MAKEUP BY MARIO SETTING POWDER REVIEW
Makeup By Mario recently launched their SurrealSkin Soft Blur Setting Powder. I purchased this powder right when it launched and have been using it for several weeks now so I wanted to share my thoughts on it.
This post is all about the Makeup By Mario setting powder.
Description
Makeup By Mario claims that this is a long-wearing powder that will set your makeup for up to 12 hours. It is supposed to blur and smooth the skin while controlling shine. It’s supposed to be non-comedogenic and non-cakey with no flashback in photos. This setting powder is talc-free and instead uses kaolin to absorb oils. The brand also notes it uses light-diffusing spherical powders and smoothing amino acid to blur the pores and give a natural finish.
This setting powder retails for $38 for 0.53 ounces. While $38 is a pretty standard price for a high-end setting powder, you usually get a full ounce or close to one so this powder is a bit on the pricey side for the size. There are 7 different shades of this powder from Fair Pink to Warm Deep.
Finish
This setting powder leaves a truly beautiful finish on your skin! Your makeup will look airbrushed when you use this powder. It really does blur and smooth your pores and any texture. I think it gives more of a velvet matte finish than a natural finish like it claims but it’s not cakey or a flat matte. It gives such a beautiful airbrushed finish to your makeup that will help you achieve a flawless look.
While it’s not cakey, it isn’t undetectable on the skin so if you’re looking for a setting powder for a super natural, no-makeup makeup look, this probably isn’t the powder for you. When you wear this powder on your skin, it is going to look like you’re wearing powder but it’s okay to look like you’re wearing makeup when you are! This powder is going to look so beautiful when you’re doing a full glam look but also beautiful and wearable for an everyday look.
I haven’t found this powder to feel drying or tight on the skin. I do have combination skin that gets a bit oily in the center of my face when I’m wearing makeup. So for me, this is a powder that I can use to fully set my face but I would probably use a lighter hand if I had dry skin. If you have super dry skin, I still think this powder will work for you. Even if you just use a light dusting of it, this powder will still help give you a flawless finish.
Wearability
I do experience the long wear claims that this powder has but that’s pretty standard for a setting powder because that is what they’re supposed to do – set and extend your makeup wear! That being said, this does a good job of preventing my makeup from breaking up at all by the end of the day. It’s not a flat matte powder so it does allow some of your natural oils to come through but not in an oily way. It just allows for a slight glow, hence the natural finish claim. So even though I find the finish to be more like a velvet matte overall, it starts to lean more towards a natural finish for me by the end of the day.
If you want a super matte look that will keep your makeup oil-free throughout the day, there are some other powders I would recommend over this. But none of them would give quite the same beautiful, airbrushed finish that this one does.
Is it a Dupe?
When this product came out, one of the big questions was whether or not this was a dupe for the original Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder. The Givenchy powder was a best-selling setting powder loved by many until they recently changed the formula. Many fans of the original powder were quite upset with the formulation change because it didn’t perform the same way. When Makeup By Mario launched their setting powder, there were thoughts that it might be a dupe for the original Givenchy powder because of its finish and claims.
I have the original Givenchy Prisme Libre powder in the shade Voile Rose so I’ve been able to compare these two powders. They are quite similar so in my book, it is a dupe! Both powders perform almost the same on the skin and the powder also feels almost the same consistency-wise when you dip your brush or puff in it. The Givenchy powder does give a little bit more of a glow than the Makeup By Mario powder. Both have a velvet matte finish but the Givenchy gives more of a glow from within look throughout the day.
The Voile Rose shade leans very pink and is the most popular shade of this powder. I have the Makeup by Mario powder in the shade Fair Pink but it’s not as pink as the Voile Rose shade and it has a more translucent finish. When I use the Givenchy Voile Rose shade, it does bring some pink to my face that the Makeup By Mario Fair Pink shade doesn’t. So shade-wise, it’s not a dupe but it performs so similarly otherwise.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoy this powder! It doesn’t just set your makeup but it also really adds to the look and finish. My makeup looks stunning when I use this and it’s my go-to powder when doing a more glam look. I think this setting powder will work for all skin types and it is definitely one that I recommend!
You can buy the Makeup By Mario setting powder here at Sephora.
This post was all about the Makeup By Mario setting powder.
