Revlon PhotoReady Makeup

Hi All!

I'm showing you Revlon's PhotoReady Makeup today. I've been on the lookout for a drugstore foundation for awhile; my beloved Make Up For Ever foundation is $38 for 1.69 ounces, and the $10 foundations are reeeeaaally attractive, price-wise. And I'd be willing to use something I didn't like as well for an "every day" foundation at 1/4 or 1/3 of the price, but so far I haven't been thrilled with what I've tried, and mostly because of the texture.

Revlon's PhotoReady Makeup will run you between $11.99 (Walmart) and $13.99 (CVS) for one ounce of product. I bought mine in the lightest shade, Ivory, which is probably a shade too light for me; as such, it looks more "makeup-y" than the right color would. Unfortunately, this is one of the pitfalls of buying drugstore makeup; it sometimes takes a time or two to find the right shade, since you can't try things on in the store before you purchase. According to Revlon's website, it is oil free, fragrance free (though it has an odd plastic-y smell), and has SPF 20. It is also supposed to photograph well; it's their answer to an "HD" foundation, supposed to provide a poreless, airbrushed look. I find the texture to be lacking, though; despite being oil free, it feels greasy, and it doesn't go on evenly. I find that it looks streaky and patchy unless I pat it on carefully, let it dry, and go back over the bare patches with a second layer. The other thing I dislike about the formula is that it's full of shimmer. I don't notice the shimmer when it's on my face, especially after I set it with powder (which is a MUST; otherwise this foundation will rub off), and I think these are supposed to reflect light to make skin look more even, but it's just not a feature I like. It doesn't look as makeupy as some foundations I've tried have, but it doesn't look just like natural skin, either, the way my favorite Make Up For Ever makeup does. However, the bottom line is, even though this is tricky, for the price it's certainly not bad; I've been using this for a couple of months as my "every day" foundation  that I wear when I'm just going to school or running errands. No, the quality isn't comparable to high end brands, but it might not be a bad choice if you're on a budget. The only other major complaint I have with this product is the packaging. It has a pump, which is nice, but cap doesn't stay on very well, and then the pump gets product everywhere. This doesn't travel well, and even when I can get the cap to stay, product gets on the inside of it, making it look messy. You will see this in the photos.

Here is the bottle with the cap on:

Revlon PhotoReady Makeup

And here is the brief description on the back of the product.

Here is the pump; it's a nice design, and you don't have to push it down all the way, so you can get as much or as little product as you want. I just wish it wasn't so messy, and that the cap would actually stay on so you could throw this into an overnight bag and not worry about product getting everywhere.

And here is a dallop of the foundation swatched on my arm, so you can get a feel for the consistency; it's a liquid, but it's certainly not runny.

And here is a close-up without flash of my face with the foundation on. I don't have any concealer or powder on at this point.

Here's a full face with this foundation as the base; I am not wearing a primer or concealer, but I do have powder on top of the foundation to set it.

Revlon PhotoReady Makeup, flash

And again without flash:

Revlon PhotoReady Makeup, no flash

Rating: 5 out of 10

Let me qualify this; the product alone would earn a 6/10, which is better than average, but because of the packaging woes, this falls closer to a 5/10, making this a perfectly proficient, average product; something really does have to get less than a 5 for me to consider it bad, and something that is a 5 is a product I feel very neutrally about. Please consider that I am comparing this product to other products that are three times its price, though; if I only look at foundations that can be had for under $15, and the cap stayed on tightly, I might be more inclined to give this an 8/10. What does this all mean for you? It means I can't make your decision for you. If you want the best foundation ever, regardless of price, don't get this. You won't be happy with it. However, if you're budget conscious, or are trying to find something less expensive than what you use right now, this may not be a bad place to start; it seems to be pretty reliable, and has a strong following. If you aren't worried about ever needing to travel with this foundation, then I could recommend it with a little less hesitation.