Patrick Ta’s First Liquid Foundation Is Here—And ‘Marie Claire’ Editors Can’t Stop Talking About It

If you know Patrick Ta, you know he loves a powder-under-cream makeup combination. Every one of his namesake brand’s best-selling products—Major Headlines Double Take Créme and Powder Blush Duo, Major Sculpt Créme and Powder Contour Duo, Major Skin Cream Foundation & Powder Duo, and Major Glow Créme and Powder Light Reflecting Highlighter Duo—has been built upon the two-texture, counterintuitive technique.

He’s gone viral, repeatedly, for his layering tactic. Search the “Patrick Ta Method” on TikTok, and you’ll be greeted with hundreds of videos and thousands of likes. But his latest launch—the Patrick Ta Major Skin Hydra Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation—completely disregards the application technique he’s become synonymous with.

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And mark my words, it’s about to be his most popular product to date.

The liquid foundation, which launched today, August 27, is a serum-inspired, medium-coverage complexion product designed to blur imperfections, boost radiance, and blend well with all other makeup textures. “I’m known for glow,” Ta exclusively tells Marie Claire. “No matter how you wear this, it will give you an instant glow. It’s very luminous and almost has a little bit of a cushion, so it’s a very sensorial experience.”

With 30 shades in the range and a hydration-focused formula, it reads like nearly every liquid foundation on the market. But after trying it for myself—and following Ta’s application tips—I genuinely believe this liquid foundation is in a league of its own. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s my favorite makeup launch of the entire year.

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I’m not just hyping it up. Everyone who has managed to get their hands on this impressively luxe-feeling bottle ahead of launch seems to agree. Very Dumure herself, Jools Lebron, calls the foundation "very creamy, very dewy, very saturated, very mindful.” Creator Ashley Paige says it’s “the most anticipated foundation launch of 2024,” and “it feels a little more like a lotion.”

The MC team is aligned, too. I handed out advanced samples around the office, and the consensus was unanimous: it’s everyone's new favorite (that never happens). Here, Ta shares his application tips—and MC editors give their honest reviews.

What Sets Patrick Ta’s Foundation Apart?

It’s more glowy than the Major Skin Cream Foundation & Powder Duo for starters. But when looking at the state of liquid foundation industry, the defining factors are the texture and blendability. “My biggest key difference is how well this blends with every other product you put on your skin—whether it’s your blush, contour, or setting powder. You won’t have to work as hard,” Ta explains.

I’d describe the texture as a thick, milky serum. It doesn’t feel or look heavy but has a cushion-like finish that presents like an IRL filter.

How to Apply Patrick Ta’s Foundation

For the foundation’s launch, Ta gave a masterclass, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat. His go-to technique at the moment is underpainting. The term, which makeup artist Mary Phillips coined, is when contour and blush go on the skin first, and then the foundation is layered on top.

Ta personally likes using a damp makeup sponge to pat in the product. The result: A more natural-looking finish and quicker application process.

Editors Honest Reviews

Samantha Holender, Beauty Editor

I was expecting Patrick Ta’s foundation to be good, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. I had seen the glowy finish during the masterclass the week prior. But candidly, skin always looks gorgeous when a skilled makeup artist is applying the product. I doubted my face would look the same when all was said and done. But before heading out to dinner one night, I followed Patrick’s instructions to a T. I haphazardly slapped on contour and blush in the name of underpainting and then put one pump of foundation on the back of my hand.

I wrung out a beauty blender and began tapping the foundation onto my skin, blending on the areas with nothing and then on top of the contour and blush. I stopped halfway through just to admire the finish. It’s incredibly glowy without being super wet.

My redness, blemishes, and imperfections were covered in the thinnest, lightest layer. I’m tempted to call this an incredibly pigmented serum. It felt hydrating on my skin and really left an airbrushed finish behind without looking cakey or heavy. By the time I finished my face, I was an instant convert. I’ve been using this day in and day out since I picked it up. It's going to be my daily go-to for the foreseeable future.

Brittany Holloway-Brown, Art Director

During the summer, I’m pretty happy with my skin. I let the sun and the (light!) tanning I do on the beach bring out my natural undertones and glow. However, when I go out at night, for a bit of a boost and for pictures, I like a bit of help. I usually stay away from foundations and prefer to spot conceal instead. I hate the feeling of product on my face. This new foundation by Patrick Ta is changing my mind. The formula feels so hydrating and elegant, and it has a great slip. I have combination skin and usually stay away from liquid formulas but I can make this as sheer or buildable as I’d like. I used a damp Beauty Blender and it melted right into my skin.

Julia Marzovilla, E-Commerce Editor

I have dull, dry skin even after applying all my brightening creams and serums. I like to look dewy when I apply my makeup, but it also needs to last. This foundation from Patrick Ta does both. It’s both the dewiest and longest-lasting product I’ve tried. I tested this on a 65-degree day and wore it for 14 hours. At the nine-hour mark, I noticed some creasing under my eye, but some more concealer quickly remedied that. It didn’t break up around my nose or mouth, and the glow was still there—I never even applied highlighter and teamed it with matte products on top. The coverage was medium but buildable, and it blended out seamlessly.

Brooke Knappenberger, Associate E-Commerce Editor

I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the best foundation I've ever applied on my skin. I've never been a foundation fan; instead, I prefer to go with lightweight tinted moisturizers and an extra dab of concealer when I need more coverage. However, Patrick Ta solved all of my foundation qualms with his formula. First and foremost, it looks like my skin but better. It left me with a pretty, natural glow, and after a night of sweaty dancing, my face stayed flawless—no blotchiness or cakiness in sight. It's also easy to apply, even for a foundation novice like me, and has a lightweight, breathable feel despite having medium coverage (another bonus). I couldn't believe my skin looked this good, so I'm officially a foundation convert.