Is Revlon Colorstay Foundation Really Worth All The Hype??

I think all of us ladies know, finding the perfect foundation can be quite a challenging feat. From finish, formula and color, to the application and endurance test (will this stay on through a hot day!?) we are faced with several questions when deciding just what will work best. 

I've always loved watching beauty gurus on youtube and found that there was an ASTOUNDING number of people who swooned over Revlon's Colorstay Foundation. So naturally, I wanted to give it a try. I was a huge fan of their Photo Ready Foundation and, although that had quite mixed reviews, I figured because so many people recommended it, this one would be even better...
Now when I was shopping, I was very impressed with the color selection - I think there were at least 20 different shades to choose from, which is soooo helpful in a drugstore where you can't test the product directly on your skin. Also, they have two formulas - one for dry skin, and one for oily/combination skin, both with SPF 6. I found an exact match to my skin - 180 Sand Beige for oily/combination. When I got home, I washed my face, exfoliated and moisturized, and cracked open the bottle...
Now, unfortunately, the bottle doesn't have a pump - which can make it a little messy to work with, but I just dabbed a bit on my finger and dotted it all over the skin. I grabbed my Bare Minerals Feather Light Stippling brush and started to blend out one cheek. Once I got to the other cheek, the foundation had already dried in little globs on my face! I thought I had a steady routine when applying liquid foundation, but there is no time to admire and look pretty in the mirror while blending out one area... you have to move lightening fast and really blend, blend, blend, for it to look half decent. So this poses a bit of a time issue if you need to get your makeup done in a hurry in the morning... let's just say, it ain't gonna happen!
My next problem was that I took tips from at least 3 or 4 well acclaimed gurus in their application tutorials and, maybe it's just me, but it seemed as though they were using WAY too much product. In applying the same amount to my own skin, as they did for theirs, it was so thick and heavy. I do have my fair share of breakouts as well, so I thought that maybe it just needed a minute to settle into the skin. There was no settling. The foundation is a matte finish - which is fine, but it looked too chalky. So I stood back from the mirror and, like Cher says in the movie "Clueless", I was a total 'Monet'. Good from far away, but up close - not so hot. I felt that it accentuated my pores and visibly colored those little tiny hairs and peach fuzz on the face.
So the next morning, I was getting ready for work and thought I should give it another try, apply a little less, and see how it held up throughout the day. So I applied a thin layer of primer (Milk of Magnesia, believe it or not!) then put my little hands on super-speed mode to apply the color. It definitely looked a thousand times better when using a little bit of product. It still didn't blow me away just yet, but I had to finish the rest of my makeup and be out the door. Now, the claim-to-fame is that it will last up to 16 hours and, again, several reviews attested to it lasting at least 8 hours with an occasional "T-Zone" touch up. I left the house at about 11am and was only working until 5:30 that evening. Just to let you know, I work at a place surrounded by mirrors, so I was fully aware of my facial status at all times. By about 4 o'clock, I was a greaseball disaster!!! It was a moderately hot day, but I was in AC and do not have terribly oily skin. This was such a bummer! The color had melted away in 5 hours or less, and you could see all my breakouts screaming though. And I don't really get many opportunities to re-touch my makeup throughout my shift, nor do I want to have to - so I just had to grin and bare it until I went home.

So yes, I just wanted to put my opinion out there because it seemed as though this held the crown for "Best Of" within drugstore foundations, and I had quite the opposite experience. I suppose I could try the "dry skin" formula, but I highly doubt it will solve my little "greaseball" problem at the 5 hour mark. Truthfully, I recommend the Photo Ready Foundation with a little transluscent powder, or even L'Oreal's True Match Foundation over Revlon's Colorstay. But try it out for yourself if you're feeling adventurous, it may work for you. It's about $11 which isn't too bad, yet, even though I don't live under a money tree, investing in a high quality foundation that is double that price might be a better investment for my skin after all!

Ciao,
Laura