I reviewed this way back in one of my first posts, but I recently picked up a new jar and thought it appropriate to re-review it and actually include some swatch pictures (though no before and after shots, sorry! my skin decided it didn't want to play nice with my birth control, so it's not looking great, boo).
Revlon Colorstay is the (based on my unreliable sampling methods) most-recommended drugstore foundation by beauty bloggers. L'Oreal True Match always wins the magazine awards, but ColorStay is beloved by internet beauty aficionados, so it's the one I tried several years ago. I never felt the need to try the L'Oreal, so that should tell you something about how I like it!
It comes in two formulations, one for nomal/dry skin and one for combination/oily; I obviously need the latter. It has a pretty wide shade range, and the lightest, 110 Ivory, is pretty much spot-on for me anytime except at my most tan (when I'm at about a MAC NW15, haha). It has a bit of SPF, though certainly not enough to really matter. It's medium buildable coverage, and is really quite creamy and blendable. I used to wear it as a tinted moisturizer, mixed with Amber Cream, and I still do that occasionally now, but most of the time I've taken to applying it with fingers over moisturized skin. I tried applying it with a brush, and it looked good, but not good enough to rationalize using up more product. I do have to be sure to blend this when I apply it with fingers, though, because it is quite pigmented and if I don't, I can sometimes see marks.
I remembered this smelling much worse than it does now; maybe I just got a really good bottle this time, but it's only very lightly scented with powdery foundation smell, much milder than MAC Matchmaster.
The biggest difference between them is the price; Revlon runs about $13 for 1 oz at the drugstore (less when on sale, which mine was!), and MAC is $32.50 for 1.18 oz (that's $27.54/oz, more than twice as expensive). I really do prefer the coverage, oil control, duration, and packaging of the MAC, but Revlon is cheaper, smells better (though not "good"), and is closer to my ghostly complexion. I've been switching between the two these past few weeks, and I like the MAC for days when I'll be out for hours at a time, while the Revlon works great for times when I don't need my foundation to last too long (and Meow is my go-to when I'm in a rush!). I anticipate loving the MAC even more in the summer, when my skin is (admittedly only marginally) darker, but I'm really glad to have re-tried the Revlon, because it is a great foundation. I've got a list of, like, 10 high-end foundations that I'm going to try and get samples of when I'm in New York, and I'm looking forward to seeing how those compare!
Overview
~$13 for 1 oz, available at drugstores
Quality: 8.5
Effectiveness: 4 (it doesn't last all day on me)
Ease of Use: 4.5 (pump, please!)
Senses: 4.5
Pigmentation: 4.5
Duration: 4
Consistency: 4.5
Price: 4 ($13 [or less, depending on when/where you buy it] for foundation is a steal compared to department store prices, but spending $13 on anything from the drugstore makes my heart hurt, which is of course why I bought it when it was on sale, but I have to do the grading as if it weren't!)
Value: 4
Packaging: -0.5
Grade: B
Have you tried ColorStay foundation? What shade are you? What's your favorite liquid foundation?
Revlon ColorStay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin in 110 Ivory
Revlon Colorstay is the (based on my unreliable sampling methods) most-recommended drugstore foundation by beauty bloggers. L'Oreal True Match always wins the magazine awards, but ColorStay is beloved by internet beauty aficionados, so it's the one I tried several years ago. I never felt the need to try the L'Oreal, so that should tell you something about how I like it!
It comes in two formulations, one for nomal/dry skin and one for combination/oily; I obviously need the latter. It has a pretty wide shade range, and the lightest, 110 Ivory, is pretty much spot-on for me anytime except at my most tan (when I'm at about a MAC NW15, haha). It has a bit of SPF, though certainly not enough to really matter. It's medium buildable coverage, and is really quite creamy and blendable. I used to wear it as a tinted moisturizer, mixed with Amber Cream, and I still do that occasionally now, but most of the time I've taken to applying it with fingers over moisturized skin. I tried applying it with a brush, and it looked good, but not good enough to rationalize using up more product. I do have to be sure to blend this when I apply it with fingers, though, because it is quite pigmented and if I don't, I can sometimes see marks.
I remembered this smelling much worse than it does now; maybe I just got a really good bottle this time, but it's only very lightly scented with powdery foundation smell, much milder than MAC Matchmaster.
MAC Matchmaster 1 on the left, Revlon ColorStay 110 Ivory on the right
Speaking of Matchmaster, how does it compare? The Revlon color match is closer for my winter skin, though the difference on my face is much subtler than the arm swatches would suggest (sheerer application, blending, and the fact that the MAC melds with my skin undertones all help), and it smells better, as I mentioned. The MAC is creamier, more pigmented (I find I need less product to get the amount of coverage I desire), has higher SPF, and controls my oil for longer, but the biggest pro is that it lasts all day with minimal fading, unlike the Revlon which starts looking patchy (curse you, oily skin) after a few hours. Both come in glass jars, though MAC has a pump and Revlon does not. This didn't used to bother me, but that was before I got a foundation that has one, and it's so much easier to control how much I use with the MAC than the Revlon. It's also more sanitary, so I definitely wish the Revlon had a pump!The biggest difference between them is the price; Revlon runs about $13 for 1 oz at the drugstore (less when on sale, which mine was!), and MAC is $32.50 for 1.18 oz (that's $27.54/oz, more than twice as expensive). I really do prefer the coverage, oil control, duration, and packaging of the MAC, but Revlon is cheaper, smells better (though not "good"), and is closer to my ghostly complexion. I've been switching between the two these past few weeks, and I like the MAC for days when I'll be out for hours at a time, while the Revlon works great for times when I don't need my foundation to last too long (and Meow is my go-to when I'm in a rush!). I anticipate loving the MAC even more in the summer, when my skin is (admittedly only marginally) darker, but I'm really glad to have re-tried the Revlon, because it is a great foundation. I've got a list of, like, 10 high-end foundations that I'm going to try and get samples of when I'm in New York, and I'm looking forward to seeing how those compare!
Overview
~$13 for 1 oz, available at drugstores
Quality: 8.5
Effectiveness: 4 (it doesn't last all day on me)
Ease of Use: 4.5 (pump, please!)
Senses: 4.5
Pigmentation: 4.5
Duration: 4
Consistency: 4.5
Price: 4 ($13 [or less, depending on when/where you buy it] for foundation is a steal compared to department store prices, but spending $13 on anything from the drugstore makes my heart hurt, which is of course why I bought it when it was on sale, but I have to do the grading as if it weren't!)
Value: 4
Packaging: -0.5
Grade: B
Have you tried ColorStay foundation? What shade are you? What's your favorite liquid foundation?
