I’m often asked to name my favourite makeup brand and while previously it would have left me stumped, I now find “Makeup by Mario” rolls of the tongue without me even taking a pause to think.
Mario Dedivanovic’s namesake line was 20 years in the making and that experience is clear in every single product. Unlike Mel Gibson, Mario really does know what women want and not just women of course – every makeup-loving person.
Like most of you, I grew up following Mario online. I avidly read the blog he shared on his website where he would post the latest looks he’d done on Kim (Kardashian, to the unfamiliar) and bought any and every product he recommended.
My real ‘dream come true’ moment happened when I worked at Cosmopolitan and I not only got to interview Mario, but I got to experience his glam on my own face.
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It was an experience I was anxiously anticipating for weeks. What would his vision for me be? What would he change about my face? How different would I look?
Despite the beautiful pink lip he painted and my fluttery doll-like lashes, on the day, the makeup was the thing I surprisingly cared about the least.
They say never meet your idols, but Mario truly was the exception. From the moment he walked in (with his mum, can I add), I felt instantly calm. It’s difficult to explain without sounding like Kathy Bates in Misery, but it was like I’d always known him.
I’m a typical Scorpio when it comes to friendships. I prefer to keep my circle small and I’m not the kind of person to open up to anyone, but with Mario I was so lost in our conversation that I genuinely didn’t care how my makeup turned out.
I probably would have forgotten he was doing it, if I didn’t feel the beat of his Beauty Blender on my cheeks. I didn’t even make a note of the products he used, I was that engrossed.
After that day, I didn’t think I’d cross paths with Mario again. Turns out I was wrong. When he launched his collection with KKW Beauty, I was surprised to receive the PR mailer to my then office. To this day, I still have it on display.
Then, when Sephora finally launched in the UK and with it, Makeup by Mario, Mario himself asked me to host a Q&A with him at the launch party.
I’m not sharing this to brag, but rather so you know his character and why he and his brand mean so much to me.
What are the best Makeup By Mario products?
Now, back to the products. The one thing I can always guarantee with a full face of Makeup by Mario is that I know I will feel really good about myself.
If I have a date, if I have an important event or if I just want to feel like a baddie, I’ll always reach for his Master Pigment Pro Pencil in the Perfect Brown, £26, Sephora, and blend it out with his Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette, £55, Sephora, for a sultry winged out look.
Now, his entire range isn’t available on Sephora UK and some things can still only be purchased from his website directly, like my beloved FB1 Brush, £47, Makeup By Mario, which at this point is the only tool I need for my entire base routine and well worth the shipping cost.
When it comes to lip colours, Mario knows we all just want that perfect balance of pink and brown. His Ultra Suede Lip Pencils, £26, Sephora, are my favourite and have the ultimate nude combination for every skin tone. Plus, I love that he named his lip products after members of his team. Shout out to my personal fave, Dmitry.
Oh, and if you were wondering if his SurrealSkin Foundation, £44 was worth the hype, please just watch my latest Eliza video to see the verdict for yourself. Blend some of his Soft Sculp Transforming Enhancer, £32, Sephora, on your cheeks and temples, swipe one of his Soft Pop Blush Sticks, £32, Sephora, on and you’ll have the complexion of your dreams.
For me, there’s such a noticeable difference in the quality and performance of products when designed by a makeup artist and yes, I might have a slight bias, but I truly believe Mario has created a line that will stand the test of time.
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