My Favorite Revlon Products!

So, I have been trying to think of a good way to do some posts on my favorite cosmetics and beauty items, and I think I am going to do make up by brand and then beauty items by type (body, hair, skin care, etc). So to start I am going to tell you guys about one of my favorite brands: Revlon!


I really love Revlon for a few reasons, first, they actually have foundations that are the right shade AND tone for my skin. I can not tell you how many times I have tried foundation to find out that a brand doesn't carry a shade that is light enough for my skin, or that their lightest shade is either way on the orange side, or way on the pink side. Revlon has very nice neutral toned light foundations.


Second, their products actually perform how they are meant to. Photo Ready, evened skin for photos! Color Stay, the color STAYS! Color Burst, actually has a burst of color!


Third, I like their packaging. It looks more sleek and sophisticated than a lot of other drug store brands. This is, has always been, and will always be, a big factor in the products that I buy. If I am going to use and look at something every day then I want it to be pleasing to look at. If there is a product that works well, but is in a hideous package, I am more likely to keep searching for another product than if the same product was in an attractive package.


Okay, so the first item I have for you is the Photo Ready Foundation in 001 Ivory.

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation in 001 Ivory

The bottle is glass with a pump top which allows you to dispense as little or as much product as you would like. The foundation is very creamy and smooth and has great coverage. Depending on how you apply it ranges from medium coverage to heavy coverage. It dries down to a dewy, silky finish.

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation in 001 Ivory (blended)

One thing I would have to say as a warning about this foundation, if you have oily skin, or break out prone skin, or have dry, flaky patches, I would NOT recommend this foundation for you. It has shimmer in it. If you already have oily skin the shimmer can make you look oilier. If you have break out prone skin or dry patches the shimmer has a tendency to collect around the blemishes or flakes and actually make them stand out even more. If you do use it, I recommend using the Photo Ready cream concealer for those areas and avoiding this product on them. I have skin that is on the drier side, but I do not have any rough or flaky patches, so this foundation works wonderful for my skin. I really love the soft, dewy, natural look that it gives me. In the photo where the foundation is blended I want to show you how well the little swatch blends into my skin and matches my skin tone. My whole hand is not covered, it is a swatch that is about the size of a quarter. It might look like there is nothing there, and that is kind of the point!


Up next is the Photo Ready Airbrush mousse foundation in 010 Vanilla.


This is basically the same as the original Photo Ready, except that it is dispensed from an aerosol can and comes out as a mousse. When you start touching the mousse it turns into a creamy foundation, though it is thinner than the original non-mousse.

I would have to say that the Airbrush is a lighter coverage than the original. It is still a good coverage level for me though, as it leans light-medium coverage. It does still have the shimmer in it though, so the same fore warning applies for those with blemish prone/oily/flaky skin.
I like to switch back and forth between the Airbrush and the original Photo Ready. I use the Airbrush when my skin is looking pretty good already and I just want to even out the tone a little. I use the original if I have a stray blemish or a dark spot.

Revlon Photo Ready Airbrush Mousse Foundation in 010 Vanilla

Revlon Photo Ready Airbrush Mousse Foundation in 010 Vanilla (blended)

Up next is the Color Stay Under Eye concealer in 610 Fair. This is my holy grail of under eye concealer. It is the only one I have found that does not crease or rub off.

Revlon Color Stay Under Eye Concealer in 610 Fair

Revlon Color Stay Under Eye Concealer in 610 Fair

Revlon Color Stay Under Eye Concealer in 610 Fair

It is a twist up pen with a sponge tip applicator. I really love how it the pen tip allows me to sweep it over the area to get a light layer and then I can pat it out with my finger without having to rub and smear it around.


Next we have the Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity. This is a creamy, smooth, nourishing balm with a nice pop of color. The thing I love about this lip butter is that the color can be applied both sheer or boldly, depending on how many layers you use.

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity
One layer on top. Two layers on bottom.

One of the best things about the lip butter are that there is a nice range of colors and because they can be applied sheer it allows the colors to work on a wider range of skin tones. The wear time on these is pretty much the same as any balm. If you are eating/drinking/licking your lips then they are going to wear off a lot quicker than if you aren't. I can easily get 4 hours out of the balm before I feel like I need to reapply.


