Review: Revlon Photo Ready Makeup SPF 20

Name: Revlon Photo Ready Makeup SPF 20

Description: "Revlon PhotoReady™ Makeup - for poreless, airbrushed skin in any light. Photochromatic pigments bend and reflect light to erase every flaw. Complete, yet undetectable coverage. Soft, luminous finish; Oil free; Fragrance free; SPF 20"

Price: Reg. $12-$14 USD (varies by location)

Shades I bought: 006 Medium Beige and 008 Golden Beige (BOGO-Free sale at Walgreens)

NOTE: I've been trying this product since last February if I'm not mistaken. I always like to try different methods of application, different primers or other makeup bases and setting powders. Also, with time I also can determine if it's breaking me out or causing other issues in my skin.

PROS

The obvious one---A PUMP!: I really hope Revlon keep adding pumps to their foundations...for example...Colorstay? (**crossing my fingers and wishing someone from Revlon is reading this**). Not only does this foundation has a pump, but it is a really good one, very manageable and easy to use.

No fragrance: I wish the Colorstay Foundation had the same smell as this one--NONE!
Good SPF level: For a foundation anyways. Now some people doesn't like SPF in their foundations but I do. It has Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Titanium can cause the dreaded "ghost face" but honestly with this foundation I haven't had that issue (once I understood and decided which one was my right shade).
Oil-free
You can get it almost everywhere
A bit pricey for a DS foundation but can be bought on BOGO-Free sales
Soft finish: they mean it with the soft finish description, it is not dewy or look shiny (do no confuse this with shimmery). It really looks luminous without overdoing it--I honestly didn't have any issues with the "shimmers". I feel that issue has been a bit exaggerated. But that's just me.

CONS

Don't be confused: the shades in this foundation have nothing to do with the ones in the Colorstay line. Similar names, different color.
Texture: at first it goes on soft but it feels dry. After a few hours on my skin and getting mixed with the oil in my face, I see it starts to "crack"--the textures changes, separates and the product looks very obvious on my face.
It emphasizes my pores: I have "rough skin"--I have very noticeable pores and when I apply the product it goes an sits inside them, no matter what primer I use. I've found that applying a bit of oil (almond) on my cheeks right before applying the foundation erases that problem. I do not have this issue with many other foundations.
Also emphasizes any dry area, big time.
It transfers...badly.
Lasting Power: Not much really. And if I sweat...pffft...it looks terrible.
Not too much coverage, medium at much: this is a CON for me, but you may find it is okay for you. Though I do have to say I wasn't expecting full coverage.
My skin feels dry (at a point where it bothers me) when I apply this but after a few hours it is super oily. Huh??
I find it a little hard to blend.

Okay, I was expecting a bit more from this foundation. Now, if you see the pics, you could say my makeup do look nice under "every light" --in this case my bathroom light (with and w/o ~~makeup~~ camera flash) and under natural lighting. But up close and personal...I am not impressed. It looks obvious. I don't like that my face is super oily a few hours after application and boy did it transfer. It's not as bad as my experience with the Maybelline Super Stay 24hr Makeup basically because it doesn't fails at every claim Revlon makes. What can I say? I did was expecting the "Photochromatic pigments to bend and reflect light to erase every flaw" and to help with my hyperpigmentation problem. It does that to some extent but I feel it make my wrinkles look a little more obvious. IDK.

I have read and seen videos about the "glitter" and "shimmer" this product has. This foundation has mica as many others do. Maybe they added a more to the PhotoReady, IDK that, but I personally think that this product does not makes me look like a disco ball. I even went outside, under the sun at different hours and did not noticed all this glittery stuff. I did notice the "glowy, luminous effect" and it was pretty. L'oreal True Match foundation also has shimmer in it (check out the bottle against the light) and I have not seen many people talking horrors about it, LOL. You can always tone down the luminous look by setting the foundation with a matte powder.

Bathroom Light

Natural Light

About the white ghostly appearance many ladies have mentioned, I had that issue with the Golden Beige shade which was a good match for my skin tone. I then used the Medium Beige one (a touch darker but almost imperceptible) and it looked good in real life and in pictures.

As you can see, I'm on the fence here. I like it but I don't think I will buy it again just because for me a foundation shouldn't make me look for a thousand ways to make it work. And it just does not feels that great on my skin. At least the L'oreal True Match blends super easily. I would rate this product a little above average because it does makes my skin look nice in pictures but honestly that effect wouldn't last a whole day, let's say, at the office.

RATING: 3.5/5

I you have dry skin, I'd say moisturize super well before using this foundation and set it with a spray like MAC Fix+. I you have combo/oily skin, use a mattifying primer or product on your T-zone and moisturize well your cheeks before applying the Photo Ready.

Bathroom Light--No Flash