The BEST high coverage High Street foundation

I have tried a LOT of High Street foundations over the past ten years or so, since I started wearing make-up at the ripe old age of fourteen. There are ones I really, really like, such as Bourjois Healthy Mix, Rimmel Match Perfection, L'Oreal True Match and Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, to name a few. But I've found that most high-street formulas tend to offer light, sheer coverage, whereas I'm after a higher coverage formula to effectively cover spots, blemishes and uneven skin-tone  With this in mind, the absolute best foundation for medium to high coverage has to be  Revlon ColorStay liquid foundation. Nothing else on the High Street comes close. 

ColorStay foundation in 'Ivory' and ColorStay powder in 'Light'

As you can see, it comes with a matching pressed powder which is also fantastic. To give a bit of product information, ColorStay comes in two formulas: one for normal/dry skin and one for combination/oily, which is the formula I use. It claims to last for up to '24hrs' although I've never left it on long enough to test this out! I can confirm, however, that it lasts a good 16 hours  without disappearing or breaking down on the skin. 

I have sort of complicated skin, which makes finding a good foundation quite tricky. I'm predominantly combination/oily yet I also have very sensitive skin and react often to unfamiliar products. Patches of dermatitis tend to flare up when my skin doesn't like a new product, and trying to cover both acne/scarring and dry patches can be difficult! ColorStay is the only High Street foundation I've used that effectively keeps my skin under control throughout the day. The combination/oily formula does require a fully moisturised base to blend in easily but this isn't a problem as I always moisturise after cleansing in the morning. I apply it with my fingertips and find it so easy to blend that way. I'm super pale and 'Ivory' matches my skin-tone perfectly, unlike lots of high-street foundations I've used that have an unmistakable orange tinge even though they claim to be 'ivory' or 'porcelain'.

The formula sinks in easily and blends really well, and it covers literally everything: spots, scarring, uneven skin-tone  dark circles. I love it! At £12.49 (at Boots) it's on the more expensive end of high-street purchases but it is so worth it for the results it delivers. I was getting increasingly tired of having to pile on layers and layers of concealer after using foundations that were too sheer and light (which admittedly seems to be the trend at the moment among High Street brands). This gives a great base and it acts as a perfect anchor for concealer and powder without looking caked on or mask-like. It claims to provide a 'flawless, lightweight feel' and it really does deliver fantastic high coverage without feeling at all heavy. It dries to a matte finish which I like. The glass bottle is a little heavy to carry  but it looks quite expensive and sleek. 

It would be nice if it came with a pump applicator but I quite like being able to control how much I pour out, and it's easy to put any excess liquid back in the bottle once you've finished applying it. Above is a swatch of 'ivory' and below is how it looks once blended. 

I honestly couldn't be without this foundation now that I've discovered it! Paired with the matching pressed powder in 'Light' it doesn't budge during the day, meaning I no longer have to worry about the 'midday shine'. I use the sponge that comes with the powder to set my base before applying blusher, and it gives a really natural, light finish. It doesn't dull the skin or look chalky, unlike some powders I've used in the past, and although I do usually reapply a light touch of powder in the afternoon it isn't totally essential. I just like freshening up! The powder retails at £10.99 and while it may seem a little expensive I really couldn't be without it. I've been using both products everyday for the past two weeks and there is still lots of powder left in the pan, which makes a change from some cheaper High Street powders. I do love some more expensive designer foundations such as Laura Mercier and Mac, but this Revlon duo offer an affordable, high quality alternative that I'm happy to use on a daily basis as my main base products. 

Pros 

• Both foundation and powder are long lasting and offer high coverage
• Foundation effectively covers spots, scars, blemishes and uneven skin-tone
• Provides a matte finish
• Powder sets make-up without looking chalky or dull
• Smart packaging
• Products combined create a flawless base

Cons

• More expensive than some other High Street foundations (but worth it for the results!)
• Foundation bottle could do with a pump applicator to prevent possible spillages

Have you tried Revlon ColorStay before? I'd love to know what you think!

Browse Revlon products here