Beauty
Can Makeup By Mario's SurrealSkin Launches Last Through A Sweaty 10-Hour Day?
We put the setting spray and powder to the test.
At 2 a.m. on a recent Saturday, I whipped out my iPhone camera to find that my foundation was separating, my under-eyes were creased, and my concealer had melted away. Ever since, I’ve been on a mission to make my makeup stick. TikTok informed me that it’s all about your powder and setting spray, but several trips to Sephora, Ulta, and Target later, none of the drugstore or luxury options seemed to be giving me the results I’m looking for: a glowy finish, no settling into fine lines, hydration, and hours-long hold.
That’s why, when Makeup By Mario gifted me their new SurrealSkin™ Talc-Free Soft Blur Setting Powder and the SurrealSkin™ Soft Setting Spray, it felt like divine timing. These products, which launched in September, are meant to give you the most immovable glam of your life. So, of course, I had to give it a try by putting them through an intensive wear test.
Fast Facts
SurrealSkin™ Talc-Free Soft Blur Setting Powder:
- Price: $38
- Where can you buy? MakeupByMario.com & Sephora
- What’s it best for? Extended makeup wear, shine control, and skin smoothing
SurrealSkin™ 16HR Soft Setting Spray:
- Price: $34
- Where can you buy? MakeupByMario.com & Sephora
- What’s it best for? Long wear, natural finish, and hydration
About The Products
Formulated with skin-softening squalane, the Soft Blur loose powder lightly blurs pores to create a mildly filtered look while still allowing your skin’s natural texture to show through. With 12 hours of shine control, it doesn’t leave a cakey finish nor clogs pores. You can also rest easy knowing you’ll look the same off and on camera because the powder has no flashback. The 16HR Soft Setting Spray, on the other hand, is designed to live up to its name: The fine mist is supposed to allow for 16 hours of secured makeup while leaving a natural glaze. With no alcohol or fragrance, this spray offers a hydrating feel.
My Review
Because I spent the entire wear-test day in a puffer vest while running errands and meeting up with friends, I was definitely sweating, which meant that these were the perfect conditions to test out the product duo.
Following my concealer, I applied the powder to my forehead, under the eyes, chin, upper lip, and jawline because I love a dewy finish on the nose and cheeks. Straight away, I noticed that it really does have a blurring effect. Usually, my powder settles into fine lines immediately, but my pores all but disappeared while my under-eyes looked smooth and bright. The makeup appeared light and natural, allowing a little texture to show through, but it made my skin more even and smooth.
After applying, I finished the rest of my routine with the setting spray. Many options on the market will often sputter out the liquid unevenly, but the Soft Setting Spray spritzed on uniformly and dried down in the blink of an eye. None of my makeup shifted or moved over the 10 hours I was out, and my blush and highlight still looked super-glowy. I felt just as hydrated as I did when I only had my moisturizer on.
The Final Verdict
Because of the disappointing results of my search previously, I still had my doubts about the duo’s long-wearing promises; however, after 10 hours of being outside, my makeup didn’t budge. The only spots where I noticed shine were on my nose and cheeks, areas where I didn’t even add the powder. And even then, my blush and highlight stayed just as radiant as when I initially applied it, meaning that the setting spray did its job without any separation or pilling. And just like that, this product coupling has become my new holy grail.
