Dearest Reader: Pat McGrath Dreamt Up a Regal New "Bridgerton" Makeup Collection

Like many of us in lockdown, Dame Pat McGrath binge-watched Netflix's hit show "Bridgerton." She fell in love with the fantasy, the diversity, the regality — and then, in December 2021, she went and made all of our Regency-era beauty dreams come true: she partnered with Shondaland and Netflix and went and made a Pat McGrath Labs x "Bridgerton" makeup collection. And she's back again with a second limited-edition drop just in time for season two to release on March 25.

That's right, the most decadent show on television paired up with the most decadent cosmetics brand (again) and created an all-new dreamy five-piece collection. "I'm so proud and honored to bring this to you along with Shondaland and Netflix," McGrath tells POPSUGAR on a Zoom call with beauty editors to announce the collection.

The legendary makeup artist was turned onto the show last Christmas, and the story of how she came onto the series is hilariously relatable. "I was watching a murder mystery, and I was just gripped by it. But my friend kept telling me, 'Pat, I'm watching "Bridgerton." You need to stop it and start watching something more uplifting. Come to Grosvernor Square.' So I click over and, oh, the wisteria, the richness, the regality, the beauty. I was completely taken away by the divinity of the show. I was swept away and got lost," McGrath says.

The thing is, McGrath has long been obsessed with the beauty and lavishness of Regency-era England, taking inspiration from the period for both runway shows at Fashion Week and editorial photo shoots in magazines. Many of her fantastical makeup looks for Christian Dior in the early 2000s referenced the Regency era with tea-stained eyeshadow, blown-out blusher, and immaculate skin, and she explained that she's used all of the colors featured in the collection for decades. It's just one of the reasons this pairing makes so much sense.

Another reason is the fact that both McGrath and "Bridgerton" producer Shonda Rhimes have been champions of bringing more inclusivity to their respected art forms. When talking about the show, McGrath is quick to acknowledge the importance of the show's diverse cast. "What I will say about the Shonda Rhimes series is that the modernity and the diversity — that's what I was completely obsessed with. You know, it was a real honor to see the Regency era with that modern twist, and that's what's needed. And it brought so much joy."

So how did McGrath translate "Bridgerton"'s Regency-era fashion and beauty into a makeup range that people could wear in 2022? The first time around, she created a new Mthrshp Eye Shadow Palette that contained colors that can go from "natural to sublime and subversive," a Divine Blush + Glow Trio featuring the brand's bestselling blush formula, and two gold-toned Skin Fetish highlighters, all wrapped up in lavish packaging covered in depictions of satin bows, plush cushions, and strands of pearls.

For Pat McGrath Labs x "Bridgerton" II, she's launching another eyeshadow palette called Mthrshp: Belle of the Ball, which features a pink, satin-matte "eye blush" shade, called Regency Romance, plus five other hues. The new collection also contains a Velvet Kohl Eyeliner in black, a SatinAllure Lipstick (which comes in seven shades), a Skin Fetish: Skintillating Diamond Body Shimmer, and a Blushing Delights palette with three baked blush hues and one golden highlighter.

"Falling in love again is twice as nice, don't you think? I'm delighted to join Shondaland and Netflix in continuing our exclusive beauty collaboration with a second, next-generation Cosmetics Collection celebrating 'Bridgerton' Season II and its enduring passion for beauty," McGrath said in a press release about the new collection.

Like a majority of products in Pat McGrath's range, every shade in the Pat McGrath Labs x "Bridgerton" II collection can be used in a variety of ways. The eyeshadows can be worn on the lids, cheeks, and lips. The blushes can also go on the lids and lips (McGrath recommends layering a clear gloss on top for an ombré effect), while the body highlighter can be used anywhere you please.

McGrath has a habit of secretly introducing her new products to the world without any of us being the wiser. In the case of the second "Bridgerton" collection, the makeup artist used the Velvet Kohl Eyeliner on Zoë Kravitz in "The Batman" to create Catwoman's smudged-eye makeup look. For the first collection, she teased the products on British Vogue's January cover featuring supermodel Kristen McMenamy, and then in November 2021 on Cardi B at the American Music Awards. "Cardi really threw down for us — like she always does," McGrath says.

And as if all of this news wasn't big enough, McGrath also announced Nicola Coughlan, "Bridgerton"'s very own Penelope Featherington, as the brand's newest muse and the face of the collection. "I can truly say she is both the Belle of the Ball and a major Blushing Delight," McGrath says.

The limited-edition Pat McGrath Labs x "Bridgerton" II collection is a one-time drop that launches exclusively on March 24 at Patmcgrath.com — so we suggest setting yourself a diary reminder if you want to get your hands on the newest Mthrshp palette or that mesmerizing body highlighter before they inevitably sell out.