Hey Beauties!
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This has been long overdue. You know, when you have some products that are just so good that you take them for granted. This is why, I still haven’t written a proper review about my all-time favorite foundation Revlon Colorstay. Nonetheless, it’s here now. Prepare to be persuaded.
This foundation comes in a heavy glass bottle, like most drugstore foundations. The top is black and plastic. Packaging is actually very durable, so don’t panic if you drop it.
The prices are different among stores, but it’s usually around 12 or 13€ and you get 30 mlof it, which is also standard amount for drugstore foundations.
Here is the ingredients list. It also has SPF 15.
It has one flaw, which is the fact that it doesn’t have a pump. I’ve tried to find a good excuse for it, but can’t. It’s thick, but obviously not as thick that it wouldn’t go through pump. The pump is also not expensive, so Revlon’s only excuse is laziness. Mateja has mention that standard pumps fit on Revlon bottle. So you can use pumps from Bourjois Healthy Mix or Rimmel foundations. I haven’t tried it yet, because I can work with it without the pump too. Because of the screw on top, the top of the bottle can get a bit dirty. It’s best to either pour some of it on your hand and then use the brush or sponge or if you like using hands, just put a finger over top and turn it upside down, then turn again to prevent spillage and you should be left with enough amount.
Foundation is thicker, but still very easy to spread. It has a smooth and creamy feel, but it dries to a matte finish. The finish is not as matte as L'Oreal Infallible 24h-matte. It still looks "healthy" and moisturized. It’s not drying and it also doesn’t accentuate dry patches. Of course it depends on what moisturizer you use before, especially if you have dry skin. Keep in mind that I have combination to oily version. There’s also one for normal to dry skin.
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The drying depends from how thick your coats are, but in general it’s fast dryingfoundation (although not as fast as L’Oreal Infallable 24h-matte). If you have thinner layer it dries in a matter of second, while thicker coat needs more time to dry and it may be sticky for a longer time.
Once it’s dry it doesn’t move, at all. Seriously, the staying power is just amazing. It will literally last all day, if your skin is normal to dry. If you’re more on oily side, the long lastingness might me shorter, but still the best for a drugstore foundation.
It oxidizes a little, but I find that this depends from what I use underneath and how oily my skin gets through the day. If I use very hydrating creams, it doesn't seem to oxidize as much. It does oxidizes more in the summer time, when my skin produces more oil through the day. So I advise you to try some testers before, if you're afraid that the color will become too dark.
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Once it’s dry it doesn’t move, at all. Seriously, the staying power is just amazing. It will literally last all day, if your skin is normal to dry. If you’re more on oily side, the long lastingness might me shorter, but still the best for a drugstore foundation.
It oxidizes a little, but I find that this depends from what I use underneath and how oily my skin gets through the day. If I use very hydrating creams, it doesn't seem to oxidize as much. It does oxidizes more in the summer time, when my skin produces more oil through the day. So I advise you to try some testers before, if you're afraid that the color will become too dark.
The coverage is fascinating. It can be thinned out to a light to medium coverage. Some would say that is full coverage foundation, but I would say that it’s medium to full coverage, although you can definitely build it up to full coverage. It might look a bit cakey by then.
On the left side is how it looks like thinner out and on the right side is a very thick coat of foundation.
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On the left side is how it looks like thinner out and on the right side is a very thick coat of foundation.
Application is crucial with this thicker high coverage foundation. Lately, brushes don’t seem to be working for me anymore. I hate how they leave stripes on my face. You get the most flawless and “natural” finish with makeup sponge. If you want to make it thinner, use a very moist sponge and tap on the face. If you want fuller coverage, squeeze excess moisture out of sponge and apply it by rolling onto the skin. This will cover pores and even out skin surface for flawless look. You can also use it with fingers, but this can result in a thinner coverage and maybe a bit less even.
I love the smell of it. It smells like a regular foundation smell, the ones that remind me of clay, but in a good way. The fact that it doesn’t have added perfumes is big plus for me and I’m sure sensitive skins will appreciate it, because it means less irritation. This is the only foundation that does not irritate me. Not that others do, but when my skin is hyper sensitive and irritated, foundations like Bourjois Healthy Mix further irritate my already sensitized skin with their added perfumes.
On the left side I have no makeup and on the right side I have on Revlon Colorstay. As you can see the coverage is impressive.
On the left side I have no makeup and on the right side I have on Revlon Colorstay. As you can see the coverage is impressive.
I use the shade 150 Buff, which is the second lightest from the range. They also have Ivory, which is more pink toned and wouldn't suit me. Buff is slightly yellow toned, but still not as much as Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. So I find that this could work for neutral skin tones as well. It's definitely not the lightest, but it's light enough for most of the time. I will say in the winter this is a bit too dark for me and I have to mix it with white foundation.
I also swatched it with some other foundations. L'Oreal True Match N1 Ivory is the lightest and it has more of a pink undertone. L'Oreal Infalible 24h-Matte 11 Vanilla is the darkest of them all and has that obvious pinkish orange undertone to it. Bourjois Healthy Mix in 51 Light Vanilla is the yellowest of them all and it's also the second lightest shade. Catrice Nude Illusion 010 Nude Ivory is very neutral and it's in the medium of lightness among these others. Revlon Colorstay in 150 Buff is also pretty yellow toned and fairly light, although it does oxidizes a little.
This is how my skin looks like just with Revlon Colorstay. I didn't use any powder on top.
When I put on top all my powders, bronzers, highlighters and blushes, it looks pretty much flawless. I hope you can now understand why I love it so much.
Impeccable high coverage, matte finish (that almost doesn't require powder, but doesn't look drying), neutral to warm undertone and amazing staying power, is why I love it so much. This is definitely my holy grail foundation and I'm going to be repurchasing it time and time again.
If you have normal/dry version, I would love to hear how is it different to my combination/oily one.