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Don’t call it a comeback. Taylor Swift made an appearance at tonight’s MTV VMAs—her first since 2019—and, a surprise to no one, broke the internet in the process. 

Nominated for five awards (Swift has already taken home the award for Best Long Form Video for chart-topper “All Too Well”) the star arrived dressed for the occasion in a sparkling Oscar De La Renta dress complete with flawless makeup and her iconic red lip. 

The magician behind Swift’s glam? None other than Dame Pat McGrath. We have the breakdown of every product used to create the look pegged as the “Bejwewled Wing with a Major Red Lip.”

The Inspiration

“It’s always an absolute joy to work with the most divine Taylor Swift on creating a timeless red carpet look,” says McGrath. “We all know Taylor is an incomparable musician, but she’s also as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She’s truly an inspiration to me as a businesswoman and artist,” she continues. “Tonight’s look for the 2022 VMAs was sophisticated, sultry and sublime.” 

The Breakdown

To prep the skin and create a glowy base, McGrath used her Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence, a skin-care product that happens to boast Naomi Campbell’s stamp of approval. For foundation, it was Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation followed by Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer. To set, McGrath used the Sublime Perfection Loose Setting Powder and Under Eye Blurring Powder.

To bring color to the cheeks, McGrath used both the Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo in Nude and Divine Blush in Divine Rose and Nude Venus.

On the eyes, McGrath opted for the brand new Mothership X: Moonlit Seduction Palette, using shades Skintense Glow, Rosewood Romantique and Xtreme Nocturne. For the wing itself, McGrath trusted the Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner in Xtreme Black. 

After a swipe of FetishEYES Mascara, McGrath added crystals above Swift’s liner and into the crease in the shape of a ‘V’ to complete the look. 

On the lips, it was a combination of Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Deep Dive and LiquiLUST: Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Elson 4.