Adventures in Foundation land- Revlon Colorstay with SoftFlex

The search for perfect, even toned skin is a life long quest. I should know, after numerous experiments with foundations, powder and liquid and even tinted moisturizers. THE foundation eludes me still. And honestly, the sales girls don’t ever help. That’s been my experience at least.

I have a fairly clean skin, at 30+ it shows some age damage too. It gets tanned easily and has tendency towards dry patches. Age spots are making an appearance too. To camouflage all this and appear to have a nice, clean, smooth skin is the mission then. And of course it should apply like a dream. A barely there make up look is the ideal.

I don’t want to appear any fairer than I am, though occasionally I have bought foundations just a shade darker for an even tanned look. (Don’t advise it though, it was early youth folly).

I bought L’Oreal true match minerals in shade honey glow. At the Airport duty free they did not have it a shade lighter so the SA sold me this one, insisting it was just perfect. Well it was not. At home, in right light, even a sheer layer was darkish and cakey. Too made up. I tried mixing it with moisturizer to make my own TM. No luck. So it was a dud buy and sits neglected in my drawer. The brush it comes with is scratchy and not easy to handle either. I experimented with the MAC 187, the results could’ve been  good if the shade was right. So. In any case, this is a true matte finish and  one has  to have a light hand, else…caked up!

Nivea: I should not have bought it. The lifting  effect Beauty Lift foundation was new in the market  and the SA had to sell it. In came I. In store light she applied a shade on my cheek and insisted it was the one, and to be fair to her, it did  seem  right. So I bought it. It is a shade dark for me in natural light. And applied, it  looks made up. With fingers it’s a mess, but I got glowing results with the  187. stipple, swirl and voila…a  dewy finish. But…it creases and cakes like crazy, even on moisturized and cleansed skin. And has screaming pink undertones that stand out. I should know, it transfers all pink  on my head scarves!

Another SA rec was Clinique Almost Powder Makeup in Light. The right shade but the application was a nightmare. I can never get sponge application right. Luckily my son threw it on the floor, it shattered. I have  since transferred it to another compact as loose powder. With a large face brush, it offers  barely there coverage. Perfect day look.

In other experiments were Nivea, Mikyajy, Stendahl and Max Factor’s Colour Adapt Foundation. The last is the only bottle I  actually  finished. Again, the shade wasn’t right, but it applied  and looked well so it  worked. But be warned, its heavy duty stuff, a major reason I did not get it again.

My most recent purchase has been the Revlon Colorstay with SoftFlex, for dry/normal skin. I wanted to buy MAC Studio Fix  but after a friend spent a considerable amount on the SA’s rec and returned home a shade darker, I thought otherwise. In any case almost every beauty blogger says RCS is  a perfect dupe for MSF. So.  

The shop I chose to but this is close by and best part…has a huge
wall letting in natural light, is well lit from within. I went when there  was plenty of light and put a couple of shades on my hand. The ones seeming closest to my skin tone I applied on my  jaw line. Asked the sales girl which seemed okay and she again pressed for the darker shade…the lighter one, she said, could not be seen on my  face after  application!  Which one do you think I bought  then?

Ivory of course, it has pink undertones but slight, and it neutralizes my sallow complexion in an instant lift me  up. And blended well, it evens out skin tone, gives me a lightly made up look, so all I’d say is: Perfect.

Love,

Mascara  Mom

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