If there's one makeup brand that every kid KNOWS about, from the earliest forays in the drug-store or their mother's make-up vanity, odds are that it's Revlon. More mature than youthful brands like Wet n' Wild or Hard Candy, more sophisticated than CoverGirl and Maybelline, edgier than L'Oreal and more easily accessible than luxury brands, Revlon is always to be relied on in a pinch. I've noticed my collection of Revlon products have waned over the years, so it was about time I refreshed my knowledge about this long-standing brand.
For years I always considered Revlon to be a stalwart of the beauty industry. They may not have the newest, wildest pastel lipstick on the market, but if you need a signature lip, a solid mascara or a reliable drug-store foundation, Revlon is one of the brands I'd reach for.
So I was really happy to help highlight some of the newer products in the Colorstay line, and other new releases, at a recent event a few weeks ago in Toronto, hosted by none other than the amazing Gigi Gorgeous. While I was a little shy and didn't push myself forward enough to snap a photo with the YouTube star, I did snap a pic of her and one of her super-fans during the meet & greet at the beginning of the night. Throughout the evening I did have the chance to hang with some ladies I hadn't seen in awhile, and I was able to test out some products and receive some more to take home to try later. Here are some highlights of the products I went home with that I either really liked or was surprised by.
My Revlon ColorStay Haul!
Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede in Stylist
Top to Bottom: One swipe of Finale, three swipes of Finale, one swipe of Stylist, three swipes of Stylist.
On first glance, this lipstick actually looks glossy. Despite being called 'Suede', the actual lipstick doesn't dry down into the lip-lines, and the colour still sits neatly on the lips. It does however, LOOK rather matte, which I appreciate. Normally I don't spring for lip products with shimmer in it, as it usually reminds me a little too much of the frosted gloss look of the early 00s, but I was surprised at how subtle the shimmer was, adding some extra dimension without being overly glittery.
I also received Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede in Finale, which unlike Stylist, is a matte red. Because there was no glitter, this product could also double as a balm, as one swipe leaves the lips coated with a light sheen of pigment, if you're looking for that just-bitten look that is super popular in Korea right now. Or you could build it up with a few layers.
Revlon Mega Multiplier
I've been using the Revlon Mega Multiplier for over a month now and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. I have fine, short-to-mid length lashes, and while they aren't super sparse, there aren't too many of them and a slightly-too-harsh makeup remover taking a few off can be very VERY alarming. The Mega Multiplier definitely makes it look like I have more lashes in there, and is a good buildable formula which thoroughly coats your lashes and lasts all day. It's not insanely voluminous which is good because those mascaras end up looking chunky and spiky on me. The wand is conical which makes it easy to get those finer lashes, and it's not too wet so it doesn't smudge or flake off easily. The tube is really easy to hold and locks in place to make sure I don't leave the cap sightly unscrewed and let it dry out. True story.
Overall I was happy to see that Revlon's Mega Multiplier made my lashes look a lot thicker and really added some dimension to them (see image to the left) and was and that the formula was reliable so I never had to worry about smudges or flaking. If you also have similiar lashes to me, it will definitely give the illusion of more lash without having to get falsies involved, or by wearing four coats of another leading brand of mascara. I found that even just two short coats were enough to get the effect above.
Revlon Colorstay Brow Crayon in Dark Brown
When I first saw the size of this puppy I remember LAUGHING because all of my other brow products are so thin and petite that I couldn't even fathom bringing something this huge near my brows. And I'm one of those picky people who actually has a relatively thick brow to begin with, so I generally only outline and fill in. But what I HAVE warmed up to with this product, is going 'brow-light' on many more days of the week. Since this product is more of a coloured wax crayon than a traditional brow crayon, what it really excels in doing is setting your brow and adding JUST a bit of colour throughout to keep it set. This is ideal for the days when I just want to throw on some BB Cream and leave. And for summer? It's pretty perfect! I still think the crayon could be thinner however, but I've been really happy using it as a 'makeup-light-day' product, instead of having to take a teeny pencil and fill in like I usually do. Probably not a great product for people with thin or non-existant brows, but for people with some real estate to work with, a useful product to check out. I've made quite a dent in mine over the last few weeks.
Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy in Pocket Aces & Top Coat
As somebody who has recently started purging her giant nail polish collection, I can tell you that there are some brands I usually keep, and Revlon is one of them. One of my favorite shades of all time is Revlon's Divine which is a burgundy with gold sheen to it, and I have quite a collection of their multi-effect top coats too. I know that all the major brands are diving into the gel nail polish game and I was happy to say that Revlon's delivers. Very similar to the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel, this polish works best being applied over dry, oil-free nails, with no base coat. I found 2 light coats were enough for full opacity, and the polish was neither streaky or thick. The top coat dries down rather easily and leaves the nails looking 'gel-like' for about a week with regular dish-washing and cleaning. That is HUGE for me. I didn't find it any better or any worse than the other store-brand gel-look polishes, but it obviously is not comparable to real gel nails. Pocket Aces is a gorgeous pinky coral that netted me compliments the entire week, and I'd highly recommend snapping it up.
What's your favourite Revlon product?
I received all of these products for free for review. The Mega Multiplier was received through Influenster, and the remaining products were received from Revlon, but all opinions are my own.
