Board-certified dermatologist Sheila Farhang, MD, adds that she finds the formula’s ingredients to be skin-friendly. “It uses glycerin, which is a great humectant that pulls in water like hyaluronic acid,” she says, so your skin will stay hydrated with daily wear. “Grapeseed oil has tons of benefits such as being an antioxidant and helping brighten the skin.”

Key Ingredients 

The Makeup by Mario’s SurrealSkin Foundation’s key ingredient is polyglycerly-6 polyrincinoleate, a non-oily ester that contributes to the foundation’s slippery texture. It also contains grapeseed and sunflower oil, emollients that help improve the foundation’s feel as you wear it on the skin.

How I Tested It: The Mario Method

My first go with SurrealSkin was with Dedivanovic himself doing my makeup. (I know, I know, not the typical testing experience but this was just my first run.) I was excited to witness the detail-oriented artistry Kardashian experiences when she works with him. But before even picking up a makeup brush, he reached for the Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream and massaged it onto my dry skin. “Skin prep is the key to creating a perfect base, so I always recommend applying a very emollient moisturizer before foundation,” he says.

Then came the foundation. “I always start with one pump, and apply and blend into the skin where coverage is needed most,” he says. “Then, if necessary, I build and blend further for more coverage, but one pump really goes a long way.” For my skin, Dedivanovic used about a pump and a half of product, dispensing it onto a makeup mixing palette. He picked up the foundation with the dense end of his brand’s new Surreal Foundation F4 Brush, applied it to the center of my face, then blended and sheered the product outward with the fluffy end of the brush. He explained that he used this method so that when he applied bronzer on top, there wouldn’t be caking around the outer edges of my face. (And there wasn’t!)

Dedivanovic says for an even more natural look, “you can mix the foundation with some moisturizer and pat into the skin with fingers for sheerer coverage,” which is what I have been doing on most days. I’ll dispense a dime-sized amount of moisturizer on the back of my hand with one pump of foundation, pick it up with a foundation brush, and buff it onto my skin.

Before and After

Without makeup, my skin is smooth, but looks slightly dull and red in some areas. Just a pump and a half of this stuff made my complexion look more even and radiant, without covering up the freckles I have on my cheek and lip that I love. Even better is how it wears throughout the day: The foundation sets onto skin, leaving it feeling moisturized minus any stickiness. This effect lasted through two dramatically different climates: an eight-hour work day in wintery New York City and four-ish hours exploring the humid streets of Singapore (where I’ve spent the last week). It has staying power and has become my go-to foundation for every occasion. 

More Allure Editor Reviews

The Allure team group chat exploded with rave reviews of this foundation. Ahead, a snapshot of the enthusiasm.

Talia Gutierrez, Associate Manager of Special Projects, in Shade 13W