Product Review: CoverGirl Tone Rehab Foundation and More

How I like to wear my makeup is an ever-evolving affair. For most of my young adult life, my attitude towards makeup was 'the more the merrier'. I liked a very dark, smoky eye, lots of eyeliner and mascara, perfect skin with a thick layer of foundation, and no chance of an oil-slick with pasty powder. Somewhere along the crazy ride, my tastes have changed. I like my skin to look like I'm not wearing foundation or powder, and I like my face to be a bit dewy. I'm very into a natural eye, wearing a shimmery skin-colored eyeshadow, smoky liner, and a thin coat of mascara. I like to leave a lip stain on my lips for 10 minutes and then rub it off, and wear chapstick the rest of the day. I really like a fresh look in the dead of summer, which it definitely is here in Kentucky (it is 7 am and 75º already!). My point? The products I'm reviewing today probably wouldn't have floated my boat 10 years ago. They do now though :)

1. CoverGirl Tone Rehab Foundation

I've really been impressed by CoverGirl products over the last couple of years. When I was first discovering cosmetics, CoverGirl was easily one of the most affordable lines for a teenager. It was a line that showed little quality, though. I tried their eyeshadows, lip glosses, foundations, mascaras, powders, etc. I hated everything. I stuck to Revlon, Maybelline, and L'Oreal in my younger days. Recently however, I've been foraying back into CoverGirl. I like some of their primers, foundations, eyeshadows, and nail polish. I really like this foundation. It reminds me a lot of CoverGirl's NatureLuxe foundation, which I really liked as well. The foundation itself is creamy, smells fresh, and is nicely pigmented. I've applied this with my hands, and also with cosmetic sponges, and both techniques result in a nice finish. This foundation really covers any random redness, or flaw that my skin might have, but still looks and feels like my skin. The formula is pretty long-wearing, although I usually need a touch-up mid-day. Some online reviews have stated that this foundation clogs pores immediately, but I haven't had any problems with that. None. And I have really acne-prone skin. The verdict? I would purchase this again. I've got 3-4 go-to foundations, and I would make this one of them.

2. CoverGirl Flamed Out Eye Pencil in Melted Caramel

It's all about the taupe, baby. Seriously. You might be disturbed by the amount of taupe eye products I have in my collection. Way more than I have any business having, that's for sure! I'll get right to the point, which is I. Love. This. Pencil. Love it. There is nothing not to love about this pencil. It's a wonderful, shimmery light-colored taupe. The color looks like my skin, but dewier. I've worn this over concealer on my lids, over eyeshadow primer, over MAC primer, and under powder eyeshadow. It's all good. The formula slides on creamy, blends easily before it sets, and does not move. I love that the glitter doesn't travel. I love that this shadow looks creamy all day, and doesn't crease. I've come back to the mirror after 10-12 hours to find my eyeshadow perfectly pigmented, in place, and uncreased. I like this pencil so much I've already bought the white and pink colors to test out as well. My only complaint about this pencil is that you have to use a manual pencil sharpener to sharpen it. I only complain about this because all my pencils are self-sharpening, and I didn't own a manual pencil sharpener previous to this product. The verdict? Love, love, love this! I would buy this again, and I may be purchasing even more colors soon.

3. Revlon PhotoReady Foundation

I bought this foundation after doing some pretty specific research. I'm still searching for my Holy Grail drugstore foundation. I can't seem to find one that's perfect. I purchased this after reading several reviews on the Internet that said this foundation was a dupe for Make Up For Ever's HD foundation. Ummm people, this is not a MUFE HD dupe. No, no, no. I love Make Up For Ever's HD foundation, it's probably my favorite of all time. It's really, really expensive however, and I just can't justify buying it anymore. It was my perfect foundation. The coverage was sheer, but seemed to cover everything. It made my skin look flawless. I loved that you couldn't see makeup pooled in my pores. So I jumped on this Revlon version. I was sorely disappointed. The coverage is medium to heavy, I would say, definitely not sheer. The formula also has full-on glitter in it. I hate that. People end up looking a disco-ball, or one of the Cullen's from "Twilight" in direct sunlight. Not the look I go for. Another aspect I was disappointed was the length of time needed before a touch-up, which I'd say is short. It was only 2 hours before oil starting accumulating on my face, and I needed more powder. I don't even have a particularly oily face! The verdict? Needless to say, I was highly disheartened by this product. I will not be re-purchasing.

Have a great weekend everyone!