Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation and Powder (Review and Swatches)

You guys know I'm a sucker for package deals right? Like a comedienne once said, it's a particular twist of the female brain that gets us to buy the thing we don't want in order to get the thing we don't need.

In this case, though, I really wanted to try the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation, especially since I love the Revlon Colorstay and I has seen some reviews comparing this one to the YSL Teint Eclat (which I am lemming like cupcakes). When I saw the powder packaged with it in a BOGO deal at my local Jean Coutu, I snatched it right up.

Nearly Naked Foundation in 130 Shell.
Nearly Naked Powder in Light.

Nearly Naked Powder in Light

There was a limited selection and I feared that the shade would be a touch too pink or peach for me, but it was in fact a little yellow-toned. Not enough to make a difference once it was blended, but these seem to run more yellow compared to the beige undertones of the Colorstay formulation.

The packaging is clean, fresh and precise, and again a marked counterpoint to the all-black packaging typical of the rest of the Revlon line. Two minor nitpicks - the foundation is screw-cap on a glass bottle, which I don't love for both hygiene and practical reasons, and the powder compact lacks a mirror, yet it made larger due to a largely extraneous puff.

Nearly Naked Foundation in 130 Shell, drop swatch above and blended in below.

The foundation is quite liquid, and applies lightly and easily. I opted to forgo the beauty blender, which soaked up too much of the lightweight texture, and experimented with using both fingers and buffer brush - both worked well, though I feel like I got the best level of coverage and the most natural look with my hands. I would consider this light coverage, not overly buildable. Maybe to a medium.

It gives natural satin finish and while it doesn't have the powerhouse wear of Colorstay (though few things do!), it will make it 8 hours with only minor breakdown around the nose if you have my typical combination skin. I've only tried the Teint Éclat in the store so I can't compare them in-depth, but Teint Éclat felt and look dewier and "cushier".

If you have slightly oily or slightly dry skin, and prefer a light, softly glowy-finish foundation, this is a very nice option at a decent price.

Nearly Naked Powder in Light, swatched.

I was a little less fond of the powder. The texture is incredibly smooth, finely-milled and silky - it feels like it should blend into the skin seamlessly. Instead it looks noticeably powdery when first applied, and for a while afterwards, even though it has a very faint sheen. As the powderiness fades as the natural oils come through, the powder melds better with the underlying foundation and complements it. I think dry skin might not like the initial powderiness, while oilier skin might have a problem with how little it actually ends up mattifying. However, if you just want something to set your makeup and prefer a natural glow to come through (and can deal with some initial texture issues) then this is fine.

To give you an idea of the coverage and finish, here is a comparison. I am only wearing the Nearly Naked Foundation and Powder as far as skin makeup is concerned.

Also wearing: Flower Beauty Smoke and Mirrors Quad on the eyes.

Availability: Most drugstores, including Jean Coutu and Pharmaprix/SDM. Prices vary, though I generally see the foundation for 15-18$ CAD. It is 9.99$ USD at Ulta.

Pros: Lightweight, natural/luminous finish foundation that generally wears well throughout the day. After some settling, the powder is a good complement to the finish of the foundation, and has a lovely texture to the touch. Decent range of colours for light to medium skin, especially if you run to the warmer, more yellow undertones.

Cons: Foundation is not particularly buildable, and packaging is not optimal for hygiene or function. Powder is...well, powdery, and obvious on the skin, though it does settle after a while.

(I purchased both of these items as a BOGO deal from Jean Coutu.)

Flower Beauty - Kiss Stick Lip Color and Shine On Lip Gloss

Out of all the things I hauled from Flower Beauty a couple of months ago, I've liked the lip products the most, particularly the lipsticks. I also inadvertently picked out matching pairs in both lipstick and gloss - bright raspberry pinks and warm terracotta corals. It was a little hard to gauge the colour of the lipsticks, since there were no testers, and I just went by the shades shown in the bottom of the cap. (That's one thing I hope they do resolve in the future. On the other hand, I did like that the products were very well sealed and it was evident if an item had been tampered with, which is the major downside of shopping for drugstore items.)

