Review: Revlon ColorStay Pressed Powder

Product Description (Taken straight from the box): This is not the SoftFlex version. Shine-free for 16 hours, silky ultra-fine formula blends seamlessly for a flawless, shine-free finish. Oil-free, non-irritating, won't clog pores. Talc-free and parabens free. 

My thoughts: Why on earth would it say talc-free when talc is clearly the first ingredient on the list? Maybe there is another kind of talc I don't know, but it is really misleading, and you can't expect the normal consumer to know these things in great detail.

Other than that crazy 'error' that Revlon made with regards to the ingredients, I do quite like this powder. I use it as a setting powder for my BB creams and liquid foundation. Of course I didn't stay shine-free for 16 hours. I usually take such claims with a pinch of salt anyway since nothing ever stays as long as they claim to. Anyway, this looked pretty good on my skin for at least 4 hours before some oil starts to shine through. The finish is matte, as with most powders. It does not have shimmers or anything. I have never used this on its own, but I can see that it does provide a tiny bit of extra coverage. This powder does not look too cakey and powdery when applied with a fluffy face brush or buffed in with a kabuki brush. If packed on with the puff, I think it does end up looking a bit patchy and thick.

Tip: In general, for applying setting powders that are not translucent, to prevent the product from caking up and to ensure that the powder looks flawless, a lot of it is in the application itself. When I needed the extra coverage, I would use my kabuki brush to 'stipple' the powder all over my face instead of buffing the powder in. Buffing may even move the foundation and concealer you have applied carefully underneath. After that, using a very large, soft and fluffy (not dense) brush, I would go over my whole face, brushing off the excess powder that didn't adhere to my skin, and to smooth the powder out. This works for all my colored powders, even powdered foundation.

My shade is in 840 Medium (slightly dark for me, but I usually like to use a slightly darker powder to add some color back to my face after foundation)