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Friday, January 13, 2012

Review: Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Makeup in Vanilla

I purchased this product about three weeks ago when I first saw it at my local Kmart. Now that I've been using it off and on for three weeks, I'd like to share my thoughts with you.

Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Makeup in Vanilla
(retail: $13.99, 1.4 oz)




Be careful not to store this near a heater or any other type of hot surface:


Ingredients (courtesy Walgreens.com):

Aqua (Water) , Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate , Isotridecyl Isononanoate , Butylene Glycol , Isobutane , Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate , Propane , Isostearic Acid , Nylon-12 , Boron Nitride , Tromethamine , Cocamide MEA , Phospholipids , Lecithin , Sorbitan Laurate , Propylene Glycol Laurate , Propylene Glycol Stearate , Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate , Sodium Trideceth Sulfate , Sorbitan Stearate , Glyceryl Stearate , Isostearyl Behenate , Steareth-2, , Laureth-7 , Xanthan Gum , Steareth-21 , Polysorbate 60 , C-13-14 Isoparaffin , Stearic Acid , Acrylates , C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer , Hexylene Glycol , Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer , Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate , Polysorbate 20 , Isopropyl Alcohol , Polyacrylamide , Silica , Triethoxycaprylylsilane , Phenoxyethanol , Caprylyl Glycol , 1,2-Hexanediol , May Contain: Mica , Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) , Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499)

This is what the nozzle looks like after you've used it a few times:


 And here's what one quick pump of the nozzle will yield (note: far too much product dispenses no matter how hard I try to control it):


Right after dispensing this product onto your hand, you'll see tons of bubbles. This is a very airy, bubbly mousse.
After about 30 seconds, once you start to work the product in a bit with your finger or foundation brush, the bubbles become tiny and the product itself turns quite watery and slick:


 Using either my fingers or a foundation brush (I've used both, several times, for application), this product is actually so thin in texture that it feels like it's sloshing around on my skin. On the rare occassion that I use a liquid foundation (you know I'm a powder foundation kind of gal), I prefer a creamier consistency such as Revlon ColorStay or CoverGirl NatureLuxe. This one's just too thinned out once the bubbles disperse:


 And after a few minutes on my face (after blending), this product seeps into my fine lines and flaws and even tends to highlight them (no "smooth, poreless look"  for me):


Also, in sunlight, there is that signature PhotoReady shimmer (which is also in the other PhotoReady foundations):


The above photo was taken indoors with flash and you still can't really see the sparkles, so I went ahead and circled them. In direct sunlight I had shimmer EVERYWHERE on my face.

Coverage: At first, I thought this was actually a full-coverage foundation. Before I blend it into my skin, it feels like it's going to cover all of my redness and discoloration. However, after blending, it actually dries down to a medium-to-sheer coverage product for me. 

Texture: Again, it's a really neat texture before I blend. But once the bubbles go away, this product turns very thin and watery and it feels like it's just sloshing around on my face while I try to blend it. I've used it a number of times with both my fingers and a foundation brush, and I will say that the foundation brush yields SLIGHTLY better results, but not by much. If you prefer thin, more watery foundations over thicker, creamier ones, this might be a good fit for you.

Staying Power: After setting this with powder (I've used a variety of different drugstore setting powders with this product), it manages to stay put for a good 5-6 hours before I see serious fading. I have super oily skin, so that's impressive given its thin consistency. However, the deal-breaker for me is how it settles into my fine lines (see pic above) and pores. Also, and this is a big one, if I perspire on my upper lip (which tends to happen sometimes...hey, I'm human!), I do NOT care for how this product tends to cake up around my upper lip after I have perspired.

Fragrance: The scent of this product is quite mild. It a very generic "foundation" scent to it that I barely notice at all.

FINAL VERDICT: Not a love-match for me. I think this product would be best suited for someone younger (remember, I'm 41) who already has pretty flawless skin. If you have any flaws you're trying to conceal, this product might not work for you. I couldn't really get it to conceal anything and it settled into my fine lines and pores. Also, if you prefer a thicker, creamier foundation, I don't think I'd recommend this product. However, if you love tinted moisturizers with thinner consistencies, and you don't mind lots of sparkle, this might be a fantastic match for you. Sadly, it doesn't fulfill any of my needs when it comes to what I require in a foundation. On the plus side, I did find the shade Vanilla to be a nice match for my pale, wintertime NC20 skintone.

Are you a Revlon PhotoReady fan? If so, what PhotoReady products do you use? Do you think this might be a good fit for you?

This product was obtained with personal funds.
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28 comments

  1. great review!!! More and more I am sooooooooo glad I didn't get this. The fact that it's not very cheap to begin with, I would of been so upset. I heard this product also oxidizes a shade or two darker after a while. -__-

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    1. Thanks, hun! I didn't have a problem with oxidation, but that's helpful to know!

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  2. Thank you for the review! This has been SUPER helpful!!!!!!

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    1. You are so welcome! I'm so happy I could help. :-)

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  3. Emily, aka Beauty Broadcast, also reviewed this and had the same results - is was shimmery, it highlighted flaws, it dispensed too much product. I don't remember her overall thoughts on it but between your review and hers I'll pass.

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  4. That's too bad. I totally would have tired this, but reading your review has defiantly made me reconsider.

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  5. If it's anything like the original Photoready I am not interested. They are always out of my shade (Vanilla) anyway and this is far too expensive for drugstore, I've seen it in Canada for $16-$22.

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  6. I really did like this at first. Then I noticed how I looked at work. First I was very cakey & matte. Then as my face got super oily it evened out and looked nice. At the end of the day I was an oily & cakey mess. Once I get my skin under control (I'm doing a skincare overhaul), I think this might be nice for in the summer for me. My skin gets too dry in the winter for this and it clings to flakes.

