Revlon PhotoReady Compact Makeup

I'm not a huge fan of creme-to-powder or creme foundation. Though creme-to-powder can be good for oily skin like mine, I find that the matte texture usually accentuates any dry patches that I may have. Creme foundation is a bit better, but it can often be too dewy for my oily skin. I generally tend to avoid the two for that reason, but since I was sent this one for review I thought I might as well give compact makeup another shot.

Revlon PhotoReady Compact Makeup comes in a somewhat large, rectangular compact, which is unique because it has a "liquefying screen" inside. The reason behind this screen is that when you apply pressure with your fingers or the sponge, the makeup liquefies and comes through the screen. This really intrigued me, since I thought it might make it apply a bit more "wet" in the beginning so that it wouldn't accentuate dry patches. I didn't find this to be the case...I just found that it gave the product an almost mousse-like texture, which enabled me to get a bit more product in one swipe than I would be able to if I were just running my finger over a pan of creme.

So, having said that, it does make application a little faster. The downside to the screen is that if you typically use a brush, this will make it near impossible to apply. Also, I tend to think that it would make the makeup really hard to get out when you start to get near the end. However, the outer frame pops off very easily and you can lift the screen right out, so it's not a big deal.

Unfortunately, although I had high hopes for this product, it just didn't work out for me and my skin. The coverage was very light in my opinion, much lighter than I needed to cover blemishes. Though it did seem to even out my skin tone, it didn't do anything for a breakout I wanted to cover. I did try to build this up, but it just seemed to get more streaky rather than blending in and adding coverage.

I just want to clarify that it's definitely a creme-to-powder makeup, not just a creme. It has a definite matte finish that did in fact seem to highlight a few dry spots I had around blemishes, which unfortunately just made the lack of coverage in those areas more obvious. It also has the same shimmer that the other products in the PhotoReady line have, which may or may not have contributed to the accentuation of blemishes.

After I finished applying this, I did need to apply a lot more concealer than I normally do, and even then I still needed my powder foundation to "finish" the look. It did look okay after I finished, but I can't say that I loved it. As the day went on, I got as oily as I normally would with my liquid foundation, so the matte effect of this foundation had no lasting effect on my skin. Also I feel it oxidized a bit which made it appear too dark/yellow on my skin. I can't say that's a problem with this foundation though, as I feel all foundations get a bit darker over the course of the day. It was just more pronounced with this one, because the shade I have (Ivory, the lightest) wasn't quite as light as I would have hoped for to begin with.

Would I recommend this? Honestly, I'm not sure. With the shimmer effect, like other products in the PhotoReady line, it's better suited for dry skin. However, I definitely wouldn't recommend it for dry skin because of the matte, mousse-like texture. I suppose if you have oily skin without any dry areas and you only need light coverage you might like this, but if you're looking for anything more than light coverage, this isn't for you.

Though Revlon makes many great products, this one just didn't get it for me. I know there are quite a few people who love this though, so it really just depends on your skin. Personally, I found the PhotoReady liquid to be much better in terms of coverage, so you might want to opt for that instead if you don't mind the shimmer and resulting dewy finish. If you're looking for a matte finish, Colorstay is always a great option and comes in different formulations to suit all skin types.