I did the Full Monty last week for the very first time. And by Full Monty, I mean Moisturizer, Primer, Foundation, Concealer and Powder. (I know Full Monty means to take it all off, and I’m talking about putting it all on, but this is my blog and I can do what I want.) How has she gone this long without wearing all of these products at the same time? you may wonder, but the simple answer is: I am a beauty dunce. It was only very recently that I learned that foundation and concealer were two different things (foundation is to even your skin tone and concealer is to hide the more glaring blemishes). And I had never even heard of primer until my sister and I bought some at Wal-Mart last year. So without further ado, here is my review:
I got a travel-size Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer in my stocking at Christmas (because Santa loves me) and didn’t really pay it much attention to it until my sister raved about her own Aveeno lotion, so I decided it was time to check it out.
The Good:
- SPF 15 (Always a plus! They also have an SPF 30 variation.)
- Instantly brightens skin (You’ll notice there are tiny flecks of shimmer in the formula.)
- Feels clean (Isn’t thick and oily like some moisturizers I’ve tried.)
The Bad:
- The smell (I’m not a huge fan of smelly facial moisturizers. Why can’t this be scent free, like Aveeno’s body lotion? Which I shall review in the near future.)
- I want more (Travel-size isn’t doing it for me, Santa.)
The Ugly:
- $13+ for 4 oz.
- Aveeno tests on animals (Grrr!)
The Grade: B
Totally worthwhile if you can stomach the price (and the animal cruelty). But then, can you put a price on a good facial moisturizer? (Free would be awesome.) And now for the primer:
The aforementioned primer that I bought at Wal-Mart was Hard Candy Sheer Envy Skin Illuminating Primer (what a mouthful!).
The Good:
- Good application (Goes on light and smooth.)
- Instantly brightens skin (More of that shimmer. I probably looked like a vampire in the sun…but I felt pretty!)
- Hard Candy doesn’t test on animals (Hurray!)
The Bad:
- Be careful (A little goes a long way. This is probably a good thing, but when your hands are covered with excess primer, you won’t be too happy.)
- Clumpy formula (This stuff might separate in the bottle – something I’ve noticed with primers in general.)
- Flimsy bottle (The cap on mine is broken and the tube is a little leaky.)
The Ugly:
- $8 for 1.3 oz
The Grade: B+
I would definitely buy this stuff again (although there are two other kinds of Hard Candy primer, so I might look into Skin Perfecting on my next go).
I had heard good things about Revlon Colorstay foundation and since I already had the pressed powder, I decided to get a matching set.
The Good:
- Long-lasting
- Good coverage (I applied this with a makeup sponge – also a first for me, but more on that later – and I really liked the even-ness of my complexion.)
- Good application (This doesn’t feel thick and chalky like other foundations I’ve used – I’m looking at you CoverGirl!- and goes on light and smooth.)
- Revlon doesnt’ test on animals (Hurray!)
The Bad:
- Formula (If you have dry skin or blemishes, be sure to exfoliate before using, as this stuff makes them stand out.)
- Color (I have a problem with foundations in general because the color match is never perfect. But that’s something I’ll just have to live with. I used 110 Ivory and found it to be fairly close.)
The Ugly:
- $13 for 1 oz.
The Grade: B-
I really like this stuff and would recommend it to anyone, but I just wish it didn’t make my dry skin stand out so boldly.
I’ve used Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick as my go-to concealer for many years. The claim that it was good for my skin was a big draw (of course!), but I’m starting to rethink my devotion to it.
The Good:
- Good application
- Good color (for a concealer – see above for my views on skin color matching)
The Bad:
- I haven’t noticed any vast improvements to my complexion while using this concealer.
- Doesn’t last as long as I would like.
The Ugly:
- $6+ for .1 oz
- Neutrogena tests on animals (Grrr!)
The Grade: C+
I like it, but there are definitely better (and less expensive) options out there.
I was a pretty devoted CoverGirl when it came to pressed powder, but my sister guilted me into switching over to Revlon by pointing out that CoverGirl tests on animals and Revlon doesn’t. So I picked up some Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder instead of my usual.
The Good:
- Good coverage (Maybe a little too good.)
The Bad:
- If I put too much of this on, I look a little zombified.
- Makes my dry skin stand out (Be sure to exfoliate before wearing.)
The Ugly:
- $10+ for .3 oz (although I don’t remember paying that much, so look around.)
The Grade: C+
As I stated above, you could probably do better for less $$$.
BeautyDunce 