A Runway Trend We Can Actually Do Without Looking Cray

A splash of antique-gold shadow under the eyes and perfect skin: This is how makeup artist Pat McGrath interpreted the season's no-makeup makeup obsession for Gucci's fashion show in Milan. Like a lot of beauty inspiration we've seen on the runway so far, the Gucci girl still "wants to look like herself," says McGrath, referring to the models' glowing, un-contoured skin. But, that pop of casual glamour allowed the look to stay true to the heart of the brand — it is Gucci, after all.

This also marked the first time Gucci Cosmetics was used on the runway, and the look was fitting for the debut: radiant, edgy-chic, and wearable. After weeks of monotonously minimal runway beauty, this playful use of metallics caught our attention — and kept it. To create the eye, McGrath brushed smoky-brown hues from the Tuscan Palette across the top lid, and then used a wet brush to smudge Magnetic Color Shadow in Iconic Gold across the lower lashline. She used brown mascara only on the top lashes, allowing the gold to really stand out. "I wanted them to look very cool," the legendary makeup artist explains, adding, "It brings the eyes to life in that very natural way."

"[Frida Giannini] wanted the girls to look really fresh — as if they’re wearing nothing — but she still wanted that Gucci polish," says McGrath, using the models' skin as the point of reference for the raw-yet-polished feel. McGrath worked Gucci's Lustrous Glow Foundation into their faces "like a moisturizer," and then built it up sparingly over areas that needed extra help — so that the makeup was nearly transparent, allowing the skin's texture to show through. She notes that if you're not starting with well-cleansed skin, this method isn't going to help you: "If you don’t exfoliate the skin, your foundation looks old [and] tired."

We left the show with one major takeaway (other than the fact that we'll be counting down the days until October, when Gucci Cosmetics will become available): Gold eyeshadow is meant for the lower lash line (and perhaps, so are metallics in general). It's the perfect way to make that '90s-inspired smudgy bottom eyeliner contemporary and fresh. Plus, unlike other colors you may wear under the eyes, gold doesn't run the risk of making you appear tired — quite the opposite. So, although we know it's a trend for spring, we started wearing our metallics approximately five minutes ago.