Whether you dove headfirst into Taylor Swift’s celebratory manicure, stocked up on Swift-inspired fashion staples, or have simply lulled yourself to sleep with hits like “Lavender Haze, Swifties have had quite the past few days in the wake of Swift’s Midnights release. Well, Swift isn't letting us rest yet, and just dropped the star-studded video for "Bejeweled," featuring icons like Laura Dern, Dita Von Teese, and makeup artist extraordinaire Dame Pat McGrath.
The video puts a spin on the classic Cinderella story, where Taylor is toiling away for an evil stepmother figure (Dern) and her daughters, played by the Haim sisters. But, this isn’t any ordinary night—it’s the evening of the ball where the Queen (McGrath herself) chooses a partner for the prince based on a talent contest.
Swift is able to ditch her evil family, and as she takes a magical elevator from the basement to the palace penthouse, her braid crown and bare face are traded for bedazzled beauty looks fit for a princess. Finally, when she reaches the top, she puts on a show for the Queen and wins the talent contest with a final dance number.
McGrath tells Byrdie that she was beyond nervous to play the role of Queen (even though we think she's the perfect fit)."When the divine Taylor asked me to create looks for 'Bejeweled,' I was thrilled. I was then further honored when she proposed that I play the role of the Queen, in front of the camera!"
"Normally, I am most comfortable behind the scenes, but Taylor is a superb and meticulous director," she continues. "She made me feel so comfortable and secure—it was truly a dazzling experience from start to finish."
McGrath reveals that the inspiration behind Taylor's looks actually stems from the Swifties themselves. McGrath says, "We had such a fabulous time creating the looks for ‘Bejeweled’—Taylor is such a visionary and thinks about all the details! When she mentioned that she wanted to make a video just for the fans who like shimmer, I knew this was going to be magical."
The Looks
McGrath tells us that she used her signature dewy complexion combo as a base for each of Taylor's makeup looks. "Of course each look always begins with skin! For complexion, I begin with Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence ($86) and Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation ($68) for my signature glowing skin." She aptly named the standout looks: Midnight Muse, Bejeweled Beauty, and Dreamy Decadent Beauty.
Midnight Muse
The first of the major looks is editorial yet simplistic, featuring a barely-there nude lip along with a medley of shimmering blue eyeshadows elongated into a smokey wing. “To start, I build structure and create definition using PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencils in Blitz Blue and Xtreme Black.” McGrath then elongated Swift’s eye shape “by blending Nocturnal Navy to the outer corner of the eye. For added metallic shimmer onto the lid, apply Aquarian Dream & Bronze Infatuation from MTHRSHP Mega: Celestial Nirvana Palette ($82).” She finished it off with a “jewel-toned sparkle from Blitz Emerald from Mothership II: Sublime Palette.”
Bejeweled Beauty
As Swift reaches the higher floors of the building she’s in, her looks’ glamour escalates, too. In the next scene, she wears matching makeup with none other than Dita Von Teese, her "fairy goddess," as the two perform a burlesque number on stage. The makeup includes a classic red lip, which is a staple that both Swift and Von Teese have worn throughout the years. Their eye looks are glitzy, with metallic silver lids, a razor-sharp wing (one of Taylor’s go-to eye looks), and a constellation of rhinestones on the inner corners of their eyes.
“The first step was building structure in the crease and under the eyes using Desert Divinity from MTHRSHP Mega: Celestial Nirvana ($82)” says McGrath. She then created a metallic sheen on the lids by patting Sterling from Mothership IV: Decadence Palette ($128) on with a damp brush. “The look was adorned with ‘Sapphire tears’ in the inner corner and under her eyes.”
Dreamy Decadent Beauty
McGrath turned the dial to full sparkle with Swift’s last look, where the singer dons a glimmering graphic liner look made entirely from rhinestones, which hovers above her crease and connects to the lash line in a v-shape towards the outer corner of her eye. If you think you’re having déjà vu, you’re not—Pat McGrath and Swift teased this look at the VMAs earlier this year, where the star paired a similar makeup look with a glitzy rhinestone dress.
Similar to her VMA's look earlier this year, this eye look features shades Skintense Glow and Xtreme Nocturne from the Mothership X: Moonlit Seduction Eye Palette ($128). McGrath deepens this eye look for the "Bejeweled" music video by adding in shades Blitz Venus, Astral Lilac Aura, and Platinum Dusk from the same palette, along with shade Sterling from the Mothership IV: Decadence Palette ($128) for a multi-dimensional, almost holographic look.
McGrath used the Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner in Xtreme Black ($34) to create a sharp wing, and a coat of FetishEYES Mascara ($32) to add volume and length to Swift's lashes. She ties the look off with the Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil ($29) in Blood Lust and Deep Dive and LiquiLUST: Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick ($32) in Elson 4 to create Taylor's iconic red lip.
When asked her favorite look, McGrath is stumped. "The truth is I love all of the looks and how they communicated the visual story. From crystal eyes bejeweled wings and dimensional lips... so many fabulous looks! How can you choose?"
To celebrate the video, McGrath is hosting a contest for her TikTok followers—and hand-selecting the winners—and the prize is too good to miss: a bundle of Pat McGrath Labs goodies. To enter, simply re-create your favorite look from the video, and tag Pat and use the hashtag #LABSLOVESBEJEWELED. "I'm so excited to everyone’s interpretation of these gorgeous looks!"