The lipsticks come in two versions: the Kiss Stick High Shine, which has a very creamy, emollient, richly pigmented formula, and the Kiss Stick Velvet, which has a modern matte finish and not as much pigment punch. I purchased the former formula in the shade Ginger Lily (the terracotta coral) and the latter in Flamingo Flower (the hot pink).

The packaging probably inspires strong feelings either way, and for my part, I think it's just lovely. It has a lot of style and panache, and I like the practicality of being able to see the shade on the bottom.

Top: Kiss Stick High Shine Lip Color in Ginger Lily
Bottom: Kiss Stick Velvet Lip Color in Flamingo Flower

Top: Kiss Stick Velvet Lip Color in Flamingo Flower
Bottom: Kiss Stick High Shine Lip Color in Ginger Lily

Top: Kiss Stick Velvet Lip Color in Flamingo Flower
Bottom: Kiss Stick High Shine Lip Color in Ginger Lily

I really liked the formula of both of these, though the High Shine feels a lot more opulent on the lips. The Velvet formula has more silicone-slip, which can feel a bit dry to some people, though I didn't personally have an issue with that. With one pass it deposits a good amount of pigment, but is not completely opaque, whereas the High Shine formula has full coverage immediately. Both last about 6 hours with some light staining left behind, though I found the High Shine faded more evenly.

The Shine On Lip Glosses only come in one variety, and I don't know if this is the case with all of them, but I find they have really nice coverage for a gloss. I purchased Iris I Could Fly (the bright, raspberry pink) and Pretty in Petunia (the warm coral). By the way, can we have a moment to just enjoy the super-cute names?

Top: Shine On Lip Gloss in Pretty in Petunia
Bottom: Shine on Lip Gloss in Iris I Could Fly

Top: Shine on Lip Gloss in Iris I Could Fly
Bottom: Shine On Lip Gloss in Pretty in Petunia

These are smooth-feeling, non-sticky glosses with no discernible scent, and while they are not particularly hydrating, they are very comfortable to wear and last for about 4 hours, though they don't stay as shiny. I really quite like these, especially Iris, which has a lot of colour punch for a gloss.

This is a quick little picture of Iris I Could Fly over a blotted layer of Flamingo Flower:

Face: Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Shell and Powder in Light, 

Flower Beauty Glow Baby Glow Blush/Bronzer Duo in Shimmering Goddess

Eyes: Guerlain Mascara Noir G, Flower Beauty On Your Mark Liquid Liner in Black,
Flower Shadow Play Quad in Smoke and Mirrors

Availability: Exclusive to Walmart. Price is 6.98$ USD for both the lipsticks and the lip glosses.

Pros: Great pigmentation overall, especially so for the High Shine lipstick and the Iris shade of the gloss. Good wear length and comfortable feeling, with the High Shine feeling especially creamy and smooth on the lips. Lip glosses are smooth and don't feel tacky. The brand is also cruelty-free and made in the USA, if those are concerns.

Cons: The silicone in the Velvet lipsticks may feel drying, and it does require two passes to achieve the coverage and depth of one pass from the High Shine lipstick.

(These items were purchased by me from a Walmart in the US.)

Revlon Pacific Coast Collection (Spring 2013) - Sea Mist Quad, Lip Butters in Sorbet, Lollipop, Wild Watermelon, Juicy Papaya

I'm a sucker for Emma Stone (Biggest. Girl Crush. EVER.), I dream of living in California, and I love the Revlon Lip Butter formula, so snagging the Pacific Coast spring collection by Gucci Westman was a no-brainer. Oceanic shades for the eyes and neon-ish lip shades? So terribly 80s in the wrong hands, but I had faith in Ms. Westman.

The collection features four lip butters, two quads, two blush sticks and four nail polishes, though I availed myself only of the Sea Mist quad and the Lip Butters.

The quad is a lovely selection of shades that seem geared toward creating a jewel-toned eye look: a pale peach, a misty turquoise, and smoky variants on a forest green and purple. They're an interesting set of colours in the pan, and the texture is nice enough, though not noteworthy. They are soft but not buttery, and not powdery either. They blend out without problems, though the purple does go a bit grey as it sheers out with blending.