Finally I have the Revlon Luxurious Color eye shadow in number 015 Shimmering Sienna.

Revlon Luxurious Color Eye Shadow in 015 Shimmering Sienna

Revlon Luxurious Color Eye Shadow in 015 Shimmering Sienna

Revlon Luxurious Color Eye Shadow in 015 Shimmering Sienna

I love this shadow because it is highly pigmented, blends easily and is velvety and soft! The color pay off is great and it is really long wearing. These are great basic shadows and there is a wide range of colors and finishes to choose from. Plus they are inexpensive so you can afford to get a good variety of shades if you are looking to build up your collection.


That is it for my current Revlon favorites, though they just released some new products so I will probably have some new ones to review for you soon!






~ All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed companies. The products in this review were purchased by myself.~

Zoya Charity

Up next is Zoya Charity, a pretty dusty mauve-purple with subtle gold/copper duo chrome shimmer!



Zoya Charity

 

Zoya Charity

 One thing I can tell you right off of the bat, the shimmer shows up MUCH more in the bottle than it does on the nail. Once it is applied you can hardly see the shimmer unless you are in the sunlight.



Zoya Charity

 

Zoya Charity

As you can see, the shimmer is very subtle once Charity is applied.

Zoya lists Charity as a 5 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 5 = completely opaque), which is accurate. It was completely opaque after 2 coats.



Zoya Charity



Zoya Charity



Zoya Charity

Charity's formula was quite on the thick side. This is the first Zoya that I have really had trouble applying. It just did not want to go on smoothly, I think because of the thickness of the formula. It did dry down fairly smooth, however I ended up with bubbles.

Overall, I am a bit disappointed with Charity. I love purples, but it is just not what I was expecting. It really does appear to be a cream when on your nails (unless in direct sun), and I was looking forward to a shimmer. I will wear it, but I am going to keep searching for a mauve with stronger gold shimmer.

~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. This bottle of polish was purchased on my own.~

Zoya Ali and Essie Set In Stones!



Time to review one of my favorites! Zoya's Ali! It's a super bright, nearly neon pink that dries down to a semi-matte, satin-y finish and is one of my favorite summer colors!



Zoya Ali



Zoya Ali

Zoya describes Ali as ultra-bright, warm, medium neon pink creme, which I feel is accurate except for the fact that I would call it a nearly neon, because sometimes it looks neon, but other times it  just looks like hot pink, and I feel that true neons look neon all of the time.


Zoya Ali

In these pictures you can see how the finish is a little different. It's not matte, but it's definitely not a glossy or shiny finish either. I describe it as satin. You can add a top coat over it to make it shiny if you would like and it still looks beautiful. 


Zoya Ali

Zoya list Ali as a 5 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 5 = completely opaque). It's very opaque. One coat was enough to completely cover my nail without being able to see though it. I would have to say that the formula on this one was a little on the thick side, though not so much that it was difficult to apply. It did seem to dry fairly quickly as well.


Zoya Ali

My only complaint with Ali is that it did chip on me after 2 days, which is NOT something my other Zoya's generally do. Most of the time I can wear a Zoya polish for 5-7 day before it starts to get little chips around my tips. I usually end up taking my Zoya polish off before it chips, but that was not the case with this one. I am thinking it may have something to do with the formula, because I have noticed that all matte polish chips incredibly fast. 


Zoya Ali with Essie Set In Stones


I decided to put Essie's Set In Stones glitter top coat over Ali to break up how stinkin' bright it is, because I tend to lean away from the neons on my fingers (though I love them on my toes!), and this helped soften it up a bit. Set In Stones is a glitter top coat with silver large, medium and small octagonal and circular glitter. I love how Set In Stones looks. It makes me think of the stars in the night sky.

Zoya Ali with Essie Set In Stones

What do you guys think? Want to give neons a shot?

~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. These bottles of polish were paid for by myself.~ 

Zoya Tess Swatch and Review

Today's post is on a recent purchase of mine: Zoya's Tess!!

Zoya Tess



Zoya Tess

Zoya describes Tess as metallic light plum rose with pink, bronze and mauve undertones and silver foil shimmer... which is mostly accurate, although I have a lot of trouble picking out the plum, and mostly just see the rose. I think this is one of those classic metallic pinks that you see all over the place... but there is a reason why, it is gorgeous!
 

