Imagine waking up after only sneaking in about 3 to 4 hours of sleep because you and your friend planned an impromptu girl’s night. The entire night and morning were spent reminiscing on the memories you guys shared during your high school years, the good the bad and the unspeakable. You rush over to the bathroom trying to conceal those glaring dark circles which are clear evidence that you did not spend your evening completely the work your boss asked you to do. You empty out your makeup bag spilling everything onto the countertop only to realise that you did not pack your brush or concealer. All you have is a tiny drop of foundation that is simply not going to cut it. Well, that’s where Revlon’s Colourstay 2-in-1 Compact makeup swoops in, in hopes to save the day.

At first glance, I was quite intrigued by the packaging. I thought Revlon had cheated us out of a full tray of foundation due to the large trimming around the concealer. Boy oh, boy was I wrong. This compact, in fact, has three tiers. Here’s the load down on each.

The first tier contains a small tray with the concealer pre-picked by Revlon. It is a shade lighter than the foundation but not too light for a complete highlight effect. It is a tad thick when I rubbed it between my fingers. I applied it to a few of my dark spots but it did not seem to conceal them. I tried building up the product but I was still unsuccessful. The product felt rather drying so I decided to avoid using it around my eye area in case they dry them out a tad too much.

The first try lifted up to reveal the magnificent full pan of the foundation. The foundation glared up at me in all its glory and full of potential. I decided to use a damp beauty blender like sponge to apply the foundation because I was a bit sceptic since it was a compact foundation which tends to be think. The foundation transferred onto my sponge effortlessly and applied smoothly onto my face. It blended in well and did not require much effort. The product was buildable and provided a medium to full coverage. Once I set my face I was quite impressed at how natural and matte my face was looking. Everything was working well until I looked into the mirror a few hours later. The product seemed to settle into my fine lines around my nose and emphasized my dry patches on my forehead.

The second tray lifts up to reveal a mirror and a sphere shaped sponge. The pointed tip helps to get into the inner corners of your eye to ensure that the product is applied evenly throughout your face.

An important point to mention is that this product actually applies a shade lighter than what you see at first glance. This was the only pickle I encountered because my face and neck were two different shades. I guess I need to play around with this product and try missing it with something a little darker to get the colour right. This product is rather drying so you really need to layer on your moisturiser and primer, before applying it. I personally think it would work best for those with oily skin to help bring a balance to the shine on their face. I think that a damp sponge with be the most effective tool to use to ensure that it is blended seamlessly.

Overall this product was a hit and a miss for me. I prefer being able to pick my own concealer but I guess it might work better if I got a shade darker. What I do love is the fact that it is an all in one product which is travel-friendly and perfect for impromptu trips and hasty packing. Revlon Colourstay 2-in-1 Compact makeup can be purchased at your nearest Revlon counter for R299.