It’s a truth widely-acknowledged among beauty journalists that if a make-up artist sits at the helm of a beauty brand, it’s a strong sign that the products are going to be fantastic. That’s certainly the case for the best Makeup by Mario products, born from the incredible talents of Mario Dedivanovic.
Launching in 2020, and hitting the UK a couple of years later in 2022, Mario is yet to create a make-up product that I do not like. With an already incredible roster, everything from the best bronzers and blushers to the best setting spray is covered. I’ve also deemed the SoftSculpt Bronzing and Shaping Serum one of the best makeup launches of 2024.
It’s hard to pinpoint what might come next; an obvious one might be mascara, which I’ve no doubt Mario would spend a long time perfecting before releasing. The SurrealSkin Setting Powder, launching in the UK early this year, is also very, very good. But for now, these are the best Makeup by Mario products to spend your money on.
Lucy wearing a full face of Makeup by Mario products
(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)
1. Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Foundation
(Image credit: Makeup by Mario)
The first time I tested this, I WhatsApped a couple of beauty journalist friends asking if they’d tried it before. The exact word I used was “sensational”. On the first application I was super impressed with how even, healthy-looking and glowy my skin looked. Flawless is a really overused word, but its results were pretty close; the effect is a bit like someone is shining soft focus lighting from behind your skin.
Now, it’s worth noting that the coverage is lightweight, albeit buildable, but not super long-wearing—so if you like something with heavy duty coverage that lasts for hours, this might not be the best choice for you. (That said, while it is glowy, it wears very nicely on my oily skin and I never look oily.) What this will give you is a lovely wash of glowy coverage that’s great for everyday wear—and that can be supercharged with your best concealer in any areas you feel you want thicker coverage.
2. Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum
(Image credit: Makeup by Mario)
My aforementioned top make-up launch of the year (it’s worth noting I wasn’t the only beauty editor who thought so), SoftSculpt Bronzing and Shaping Serum is a marbled liquid that is a bit like a bronzer-contour hybrid. I know contour as a product category doesn’t appeal to everybody, but it’s the best way to describe it because it brings both warmth and dimension to the skin. It blends in like a dream—either dispense some and apply with a brush or dot it straight on using the doe foot applicator—and I’m yet to find a foundation it doesn’t work with seamlessly. It’s another product that I was genuinely wowed by the first time I used it, and it’s lived in my make-up bag ever since then. If you like a stick, the SoftSculpt Shaping Stick is also excellent, but I personally prefer to use the liquid option.
3. Makeup by Mario Master Pigment Pro Pencil
(Image credit: Makeup by Mario)
This is one of my favourite eye pencils of all time. It’s ultra creamy, glides across the lids and has a nice bit of blending time. Plus, there’s a bonus built-in brush for you to do so (Mario has thought of everything). If you struggle to nail the feline flick, Mario recommends applying the eyeliner to the top lash line, then gently sketching a little tick from the outer corner with the brush. My favourite shade is Soft Brown, a good balance of warmth and depth to both define and enhance my eyes.
4. Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Palette
(Image credit: Makeup by Mario)
We may not be quite so obsessed with the best eyeshadow palettes in the 2020s, but that doesn’t mean one or two in your collection—and this has you covered with the basics for everyday and a couple of evening neutral shades. The eyeshadows themselves are super finely milled, blend well and easily, and have good colour payoff to boot. If my word that this is a brilliant buy isn’t enough, not only is it one of the brand’s overall best sellers but this year two Master Mattes Palettes (all colours) sold every minute globally.
5. Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Powder Blush
(Image credit: Makeup by Mario)
Our collective obsession with the blush doesn’t seem set to wane any time soon, and this is a lovely option to either wear alone or to set the best liquid blusher. As with the Master Mattes Palette, the powder is nice and finely-milled—I find I don’t need to use too much of it—and it has played well with any other base products I’ve applied it over.
6. Makeup by Mario Master Blade Brow Pencil
(Image credit: Makeup by Mario)
As somebody with slightly sparse eyebrows, I consider the best brow pencils one of my specialist subjects; I’ve tested dozens and dozens of them in my career. This is quite a chunky option with a narrow, rectangular tip that applies easily and is pushed up with a satisfying click mechanism on its side. It lasts well and, in my experience, doesn’t smudge or migrate through the day. And, of course, there’s the expected spoolie built in at the other end.
7. Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin™ Soft Setting Spray
(Image credit: Makeup by Mario)
One of the two newest additions to the Makeup by Mario line-up, this setting spray is truly brilliant. As someone with oily skin, I am never without setting spray and powder to ensure my make-up stays on for longer than an hour or two—and this promises to keep it in place for up to 16 hours. It’s rare that I wear make-up for that long, to be honest, but it certainly does its job. This mist itself is very fine and doesn’t take an age to settle down and dry, and promises to help hydrate the skin, too.