Product Reviews

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Nude Review and Swatches

May 30, 2016

Besides Skin Fetish 003 Golden, I also picked up Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Nude, a 3-piece kit that is meant to take highlighting to the next dimension and create sinfully sublime skin.

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 in Nude review

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 in Nude


The product first made its debut at the Valentino Fall 2016 runway show and can be used on all skintones, on the cheekbone, eyelid, clavicle and cupid’s bow. “There’s an untouched quality to the skin, but also a purity and a refinement,” explained Pat. “I designed these formulas so you don’t get hard shimmer or talc; you just get pure light.”

Like the Skin Fetish 003 Golden kit, Skin Fetish 003 Nude comes with a pressed gel pigment, dual-ended stick that contains a cream highlighter on one end and a clear balm on the other, along with a Japan-made buffer brush for application – all packaged in a plastic bag stuffed with sequins.

Iridescent Pink 003 pigment. Again my favorite product from the kit. It comes in a black plastic compact about 2 inches wide with a clear lid. The color is an icy white that flashes pink. I can see the color working on all skintones, especially those with cool undertones. The gel texture felt slightly dry yet applied smoothly with no fallout. Color payoff was INTENSE but slightly less so compared to Fine Gold 003 pigment and the tiniest dab still instantly added a beautiful, almost ethereal glow to my skin. The pigment also wore very well and I did not notice any fading or shifting for over 10 hours.

Nude Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duo. This comes in a black plastic tube about 4 inches tall. The highlighter is a shimmery beige color that was very close to my NC20/25 skintone. It applied creamier than the pigment and was sheerer but very buildable. The balm, on the other hand, showed up completely clear like M·A·C Mixing Medium Shine and added a nice sheen to my skin without feeling greasy.

Buffer 003 brush. A flat-topped circular brush with a black plastic handle that felt sturdy yet lightweight. It measures 6 1/2 inches long and looks almost identical to MAC 188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush, only shorter. The bristles are also white and they felt so soft yet dense. The brush worked great in blending the products on my cheekbones and bridge of nose.

My only rant? Again, the cosmetic lab sample inspired packaging. While the sequins-in-a-bag idea was no doubt a piece of art (not to mention, so great for pictures!) it was messy and a pain cleaning up afterwards. The bag was also not resealable so if you wanted to keep the sequins, you would have to find some other way to store them.

The packaging of the individual products could also have been better. The caps of the Shiny Stick would not stay shut completely which could cause the formula to dry out quickly and the label was so poorly attached to the tube there was a lot of bubbling. I was also disappointed to see a label stuck on the handle of the brush, which would probably peel off in a few months.

Overall, I loved the Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Nude kit and had a lot of fun playing with it. The products worked very well with one another and were definitely of top-notch quality. Really looking forward to seeing this made permanent with better packaging.

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Iridescent Pink 003 Pigment

Pat McGrath Labs Iridescent Pink 003 Pigment


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Nude Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duo

Pat McGrath Labs Nude Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duo


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Buffer 003 brush

Pat McGrath Labs Buffer 003 brush


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 in Nude sequins

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 in Nude Front


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 in Nude packaging

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 in Nude Back


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Iridescent Pink 003 Pigment review

Pat McGrath Labs Iridescent Pink 003 Pigment


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Iridescent Pink 003 Pigment back

Pat McGrath Labs Iridescent Pink 003 Pigment Back


Pat McGrath Labs Iridescent Pink 003 and Fine Gold 003 Pigments

Pat McGrath Labs Iridescent Pink 003 and Fine Gold 003 Pigments


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Nude Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duo review

Pat McGrath Labs Nude Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duo


Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Nude and Golden Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duos

Skin Fetish 003 Nude and Golden Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duos


Pat McGrath Labs Buffer 003 brush review

Skin Fetish 003 Buffer 003 brush


Pat McGrath Lab Skin Fetish 003 Iridescent Pink 003 and Fine Gold 003 Pigment swatches

Skin Fetish 003 Iridescent Pink 003 and Fine Gold 003 Pigment swatches


MAC Vanilla Pigment vs Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Iridescent Pink 003 and Fine Gold 003 Pigment swatch comparison

MAC Vanilla Pigment vs Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Iridescent Pink 003 and Fine Gold 003 Pigments


Pat McGrath Skin Fetish 003 Nude and Golden Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duo swatches

Skin Fetish 003 Nude and Golden Shiny Stick highlighter + balm duo swatches



Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 Nude is available exclusively at Sephora.com and select Sephora stores for $72.

Disclosure: This review contains products that were purchased by us. It may also contain an affiliate link, which gives us a small commission if you purchase the items. Please see our Disclosure for more information on our posting policy.

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