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  7. Great review! btw am I the only one really creeped out by the bubbled picture? The texture looks very .... different lol

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  8. Thanks for this review i was debating whether i should buy this product after the Revlon Colorstay. So far its my first time using a liquid foundation and its working out not as what I expected to be. they do have many shades for the colorstay, but not close to the color of my face. The coverage was a little better than just powder. To balance it out, i decided to use bobbi brown compact powder after the foundation and the shade was almost there but wasn't that perfect. Until later on in the day the two product on my face had blended into a grayish tint. My discoloration was even more noticeable than before. overall, there is a good coverage for me, but i would like a natural look, that is somewhat the same shade as my skin, than a matte finish.

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  9. Great review!!! I have been wanting to pick this up but I think I would rather spend my money on another foundation. I love the PhotoReady concealer by Revlon, its really good :)

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  10. Thank you for the review! General consensus the past week is that this is pretty much like the regular photoready and only the pre-mousse dispensing is the difference between the two. I have dry skin but I'm not too keen on reflective skin after all. I'll stick with my regular colorstay liquid foundation

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  11. I really don't understand how a product can be "photo ready" if it has shimmer?

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  12. Glad I'm not the only one who HATED this foundation. I was really excited about it, and was very disappointed. I'm only 20, and I did NOT like this foundation either. It smelled TERRIBLE, and had no coverage at all I felt like. If you're looking into trying a mousse foundation that is better than this, I've also tried the new maybelline one. While it's still not anywhere near my beloved natureluxe or something like neutrogena healthy skin, it smells much better and goes on much better!

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  13. I am returning mine to ULTA today. I had just about the same experience as you and I was very disappointed. Thanks for you review!

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  14. Thanks so much for your review! I'm kind of glad now that this doesn't come in my shade (ivory) or I may have wasted money on this.

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  15. This is a great review! I hate how revlon thinks it's a good idea to put shimmer in their foundations!!

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  16. "I hate how revlon thinks it's a good idea to put shimmer in their foundations!!"

    I second this. I would have thought that they would fix photoready so that it doesn't have sparkles and then they go and put it in the age defying dna one too instead? I don't get it!

    I can't tell you how much money you have saved me with your fantastic reviews, G. You've also made me spend tons of money! lol But at least then I get great products that are worth it. Thank you for the time and effort you put into blogging!

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  17. Thank you for that picture! The one where you have blended it out on your hand. That's what I was trying to say. That's how nearly every liquid foundation I have tried looks on my face and why I use powder foundation. I took your recommendation and bought the Physician's Formula spf 55 powder. I really like it ,but it doesnt give me as much coverage as I'd like. So , I just bought the Physician's Formula Youthful Wear liquid. I just swatched it on my hand. I bought
    "fair" and at first it seemed too dark but once I blended it out it was fine. And it really absorbed, it didnt sit on my skin. At first swatch , it does seem to be doing what it says it will do. That one hand does look better than the other. I didnt buy the powder because I prefer the Healthy Wear and its spf , also because it is matte. I do hate sparkle being in my foundation.I like to have a choice and have that separate in another product,like the Physicians Formula Happy Booster I have. Can you tell I'm liking Physician's Formula? I like to layer the Happy Booster over the Healthy Wear ,I'll wear that tommorrow with the new Youthful Wear and see how it goes.

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  18. @JayEle,

    No you aren't the only one. It looks like yeast after you add the water. Gross!

    I think the idea with Photoready is that the light from the shimmer gives you a glow which somehow makes your flaws diminished or something

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  19. I used the vanilla and actually quite liked it using bare escentuals primer under it after toning and moisturizing. I set it with the photo ready light powder, and got compliments all day. I sort of found a way to have it dispense less product, leave it in my car in Chicago winter. Also I used the BE feather light brush.

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  20. So I have now decided that I HATE Revlon foundations with all my being lol I bought 2 shades of the reg photoready and 1 shade of the colorstay when I found them on a really good sale. I've had em for a coupla months, cuz I was waiting for my Maybelline Superstay to run out, then I picked this Foam on up to. I know foundation city right. The photoready had no coverage for me whatsoever, and I felt like a diso ball was having a party on my face. I've got tinted moisturizers that cover better. The colorstay was so thin when I turned the bottle upside down on my sponge like I do with my Maybelline superstay it dumped out everywhere. I did find a use for the photoready I had a few appointments for a Middle School Winter Formal, and I used it on the little girls when I did their hair/makeup and it looked beautiful on their younger skin. This foam product is horrible, I'm only 24 and my skin is decentish, but this isn't even good enough for it. I returned the foam the next day (only cosmetic product i've ever disliked enough to return)

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  21. Thanks for this review! I have the hardest time finding any foundations/creams because of my pale and dry skin. I would have been furious to waste $13.99 on this only to find that it highlights my already dry and cracked skin.

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  22. I will definitely pass on this one. I don't mind the shimmer too much, but the way it settles into fine lines is a deal breaker.

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  23. I would love to know what kind of powder foundations you like and use. I'm not a liquid foundation girl either. I'm sure you have it posted somewhere, just need a point in the right direction. Thanks!

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  24. A lot of people have problems with the application of this foundation because they do not know how to properly apply it. The Revlon Photo Ready Airbrush foundation is made to be applied with fingers in a "flutter" or "kneading" finger movement to achieve the desired airbrush look. A foundation brush or a sponge would not give the same effect and one should never "rub" the airbrush foundation in as one would do with a liquid or cream foundation, it would stipple and sink into fine lines. I have been product trained in Revlon as a Beauty Adviser, so I would always advise that you ask about application before you buy :)

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  25. I wish I read this before buying the product. :( Great review by the way!

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