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)

Review (plus rave): Za Total Hydration BB Cream UV

Product description: Contains skincare ingredients to moisturize skin, foundation effects conceal skin problems and achieve a healthy skin tone, SPF 43 PA+++ protects the skin from harsh UV rays. Ingredients list as below:

Shade: I really wish this comes in more shades so that more people can try, but sadly there is only one (ONE?!) shade. Luckily for me, it fits me pretty well. But, one plus point is that this BB cream doesn't look grey like many others.
Score: 1.5/5 boo....

Coverage: I was afraid that this would have the same light coverage as the Maybelline BB cream, but I was so wrong! I love the coverage of this. It has a good medium to medium-full coverage. I only need a teensy bit of undereye concealer after applying this BB cream. As for my acne and scar issues, well, not even the best foundation can cover them, so of course I still need concealer for them.
Score: 4/5

Texture/Finish: Like all the other BB creams, this has a creamy feel to it while blending. It blends very seamlessly into my skin using my fingers. I love the finish of this BB cream. My idea of a perfect skin (finish and shine wise), would be exactly what this BB cream gives me. It has a semi-matte finish, while maintaining a slight glow that natural skin should have. The only thing I dislike about this is that it leaves a sticky feeling behind, which means I need to blot with facial tissue before setting it with powder to get rid of the feeling. I so wish I didn't need to cover the fantastic finish of this BB cream with powder!
Score: 3.5/5

Oil control/Longevity: Pretty good oil control, since I top this up with a powder. So far, even in the scorching and humid Singapore weather, this didn't melt off my skin. Thumbs up!
Score:4/5

Packaging: This comes in a cheap looking plastic tube which I'm really not fond of. However this makes it very convenient to carry around in a purse or while travelling.
Score: 3.5/5

Price point: This retails for SGD15.90 for 20g, which is pretty cheap when it comes to base makeup in Singapore. I got this on sale for about SGD13 which just makes this sweeter =)
Score: 4/5

Overall: This has got to be one of my top choices for BB creams, because it gives a coverage of a foundation, while having the blendability (is there such a word?) of a BB cream. It also looks natural on my skin.
Score: 20.5/30