All-Day Shine Control and a Blurring Finish—This Foundation Is My Makeup Launch of the Year
A must for oily skin
When I get news in my inbox that a new Makeup by Mario product is dropping soon, I’m usually excited. (As a beauty journalist who gets hundreds of emails about new launches every week, that says a lot.) This brand makes some of my favourite makeup products, like the SoftSculpt Shaping Serum, so I naturally expect big things.
If you’re unfamiliar with Mario Dedivanovic’s work, let me fill you in: he has been a makeup artist for decades, most notably as Kim Kardashian's go-to MUA, and finally launched his own eponymous brand in 2020. The makeup community was ready for it, and the products have been flying off the shelves to rave reviews ever since.
So, as soon as I got my hands on the Makeup by Mario Surreal Skin Foundation, I was keen to see if it’s one of the best Makeup by Mario products. Here’s my detailed review of the shiny new formula, including how it compares to the original SurrealSkin Foundation.
A beauty editor's Makeup by Mario Surreal Skin Foundation review
SurrealSkin Natural Finish Foundation sticks to Mario’s signature minimalist branding. It’s housed in a frosted cylindrical tube with a white lid and logo, dispensed via a pump mechanism that has good control. The topline details of the formula read like a rundown of exactly what I want from a daily best foundation—natural finish, all-day shine control, 16 hours of hydration and a smoothing and blurring effect.
It buffs in to meld beautifully with the skin, leaving it naturally smoothed and healthy. The coverage is medium and buildable; plenty to even out skin texture and tone, but not quite enough to cover an angry blemish. It sits comfortably on the skin, thanks to its hydrating base, but the shine control means it doesn’t become shiny with wear—still looking good hours later. Since I first tried it, I’ve come back to it time and time again when I just want my skin to look “good”.
Lucy wearing the shade 2N
What's the difference between the original Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation and Natural Finish?
At a glance, both the original SurrealSkin and Natural Finish formulas look very similar. Same bottle shape, same logo positioning, same white lid and silver accents, though different logo colours and bottle finishes. The formulas inside are quite different, however.
The original SurrealSkin is incredibly radiant—think visible luminosity that seems to radiate from your skin. I love the finish, and it’s a beautiful product, but my skin is naturally quite glowy, so the radiant finish is a little wasted on me. I end up powdering it to set it in place and taking down some of the shine, which kind of defeats the point. It’s best suited to duller and/or slightly dry skin if you want a pick-me-up.
On the other hand, because of its shine control, blurring effect and slightly matte finish, Natural Finish is ideal for oilier skin types like mine or anybody who doesn’t want a particularly glowy foundation. The staying power is a little better, too. I love it as an everyday foundation when I don’t feel the need for mega coverage but still want to look fresh-faced for the day. All in all? It’s one of my top makeup launches of 2025.