Applied to bare skin.

They all have a shimmer finish, with sheer-to-medium pigmentation. The purple and green are the sheerest, especially when applied on bare skin. Over a creamy base, they can be built up quite nicely. (I used the green to layer over a black kohl liner in this review.) If you're wary of wearing non-neutral colours, this might be a good palette for you, as the sheerer payoff but good blendability means they can be worked into an overall design without becoming overwhelming or too difficult to manage. I can't say this is a palette that I would reach for on a regular basis, though I do think the turquoise is lovely.

I was overall much happier with the Lip Butters, as I found they took the classic, balmy formula and tweaked the pigment up a notch for a stained glass effect - high pigment in a sheer formula. Like several other brands have done recently, this makes a bright punch of colour eminently wearable. I can't remember the last time I wore a bright fuchsia without benefit of lipliner and meticulous application, but  these are SO easy. Just swipe or dab on and go out the door. DONE.

Left to right: Sorbet, Lollipop, Wild Watermelon, Juicy Papaya

Sorbet and Lollipop are the most vibrant of the four, with the strongest layer of pigment visible on the lips. Lollipop leans more strongly blue, but on my lips, and because of the overall sheerness of the formula, they tend to look quite similar.

Wild Watermelon is a pink-based red that makes for a nice summer alternative to a defined red lip, and Juicy Papaya barely registers as a colour on my lips, just brings the natural coolness down a bit.

As with the regular collection Lip Butters, these have a balm-like feel and a hydrating quality. The wear is closer to a gloss than a lipstick on me, though the brighter colours leave a faint stain behind.

Availability: Check local drugstores and Wal-mart, as it varies by area. Prices vary as well, but the quad averages between 12-15$ CAD, and the Lip Butters tend to be around 9-10$ CAD at regular price.

Pros: The quad has some lovely colours, and can be a nice option for the colour-wary, as they have the kind of texture that makes blending fuss-free. The lip butters are all hydrating, the potential to be worn very softly or blown out to something very vibrant, yet are incredibly easy to wear.

Cons: The quad is definitely not the palette to get if you like your eyeshadows to have serious payoff. I don't really have anything negative about the Lip Butters, though the shade you prefer will depend on how much brightness you want and how much your lip tone tends to influence the overall colour of your lip product, as these ARE sheer, despite the vivid pigment.

(I purchase these items from Jean Coutu.)

Drugstore Deals - Revlon Super Lustrous

Just a quick FYI that Revlon Super Lustrous lipglosses and lipsticks are on sale this week: 5.99$ at Shopper's Drug Mart/Pharmaprix. (They're normally priced around the 10-12$ range.)

Emily Eddington (emilynoel83 on youtube) recently named the Super Lustrous lipgloss formula as one of her absolute favorites, and I have to agree. It's shiny, nicely pigmented, not too tacky. And I think the tubes themselves are quite chic, and remind me of Chanel packaging.

Drugstore Deals - Revlon Colorburst, l'Oreal Infallible

Jean Coutu drugstores aren't going to win a lot of love from me. A Quebec-based chain, they're like Shopper Drug Mart's sad, awkward cousin - they tried to implement a watered-down version of the Beauty Boutique concept, yet remained an over-stuffed, poorly lit, poky little drugstore at heart.

Also, their promotions and markdowns are executed by people who appear to have an overdeveloped sense of whimsy, at least at the two locations near me. They are so random. One day something is one sale, the next it's not. One item in a line appears to be on liquidation, but it turns out that actually ALL of the colors are, except some scan in at 5.99$, some at 6.99$.

The Jean Coutu, she makes no sense.

That said, they do tend to have better prices that SDM, and even more so when they have sales, so they are definitely worth a look if you're on the hunt for a good deal.

For example, this week:

Revlon Colorburst glosses are 6.99$, all shades. (Regular 10-12$)

All Revlon Colorburst lipsticks are 5.99$ to 6.99$. (Regular 10-11$)

The supposed Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill dupes - l'Oréal Infallible eyeshadows - are 5.24$ to 6.99$
(see? random!), including the limited edition set. (Regular 10.49$)