If you've been following my blog or YouTube channel for even the smallest amount of time, you're probably well aware that I've been trudging through my Revlon Colorstay foundation since January and hating every minute of it. It's comparable to sitting in a waiting room with no one but the creep farting in the corner; you know they're there, you can smell the farts, and you know it's not going to get better until they leave (but even then the painful smells/memories will linger).
So I've gotten creative the last few weeks — my friend Torey suggested (besides throwing the d*** thing away, but I'm too stubborn) cutting my Colorstay with a tinted moisturizer to make it a bit more tolerable.
HALLELUJAH, this is like spraying the metaphorical air freshener in the waiting room; the spray may only cover the problem but at least it makes it tolerable.
I got the Neutrogena Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer wayyyyyyyyyyyy back when (aka last Summer) (please don't judge me; that was one of my first-ish posts) because I was looking for something light to wear to work (which, at the time, was washing dishes at weddings #glamlifestyle) rather than wasting my beloved Estee Lauder Double Wear Light foundation. However, once the Summer ended, this tinted moisturizer was a bit too orange for my complexion. So, tucked into my makeup hoard stash it went and quickly forgotten it was.
Until now.
(How dramatic was that??? Can I get a *DUNDUNDUUUUUUUN*)
The watery concoction in the first photo is my Revlon Colorstay foundation while the thicker gel beside it is my Neutrogena tinted moisturizer. I create about a 4:1 (5:1, 6:1... depends on the day and my ability to control how much Colorstay pours out of the pump-less bottle) ratio of the two, mix them together with my finger, then dollop it onto my face.
And here's the real kicker: I BLEND IT INTO MY SKIN WITH A BRUSH.
Yup. I've finally given in and resorted to using a brush (the e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush) to buff out my foundation. This is pretty astounding because I've always stood by the opinion of fingers being the best applicators around for a natural finish but that's just not the case with Revlon's Colorstay foundation; you need to use a brush in order to make this sink into the skin and not apply streaky and in patches.
This is just a side note, but I also need a small dollop of my Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer to cover dark spots/the occasional pimple. Revlon's Colorstay foundation is just too sheer to cover any substantial imperfections (even with the aid of the Neutrogena tinted moisturizer) so I just pat this onto anything extra that needs covering after I apply my foundation(s).
Click me for a better (scarier?) view!
And there you go!!
I am SO happy with the results of adding my Neutrogena Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer to my foundation routine; the finish is a bit dewy (but not overtly so) and the coverage is perfect for the Summer. Hopefully I shouldn't have to say this but the face photos above are 100% unedited so you can really see the amount of coverage these products provide once blended into the skin.
Keep in mind that I still have to use things like my hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder, and Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray to keep everything from melting off my face in the summer heat, but otherwise this routine has been a lifesaver.
In no way do I promote the purchase of Revlon's Colorstay foundation (your money is well spent elsewhere) but I just wanted to share that you can make things work for you. I no longer have to worry about dry patches forming on my face or fading after a mere 4 hours; my face makeup stays put until I take it off at the end of the day and that's about as amazing as Febreze not covering but eliminating orders.
HUZZAH for coming back full circle!
Do you use products up even if you hate them?
Do you buy into the Revlon Colorstay hype or loathe it as much as I do?
What are your favorite Summer foundations?
Do share!!
xoxo - Cassie
xoxo - Cassie
YAY for the Elf brush - I love it so much! I usually just store things that I can't stand at the back of a drawer and forget about them, but I'm impressed by your dedication! The coverage actually seems amazing, but check out the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum if you need a new foundation, it's light but covers everything up! I don't know what I'd do without it x
ReplyDeleteYessssss the studio powder brush is so delicious... love love love it (glad you do too!!)! Haha I'm pretty sure my dedication is foolish (and more stubbornness than anything) so you're the much more normal one between the two of us ;) I've heard SO many fantastic things about the Bourjois serum and want to try it sooooo badly I'm just too scared to order it online because of how difficult color-matching is T__T Hopefully someday I can try it though!
DeleteI didn't like my Colorstay either but after a few months after i used it up I decided to try it again and I loved it. ( Different stores- which makes me think of them is not keeping their makeup in correct temp. or something like that)
ReplyDeletebetween-friends-fashion.blogspot.com/
Oh wow, that's crazy!! Glad you got along with it the second time around though :)
DeleteAll the things you mention about the Revlon Colorstay foundation are the opposite of what I have experienced with it - I found it to be really thick, cakey, and have TOO much coverage.
ReplyDeleteI found myself mixing it too, just to get it wearable. A damp Beauty Blender sponge really seems to do the trick.
Really??? Crazy how these things can differ between users/individual bottles of product :/ And yes, a damp Beauty Blender would probably do wonders for this foundation; wish I had one haha (#cheap)!
DeleteI hated my revlon colorstay too. It cakes up. And that's saying a lot since my skin is oily. Probably going to try it like you did. Your skin looks glowing!
ReplyDeleteKathy
www.mypeachdays.com
Oh gosh, that really is saying something Kathy (I know you've mentioned that your skin is oily before so I'm shocked!)!! I hope trying this technique out helps you though since it really has worked wonders for me :)
DeleteI love your writing style - it's so enjoyable to read and frequently hilarious! :) So glad you managed to make a despised product work for you with a little tweak. The results speak for themselves :)
ReplyDeleteAw thank you dear!! I'm so happy I can make you laugh ^__^ And yes, I'm so happy this has worked out so well; Torey really saved me a lot of grief on this one haha!
DeleteOh such a lovely post darling:) love your blog! xx
ReplyDeletehttp://combo-monster.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much Duygu!
DeleteLooks like you got it to work for you-looks great!
ReplyDeleteMaddy @ www.BeautyBanterBlog.com
Thanks so much Maddy!! :)
DeleteI'm half I stayed away from the Colorstay- I've fallen in love with the Covergirl 3in1. Mixing foundations sounds like a good idea esp when summer comes around and I'm a bit darker
ReplyDeleteI've heard great things about the Covergirl 3in1 foundation!! Definitely on my 'to buy' list when I run out of these :) And yes, mixing foundations is always a great way to get your perfect color match!
DeleteThanks for your post. I’ve been thinking about writing a very comparable post over the last couple of weeks, I’ll probably keep it short and sweet and link to this instead if thats cool. Thanks. Best Daily Moisturizer with SPF
ReplyDelete