I Tried The Buzziest New Foundation — & Here Are My Unfiltered Thoughts

If there's one thing I look forward to taking off at the end of a long day — besides my bra — it's my makeup. By 6 p.m. my face feels like an oil slick, so my favorite cleanser and creams make this simple task feel like a true self-care session. I even have makeup wipes stored in my desk drawer just in case I want to cleanse my skin of my inevitable shine if I'm working late. The point is, I never thought I'd see the day that I'd be sad to take my foundation off before bed...and yet here we are.

Last month, legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath invited New York beauty editors to preview her upcoming release: Sublime Perfection The System. This line includes a primer, two makeup brushes, face powder, and the star product, foundation. It's the brand's first face makeup product and was worn by Cardi B and Kacey Musgraves at this year's Met Gala. As if the celebrity nod wasn't alluring enough, I couldn't take my eyes off the bottle, which McGrath told us was inspired by her collection of vintage perfume bottles.

So how did the product perform? The liquid formulation, which has secretly been two years in the making and tested backstage on over 300 models, McGrath says, feels like a lightweight serum. So much so, that I prefer to apply it with my hands and dab on more with my fingers wherever I might need a little extra coverage. (PSA: Press on the pump lightly or it will shoot your foundation straight across the room.) The final look was a filter-like finish that left my skin with an unbelievable glow. Plus, my redness and small blemishes were also completely covered.

McGrath also assured us that the foundation only gets better through the day. What does this mean? For me, the glow became even more radiant and natural-looking as the foundation settled into the skin over a few hours. Suffice to say, I didn't want to take it off.

Half kidding, I played Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye" before bed as I wiped off the foundation — my boyfriend laughing in the background — and reached for my cleanser. If I didn't have white pillowcases I might have left it on to see how it looked by morning. But now that I own a bottle, there's no need to break the cardinal rule of not going to sleep with makeup on. Now if I could only find a bra to make me feel the same way...