We’re Ditching Our Skin Tints for m.ph’s Le Skin Foundation

There was a day, back in November, when I looked really good. It’s not like that’s a super rare occurrence, but that day was different. It was the day I had my hands on a sample of m.ph beauty’s new foundation.

When Mary Phillips, makeup artist to the It Girls (Kendall, Hailey, Kaia… ever heard of them?), launched her Underpainting Palette last year, she made life infinitely easier for the regular girls looking to perfect her viral seamless contouring and highlighting technique at home. The problem? Underpainting goes under your foundation, and so many of our favorite complexion products were covering the artistry right up.

Not anymore, though. The perfect final layer foundation—and dare I say my dream foundation in general?—is (almost) here. Keep reading to discover everything there is to know about m.ph’s Le Skin Weightless Serum Foundation, which launches Monday, February 16—team Byrdie’s honest reviews included.

The Inspiration

Phillips has always been known for blessing her clients with good skin. It’s the foundation of every look she creates. And now, her literal foundation can be everyone else’s basis for glowy good skin, too.

“For me, when the skin looks good, that’s all that matters,” the makeup artist explained in a statement. “Launching a foundation was the natural next step for m.ph, and this formula is a key part of achieving that healthy, effortless skin finish my clients and community love.”

The launch features a super cute and super cheeky campaign, the concept of which is “the best way to get over someone is to get on top.” Foundational wisdom, indeed.

The Formula

Sneaking in at the perfect spot between skincare and coverage, Le Skin is available in 35 sheer-to-medium coverage shades. The collection was developed and tested in partnership with the Black Beauty Roster to ensure an inclusive spectrum of skin tones were represented.

Super lightweight (they’re not using the word “serum” for nothing), the formula glides on and blends effortlessly for a second-skin finish. It features 2% niacinamide, which has been shown to improve skin texture and hydrate.

The Brush

A makeup artist isn’t going to reveal her secrets without all the tools to perfect them. Alongside the foundation, we’re getting the m.ph Foundation Brush. It was designed with tapered bristles (they’re vegan, but meant to mimic natural goat hair) to gently pick up and absorb the foundation evenly for perfect brush saturation. When you sweep the tapered head onto your skin, you’ll enjoy seamless, precise, and gentle application to protect against heaviness and cakiness.

The Reviews

Sophie Vilensky, news writer

“Even if it’s something really, really nice, I hate the feeling of heavy product on my face. Foundation is so often a no-go, yet I’d happily use that fluffy brush to put this on my face any day of the week. The word “lightweight” gets thrown around a lot, but Le Skin truly feels like nothing in the best way. Post-application, it sort of looks like nothing is on my face, too? (Once again, in the dreamiest sense.) The tone is even (30 N), and I’m catching the actual light in a way that makes me feel more sculpted even if I didn’t flex my underpainting skills beforehand.”

Derek Deng, associate content editor

“Mary Phillips’ underpainting palette almost instantly earned a spot in my complexion routine, so I had high hopes for the serum foundation. Thankfully, it delivers: It doesn’t feel like foundation on the skin (my biggest gripe), yet remains sheer, buildable, and fully compatible with the Underpainting Palette. It has just the right amount of coverage so that any contouring or highlighting underneath still peaks through (I wear 40 W). The result is a silky, softly blurred finish—the kind of finish you’d expect to see in a Kendall Jenner selfie. The unsung hero, though, is the matching foundation brush, whose tapered bristles feel custom-designed for Phillips’ signature underpainting technique.”

Ali Webb, associate editor

“I’ve recently been getting back into foundations after years of mainly just concealer, and Le Skin is quickly becoming one of my current favorites. It blends so easily—I wear shade 60 C—layers seamlessly over my skincare, and it feels like nothing yet stays in place throughout the day.”

Araziel Jackson, social media editor

“The new m.ph foundation comes in over 30 shades, and while it took me a minute to find mine, I’m so glad I did—I settled on 250 O. It’s super lightweight and glides right on courtesy of their new foundation brush. I typically don’t wear foundation (skin tints for me please!), but this one feels skin-like and hydrating with the right amount of coverage earning its spot in my winter makeup routine.”

You can shop Le Skin ($49) and the Foundation Brush ($48) at mphbeauty.com and sephora.com beginning Monday, February 16.