Zoya Tess



Zoya Tess

 Zoya lists Tess as a 5 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 5 = completely opaque) and that is very accurate, as it really was opaque in one good coat.

I am just in love with how much this color glows. The foil finish is beautiful. It dried down to a nice even smooth finish and isn't streaky at all like some foils tend to be. The formula was perfect, smooth and fluid, not too thick or watery and it also dried very quickly. I have heard some complaints from people saying that foils seem to take forever to dry, I have had the exact opposite experience. Every one of my foils dries incredibly quickly. I tend to have a little more trouble with the creams taking longer to dry...



Zoya Tess



Zoya Tess

 I think Tess is one of those colors that can work for all seasons. It's a very versatile pink that I will get a lot of use out of.

Overall, I really love Tess and am very excited to wear her.

~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. This bottle of polish was purchased on my own.~

Zoya Izzy

The last swatch for today is Zoya Izzy from the 2011 Jems and Jewels Collection. Zoya describes it as a bright, bold deep pink with hints of silver in a glowing foil-like finish, which is accurate. It's a pretty hot pink with a really shimmery metallic finish that glows a bluish silver.

Zoya Izzy

Zoya lists Izzy as a 3 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 3 = completely opaque), which I actually think is a little lower than I would list it. I got pretty good, almost opaque coverage in one coat, and it was completely opaque in two.


Zoya Izzy



Zoya Izzy

The formula of Izzy was amazing just like Kimber. It went on smooth and even and isn't streaky like some metallic foils can be. It dried down smooth and glossy and really glows!



Zoya Izzy



Zoya Izzy

 

Zoya Izzy

 In the middle and bottom image above you can really see how there is a bluish silver glow in the shimmer Izzy has. It's very beautiful. I honestly didn't think I was going to like this color that much. I thought it was just going to be another bright pink like the 500 I have seen before, but I have not been able to stop looking at it. I really is a beautiful bright pink. It reminds me of a Christmas ornament, like if you bought hot pink Christmas balls, this is what they would look like.

Overall, I really love this color and I am so glad I went ahead and got it. I would recommend this color for anyone who loves pinks but is looking for something a little different.

~All reviews are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed company. This bottle of nail polish was purchased by myself.~

Zoya Kimber!

Next up we have Kimber from the 2012 Summer Surf Collection! Zoya describes Kimber as a rch, bright and saturated medium magenta pink with strong gold metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish, which is spot on. This is such a saturated, bold pink. No wimpy, soft pink here! There is a really strong gold/coppery shimmer that really lights Kimber up and makes it glow!

Zoya Kimber



Zoya Kimber

 You can really see how bright and gorgeous it is!

Zoya Kimber

In the photo above you can really see the gold shimmer in the bottle. I think that if Kimber didn't have the gold shimmer that it wouldn't be as beautiful as it is. It's a pretty pink, but the gold shimmer adds a kick to it that makes it special.



Zoya Kimber



Zoya Kimber

Zoya lists Kimber as a 5 on the opacity scale (1 = sheer, 5 = completely opaque), which is acurate. This is another one of those colors that you could get away with one coat on. The polish is so saturated and pigmented that one coat was almost completely opaque.



Zoya Kimber



Zoya Kimber

The formula of Kimber could not have been more perfect. It glides on in a smooth, creamy, even coat and dried down glossy and smooth. Application was so easy and perfect. I wish every polish was as wonderful to apply as Kimber was. It also dried fairly quickly, though I find that most of the foils I have used do.




Zoya Kimber



Zoya Kimber

In the photos above I tried to capture the shimmer for you, because the way this polish glows really is stunning in person, but I have had a hard time capturing it on camera.

And finally... I added an accent nail to my mani this week.



Zoya Kimber with bubble dots of Color Club Lava Lamp

I added some bubble dots of Color Club's Lava Lamp to my ring finger. Lava Lamp is a super neon orange, and it looked neat over Kimber!

Overall, I LOVE Kimber and I am interested in seeing if the other polishes in the surf collection are as beautiful! 


~All reviews expressed are my own opinions and are not paid for by the reviewed companies. This bottle of nail polish was purchase on my own.~