Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation | Review

Is it just me or is every brand coming out with a new foundation lately? I can’t say I’m complaining, though, because I love complexion products. Legendary makeup artist, Pat McGrath, affectionately referred to as Mother, recently launched her first complexion collection–Sublime Perfection: The System. The line includes a primer, two face brushes, setting powder, and of course, foundation.

I picked up the Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection foundation in the recent Sephora beauty event and have been testing it out since. I only chose one item from the new launch, because damn that’s expensive. So what’d I think? I think you’ll be surprised.

the basics –

Ringing up at a wopping $68 for 1.18 fl. oz. of product is Pat McGrath’s Sublime Perfection foundation. It’s available in 36 universal color choices and 5 shade levels (tones). Pat claims it offers a natural satin finish and sheer-medium coverage that’s good for normal, dry, combo, and oily skin types.

Sublime Perfection Foundation was supposedly 2 years in the making and was tested on 300 backstage models.

I purchased the shade Light 02.

the packaging –

While the claims drew me in, I couldn’t take my eyes off of the packaging. I’ve never had such a luxe foundation (I mean it was freaking $68; it better be luxe)!

The outer box packaging is probably the prettiest I’ve seen, let alone owned. It’s a slick black with gold foiled, monotype font. As opposed to most uni-cartons that open with a flap on the top, Mother’s foundation opens with the top most portion of the box opening to reveal the beautiful bottle.

The bottle is sleek and glass, and was inspired by McGrath’s collection of vintage perfume bottles.

the formula –

The packaging is great, but what about the formula?

It’s definitely a liquid–not a creamy liquid, it’s watery, serum-like. Pat describes it as a “lightweight serum.” So be careful. Sublime Perfection Foundation is supposed to be silky and luxurious and creamy to the touch. The formula also claims to be self-setting, post-perfecting (gets better through the day), and long-wearing.

Another product feature is the Sublime technology. The formula is infused with a Vita-Serum Complex designed to help fight the formation of wrinkles by preserving the hydroplipidic film barrier of the skin and boost hydration by activating the natural production of hyaluronic acid and ceramindes.

Diamond Core Powder technology improves skin texture by smoothing and blurring the appearance of fine lines and imperfections. It’s also formulated without parabens, talc, or fragrance, and is oil-free.

All according to the Pat McGrath website.

the review –

There’s a lot of hefty claims that come along with this Sublime foundation. Does it actually live up to the hype? Yeah, kinda.

I tried this with primer and without primer, with setting it with powder and without setting. I’ve tried it in a lot of different ways, but I like it best with just a moisturizer or serum. Overall, I really enjoy this new foundation.

the coverage –

Pat said it “gets better throughout the day,” and I agree. To me “better throughout the day” means more dewy, radiant, and natural looking because it melts into the skin. This does that. It’s dewy in all of right places. It looks better throughout the day…to a point, which we’ll touch on later.

But note: this is not Instagram makeup. A pro for me is that this is a light coverage that can be built up to medium. However, keep that in mind: it’s a light-medium coverage. This foundation won’t give you high coverage that keeps anything from showing through. I see my freckles, I see my blemishes, I see my skin. It covers minor redness and blemishes, but some spot concealing is sometimes necessary.

While the coverage is on the lower end, I prefer applying this foundation with a sponge rather than a brush. The coverage looks more flawless and skin like with a sponge. With a brush, you get a little more coverage, but it looks like makeup. I found it clung to major dry patches and bunched up around my nose and my chin. Two-three pumps covered my whole face.

the longevity –

In regard to the long-wearing claim, I think it’s long-wearing…ish. It’s average wearing. I tested this on stay at home days, at work, and out and about on the weekend (the warm and sunny, cornhole playing kind). While it looked nice all day, it tapped out at around hour 6. After that it went downhill.

Another complaint I have about longevity is that if you touch your face with any real force, it moves. I lean on my hand a lot at work, and I noticed the Sublime foundation moves around and comes off in those areas.

other comments –

I noticed alcohol is listed on the ingredient list, but I didn’t find this to be drying at all.

And the shade I purchased was a bit too yellow. It works ok because I tend to wear it in a very sheer way, but I think the lightest shade may be better for me.

the bottom line –

I really enjoy the Sublime Perfection foundation, and I’ll enjoy using it while I have it. It’s a pretty product. But the bottom line is I just think it’s too expensive to recommend fully. I’ve tried other foundations that perform in a similar manner or give you a similar effect that are considerably less in price.

Other foundations I recommend:

• bareMinerals Complexion Rescue, $32: Definitely not the same texture; this is much more creamy. But it gives you a radiant finish and is lightweight.
• Benefit Hello Happy Soft Blur, $30: This is fairly similar in consistency and finish. However, I don’t feel you get a medium finish from it.
• L’Oreal Pro Glow, $13: More similar to the thicker texture of the Complexion Rescue, but offers a similar weightless, radiant finish. Also offers more coverage.
• Physician’s Formula The Healthy Foundation, $16: More coverage but can be sheered out with fingers or sponge. Lightweight and radiant.

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