Revlon Colorstay. It's gotten so much positive hype since it came out a while back, and it definitely deserves it. I have to say, I LOVE this foundation.
The bottle claims:
- Wears for up to 16 hours
- Flawless look, lightweight feel
Sorry guys, this ended up being ridiculously long, so I'll just give a brief overview for those not needing much detail, and you can read the full review if you want.
Price: Regular in most parts of the world, unusually expensive in Australia unless you go to 'Gloss' stores or Paddy's Markets (Sydney), which have great prices
Coverage: Medium to Full
Application: Dries fast, hard to blend
Finish: Matte
Packaging: Glass bottle, no pump (pour top)
Wear: Very long-wearing, can withstand oily skin
How my skin reacted: Didn't break me out at all
The Bottom Line: Amazing foundation
Price:
So, if you live in the US, Canada and parts of Asia and Europe, this foundation is definitely not expensive. I know in the US it ranges from around $9 - $13, but hey, everything is cheaper in America! I saw this at Singapore airport for $10 too, so I'm pretty sure it's reasonably priced at most places. But, if you live in Australia, you'd know that almost everything is ridiculously expensive, ESPECIALLY cosmetics. You can guess that whatever the price is in the US, it will be at least double here, but hey, that's life. However, Colorstay is a little different. An average 'drugstore' (we call it a chemist or a pharmacy here) foundation ranges from $15 - $30, but at every pharmacy I've been to, Revlon Colorstay is around $38. $38! That's A LOT for a 'cheap' brand of foundation when you can buy a MAC or Clinique foundation for about $50.
But, fellow Aussies, before you completely dismiss the option because of the price, I have exciting news for you! I'm not sure where you can get it anywhere else, but there are a number of cheaper places in Sydney. The 'Gloss' accessory store is a huge seller of BYS brand makeup, which I personally love, but also sells many different brands of makeup for up to half the price at regular pharmacies. Revlon Colorstay is there for $26.95, a huge saving! I know for sure that there is a Gloss store in the underground level of the Queen Victoria Building, and in the Galleries Victoria. But, my friends, the cheapest place I've ever found it at (in Australia, of course) is at Sydney's Paddy's Markets in Chinatown. If you've never been there, or never discovered the amazing prices on makeup they have, GO AND CHECK IT OUT! I will literally NEVER shop at a pharmacy again for makeup. Revlon Colorstay there is only $18! I freaked when I saw it, and was SO glad I didn't pay the $38! They have a good shade selection, and while you're there you can look at all the other makeup they sell, it's awesome.
Coverage:
Well, Colorstay is known to be medium to full coverage, and it definitely is. I have a lot of active cystic acne and lots of scarring, and this covers it up really well. If I'm in a rush, I can definitely use a bit more on my problem areas and it doubles as concealer, however I'd never use this under my eyes (it would get cakey). This is definitely great for those who have an uneven skin tone, and need more than light to medium coverage.
Application:
This foundation dries fast and is pretty thick, so if you're one of those people who like to dot it on your face, and blend it in later then you'll have to use a different method when applying Colorstay. I'm not sure if it's just for the Combo/Oily formula, but I've heard that it dries fast in many other reviews so it's probably the same for the Normal/Dry formula. It doesn't have the best blendability, but for me that's not an issue as I'd sacrifice it for something that stays any day. I apply this with a flat synthetic foundation brush (real hair absorbs too much product) as I feel it blends the best, and I work in small sections at a time. Using a primer would definitely help with application and blending, and a cheap one is Rimmel Fix and Perfect.
Finish:
Definitely a matte finish, which is what I'm going for and I recommend to anyone with combination or oily skin. It can get a bit cakey and patchy if you don't blend fast enough, or you use too much, but a bit of practice and a primer will get you on your way. I wouldn't say this is one of those foundations where 'you don't look like you're wearing makeup', but if you need to cover things, it's definitely not too bad. Due to this being a matte finish, if you happen to have any dry spots, this may cling to and highlight them, so I would avoid it on a dry day!
Packaging:
I'm not one of those people who would buy a product solely because of its packaging, but I do enjoy nice design and sometimes it's hard to resist adorable brands like Too Faced. The packaging is quite high-end looking, which I have been seeing with a lot of Revlon's products (and I like it :) ), but the major setbacks are that there isn't a pump, and the glass bottle is very heavy.The lid screws off to reveal a pour-out top, which is very messy and wastes heaps of product, and the heavy glass bottle is terrible for travelling and I feel it could break easily (a disastrous mess!). Thinking about the packaging compared to Rimmel Stay Matte, it has a plastic tube kind of thing where you can squeeze out the product from the nozzle, it's incredibly light and holds the same amount as Colorstay (30 mL or 1.0 Fl. Oz).
Wear:
The main reason why I love Revlon Colorstay so much is because of how long it lasts, and it does kind of give you that idea in the name. I have combo-oily skin (very oily in the T-zone) and this is the foundation that has lasted the longest on me. The oil that is produced on your face breaks down makeup, and this foundation has some magic way of avoiding that for longer than most. Does it wear for 16 hours with no touch-up? No, but I rarely need that. It will last me a good 10 hours at least without touching up, as long as I use my Smashbox Anti-Shine and my L'Oreal anti-shine primer underneath (that may seem like a lot, but my T-zone is extremely oily). The one formulated for normal/dry skin I feel would be perfect for those in the category, especially if they enjoy a matte finish.
How MY skin reacted:
For me, this doesn't break me out more at all, and I feel completely comfortable wearing this when I am having a period of very bad acne. Now I think about it (and I usually pay a lot of attention to this), I can't remember if this is oil free, non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic... But I seem to remember it is, and I break out easily and I didn't from this. Just to make sure, this is my experience only, and I can't say it'll be the same for you, and I don't claim to have any expertise in the field of dermatology. :)
The Bottom Line:
All round, I love this and would recommend it to everyone, especially since it comes in two formulations. Although it isn't one of those foundations that make your skin look amazing and glowy and healthy, if you want something that stays, get the Revlon Colorstay.
I hope this was informative!
Love Rachel <3
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